Ghosts of Grant Manor

Josie

No sooner had they finished supper had she begun to feel terribly ill. She had been ill the last week or so, but it came back with ferocity this evening. 

"Edward, love, must we stay longer?" Josephine asked her husband.

He turned to look at her to find her face paled and her eyes sunken and tired. He smiled. "Oh of course not dear."

He turned to Madam Lavine and bowed slightly. "My wife does not feel well, so we shall be turning in." Edward said.

Madam Lavine gasped. "On New year's Eve? My, my. What a way to ring in the new century!" She said. Josephine smiled weakly, and Madam Lavine sensed her illness. "Well I do hope your eighteen hundreds are just as lovely as these seventeen hundreds have been." She said, and she went off to mingle with her other guests.

By this time, Josephine was barely strong enough to stand up on her own. Edward practically carried her out the door and into the carriage. She leaned on him heavily the whole ride home, and he didn't hesitate when they arrived. He scooped her up, dress, panniers, and all, and carried her inside Grant manor. His family had owned the place for years, and he had finally inherited it with his father's passing.

"Edward." Josie's voice was hardly a gasp as he laid her down on the large bed.

"Yes my love?" He asked softly, sitting down beside her.

"I fear this may be my end." She said.

Edward laughed. "Don't be so dramatic. You simply caught the flu from Parker. No need to fret." He laid a cool rag on her head and laid down beside her. She could hardly breathe, but Edward insisted she would be just fine as she drifted off to sleep.

When she woke up, it was light outside. She didn't like to sleep so late, but she certainly felt much better. She sat up and stretched. Edward still slept beside her, so she got up slowly so as not to wake him. She crept around the room as quietly as she could, brushing her hair until she heard Edward wake up.

"Good morning Josie." He said, his sleep drugged voice drifting through the room.

"Good morning love. I feel much better." She said, still looking at the mirror as she brushed her hair.

"Josie?" Edward said again.

"Hello love?" She said with a laugh.

"Josephine?!" He shouted, panicked.

She turned to him, confused. That's when she saw it. Herself, laid on the bed. She stopped, terrified.

"Someone get a doctor!" Edward shouted, shaking her shoulder. "Josephine, please!"

She blinked. "Edward, I'm here. I'm right here."

After a moment, a young doctor ran into the room. He put a hand on her neck and time seemed to stop until he pulled it back. "She's dead." He proclaimed.

Josephine stopped. If she was dead, wasn't there supposed to be some sort of light? Something to guide her out?

She walked around her home, finding she could move things if she tried to. She sat down on her arm chair and thought.

What unfinished business did she have? That's the only reason she would still be here.

Right?