The Aftermath

Chapter nineteen

Elijah always loved the thought that in a weeks time Jessamine would be his, She would then be Jessamine Blackwood. Together they had decided that before the wedding they wanted to go to the public library and choose out 2 books for each other to read.

At first when she found out that Elijah had a soft spot for the Brontë sisters' writing she had laughed, now she just embraces it. However Elijah was shocked to find out that some of Jessamines favourite writers were gothic horror writers such as Mary Shelley, E.T.A. Hoffmann and Bram Stoker, he always thought she would have preferred writers like Dickens. This is what made the couple decide that they should choose out books for each other. So they could fully appreciate one another's loves.

Elijah was on his way to the library to meet Jessamine for the book picking, he had decided that he was to walk today, the weather was beautiful with the mid September sun shimmering down through the branches of the trees lining the streets. Everything seemed warm and kind even the unloved homes that had been forgotten about with time.

Elijah had wanted to take the longer way that ran through the large park, he preferred this route it showed off the greenery and the people who wanted to get away from the hustle and bustle of the city. Something that Elijah had grown accustomed to over his lifetime there. Walking through the park he noticed several things, the children who were there somehow all looked like they could have fun with almost anything they were given, the parents of said children looked bored and almost envious that their children were having more fun than them, the greenery was starting to fade into a golden colour, finally the wildlife seemed to be sparse and under appreciated.

It took Elijah another 10 minutes before leaving the park and making his way up to the old library. The old building was made out of sturdy grey stone, however it had been worn down over the years due to the weather and other circumstances. Opening the door Elijah could see Jessamine already inside browsing through the fiction section, though this library was for public use nobody else was in it apart from the young lady working at the front desk, her hair tied into a smart up do with glasses balanced on the top of her head. Elijah quickly made his way over to Jessamine not knowing how long she had been waiting for him.

"I'm sorry I'm late I got a little bit distracted at the park" he said bending down to kiss her cheek.

"I hope you weren't looking at other women. That would be highly inappropriate considering we are to be married next week" the tug of a playful smile on Jessamines lips showed that she was joking with him which relieved him very quickly.

"Well I'm glad you were joking darling however I do think that you aught to know that I would never look at anyone other than you" he smiled his cheeks dusting a light red.

"Well that is wonderful to know as I am going to be moving to another continent with you" her voiced laced with a sarcastic element.

"Well now that that is sorted out how about we start picking out the books for each other" Elijah suggested motioning to the room of books that surrounded them. Before being able to say anything else Jessamine had taken off back to the area she was before. Elijah walked to the familiar section he would end up in as a child. He knew exactly which novels he wanted Jessie to read. Wuthering heights and Great Expectations. He felt like she would enjoy these two novels the most out of everything he had loved himself.

It didn't take long for him to re discover the novels and pick them out from the shelf they were sat on. Out of nowhere he heard Jessamine start talk, swiftly he turned around to see what was going on.

"Oh you poor thing let me help you with that, I'm sorry I didn't notice you sooner or I should have helped earlier than now" Jessamine was saying while picking up a novel from one of the higher shelves. What chilled Elijah was the fact that there was nobody there she seemed to be talking to thin air. Just as she seemed to be handing over the book to oxygen Elijah called out.

"Jessie I have the novels" and with that the novel Jessie had been holding dropped to the ground with a loud thud this made her Jump back in confusion looking around wildly as if she had just lost somebody leaving a pause before speaking out again.

"So have I come here" she beckoned for him to join her whilst picking up the two books she had put on the bench next to her. Elijah walked over concerned about her after what just happened.

"I think you are going to love these books I picked out for you. These were the first ones I ever read so I decided why not let you have the same starters as me" she gushed looking fondly down at the books as if she was recalling lost memories. She handed them over to Elijah who in surprise liked the look of these books. He was holding and looking down upon'Strange case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde' and 'Dracula' quickly thanking her he gave her his choices for her.

Jessamine examined the books before she smiled down at them happily and tucked them away under her arm. "I think I am going to really enjoy these Elijah thank you" she truly was happy.

"It was my pleasure. And I don't want to be imposing here but who were you talking to before" Elijah questioned earnestly.

"It was an old lady she looked like she needed help getting down a novel, she also looked quite unwell so I thought I should help her" She seemed proud of her actions.

"But Jessamine there wasn't anybody there I was watching the whole thing, it was like you were talking to thin air"

"But I saw her just like I saw the sick man at your house just before I saw your brother and Harry" hurt was clear in her voice.

"What happened at my house who did you see?" There was an urgency to this question. 

"Well I heard noises outside of the tea room so I followed them out into the hallway where there was an old man who was just a little bit shorter than you except his face looked oxygen starved like he had been without it for weeks, what was even more concerning about him he was extremely thin and he had hollow eyes which looked pained but angry" she said trying to include every detail about this man she could remember. For a moment Elijah shrunk back as he knew this description as his father. His dead father.

"I'm sorry to hear that you were troubled by this and I think maybe the next time something strange happens to you, you should write it in a little journal it's like when people do that with dreams except you are awake instead of dreaming" Elijah tried to quickly regain his composure so Jessamine didn't realise that he knew she had saw a ghost, if she ever found out about what had happened to his father she would never speak to him again let alone marry him. He could never tell her of anything that transpired that night.