Shadows Evil Embrace

Chapter 1

Shadows Evil Embrace

1967  Collinsport, Maine

Collinwood Gazebo

With the setting of the sun, and the thunderhead building over the Atlantic's eastern seaboard, Victoria Winters stood under the gazebo's protective enclosure. She watched the night's shadows had began to creep and grow stretching its cloying embrace over the grounds and she finally noted how this darkness always made its trek to the huge three-storied house that sat atop the stony cliffs of Collinsport Maine. To her this dark foreboding mansion was home. Those that occupied the interior of this house had become family. She was finally comfortable with the long shadows that fell over the house making most of those not residing in the gloomy old house, feel the oppressiveness of the unknown. To her these had a feeling of normalcy and were non-threatening.

From the distance she could hear the call of a forlorn sounding owl heralding its awakening to the night. Victoria thought it so sad and sounded lonely with its long low repetitive "hooooting ". She had to smile if she had thought about the eerie call. It did give her surroundings a more unsettling atmosphere. Which could readily lend credence to those that rumored the place was creepy and haunted. To those not of Collinwood it would have been a sign of foreboding and made many wonder how many ghosts haunted the ancient house.

Dragging the novel she had been reading to her chest. She sat and watched the gathering darkness and the impending storm's arrival. That is when she was reminded of a part of her past that had become her driving force behind who she was and who were her parents? With a halfhearted sigh she watched the first streaks of lightening for-telling the arrival of a storm. Which would have been the perfect end to a dreadful day and a trying one.

David Collins, the precocious ten-year-old boy she had been hired to govern had given her a particularly rough day. Though he had softened towards her somewhat since locking her in a room in an abandoned part of the great house, he did have his days of testing her patience. Today had been one of those days. David had a bright mind, an over active imagination and a penchant for the supernatural and this distracted him from his lessons. It also caused him to be easily swayed away from what they had supposed to be doing and that was studying.

From the darkening shadows around the gazebo, the soft sound of footfalls announced the approach of another to her isolated world of what had been relatively calm. Feeling only a slight amount of trepidation at her isolation and the approaching storm; Vicki sat up straighter with a less than calm demeanor and searched the area. "Hello? Who is there?" Her voice was soft and tinged with her fear of the unknown.

The last thing she needed was for David to spring forward in his impish delight and toss a huge garden spider on her. She stood and hugged the book closer using it like armor against an impending attack. Once again, she looked around the area and called, "David if that is you, then please tell me!" The lone figure stood beside the gate leading to the garden, reached his hand up to steady his body and watched the lovely young woman that had become his obsession. Why had he been so foolish to think that a common girl named Maggie Evans had been his love reincarnated?

Why had he not realized that this beauty with her tender qualities, and delicate features was what he had transcended time and space to find and mold into the very woman he needed to share his life for an eternity? Yes he had been too hasty in his need to fill that gap that had so long been a part of his life. Maggie had looked like his lovely Josette, but alas she failed to bend to his pressures and accept the role. He had felt a brief moment of regret and disappointment at her demise. What was it Dr. Woodard had said? She had died from shock. Pity she was a lovely girl and had shown some qualities and her beauty was incomparable. However she was now nothing more than a passing memory and a figment of a failed attempt to make his life less empty and more fulfilled.