Chapter 48: Mirrors of Illusions

Chapter 48: Mirrors of Illusions

Grace Clarke found herself in the mansion on the hill. The place was eerily still. She slowly stood from the chair where she has been sitting. Her focus was on the door. She was curious what was behind the door. She listens carefully wondering where her parents were.

Taking a deep breath, she slowly opened the door. The hall was dark. The shadows make her feel afraid. She stood a moment before she took another deep breath. Now carefully she starts walking towards the bedroom of her parents. She found the door slightly ajar.

“Father,” she calls softly.

After a moment she heard someone groaning. Thinking he might be hurt she pushed the door opened. The bedroom was also hurt. After careful watching she noticed someone moving on the bed.

“Father,” she asked again.

“Grace,” his voice groggily.

“Are you hurt?” she questions uncertain.

“You should leave,” he said softly.

“I am afraid,” she admits.

“Go back to bed, Grace.” Her mother’s voice said sharply as she steps from the bathroom.

“I…” she hesitates.

“Grace, go back to your bedroom. In future make sure you don’t enter this bedroom again. This is our private place.” Bette took hold of her arm forcing her out of the bedroom. She slammed the door in her face.

“Grace, come here?”

“Grandmother,” she said surprise.

“I need to talk with you. Come to my office.” She said sternly.

Grace looked back at the close bedroom door. She shrugs her shoulders going downstairs. The moment she steps on the first step, it felt like her world suddenly spins. She quickly grabbed hold of the railing. Her heart beating fast in her chest.

“I am waiting Grace.”

“I am coming, grandmother.” She takes another deep breath before she starts moving downstairs. Whatever dizziness were there were gone now. The moment she was on the ground floor, it feels like her world has now turned into various mirrors. She frowns looking around but everything now looks distorted.

She starts moving forward trying to find the door that would lead to the office. A sigh of relief washes over her when she spotted her grandmother. She only needed to take another step forward then she would beside her. “Wait for me grandmother,” she called.

“I can’t. I am going to miss my chance. Take care Grace.” She starts moving away. It was clear she was fast.

Grace follows but the faster she tried running the more she fell behind. The next moment she felt she was running full speed into the mirrors. Her world instantly spins out of control. She felt herself falling hard onto the floor. Darkness instantly settled around her.

“Grace, where are you?” the voice called sounding as though it was coming from a great distance. She tried opening her eyes. It took several seconds before she understood her eyes were opened but she was surrounded by darkness.

“Help me,” she starts calling.

“Where are you? Why the hell are you playing hide and seek?”

“Mother, I am here.” She answered. She tried sitting upright but then her head bump against something solid. Confused she uses her hands to try and figure out where she was. It suddenly feels like something heavy was pressing down on her chest with the realization she was buried in a coffin. To make things worse she was alive fully understanding what was happening.

Jesper found himself walking in the direction of the mansion on the hill. The path was narrowed and darken forcing him to watch his steps. The moon sometimes peeked through the heavy clouds. He keeps walking with the intent of reaching the gates.

He has the urgent sense Grace needs him. After sometime he looks at his watch. The hour was almost midnight. He increased his speed just knowing he should be on the grounds before the clock strike midnight. He was almost near the big iron gates when he noticed the circling crows.

“Where have you been?” he questions out loud with heavy relief. His eyes narrowed when he noticed the crows seemed to circle over a specific spot. He quickly starts running full speed. The moment his fingers finally curled around the iron bars, his watch warned him he has only seconds to get on to the grounds.

“How the hell should I get inside?” The words barely left his lips when he starts scrambling to get over the tall gates. The moment his feet landed on the grounds the earth starts to shake.

“Bloody hell,” he whispers getting onto his feet. Now with purpose he starts moving in the direction of the circling crows. It was clear they are sending him an urgent message.

The moment he was near the mansion, he noticed slightly closer to the tree line the silhouette of a flashing heart. “Grace,” slipped over his lips.

Now running down the side of the hill he finally reached the sand hill. It was clear someone has disturbed the ground. “Grace, “he starts calling her name.

“Jesper,” her voice rose from beneath the ground.

“What the hell,” he looks around for anything he can use as a shovel. This is the first time that he remembers the groundskeeper. Now dropping down onto his hands knees he start pushing the sand aside. “Are you okay?” he asked as he works.

“I don’t know. It’s dark in here.”

“Don’t worry, I will get you out,” his hands were raw and still no sign of the coffin.

“Grace…” he called again exhausted but knowing he must not stop. He suddenly heard shuffling behind him. About to look when he felt the shovel hitting him over the head. His body dropping down onto the ground.

“Hurry, we don’t have all night,” Gregor the killer said sharply. He used his foot to kicked Jesper down the side of the hill. He watched him until he stopped against a boulder. Now moving swiftly, he removed the rest of the sand. The groundskeeper opened the coffin. He reached inside swiftly pulling Grace to safety.

“Where is my husband?” she questions.

“He is of no concern to you yet.” Gregor said sharply.

“I heard him calling my name.” she said stubbornly.

“Just voices of illusions. We need to leave.” The groundskeeper said.