Strings Of Time

V

Elise woke up from another nightmare and this time it was the scariest of them all. She dreamt she was inside the Hadleigh Hall. Everywhere she looked there was only darkness, only a glimpse of the lighthouse illuminated the room. She was alone and cold. Her bare feet started to walk around the mansion looking for a way out but every time she would find a door the knob would disappear. The frightened girl started to panic when she heard footsteps coming down a large staircase. When she looked, there was no one there. She thought about what Cindy said, it wasn't haunted. But how come the house seems to haunt her? As the dream progresses, Elise found herself in one of the mansion's room. She doesn't know how she got there. The young lady roam around the dimmed room and was struck with she saw next. She couldn't believe it. She saw her family covered with rubble and blood. They cried for help but no one heard them. Her sister Nina crawled and tried to reach for Elise. It was a terrifying scene. A sudden tap from her behind made the young lady turn around and saw a figure of what it seems like a man breathing heavily while staring directly at her. Its eyes were red and it has claw-like hands. It started to walk towards with a growl. Nina grabbed Elise's foot and tried to drag her to a grave. Elise started to scream and asked for help. Her mouth was suddenly kept shut until she was forced to lie on the ground to be buried alive. This was the third time she dreamt of that ghastly place. She thought, her prayers to have a good night sleep was not heard by God or was somehow misplaced.

"I am never going up to that mansion or ever go near that place again." She said to herself as she blew breaths and went back to sleep.

The next day, Elise and Cindy went to a wedding that's being held at the park.

"Would you look at those love birds? Ain't that pretty?" said Cindy nudging Elise with a smile. "I wish my weddin' was like this. Look at all those beautiful flowers, white dresses, happy faces... the food later on, the wine..." the old lady chuckled and clapped her hands, "Isn't that exciting?"

Elise looked at her old friend and said, "What's exciting? The food or the wine?"

"Both."

The young lady shook her head and smiled at the silliness of Cindy. She was always a free spirited person with a child-like attitude. "Just take it easy with the wine. You don't want your grandson to get angry again, don't you?"

Cindy hissed, "I'm his grandmother and I can do whatever I want, eat whatever I want, drink whatever I want...meet whoever I want—" the old lady stopped as if she remembered something. "Speaking of meeting someone... You see that man over there?" Cindy pointed at a man with a grey beard and a grey hair standing beside the groom.

"Yeah? What about it?"

"You're still looking for a job aren't yah? Well, he might give you a job if you showed him some of your skills." Cindy wiggled her eyebrows like she was teasing her very good friend.

"What skills?"

Cindy smirked and came closer to Elise, "You know... skills using your hands."

"NO!" Elise shouted just when the priest asked who would object to the union. Everyone looked at her with sharp eyes. The young lady was shocked and was embarrassed as she turns crimson red "No... I mean... No one... would object to the wedding... 'Cause these two are perfect for each other." She smiled awkwardly and bowed her head. She heard whispers while her dear old friend was trying to hide her laughter.

"Nice move trying to steal the groom, slick." Cindy whispered.

After the reception, Cindy and Elise walked home. The old lady was a bit woozy but could still crack up a joke. It was almost sun down and the town could never look more beautiful.