The Story of Emily's Death

Beth's Journal - July 31, 2015

I was like as a little girl having received exactly what she wanted for her birthday. It seemed to worry Jimmy. But what can I say? I adore cemeteries!

I am a taphophile. No, it is not a disease! It means that I like visiting cemeteries and admiring gravestones. I find it peaceful and beautiful. Thus I passed the rest of the day in the cemetery cutting the grass and clear out the weeds to return its prestige. In reality, it was the last 3 days... While the guys worked on the house. It was now Jimmy who came to see me with drinks, worried about not seeing me anymore around the house. I needs to say that I was confined, all by myself in the forest and was loosing the notion of time. I was going home at dark, not by fear but because I wasn't able to see anything out there. And I realized that the chapel was in fact a mausoleum for the mother of Emily. And his father also but the major part was dedicated  to Mary Ann Black Rose " wife and regretted mother ". I was sweeping the inside when Jimmy arrived. He had flowers in hands.
- I collected those on the road.
As I was looking at him without reacting, he quickly added:
- For Mary Ann...
He advanced to put the flowers in the vessels positioned at each ends on her grave.
- How nice... Going finally of my torpid state, that was all I found to say.
I continued to sweep when he crashed in front of me and gave me an beautiful mauve flower how was looking like a marguerite.
- You did not believe that I would forget you?
- Euh... I... thank you! I do not remember the last time that somebody offered me flowers.
I felt my cheeks blushing as I spoke. His smile was so brilliant, his lips was the only thing I was able to look. I eventually bent down to smell the flower and to hide my face.
- Well, I gonna have to remedy to this situation and offer you flowers more often. We finish the work for this week. It's Friday... My sister, she have a bar in Burlington. I have to go help her this evening, she is short staff. If you don't have nothing special to do... You can come by for a drink.
- How is it called?
- The Misfits. Do not trust the name, it is "a little bit underground" as atmosphere but it is no a good-for-nothings' bar as the name could suggest it.
- I already adore! I am going to pass by later.
- See you tonight then...
He left me with his smile. And I had to have my stupid smile on, the one which reveals all my teeth and gives me a stupid air. I decided that it was enough for today and got back to the house to prepare myself to go out in town.

~~~~

I was anxious when I finally parked in front of the Misfits. The name was written in floodlit red and I could heard rock music coming out from the door. I took 5 good breaths and decided to enter. The atmosphere was soft lighting and the space was small. In the middle, there was a few squared tables with wooden chairs which seemed to date from the 80s. On both sides, two red half-moon booths surrounded the place. There were only about ten costumers mainly sat in the booths and at the bar. The latter was completely in the back and has benches all around. Jimmy was coming out of swing doors behind it with a case of beers in his arms and say me. He put it down on the bar and by-passed it to welcome me with two kissed on the cheeks. Happy that the lights could conceal my complexion which was already reddish because of the neons on the wall, I ask him:
- Really nice place! It is your sister who own it?
- In fact, it is in the family. My father opened the bar long ago and left it to us in inheritance. But it is my sister who takes care of it. I have already quite enough with my construction's compagny.
- Are you talking about me? Says a girl who hung on to Jimmy's shoulders from behind to look at me. I am Nicky. The sister.
She held out her hand which I took to shake.
- Wow Jimmy, you amaze me! You did not tell me that she was also attractive. What is your poison? Nicky asked me, showing the bottles behind the bar.
- Very simple, beer. Black if you have.
- Ah come on! It is too simple. Judging by your look, you should drink something more sophisticated. Let me make you something.
She poured Guinness draft beer in a glass and she filled half of it. Using the back of a spoon, she poured the liquid of a small round glass bottle quietly on top, the thickness of the black beer allowing the liquid to rest there without mixing. She put the glass in front of me on a Guinness coaster.
- Black Velvet. It is some sparkling cider of apple mixed with some foaming black beer.
I take a sip, the cider was cool and good.
- Mmmm. Not too much sweetened and original. Thank you!
- It's my pleasure, Beautiful, answered me Nicky with a wink.
Jimmy sit down by my side at the same moment.
- Your fridges are full.
Nicky put down a draft beer in front of him for thanking him.
- Then you bought this old place alone? she questioned me. You seem to me a little bit young to hold a house... How old are you?
Irritated by the remark, I answered her:
- Yes I bought it alone and I am 34 years old, what seems to me rather reasonable, is it not?
- OK, OK! You look much younger than your age, I almost ask your I.D. when I saw you coming in.
- Goddamit Nicky, I'm starting to understand why your employees quit! You are in a bad mood, drop Jimmy.
I indeed felt that she was filled with rage; I could see his aura which was red and quivering around her. I understood suddenly that she was having a heartbrake. I tried to keep calm and also asked how old she was.
-I am 5 years older than Jimmy, make's me 47. And I am as his second mother since ours was not very present. Jimmy clear his throat, giving sign to Nicky to change the subject. But you know that you bought a haunted house?
As she took the initiative to ask the question, I took the liberty to tell her my experience with the ghost of the father who had guided me to Emily's diary. Contrary to his brother, she seemed to adore the subject.
-When we get back tonight, we could pass by the bridge to see Emily, suggested Nicky.
- It is not a very good idea ... it is the full moon, I answered her.
- Come on! Don't tell me that you are afraid? Jimmy asked me.
- Well... yes. The spirits tend to be more active during the full moon. And of what I read on Emily, she does not seem to be of the kind kind.
- It's rubbish! retorted Jimmy. You found that on the Internet I imagine? I am ready to bet with you that nothing gonna happen.
- OK if you are right, I pay our next outing. Otherwise, it is on you.
- As long as there is a next outing, it's OK for me!
He gave his suave smile and I couln't keep from laughing when Nicky said:
- Ok you two, get a room for god sake!

As the evening progresse, more customers arrived. I suggested helping Nicky. She accepted even if she seemed septic on my waitress's capacities. I told her that I was doing that since I was legal of age (witch is 18 years old to serve and drink alcohol in Quebec, from where I'm native). Anyway, I had already taken the initiative when things seemed to get out of control, seeing Jimmy run to clear tables and Nicky cursing while trying to please the clients. I served the drinks that Nicky prepared and took control. In brief the evening passed rather quickly up to the closure of the bar. What moved me closer to my forced meating with Emily.

~~~~

There was an area to park just before the bridge. We parked our three vehicles there. To my relief, the sky began clearing because it was almost dawn but the moon was always present.
- When we were yonger, I use to chill here with my friends, said Nicky, going out of her car. We loved creeping ourself; a crackle of the bridge and we believed to have heard Emily speaking to us, things like that.
The climate I was feeling approaching the bridge didn't reassured me at all. It was heavy. And foggy too. I was walking between Nicky and Jimmy and these got closer and closer to me until they were both touching my shoulders.
- There is no noise, I noticed.
Cicadas sang when we arrived. But they had stopped at the same moment we entered under the cover of the bridge. As Nicky, I stopped, but Jimmy continued to move forward. And suddenly, we heard a brief shrill cry that froze my heart. There was so much suffering in this shout. Nicky jumped in my arms and Jimmy uttered one " Ouch! ". He turned around towards us and guide us with his arm around us outside the bridge. Back to our vehicles, Jimmy showed us his arm, where three lines of blood showed as if he had been scratched by someone.