Chapter 42: Grace Clarke and the Groundskeeper

Chapter 42: Grace Clarke and the Groundskeeper

“Help me,” Grace called.

“Be quiet,” the male voice said sharply.

“Where am I?’ she tried opening her eyes but only see darkness.

“You are between worlds,” the voice said.

“What do you mean?” she now forced her eyes opened. It took a moment to understand her eyes were opened but the reality was she was surrounded by absolute darkness.

Grace start to listen actively. She now understood she was being carried somewhere. She tried to twisted her body to see a face, but all she sees is darkness.

“Where are you taking me?”

“Where you need to be.” He said shortly.

“Where is my husband? Where is Jesper?” she tried to wiggle out of his arms but he simply holds her more tightly. She starts to smell him; he was of the earth. She was aware he was a man working in wet soil.

“You are not to interfere in his journey,” the man finally dropped her legs onto the ground.

Grace tries to look around but she realized it was only his voice that keeps her grounded. No matter how she looks, she just can’t truly see his profile. The fact that she smells the scent of soil on him makes her wonder if this wasn’t the man Jesper has worked with. The groundskeeper…

“You finally start to understand,” he said in acknowledgement.

“Are you reading my mind?” Grace asked shocked.

“You are an open book. You should guard what you are writing on your blank pages. Everything you say or feel will have an effect on Jesper Strange.”

“Where is my husband?”

“He is on his own path. You can only reach him when your heart allows. But be aware there is danger and treachery all around you.”

Grace absorbs his words. She tried looking around again. Everything was still darkness. She suddenly felt someone hitting her behind the head. She dropped onto her knees, feeling sand beneath her hands.

“Bette, where are you?”

Grace heard the urgent voice of the man she called father but who was an imposter. The moment the word settled in her mind, she blinked. Then she understood she was sitting behind a desk in a white room. The only thing in there was the desk and the chair. Right in front of her was the book with the blank pages.

“Bette, I don’t have time for games,”

Grace looks down onto the page watching as the sentence writes itself on the paper. She leaned back in the chair keeping her eyes on the pages curious to see what her mind would conjure up again.

“I am in the bedroom,” Bette answers.

“What are you doing in there?” William walked in there. He found Bette standing in front of the baby crib. “Bette,” he said softly afraid he might wake the baby.

“Where did this baby come from?” Bette asked worried. “Did you steal her?”

“No, but that child is our safety net.” William said.

“What do you mean?” Bette keeps her eyes on the baby who just watches her.

“Madame Clarke brough her here. It is our duty to raise her.”

“Was this the real reason you married me?” Is this child the inheritance you promised me?” Bette asked with soft spoken fury.

“Yes,” William said from where he stood. He was making a point of not looking at the baby. It didn’t take him long to understood there was something about her that makes him deeply unsettled. It was like the baby knows his secrets.

The groundskeeper stood in the corner watching as her thoughts was writing her life story. He worries that she was too hasty that she would forget her true purpose. But again, his hands were bind. This was her path.

“Jesper,” he carefully propped her thoughts.

Grace heard the name but her focus of curiosity was on the woman looking down into her baby face. Her eyes searched deeply opening doors in her mind. She pulled a face of disgust when she saw the men crawling all over her body. They look like snakes.

“William,” Bette said softly.

“Is something wrong?”

“This baby, there is something in her eyes,” she said uncertain.

“Don’t look into her eyes. Rather go and prepare a bottle of milk. The baby hasn’t eaten yet.”

Bette keeps looking into the baby eyes but she somehow finds herself walking down a dark alley. Just before she reaches the end, she heard the heavy footsteps. Her heart was instantly beating in her throat. Her hand quickly caressed over her stomach.

“William, I need to tell you something,” Bette heard her saying out loud.

“You can tell me later. I want you to feed the baby. You can be glad she hasn’t scream yet.”

“I need to tell you, William.”

“Bette, focus on the baby. I am going to my office.” He turned to walked out the bedroom.

Grace stood in front of the door. She tried opening it but it was tightly lock. She looks around before she hears the light footsteps coming this way. She tried watching the door but something at the window draws her attention. A smile splashed over her face when she noticed the circling of birds outside. She reached out to opened the window. The first sound she hears was the whistling of a man. Her curious eyes searched for him. She noticed he was walking towards the mansion on the hill.

“Where is he going?” she asked the birds.

The birds keep circling the sky. She narrows her eyes when she understood they are forming a word. Just as she tried reading what it was, another voice was in her head.

“Focus,”

“Who are you?” Grace feels annoyed. She was writing her story.

“I am your consciousness. You are of track.”

“This is my life, my choice.” She said annoyed.

“Jesper Strange, you need to focus him.” The voice said in her voice.

Grace feeling extremely angry simply allowed her thoughts to ran wild, ignoring the immediate consequences. She strips away the veneer of protection looking into the abyss of anger…suddenly everything was eerily silent.

Jesper uncoil himself from the cold floor. His heart was burning with a fury. He feels the need to punished someone…