Halloween

1946

As Edward had instructed, Marie performed card tricks at home. It counted, even if there was no audience. She watched the green mist form and flinched at a crack of thunder. Looking to the doorway, Edward stood dressed as regal as ever. When she had first seen him, she could remember seeing people dressed similarly. And now the fashion was completely different.

Marie smiled. “Hello.”
“Good evening, my dear. You did as I said.”
“I did,” she said as she nodded. “And I am glad for the company.”
“Yes, I thought you might be,” he said as he walked over.

Edward sat at the dining room table opposite her and he seemed to stare over her shoulder. “Your darkest moment, my dear, it has changed.”
“What?” she asked furrowing her brow.
“The moment you hate the most is no longer your 18th birthday,” he clarified and Marie took a deep breath. She supposed it had changed, when she thought about it. “It wants to hear the story.”

That hadn’t happened in a while while but Marie closed her eyes and started to explain.

Marie gasped as she stared up at the ceiling.
“Arthur’s brother is a physician,” said Margaret as she held Marie’s hand. “Arthur’s gone to fetch him for you, alright? Marie, can you hear me?”
“I can, Peggy,” she whispered, her throat hurting.
“Good,” said Margaret. She was shaking but was trying to stay strong. “You’re not dying, do you hear me?”
“It hurts,” she cried. Tears rolled down her face and Peggy wiped them away.

Margaret was staring at Marie’s chest and the knife lodged in it.
“You’re not dying,” Peggy repeated as she squeezed Marie’s hand. “You’re not. You’re not allowed, I don’t care. God can’t take you yet.” Marie closed her eyes, she wished she could believe her sister, that she wasn’t dying. But if they pulled the knife out, she would bleed too much.

“Arthur’s brother, the physician arrived. His name was Richard, but he was more than a physician.”
“What was he?”
“A Warlock, I think that’s what they’re called,” said Marie. “And he was rather experimental.”

“I don’t care, if you have something to save her then use it!” yelled Peggy. Marie could hear her in the next room.
“It is only a perhaps, I’ve never used it on a person before, let alone one with such a deformity,” said Richard, equally as loud. Marie closed her eyes and prayed they would do something soon.

The door opened and Richard walked in. He was a tall, thin man who was well dressed and carried a small vial of liquid.
“What is that?” Marie asked, wincing in pain as she turned her head.
“Medicine,” he responded vaguely. “If you drink it, it may have some… unexpected consequences.”
“Like what? What consequences?”
“I’m not sure,” he said and Marie’s eyes widened.

“What do you mean?” She swallowed and tried to focus on him. “Why don’t you know?”
“I haven’t used it before on someone like you,” he said. “I don’t know what it will do but it’s the only chance we have. Otherwise you will lose too much blood.”
“So am I taking it?”
“If you want to.” Marie nodded, she couldn’t leave her sister yet, Peggy was determined she wouldn’t die and she couldn’t just leave her sister. Richard lifted her head a little and poured a weird blue liquid into her mouth. She gulped it down and felt fatigue wash over her.

“We thought it had worked normally at first, we didn’t realise what it had really done,” said Marie. She took a deep breath. “And from then, I haven’t aged and I can’t die. And I hate it.”
“Did it work as the Warlock expected?” he asked.
Marie shook her head. “No, it didn’t,” she said. “It was meant to be a healing potion. I suppose it just worked too well.”

“Did you tell him?” wondered Edward.
“He’s the reason I found out, tried to do… something, I don’t remember what. And I didn’t die and he was confused. And then he realised what had happened,” she explained. “He tried to make a sort of cure but he never got very far with it. He died before he could get anywhere close.”
“A shame, I suppose,” said Edward and Marie nodded in agreement.

“You know it is not you tonight, don’t you?”
“Of course it’s not,” she muttered, a hint of bitterness in her voice. “No fateful moment has happened.”
Edward smiled as he stood up. “Goodnight, Marie.”
“Goodnight, Edward.”