Greenbriar Manor

Bridgette's Belonging

No one knew that in Vermont Bridgette had made an impression on anyone. Everyone knew that she had left as suddenly as she had come to Myrna's Manor house. Myrna herself did not even know that the man who had come to take down the house had often thought about her beautiul and talented niece from long ago. This would complicate things if he did not leave well enough alone. Some secrets needed to stay buried. Lou had loved her even though they were still children when they met long ago. But everyone who knew her had died. It was a strange feeling to know that tomorrow he would be tearing down the last place he had ever seen his first love. Well. he was supposed to but after the strange day he had with that dog and the weird woman he was not sure that he could go through with the job. No matter how much the original owners paid him. Clearly there were things about that house no one knew. As he ate his television dinner and watched his nightly game show and crime drama it felt more and more like something had shifted in his spirit since his encounter with the house. He felt tingly all over and when he walked toward the tv he could almost feel the static shift and hear whispers. A woman or maybe a girl. Strange things he was unsure of that made him wish he had never taken that job or known that family at all. He drifted off to sleep thinking about the dark haired girl he used to know. As he was about to fall asleep he saw someone in the corner of his bedroom. It was not the strange woman with a rolling pin but a child. A child with dark hair and a green ribbon the same color as her fancy dress. She looked like Bridgette. But that could simply not be. It had to be the medication or the heat or something. He was off his head. She said something to him as he drifted off to sleep. "Lou, don't let them take down the tree. If you get rid of the house no one will come back if you leave the job half done she will win and people will get hurt.  No one will ever know where I went if she wins. I am home already. She must stay there for now. But you can change it all. If you ever loved me at all bring down the house tomorrow and set me free. Set us all free." Goosebumps formed on his arms. Somehow he knew this was really his friend. He thought of that menacing glaring old woman standing between him and the clear blue sky. What had she done? What did she want? He had been given a job and he would make it happen but as God as his witness that man would stand next to him while the Manor caved in tomorrow. He would never go there alone again. As the television popped and crackled while he dozed he thought he heard piano music and a faint smell of almonds. His dreams were fitful but happy. He woke up the next day covered in sweat before his alarm went off. He called the man from the number he had been given by his foreman. 

Brittany's dad picked up the phone after one ring groggily and told him he would be there at first light he wanted to get this over with as soon as possible. Brittany had told no one she had seen Mabel. She hugged the bunny to her chest but something felt odd. There was a strange lumpy place in it's chest that felt hard when she squeezed it and sometimes felt painful. She wondered if like some old stuffed toys its form was made by wire filament. She would ask See See about her bunny as soon as she saw her. Deep within the bunny was a secret all its own. Just like Mari's doll and the broken horse and other toys the manner kept attics held onto things from the past. Things left for use. The only thing more sinister in the entire family legacy was the tea tray and the rolling pin itself. As long as Brittany had a hold of Salem's bunny nothing in the old house could touch her. Not even Myrna would dream of messing up her promise to Salem. She would work with Brittany and give her the same devotion. But, first she needed to see what the child was good at other than reading stories and tea parties. She needed to be in school and having friends. Lonliness bred brooding children and melancholia. Like Vera. She would not have another daughter who only wanted to remain childlike and stay in her past. Not when there was a great wide world to explore and conquer. Salem knew of that well. She had done it come whatever may. 

Meanwhile: At Greenbriar

In her old bedroom Bridgette was leafing through old photos. She came across a small blurry one of the summer she went to the recital. She was holding a green ribbon in a tiny blue box. Next to her stood her friend Lou. She had loved him though she was young. His parents were poor and simple people but that did not matter. He had given her a hair ribbon for luck for the end of summer recital. Inside the box lid he had written two simple lines in very scratchy cursive. She knew he had only gone to school through fifth grade yet he was the kindest boy she had ever met. It read, "The song my heart sings is for you special. Will you be mine always?" She remembered Vera braiding her hair and tying her ribbons in for luck. While she played she thought of Lou and his note. She would stay in Vermont and marry him when the time came right. She was young but not too young. Plenty of girls had engagement rings at her age. As she felt the last note of their recital song play through her fingers, she turned to see Lou and then she felt dreadfully dizzy. She thought it was love. She smiled and wandered into her room for a nap. She woke up outside with Vera and then everything changed. Vera won. Her aunt was angry. She never saw Lou again. Not until tonight. The piano had been destroyed. Brittany had given her a way here. She walked to the treehouse and from there the thicket and soon she was standing at the treeline of the Manor. She was not scared anymore. Nothing held her here. She went to see her friend she had a favor to ask him. Tomorrow she would hold the key and Salem;s grenddaughter would step into her Fate. It was true that the house there took things. But Green Briar often gave them back. Brittany was a key. As Vera had been. One to watch the gate one to set the latch one to play the melody and one to ride the wind. One to hold the flame and carry on. She knew that Fern was close to finding Chessie's secrets in the attic and Brittany surely was close to seeking answers from that bunny the Grey's had buried. Houses give up things as years roll on. Daniel and Brookie would not let things get too far out of hand. But she now knew someone had remembered her outside her cousin and these walls. That was enough to set anyone free.