Intro To My Novel (6) Everything seemed to hate me at that point. I was alone, by myself, I was my only protector! Everything else in that woods was not friendly, everything hated me! I did not know what hated me, yet something hated me, I know! Many things hated me….what did they want from me, what were they? I was restless, my eyes were as wide as could be, tears filled them within a matter of seconds, I still heard the sounds pounding in my head restlessly. I was there to defend myself! I held the branch out, holding it and moving it violently in front of me. It may seem odd that I did not leave! I….I could not leave. I could not make myself leave. By what power forced me to stay I do not know….yet I felt I could not….I knew I could not. I still, for some very sick reasoning, did not even want to! The sound was growing even higher….what could be making the noise?! Tears flowed down my face and I fell to the grown in deep anguish. I then stood up immediately, knowing I had to protect myself. Yet the sounds were growing louder….and I sprang to my feet and held the branch out threateningly! I ran quickly to the direction where the sound was, for I needed to know what was haunting me before I left! For I could not leave until I found out what was pounding in my head more and more violently each minute! I ran to the noise desperately…..in the direction where I believed I was hearing it….yet suddenly it was not coming from that direction….I was hearing in the direction left of me, therefore I soon ran left. Yet it stopped coming from that direction, and soon it was coming from many directions! Soon it was coming from everywhere and I did not know where to turn….it was throbbing so painfully, and I felt I would die if it would not stop playing in my head! The sound was not sweet to me anymore, it was violent! I held my head with my hand and covered my ears tightly…but it did not grow any less loud, it only grew louder! The tears were streaming down my face intensly, and everything grew blurry…the tears were blurring my vision. Was it the tears? My gasping grew so heavy….it was as loud as the sound itself! And my head was painfully throbbing still…and I remember nothing after that. That is…..until I opened my eyes, and found I was looking up at darkness, dark trees! What had happened? I would have only hoped to have woken up in the bed in my room with Thomas and Mrs. Broadson at my side! I would have given anything not to have woken up in the forest! I quickly sat up, and brushed the dirt out of my hair. Looking around quickly, I realized that I could not see the entrance, and began to worry. Then, thinking back to the last events that had taken place, I noticed something…..the sound was gone! The bird was gone! I sighed exasperatedly, and swallowed with uneasiness. The entrance was gone. New sounds began, I was hearing sounds in the bushes once again, and I knew at once I had to be out of the forest! Soon I was running in the direction I had believed I had came through. I had not known I had gone so far. The grassy plain I had came from was nowhere in sight, and I was surrounded with darkness….darkness. I ran farther, and farther, and farther! Yet I could not find the place I had entered! Still hearing noises, I looked around me until I became dizzy, and became overwhelmed with fright! Why had I come? Oh, why had I come?! Suddenly I felt someone’s hand on my shoulder, which nearly petrified me! I immediately gasped and turned around to hear my name being called to my face. “Miss Celina!” Mrs. Broadson did not seem pleased with me. 8 “What were you doing silly girl! Trying to get yourself killed! You frightened me out of my wits!” said Mrs. Broadson lividly handing her a warm cup of tea in the front room, as Miss Dae shivered and held the blanket around her body tightly. “I did not know I would frighten you, I….I am sorry my lady.” “Oh, you have troubled me most horribly! Yes, yes I know what you must be thinking. ‘She is only an old silly English woman!’ Yet I know that you were putting yourself in danger going into those woods. Just after-” Mrs. Broadson broke off, and then began again, “What were you doing in the woods anyway?!” Miss Celina looked up to the ceiling nervously, and sighed. “I cannot say exactly, Ma’am.” “You must have some reason for being found in the middle of the woods late in the evening!” “I…er….heard a sound in the woods….and I was curious….that is all.” “Oh, terrible. My child, you cannot go lurking into the woods late on a cold evening after sounds of what could very well be a murderer!” “I understand,” Celina said coolly, “Now, if you will excuse me, I am going up to my room.” She quickly walked to her room and Mrs. Broadson called after her, “You have not even eaten dinner, child!” “I am not hungry,” Celina called to her in an exasperated tone, and immediately entered her room and closed the door firmly. The night was a restful night. Miss Dae slept 10 hours, and dreamed of nothing. She was thankful to be out of the hell she knew as the forest. The nest morning she woke calmly and comfortably. Better than waking up in the forest I suppose. She walked out and found Mrs. Broadson and Thomas at the breakfast table, she sat and joined them. Conversation went on as normal and Mrs. Broadson spoke as her cheerful and bubbly self again. “Remember Brendan will be coming in about two hours. Make yourself presentable, my girl.” “Yes, of course,” she muttered, thinking back to his unusual behavior. She still did not