The Aftermath

Chapter twenty one

After Jessamine had stormed out of Edith's bedroom she couldn't take the idea of her daughter going to the one place that was full of death and hatred. After about 10 minutes Edith stormed into the library and started tearing out books from their shelves every ounce of anger in her body that she had kept bottled up for the past 19 years coming out in that moment. Every crash of a book reminded her of something new something different.

Pictures of memories flashing through her head, everything seemed to be glazed over, she couldn't fully remember. Edith wanted to remember she needed to remember. Screaming profanities Edith threw down one last book.

Edith was sitting in the middle of the library surrounded by books she had pulled off the shelves in a flurry of anger and hurt, silent tears running down her cheeks. She couldn't believe her daughter, whom she had tried to keep safe from everything to do with Allerdale Hall, was going to that place.

Edith couldn't take it any more, everything about the things happening infuriated her. She didn't want to be here she didn't want to be alone, she couldn't be alone.

There was a sharp knock on the door Edith didn't reply she didn't want to reply. The knocking stopped and the person opened the door stepping in. It was Lucille.

Edith's eyes went wide In confusion and horror. Lucille, her dark hair flowing past her waist her eyes full of fury. She was wearing a long black gown that was long sleeved and the neckline went up to just below her chin, there was small detailed patterns on the hemlines from what Edith could see it was moths.

"Edith what are you doing in here?" Lucille asked angrily.

"I-I couldn't remember, I need to be able to remember. Get out please Lucille" Edith mumbled this couldn't be real this had to be a dream.

"I am not leaving" she started to walk closer to Edith. Edith's breathing became erratic and uneven.

"Get out, get out. Please" her voice cracked at the end she shuffled back a bit trying to move away from Lucille.

"None of them fucked Thomas" Lucille purred getting closer to Edith.

"I can remember Lucille I can't remember it all. I promised I would never forget. What have I done, the book I can't find it. Everything is going wrong" Edith was frantic pulling at her hair, she got up and started looking around trying to find 'Crimson Peak'.

"You are useless Thomas never loved you. You should have died in that house along with the rest of them" Lucille seethed picking up one of the books and throwing it at her.

"No... No he loved me, he really did. I need the book to help me remember." Ever Since Edith got pushed by Lucille off the staircase her memory had been unreliable, Edith wrote the novel as soon as she got back to America getting in every detail she could. As the weeks passed she realised she was forgetting things, there was holes in her memory so she had to read her novel to keep everything in tact. Now Edith couldn't find the book she couldn't even remember where she put it last. For Edith there was nothing worse than forgetting. Sometimes she wished she had died in that house.

"Edith you can't really believe that you will remember him, if you say your love is that strong then you shouldn't forget"

"This is your fault if you hadn't pushed me I would have never started forgetting, YOU KNEW THIS WOULD HAPPEN TO ME. YOU KNEW I WOULD FORGET, IT IS ALL YOUR FAULT" Edith was screaming as loud as she possibly could. She was trying to attack Lucille with as many words as she could. She knew it wouldn't work, Lucille seemed immune to everything she was saying. However Lucille's back stiffened and she looked down at the mess on the floor.

"Oh poor little Edith have your wings finally broken" she was sneering at her now taking every chance she could to hit her with cruel, hateful words. She looked back down at the books that Edith had thrown around in her emotional state.

"LEAVE ME ALONE" Edith screamed picking up the largest book she could get her hands on and threw it right at Lucille. The book swirled threw the air before hitting her right in the chest Lucille fell to the ground with a thud. Edith closed her eyes and started to cry I can't remember she thought to herself. She opened her eyes again and looked towards the other side of the room where Lucille had fallen. Edith took in a sharp breath when she saw no other than Alan in Lucille's place. Edith rushed over scared about what she could have done.

"Alan are you okay" Edith shook his shoulder.

"I'm okay just a little shocked... Edith Lucille died and you were hallucinating. I think I should take you to see a specialist, someone who could help you with this" he said still lying on the floor.

"No Alan I can't they will make me forget, I can't forget" she was frantic again still grabbing onto his sleeve.

"Edith you must! You need help" he said taking her hand off his arm and keeping a hold of her.

"Get off me Alan you have to trust me I am fine. I can't go to one of those places so just let me be"

"No Edith I will not sit here and watch you go insane" Alan was adamant.

"Then leave Alan. I want you to leave you have stayed here long enough" Edith said trying compose herself.

"You aren't well Edith you don't know what you are saying"

"Alan I know what I'm saying and I want you to leave" her voice was raised just enough to try and sound threatening.

"If that is what you want but on one condition"

"I don't care Alan I just don't want you here" she was tired, drained.

"Fine I want to walk Jessamine down the aisle"

"You can do that Alan she needs someone to do that and I can't so yes you can" Edith waved him off "now please leave Alan" as she said this Alan got up holding himself, Edith knew she had hurt him with the book but she was too tired to care. Closing her eyes Edith knew what she needed to do, she needed to do this to remember.