✔ | PAINTED IN CRIMSON | T. SHARPE

THIRTEEN | HALLUCINOGEN

 ❝The moment you go
I can't breathe anymore. ❞

─────── 

THIRTEEN | HALLUCINOGEN

"I know I told you I didn't know anything about Allerdale Hall, I wasn't completely honest with you." He said and nervously rubbed his hands together. After a few seconds he stared at me and spoke under his breath, "Adeline, awful things happened in that house." I nodded, it was time to let him know.

"Murders," I said, his lips slightly parted in surprise, "I know." All ability to speak seemed to have vanished from him. Nicholas observed me and I wondered what was going on his head.

"How?" His voice was reduced to a whisper. My mind began to race, I had to tell him everything now, even about the cat that scared the shit out of me more than once. I took a deep breath, I was sure he wouldn't believe me but I had to tell him anyway.

"It is a long story," I said, still trying to find a way to start, "listen, I didn't know anything about this place and I wish it had stayed like that. I found everything out by accident; I'm a writer and I was desperate to finish my book, get new ideas, so decided to go to Allerdale Hall, I hadn't been there since I was six and well, I was curious to see that place again . . . but, strange things happened since the first night I stayed there." Nicholas looked puzzled.

"Strange things, like what?" He asked and I bit my lip. I didn't know how to explain that to him, it was something absurd to say.

"Nicholas," I began, "the past still lives in Allerdale Hall."

"What do you mean by that?"

"Ghosts." I said. The serious expression on his face disappeared, he raised both eyebrows and let out a soft laugh.

"Ghosts?" He shook his head and laughed again, "That's the most ridiculous thing I've heard today."

"There are things we cannot understand," he began to walk towards the door and I followed him, "I didn't believe in ghosts either, I never thought I could actually see one. . ." I said, "please, listen to me!" He turned to face me, "Listen, I know this is ridiculous but it is the true. I wouldn't believe this either but I have talked to one of them and-"

"You have talked to them," he said, letting go of the door knob, "How many ghosts are there?"

"I'm not sure, but I've talked to Thomas he's a Baronet and he's got a sister," he should've known something about that, it was his family's past, "she tried to kill me because I touched her ring which, for some reason, is very important for her, Thomas protects me from her and he waited for me twenty years so I could help him to know what happened to his family, that is what I'm doing," Nicholas only stared at me, his brow furrowed and his arms folded over his chest. I didn't know what else to say, "and he looks exactly like you!" Nicholas rubbed his face with a hand.

"He looks exactly like me, are you sure?" I nodded frantically.

"Pretty sure," I said, "the only difference is that he's got black hair." Nicholas took a deep breath and placed his hands over his hips.

"Miss Clarke," he began, "what you're telling me has no sense whatsoever," I glared at him, "you are telling me you have talked to ethereal beings, you have seen them and you are, helping them? Did you know that some antidepressants may cause hallucinations when you abuse of the dosage-"

"What?"

"When you fainted this rolled out of your bag," he pulled out the pills I had decided to bring with me from his jacket inside pocket and gave it a small shake in the air, "I found it on my porch when I was leaving, how many of these have you been taking?" I snatched the bottle from his hand, "Do you have more of these in your bag?"