The Murder Of 1886

CHAPTER 5

It was cloudy the next morning. Huge black clouds gathered in the sky and cast a shadow over the vast land underneath it. The woods were deadly silent when the first lightning struck from the sky. Thunder boomed across the countryside a moment later, leaving Gwen's ears ringing even after it ended.

Gwen stood up from her place on the comfy chair and placed her cup of coffee on the table. She looked outside for a moment. Rain was falling now and it fell hard. The wind whipped the rain to and fro. The water droplets hit the window pane and Gwen watched as it slid down the pane. Lightning struck again.

The rain continued till late afternoon. It gained intensity for a while and then slowed down. It was a clear sky that greeted the countryside after the heavy rain. Gwen sat on the backyard porch, enjoying the smell that came after a shower. That's when she heard the furious knocking on the front door. Gwen hurried inside and went to the door.

Knock, knock.

Gwen pulled it open and when she looked at the person standing behind the door, her jaw dropped. It was Jane. Her best friend. The one who had disappeared without a note, without any clue on what might've happened to her or where she might've been.

Gwen had trouble believing her eyes. It couldn't be Jane. She wouldn't have known where Gwen was since the only people she had informed on her location was her parents. And her parents would've told her if Jane had shown up on their doorstep. They both knew how worried she was for Jane.

Jane looked horrible. Her hair was matted with blood and water. Twigs poked out and the leaves fell from her hair when she shook it. Jane finally looked up at her and she looked surprised. Gwen couldn't blame her. She was equally surprised to see her on her doorstep. There was a look of fear and panic and that mingled with the dark circles around her eyes made Jane look like she was ill. She probably was, considering the way she was swaying on her legs.

Jane opened her mouth to say something but was cut off by body wracking coughs. She smiled at Gwen, smiled faintly at her and opened her mouth again to say something. Then her eyes rolled back. She fainted before Gwen could even say anything.

Unfortunately for Jane, Gwen was too slow to catch her before she hit the floor. Jane hit her head on the stand beside the door and fell on the floor. She didn't look like she was going to wake up anytime soon. Gwen cursed. She slid her hands underneath Jane's arms and pulled her upright and against her. With a might she didn't know she possessed, she managed to carry Jane upstairs and laid her on the bed in the guest room.

Gwen tried to wipe the dirt from her best friend's face. She tugged the twigs and leaves from her hair and treated the cut she got from hitting the stand. Then she checked for other wounds. When she finished, Gwen sat back on her chair, thinking. When she looked at Jane, she didn't see her childhood friend. Instead she saw someone else and Gwen couldn't say it didn't bother her. Jane had changed a lot. Gwen just knew. She didn't have to interact with Jane to know.

The silence inside the house was uncomfortable now and she found it suffocating. Gwen slipped from the room after checking on Jane one last time and hurried down the stairs. Back in the living room, she slumped on her favorite chair in front of the fireplace. Exhaustion took over her. A few minutes later, her fingers fumbled with the radio as she tries to drown out the silence. The radio came to life.

Gwen felt her eyes drift shut. The radio worked in the background, its sound resonating in the room. She fought the urge to sleep for a few minutes then gave up. She let it overwhelm her and soon sleep pulled her under as it closed its black cloak over her.

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Gwen woke up with a start. It had started raining again. Long shadows stretched from the corners and the corridor was dark. She rubbed her eyes with the heel of her palm and stretched. She stood still for a moment, her hands on her hips as she surveyed the room.

In the kitchen she kept the kettle on the stove for coffee. While the water was boiling, Gwen looked in the mirror in the downstairs bathroom.

She didn't see the face that had greeted her months before. Before things had become complicated that is. She lost some pounds in weight and there were dark circles around her eyes. Her cheeks were hollow and her face was pale. She had to admit, she looked a bit sick. She knew what her mother would say if she saw Gwen right now.

Gwen, darling, you have to eat. You're not healthy. Oh, I knew we shouldn't have let you come alone.

Rebecca Michaels would then mutter about how much she was like her father and how both wouldn't listen to her. Oh, she was a force to be reckoned with.

Gwen let out a chuckle. Thinking of them, she was reminded that she had to call them. She hadn't called them since she took a break and now would be a great time, especially with Jane back. They would be thrilled to know she was safe. She was like a child to them after all.

Back in the kitchen, Gwen made the coffee and started making dinner. Considering that she was lazier than a sloth, she decided on making noodles. Nothing too complicated. The slow process of methodically stirring the noodles gave her time to think. A million thoughts zoomed around in her head.

Where was Jane all this time? Where did she go? Did she go willingly? If so, why didn't she contact us, or at least me? Why did she look so horrible when she saw her this afternoon? What happened to her?

Absently, Gwen switched off the stove and scrapped out her dinner into a bowl.

A sudden scream pulled her out of her reverie. Placing the pan on the stove, she wiped her hands on a kitchen towel and then proceeded to climb the stairs two at a time. Gwen ran down the hallway and threw open the guestroom door.

Tears ran down Jane's face. Her face was clouded with terror, her eyes still closed. She was sitting on the bed, stiff with fear, her hands fisting the bed sheets. She's still asleep, Gwen realized. She's having a nightmare. Without hesitating, she tried to wake Jane.

"Jane, it's okay, wake -"

Gwen didn't get to complete her sentence as Jane's hand shot up to grab her neck while the other aimed a hit. Quick as lightning, Gwen grabbed both her hands in hers and shouted.

"Janie, it's okay, it's me Gwen. It's only a nightmare. You'll be okay."

Gwen began shaking her and her eyes shot open. Jane heaved a sigh of relief upon seeing Gwen though she was still shaking. For a few minutes, Gwen sat comforting her best friend, whispering that she was okay and that it was just a nightmare.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Gwen asked tentatively.

Jane searched her face, eyes skimming over her features before giving a hesitant nod.

"I don't remember much of it. Just a pair of dark hands. They were coming for me, reaching for my neck. But I couldn't move no matter how much I willed it. Then I saw a gun." Jane stopped for a moment. "It had something written on it. Something starting with the letter R. I'm not sure. It's all very vague."

"Are you sure you don't remember what was written on the gun?" Gwen asked her.

Jane shook her head to say no.

Gwen had a vague idea of what was written on the gun and her blood ran cold at the possibility.

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