Breaking Violins

Catatonia

The sky was as dark as a raven’s feather. Emmy could see her own breath in the air. It was cold. Freezing cold. The entire scenery had changed. She had once been in the playground behind October Hill, and she was now in this new place. Nevertheless, where was she? After jumping through the ring of fire, everything had changed.

Mother.

She raised her glass of Bourbon to her lips for what seemed like the hundredth time. The papers on her desk had been left in complete disarray. Her duties left unattended. She could not settle the fire in her soul. Several emotions clouded her mind at once; guilt, shame, anger. She had finally watched the tape Damen had given her. At first, she waived it off. But eventually her curiosity got the better of her. She wished it had not though. There were no words to describe what she had seen on those tapes. Brutal, explicit. Those words still could not cover the sheer horror. Her hand trembled as she poured herself another glass of Bourbon. Her hair was frizzy and her eyes were glazed over with tears.

She was not usually one for eating her words but this was a much bigger case. Aaron had been right all along. For so long Mother had regarded Emberlynne as a problem child but truly, she had been a victim all along. How could she have been so stupid? Why didn’t anyone see? She had trusted Bryce to the highest degree. Her judgment had never been more off. Well there was no question that Bryce would be fired. And she would release Emberlynne to Aaron promptly. She just had to gather herself so that she would look presentable.

She glanced around her office. There were filing cabinets so tall that they met the ceiling, some were so very old. She had to admit that she never really liked working here. She was obligated to after her father passed. It was “the family business.” She had wanted to leave and go to school, that’s why she pushed Aaron so hard to make something of her self. October Hill, though a beautiful architectural statement, was bad luck. It was not only hell for the children but for all of them, she included.  She had spent her life working her fingers to the bone to keep this place afloat and it had made her miserable, evil, bitter even. She had no offspring of her own and in light, she had been hoping Aaron would come and take over the estate after she passed. That’s part of the reason why she had held Emberlynne captive for so long. She had needed a bargaining chip.

Mother would have once justified her actions, but now, well things were different. All the death she had witnessed. The ghosts that she had seen. She watched, no, helped a young girl to wither away in the system. If Emberlynne’s soul could be saved then maybe Mother’s could too. Another sip of Bourbon. This was not the first time alcohol had helped her fix her problems. This would be the last though.

There was noise. She hadn’t heard it at first. She had been lost in a reverie of her own sorrow. She could hear yelling and objects being slammed. She was silent for a moment longer. It was not a fight or any such thing. She was hearing sobs and screams of desperation. What the hell was going on, she thought. She went to open her door to the hallway but her but the door knob was so incredibly hot. She stumbled back only to see the glow of flames from underneath her door. Someone was trying to burn her alive? She panicked and tried the doorknob once more. She bellowed out in pain as it singed her palm and fingers.

She began to beat on the door without a moment of hesitation. The wood was hot as well. She could smell it burning.

“HEEEELP!” She hollered out but she was sure not one could save her. The hallway was on fire for god’s sake. She took an apprehensive step backwards. Suddenly an idea came to her. She turned to the window. She forced the creaky old thing open. What she saw would shock her. There were drogues of them. Old and young. Some she had seen. Some she had not. She could tell by their aura that they were dead kids. She should have known. For so many years she had lived with them thinking that they were harmless. She had always known that there was something ominous about them. She had always known. But for so many years they had lied dormant. She had nearly forgotten their present. Until now. There were hundreds of them watching the mansion as if they were attending a show. Well this very well may have been a show to them. But not to Caroline. She could see that the rest of the house was set aflame as well. The first few levels of the house had been engulfed in flames as far as she could see. Beautiful blue and orange flames. The thick smoke was beginning to asphyxiate her.