like him! She played the pianoforte for the amount of time before Brendan arrived, and once he arrived Celina realized he was back to his cold and usual self! Perhaps he was not half as polite as she had imagined him the day previous. She had learned the song she had been instructed to play, but Brendan did not seem impressed. “You seem to be making many mistake on the sharps,” he said wearily. “It may have something to do with the fact that I had less than a day to memorize it all!” she countered, and he look at her with disdain. That day went as usual, Miss Dae played the pianoforte, and excluded herself from any activity including company, for she was exhausted and depressed by the former visit by Mr. Brendan. He had shown her true gentlemanliness for only five minute in all her acquaintance with him! Yet Sarah did not think so little of him. Perhaps they would make a splendid match! She had little to do on the Broadson estate, aside from playing the piano and talking with Thomas. Since she was not in the mood for socializing, and Thomas was playing with the animals, (a pastime Miss Dae had spent too much time on), she chose to do something she never tired of, play the pianoforte. Time went by and by, she played more and more, until tiring and choosing to sit at the couch and read. That is, until the door was thrown open, and Mrs. Broadon, filled with joy and vivaciousness, entered along with Hattie Harrington by her side. They both laughed violently, and looking at Miss Dae, Mrs. Broadson said, “I have the most splendid news for you Miss Dae! Your friend has made her match!” “What friend has made what match?” she asked, more engrossed in the complexity of her book, than the nonsensical comments made by Mrs. Broadson. “Your friend, Sarah Harrington! She and Edward Brendan, if you had seen the way they looked at each other, the way they payed such special attentions to one another, as Hattie saw at their dinner last night, you would be convinced too! Isn’t that right Hattie?” “Certainly! I saw it with my own very eyes. Everyone in the room sensed it….and Edward was staring at her for more than half the visit!” At this she put her book down, thinking quickly. “Well if you are correct, I am sure you will both be very proud of yourselves for knowing all along,” she teased unbelievingly, and then picked her book right up and kept reading. “Do not be so unbelieving Celina! You will be holding your tongue once you realize how right we are! Oh, they will make a splendid match, won’t they Hattie?” “Oh, of course! Both so well tempered! Very alike in many ways….perhaps not the best looking match….for Sarah would be blessed to look half as beautiful as Celina, but they certainly do have something Celina lacks….” Mrs. Harrington smiled in her playful way. “I know quite what you mean Hattie! That is wisdom! For you, Miss Dae, only react to things on impulse, yet our good Sarah think thoroughly through things! It is a pity you have the beauty and she does not….oh, if she had those wide blue eyes, those cherry lips, those cheekbones, that complexion! That stunning figure….that beautiful hair! I think it is quite unfair…..pity.” “You are both cruel and overwhelmingly kind, and you certainly do over exaggerate how I look!” she yawned, and then went back to her book. 9 The evening went on and suddenly a knock came to the door, aw, it was Miss Sarah Warrington herself! “Why Sarah!” “Hello Miss Celina! How are things about this house?” “Oh, its all well and fine…and a bore, you know!” Celina gave her pretty smile and continued, “I am quite content, and may I inquire after your family?” “The youngest has a slight cold, but the doctor says he will be well within days.” There was a slight pause. “Ay, that is good. How did your dinner go?” Celina looked at Sarah to see the reaction in her face. Sarah smiled and seemed to give the matter some thought. “Very well,” she said quickly. “I have spoken so terribly of Mr. Robert Brendan, and suddenly he is polite. I have given you a complimentary description of the younger. We have talked endlessly about both, and you only tell me, ‘Very well’? Do you not think there is more to tell me of?” Sarah smiled nervously. “What you told me was all true. Mr. Robert Brendan was somewhat unpleasant, Colonel Brendan was charming and courteous, and Mr. Edward Brendan was….very pleasant….and amiable, and very enjoyable to have as company,” she swallowed nervously once finished. “Oh, really, my dear friend!” a sly smile formed on Celina’s face. “Yes,” said Sarah matter-of-factly, “What do you mean? The way you said that was rather odd, you know.” “Certainly, forgive me if I sounded odd, Miss Sarah….yet I cannot help but make another inquiry after Mr. Edward.” “He was very pleasant company!” exclaimed Sarah, slightly tense, “What else may I tell you, Celina?!” “Perhaps, how charming you found him? What do you believe he thought of you? How often did you speak to one another?” “Why, I never-” Sarah started Yet Celina, knowing precisely what Sarah would say, interrupted, saving herself from the silly, ‘Where on earth did you get that idea from?’ statement. “Why you never?! Oh, do not be so silly, Sarah! And do not trifle with me and say you did not get very nervous when I mentioned the dinner, and especially Mr. Edward! When I first heard you two were eyeing one another, (from your Aunt Hattie, of course) I thought it was simply one of the old spinsters’ melodramatic statements, yet when you turned pink after merely hearing