Wicor Manor

Two

1865
Phoebe ran through the garden chasing after a small dog. It hopped over bushes and Phoebe did the same. It finally stopped at the fountain by the gazebo. The puppy was a dark brown with spots of black and white. It ran to Phoebe and jumped on her dress. She bent down and carefully picked it up. It licked her face and nibbles at her nose. She laughed and put the puppy down. It ran around the fountain and then it splashed in a puddle. Water drenched the front of Phoebes dress. She screamed in delight and splashed the dog. Their fun was short lived when Miss Grandalins voice was heard. Phoebe turned around and stood face to face with the anger woman.
"Miss Phoebe Wicor! Did I not tell you a lady does not play in a garden?" She grabbed Phoebe by the arm and pulled her back to the Manor. Once inside the beautiful mud room Miss Grandalin rang a server bell. A moment later two timid looking girls in rags appeared in the doorway.
"Get Miss Wicor into a warm bath and in a clean dress. Be quick about it." She let go of phoebe and the maids took her up stairs.
Miss Grandalin watched as they turned the corner before walking into the main room. Mr. and Mrs. Wicor were sitting on a bench talking to a young man.
" I assure you Mr. Wicor that I will take care of your daughter." The stranger spoke.
"I know you will Charlie but I would like Phoebe to stay in Wicor Manor. At least until my wife and I can conceive a son." Mr. Wicor and one hand draped across his wives shoulder and the other one holding a cigar.
"I understand sir, it would be a pleasure to live here."
"Miss Grandalin, where is our daughter?" Mrs. Wicor asked in a voice like an angel.
"She is freshening up miss." Miss Grandalin replied with a small curtsy.
Phoebe was just getting out of the bath when Miss Grandalin walked in her room. She was holding a new gown with a pair of silver heels. The gown was a lavender color with silver pelting. Phoebe knew that a new dress meant something was happening. The maids dried her off and helped her into her underwear. They laced her up and then helped her into the dress. They then tied her hair up into a flower filled crown. She looked absolutely stunning. Miss Grandalin smiled to herself. She knew that the man downstairs would not be able to resist her beauty.
"Miss Phoebe, you have a guest waiting for you downstairs." Miss Grandalin held out her arm for phoebe.
Phoebe pooped her arm around Miss Grandalins, "I have a guest? Who is it Miss Grandalin?"
"Oh my dear, you will see soon enough."
2019
She closed the door with sadness in her eyes. Tomorrow couldn't come fast enough for her. She could barely remember the last time she talked to a real person, let alone a boy! She glided back to her room and laid in her bed.
Danny left her wonder about what he asked. Was she dead? She never thought about that. She couldn't remember dying. Maybe something tragic happed to her and she died instantly. She lied in her bed and stared at the ceiling for what seemed like hours. By the time she fell into slumber the outside world woke up for the day.
The loud grandfather clock in the hallway chimed seven times waking phoebe. She had slept the whole day like normal. She was suddenly aware of the emptiness of her stomach. She was taken back by this feeling. She had never got hungry since the days of her past life. She walked down the stairs and into the kitchen. The counters were covered in dirt and spider webs. The candles were melted to the end. She hadn't been in the kitchen for so long. She tried to remember all the fun times she had watching the cook prepare fancy meals. Now the kitchen was cold and abandoned. Phoebe couldn't stand to see how awful she let her parents house get. She grabbed a candle from the counter and threw it across the room. She began to sob when the boy from last night wrapped his arms around her cold body.
"Mister Danny? Oh I am so sorry you must find me like this." She quickly rubbed the tears from her eyes. She stood up and faced Danny.
"Why are you crying?" He asked with true concern.
"I was just remembering my life before this awful thing happened to me."
"Well I'm sure we can make new memories together. I brought these over." He opened his book bag and pulled out three old books. "They are from 1865 and they mention this house. I thought maybe we could read them and see if they give us any clues on what happened to you."
Phenomenal smiled and grabbed a a book from his hand. She instantly recognized the picture on the first page. It was a portrait of her family and the house staff. Right next to her was miss Grandalin. "That's me!" She shrieked.
Danny looked over her shoulder to see the picture. "Wow you are so old dude!" He laughed. Phoebe frowned.
"I am? I never even lived! I never got married! I never had kids! I don't want to be old!" She began to cry again.
Danny held her in his arms again, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean that. You are still young and beautiful. You still look exactly like that. I was just saying 1865 was a long time ago." He tried to comfort her but she continued to cry. He didn't understand why she would be so upset by not marrying or having kids. 1865 was such a different time then he was used to.
Suddenly Phoebe jolted out of his arms. "You mustn't hold me like this unless we are engaged." Her face turned white. "Wait, I just remembered. I am engaged."
Danny looked at her with curiosity. "What?"
"There was this boy.. I don't remember his name, but my parents arranged for us to marry. I wonder if we ever did." Phoebe was lost in thought.
Danny flipped through the books until he found the page he was looking for.
Phoebe Wicor and Charlie Stander disappeared October 31, 1865
"Hey phoebe, this says you and some dude named Charlie went missing on Halloween back in 1865." Danny continued to read the page as phoebe looked over his shoulder. On the page was a picture of her standing by a man. She remembered seeing him before.
"I have a feeling that this man was dangerous." She told Danny.