Chapter 15 "The Sin's of 1906"
EMBER
Ember woke again at 8 AM to find Maya and Kelly both asleep in her room Maya in her own bed, Kelly slumped in Ember's desk chair, his neck at an angle that would definitely hurt later.
For a moment, she just watched them, confusion and concern warring in her chest. What had happened last night that made Kelly camp out in her room?
She looked down at her hands. The dirt was still under her fingernails.
Ember climbed out of bed carefully, trying not to wake them, and went to the bathroom. She scrubbed her hands under hot water until they were raw, watching the dark soil swirl down the drain.
Where had she been? What had she done?
She stared at her reflection in the mirror. The same face she'd seen every day for nineteen years looked back but something felt off. Like she was looking at a stranger wearing her skin.
Stop it, Ember told herself. You're just stressed. That's all.
But the unease remained, settling in her stomach like a stone.
When she returned to the room, Kelly was awake, straightening with a wince.
"Morning," he said, his voice carefully casual. "How are you feeling?"
"Confused. Tired. Worried about my friends who apparently spent the night in my room for reasons they won't explain." Ember crossed her arms. "Are you going to tell me what's really going on?"
Kelly glanced at Maya, who was still asleep. "You've been having blackouts. Losing time. We're worried about you."
"I know I've been having blackouts. But that doesn't explain why you're acting like I'm about to spontaneously combust."
"We're just being cautious."
"Kelly, please. Don't lie to me. Not you." Ember's voice cracked. "Something is really wrong with me, isn't it? Something more than just stress or exhaustion."
Kelly's expression was pained. "Em"
"Just tell me the truth. Whatever it is, I can handle it."
But before Kelly could respond, Maya stirred, sitting up groggily. "What time is it?"
"Eight," Ember said. "And Kelly was just about to tell me why you both look at me like I'm going to explode."
"Em, I promise we'll explain everything," Maya said carefully. "But first, we need to do some research. There are things we need to understand before we can help you."
"Research into what?"
"Into your symptoms. Your... episodes." Maya stood, moving to Ember's side. "Will you trust us? Let us figure this out, and then we'll tell you everything."
Ember wanted to argue. Wanted to demand answers right now. But the fear in Maya's eyes the barely concealed terror made her hesitate.
Whatever was happening, it was bad enough to scare Maya. And Maya didn't scare easily.
"Okay," Ember said finally. "But once you figure it out you tell me everything."
"Deal," Kelly said.
"Now Kelly go home and get real sleep. You look terrible."
Kelly hugged her fiercely. "We love you. Remember that, okay?"
"I love you too," Ember said, confused. "Why does that sound like goodbye?"
"It's not," Kelly said quickly. "It's definitely not.
Maya saw Kelly off.
After they left, Ember sat on her bed, her mind spinning.
Something was very, very wrong.
And everyone knew except her.
KELLY
Kelly waited until they were outside Sterling Hall before speaking.
"We need to go to the library. The historical archives. If Rosanna Vale died in 1906, there has to be documentation. Death records, newspaper articles, something."
"Agreed," Maya said. "But we need coffee first. I can't think straight."
They hit the campus coffee shop, loaded up on caffeine, and headed to the library. The historical archives were in the basement a dusty, forgotten corner that most students never bothered with.
The librarian on duty, Mrs. Patterson, looked surprised to see them.
"Students don't usually come down here unless they're desperate," she said. "What are you looking for?"
"Historical records from Hollow Creek," Kelly said. "Specifically from 1906. We're doing a project on local history."
"Semester just started and you're already doing projects? Ambitious." But Mrs. Patterson led them to a row of filing cabinets and old ledgers. "Everything's organized by year. 1906 should be in the third cabinet. Good luck the handwriting is atrocious."
They spread out at a reading table, dividing the materials. Kelly took death records and church documents. Maya took newspaper archives on microfiche.
For an hour, they worked in silence, scanning through faded ink and brittle pages.
Then Maya gasped.
"Kelly. Look at this."
She'd pulled up a newspaper article from October 1906. The headline read: TRAGIC DEATH OF LOCAL SEAMSTRESS - THE SCARLET WOMAN'S END
Kelly leaned over her shoulder, reading:
Miss Rosanna Vale, aged 24, was found deceased in her residence on Maple Street yesterday morning. The cause of death appears to be self-inflicted. Miss Vale had been the subject of scandal and public censure, accused by Mrs. Lucian Ashcroft of seducing Mr. William Ashcroft and destroying a God-fearing marriage.
Mr. Ashcroft himself died under mysterious and disturbing circumstances one week prior, bearing strange marks upon his person the third such unexplained death in our community within the month. Town elders have whispered that Miss Vale practiced dark arts, that she was cursed for her sins of the flesh, and that any man who lay with her would meet a terrible end.
The Reverend spoke of her as a cautionary tale of sin and its consequences. "Let this be a lesson," he proclaimed, "that those who engage in adultery and wickedness will face divine punishment. The scarlet woman has met her judgment."
Miss Vale maintained her innocence to the end, though none believed her claims. She leaves behind no family. She will be interred at Hollow Creek Cemetery with minimal ceremony, as befits one of such immoral character.
Kelly felt his stomach turn, but not with sympathy with horror at what Rosanna had done.
"She killed three men in 1906," he said. "And then killed herself. The curse must have been punishment for her crimes."
"But Kelly, what if she wasn't" Maya started.
"Wasn't what? Guilty?" Kelly shook his head. "The newspaper is pretty clear. She seduced a married man. The town cursed her for it. She killed three men with whatever dark magic she used. That's not the behavior of an innocent person."
Maya bit her lip. "I guess you're right. It's just... the way they describe her. 'Maintained her innocence to the end.' What if"
"Maya, people lie. Especially when they're caught." Kelly kept reading. "And look at this 'strange marks upon his person.' The same marks Tyler and the others have had. She's continuing what she started over a century ago."
"So what is she? A witch? A demon?"
" Kelly pulled out more documents. "She might be using Ember as a vessel to continue her revenge."
"Revenge for what? Being cursed for her own crimes?"
"Who knows? Maybe she thinks the punishment was too harsh. Maybe she's just evil. Does it matter?" Kelly's voice was hard. People are dieing now, just like in 1906. And Ember might be the weapon she's using."
Maya pulled up another article, this one from a week before Rosanna's death:
WILLIAM ASHCROFT FOUND DEAD - MYSTERIOUS CIRCUMSTANCES BAFFLE PHYSICIANS
Mr. William Ashcroft, son of prominent merchant John Ashcroft, was discovered deceased in his chamber early morning. His wife, the former Lucian Blackwell, reported hearing terrible sounds in the night. Upon investigation, Mr. Ashcroft was found in a state of extreme distress, bearing a peculiar crimson marking upon his forehead.
The locals are unable to determine the cause of death, though some speak in hushed tones of curses and witchcraft. Mr. Ashcroft had recently become entangled with Miss Rosanna Vale, a seamstress of questionable morals. His wife had publicly accused Miss Vale of using unnatural means to seduce her husband.
Mr. Ashcroft is the third gentleman to die under similar circumstances, all bearing the same inexplicable marking. The town is gripped by fear of dark forces at work.
"Three men before she died," Maya said quietly. "All with the same mark. All connected to her through... intimate relations."
"And now she's back, doing it again through Ember." Kelly gathered the papers. "We need copies of all of this.