his name!” “Oh, how you have punished me severely for only changing my tone after coincidentally speaking of him! Perhaps….perhaps….I think he is a…a….very good type of man, yet do not try to pretend we are planning a wedding after one meeting with one another!” “I have never said such a thing and will never say such a thing. I am saying what you have only admitted yourself to be true. There is a possibility you two will make a very smart match, and you already pay special attentions to one another.” There was a long pause. “Excuse me, Miss Celina, I need a breath of fresh air.” The young woman walked outside, and Celina looked through the window and found her pacing….thinking. She waited until Sarah came to the door and entered the room again. Sarah sighed and lifted her arms up in the air, “Oh, Miss Dae you have won this mêlée! I think very well of him already, and nearly trust him completely.” “He is no man of the militia,” smiled Celina, fiddling through the pages of her book. “He was very engaging last night, smiling at me often….yet I doubt he truly cares for me yet.” “He is a friendly yet….shy sort of man, his feelings may not be completely obvious to you,” said Celina, putting the book down. “I can only hope.” “Tell me how you feel for him, Sarah.” “I have told you,” said Sarah taken aback. “You have only told me you think well of him. I want you to tell me right now that you like him further than an acquaintance, or friend.” “I care for him. I have only met him once Celina, do not expect me to tell you I’m ready to love him forever and for always!” “I am satisfied with your lucid statement,” Celina said smiling and nodded her head with approval. They talked little more until Celina closed the conversation with a simple yawn saying, “I wish you well. An excellent life is ahead of you, I am certain. I certainly hope he reaches the prospect of what a man should be, unlike the former lover you told me of.” “Oh, Miss Celina do not speak so soon, I barely know the man!” “That is true, but I am certain he will not disappoint you.” The day grew colder as they had talked, and soon the hours had passed and it was night. As Miss Dae escorted Sarah to the door she noticed it was very dark outside. “I should order a carriage to take you home.” “Thank you,” Sarah sighed in a relieved tone, “I did not want to walk through this darkness for twenty minutes…..the town now seems…..less safe.” The sound of owls was heard by both women and Celina shivered. I never want to hear another bird for as long as I live. Those woods are neatly haunted! “Be certain the coach driver sees you off to the entrance of your house. I do not want you to be alone for a moment.” “Oh, that is not necessary….” “It is,” said Celina sharply. The carriage came and Sarah gave Miss Dae a smile, and waved goodbye. “Miss Dae does not look well,” said the carriage driver. “No she does not; you should know the way she worries.” “I cannot blame her,” he sighed, “after that horrific thing was found in the woods so near her.” “Yes but….she does look very unwell now! It’s as if she has seen the corpse all over again!” PART 2 It was. How unexpected did that echo hum! That was as unexpected as anything. It was the sound, the sound she had heard only yesterday….that sweet hum. Now it was heard again, and Celina tired to tell herself she did not hear it, yet she did, yet she did! How unfortunate! She had been tired enough to go right to bed, and now she doubted she would even be able to sleep a minute. Slowly she closed the door, and propping her back against it, she would not dare take another step outside and risk being drawn to that masterful, cunning devil, whoever was making that horrible sweet noise! She took in a deep breath and closed her eyes, taking in a big, nervous gulp. She walked away from the door, came to the bedroom, and closed the door. She sat at her dresser, staring into the mirror. Her reflection looked like that of a petrified girl. She looked down at her bracelet, the name Miss Celina Marianne Dae was engraved on the top of the gold center. At least the killer did not take this from my room. She still stood staring into her reflection nervously playing with her bracelet. Her bright blue eyes stood out within her dark, candlelit room. There were two violent knocks on the door. “Yes?!” she cried unsuspectingly. “It is Thomas, I want to talk to you.” She came out of her room and closed the door behind her, and looking at Thomas said, “What was it you wanted, dear?” “Why were you in the forest yesterday?” She looked at him sternly and said, “Why? Why must you know? I was only taking a walk, is that so odd?” “But why? You should be as far as you can be from that awful place!” “I know….” She sighed, “You have no idea Thomas….really.” “Then tell me?” “I was taking a walk! Good night Thomas!” She began to turn to enter back into her room before being commanded to stop. “You were not taking a walk! That’s silly, and I know you aren’t that stupid.” “I heard a noise, that’s all.” “What was the noise?” “Just an animal.” “Oh….I am still frightened you know.” “I am sure you are. Do not worry.” “Why shouldn’t I?” “Because,” she said softly, “I will not let anything harm you. We must all keep out of the woods; it is as simple as that.” She went to bed hoping, only hoping she would be able to keep Thomas safe. Her assurance left her after blowing out the candle, and stumbling into bed in pitch blackness. I am frightened too, Thomas.
Copyright © 2006 Jenelle Marie Dayton |