Gothick

Epilogue

It seemed only a few days ago that Emily stood in that very same cemetery, watching Annabelle being lowered into the ground. Birds chirped from the nearby trees. The cold felt brisk, but not nearly as bitter as it had the days before. The priest stood before Nan's casket as it slowly sank into the Earth. She glanced over to Dominick on her right.

"It's going to be alright," she whispered to him, just as the priest said his final words. Dominick nodded, but kept his eyes forward. Emily gave him a pat on the arm. There weren't many people at the funeral—just her, Dominick, Helga the nurse, Henry the stable boy, Fredrick, and (to both Emily and Dominick's surprise) Agnes.

Agnes kept the two in her peripheral vision, and edged toward them throughout the ceremony. By the time the priest threw a few pieces of dirt into the grave, she stood right beside them.

Emily tried to ignore her, yet her fist still balled up. No, Emily thought. Now was the not the time for a confrontation. Besides, what was she going to do? Accuse the former High Chancellor of Annabelle's murder? Still, when Emily glanced at her, Agnes stooped and looked paler, and her wrinkles seemed more defined.

Dominick focused on Nan's grave until the congregation was finally over.

One by one, the patrons left. Fredrick placed a hand on Emily's shoulder and smiled before he walked off. Emily returned the grin. It was comforting for one of her last friends to be there. Emily and Dominick turned to leave when—

"Dominick." Agnes stood, wrapped in a brown cloak. She and Dominick locked gazes.

"I'm sorry for your loss," she said.

"You hated her," Dominick said. He didn't say it with malice; more like stating a mere fact.

"Hate is a strong word," Agnes said. "We didn't agree with many things, but I am glad that she took care of you."

The three stood there for several seconds. Agnes looked at the ground, her jaw twitching, as if wanting to say something more. When Dominick turned around, she finally spoke.

"I wanted to say, that I am sorry..." Agnes glanced at Emily. "For everything." With that, she nodded, and walked past them. Dominick watched her walk off, before turning the opposite direction. Emily followed. She knew where he was heading, for it was the same place she wanted to visit as well.

They came to a stop before two gravestones beneath a withered oak in front of the church. One gravestone read Annabelle Alexandria Ritter, and the other Siegfried Walter Erwin Ritter.

"I'm sorry," Emily said, though felt as though she should say something more. What that might be, though, she didn't know.

"As am I," Dominick replied.

As they stared down at the graves, memories of Annabelle flooded back to Emily; of her smile, of her eagerness for life. Finally, the pain came. It hit her with all the force of a runaway carriage, and Emily nearly staggered at the impact of it. Her eyes felt hot. She blinked several times, but the tears refused to stay back. The ache in her chest was incredible.

Emily wondered if this pain would ever subside—for Annabelle, for Leon, for Nan. Would there ever be a day where she wouldn't think of them? No, she thought. Why would she ever want to not think of them? Memories were all that was left.

Dominick reached into his jacket and pulled out two red roses. He laid one down on each grave. He stood there for several seconds before turning abruptly and heading toward the front of the cemetery. Emily wavered. She kneeled before the gravestones, kissed her hand, and placed it on each of the markers. Finally, she stood and turned to follow.

Something cracked behind her.

Emily glanced back. Probably a squirrel, she thought.

Two white roses lay on the graves, crossing the red ones that Dominick had left. Something caught Emily's eyes, and she glanced up at the roof of the church. For half a moment, she could have sworn she saw the end of a cloak disappear over its rooftop.

Past her tears, Emily couldn't stop herself from smiling.