What Waits Beyond Death's Door

Chapter 5

Edith dreamt of what happened in the library over and over again that night. Each time with a different ending. The last dream however forbid her from falling asleep again. Alan had come into the library and saw her with the letter opened towards her stomach. He rushed to her as fast as he could and forced the letter opener out of her hand. Only to stab her with it in the heart. He cackled when she fell and lay in a pool of her own blood.

She rubbed her arms as goosebumps crept up her skin making her hairs stand up. Edith knew Alan would never do that but the look in his eyes when he had stabbed her unsettled her. A knock at her bedroom door startled her and she sat up. "Edith? It's me I've brought you breakfast. Are you decent?" Alan said on the other side of the door.

"Uh...yes! Come in!" She yelled and the door slowly opened. Alan stood in the doorway and smiled as he saw Edith already up.

"Well look at that. This time you can have breakfast warm instead of cold." He chuckled as he crossed the room in a few strides then set the tray next to her. Edith noticed something was off about his once light hearted chuckle which now sounded forced and almost demonic. "Hey are you okay? You don't look so good." He said and put his hand on her forehead. "You're warm.  You should stay in bed all day the fever won't be good for the baby if you're running around all day." Edith lightly shook her head as she tried to push away the memory of her dream. Alan wouldn't do that to her. Would he?

As Edith took her first bite she quickly asked, "Has your mother arrived yet?"

"Yes she is setting her stuff up in the guest bedroom. You should have seen her face when she saw the mansion let alone the gapping hole in the ceiling." Edith forced a laugh. "She said she's only staying a day or two so we don't have to worry for to long. You should be able to avoid her today because of your fever. I'll tell her not to come in here so she doesn't bother you." He said and patted Edith's leg a little to roughly.

Edith smiled. "Thanks. I should be better by tomorrow." She said and finished her breakfast. Alan grabbed the empty tray from her and lightly smiled.

"You should get some sleep." Edith's eyes slowly fluttered closed as she felt herself sink into the dark abyss that awaited her.

---

Darkness and bright crimson. That's all Edith could see. She tried to stand up but heard the clanking of metal. Metal bounds...who had chained her up?! Resting her heads on her knees she tried to recall her last memories. Edith gasped as she realized Alan must have drugged her breakfast. But why...why Alan of all people? Had her dreams been trying to tell her something? Was Alan truly evil? How did she miss it all these years? "Well it's about time you got up." A voice said in Edith's ear and she yelped in surprise. The fabric around her eyes was taken off and Edith's eyes scrunched up at the bright light.

"Alan what are you doing? Let me go please." Edith begged as he tightened her chains around her tiny wrists. "Please Alan."

"Be quiet." Alan said as he pulled on the chain connected to the wall, making sure it was secure. "I'm doing this for payback."

"Payback for what? I haven't done anything. Unless...is this about my not loving you? Alan I already told y-"

"Hush child." A female voice said and Edith frantically looked around. There was no one else in the room but her and Alan. Who could have... no...it's impossible.

"Lucille?" Alan's head snapped up and he menacingly smiled. "Where's Alan."

"Who's Alan? He doesn't exist anymore."

"Lucille what have you done with him?!" Edith screamed pulling against her restraints with all her might.

'Alan' sighed and scratched his head. "I didn't know you would figure out this soon. You're precious Alan is gone I have simply taken over his body." Lucille's voice came out of Alan's mouth that time and Edith gasped.

"You get out of him right now! You low life son of a bi-" Edith was cut off by Lucille well Alan smacking her and she screamed. Since Lucille was in Alan's body her slaps hurt way more.

"Quiet."

"Alan...fight her. I know you can. Please just fi-" Edith was silenced again by another smack but this time harder.

"I said quiet or else!" Lucille yelled causing Edith to shrink back against the cold stone wall of the basement. "Now you are going to stay down here while I deal with that horrid creature upstairs." Oh no! If Edith didn't find a way to stop her Alan would be forced to kill his own mother.

"Lucille please...leave her be. She hasn't done anything to you." Edith pleaded.

Alan spun around and smiled. "Oh but she has. You see right now she's taken residence in fathers old bedroom. He will be very mad at me if I don't get her out of there and I really don't want to be punished. When you're the one who let her in my house."  Alan turned towards the elevator again. "If you scream to warn her I'll make sure to kill that creature in your womb." Edith clutched her stomach as Alan closed the gate to the elevator and disappeared upstairs within a few seconds.

Edith struggled against her chains trying to find something to help her break them off.

"Oh Alan there you are. I've been wandering the hours for what seems like hours looking for you. Where's Edi- what's wrong?" Alan's mother slowly took a few steps back as he had started smiling at her with the most unsettling grin. "Alan what are you doing? Stop it this instant!" She shrieked as Alan had tilted his head and was giving her a dark look.

"Quiet you imbecile." Alan said with Lucille's voice. He had gotten close enough so that he could wrap his hand around the woman's slender throat.

"Alan! Let me go!" The whining maiden struggled against her son's strong grip on her throat. "What is the meaning of this? Alan!" She screamed desperately clawing at his hand as her vision started to cloud. "Please..." She whispered as a tear slid down her cheek.

Alan threw the woman to the floor after making sure her pulse was no longer there. Inside Alan was screaming and trying to climb to the surface but Lucille forced him out. "Sorry dear but I'm taking over for a while..." Lucille said as she smirked. "Mommy dearest just couldn't stay you see."

"I will get you back for this you wretched beast." Alan snarled causing Lucille to laugh.

"I don't think so. Now let's go visit that friend of yours." Lucille sneered.

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