The Aftermath

Chapter nine

Thomas felt a twinge of pain in his heart, his not beating heart, a painful throb. Just for a moment. His first thought was of Edith, if she was doing okay. He felt wrong, everything felt wrong, he shouldn't be here. He should be with her. Was she alive? For all he knew she could be dead from the poison, she could be married to Alan?

Run.

Thomas pounced into sprinting, bursting the door open to his workshop and racing down the stairs, he saw Lucille beside the piano, her head resting against the keys, he ignored. Jumping down the last four steps onto the floor loudly, he kept running.

"Thomas?!" He heard Lucille ask, yet again he ignored, gaining faster each footstep. He reached the doors and immediately opened them with all his might. The sudden hit of snow fogged his vision, he didn't care. He needed to leave. This place was insanity. He himself, was insanity.

"Thomas! Get back here now!" He heard Lucille scream at him. He was about to turn around when he heard her...Edith.

She screamed out his name, "Thomas!" He leapt into his run again, out the doors and into the cold outside. He saw his machine to his left, it didn't matter anymore, he could hear her. His beloved Edith.

"You're here," he heard her say, she was loud and clear in his ear, like she was beside him.

As he ran, he replied to her, "of course, my darling, I'm always here," he gasped out, his breathing heavy from the run. As he ran, he realised how far away he was from Allerdale Hall, from his hell hole. Bursting out laughing as he reached the gates, he yelled out in triumphant. He was away. He was free.

"Edith? Please, my darling, where are you?" He asked, looking up to the frosty grey sky. He waited for her reply, her vibrant voice.

Nothing.

"Thomas?" He heard someone.

"Edith?" He closed his eyes and smiled from the reply, however, it wasn't Edith Cushing.

"Did you just call me...Edith?!" Lucille snapped at her brother, looking up at him in rage.

Thomas' face drained from colour, it wasn't Edith, no...

"No, no, no, no...this...no, this is wrong, I shouldn't be here...I have to be with Edith, my wife," Thomas spoke, his voice trembling.

Lucille rolled her eyes, "you're dead, she may be dead, there is no way for any of us to see her, unless she returned, Thomas, you are being foolish, please, come back to the house, I'll sing you our lullaby and-"

"No!" Roared Thomas, Lucille for the first time jumped back, "she is not dead! I refuse to believe that assumption, she will return, I know it. She loves me and I love her..."

"You're delusional Thomas, you're hearing things, do you see Edith?" Lucille harshly spat.

Thomas looked around him, aware of the fact they were alone, Edith was no where to be seen. He opened his mouth to talk but nothing came out, he was in awe.

Lucille reached out the touch him but Thomas resisted, "I heard her," he whispered.

"Thomas, please," Lucille begged, "I'm cold. I want to go home." Thomas saw how scared she was, like when she was a child.

"I heard her voice..."