Day 1 - Part 2

I walked around the Manor, learning the locations of the rooms. There were still a few hours yet until dinner, and I had a small amount of spare time. Why did that journal have bloodstains in its pages?

Gemini.

Just what did that mean?

I peered into a room with a white door. Sitting on the floor in a frilly, black and white lace dress was a pale, black-haired girl. She turned her head to glance at me.

“You are Mister Elijah, our new butler…” her voice was soft, but void of emotion. “I am Mariana, the youngest child of the house…Mister Elijah.”

She rose to her feet, black curls swishing against her cheeks. When she turned to completely face me, I saw that her left hand was wrapped with bandage.

“Don’t look at it!” she shrieked. “You’re dirty!”

I stepped out of the room, only to have her slam the door shut behind me. With a sigh I peered at my watch. Ah, it’s time for dinner.

I headed to the kitchen, to find Charlotte taking out the dinner plates. Oscar took the plates and placed them on a nearby cart.

“I shouldn’t ask questions, but why do the Wakeshaws seem so odd?”

They stared at me.

“We cannot tell you. Lord Wakeshaw’s orders.” Oscar stated. He shrugged his shoulders and went back to placing dishes onto a cart.
“There are several references to twins in paintings and sculpture in this Manor. Why?”

“Elijah, we can’t.” Charlotte said. “Otherwise we will be subject to Lord Wakeshaw’s wrath.”

Fine. Don’t tell me. I’ll ask the man myself. I took a moment to think about it. Perhaps I could trick them into telling me what I wanted to know. A smirk spread across my face. My voice lowered.


“You will tell me what it is that you have been forbidden to speak.”

“We can’t disobey-”

I closed the distance between us, making eye contact. I placed a hand on each of their cheeks and pushed them together, forcing their gaze to meet mine. The light faded from their eyes as I pulled out what they were hiding from me.

“Tell me.”

“It is a curse.” Charlotte spoke, her voice emotionless.

“A strong curse.” Oscar said.

“Who did this to them?”

“We do not know.”

I let them go, watching as the light returned to their eyes and they tried to figure out why they were standing next to each other. Charlotte turned bright red and shoved Oscar away, horrified with him.

“Not with Elijah in the room!” she fussed at him. I smirked. Those two would probably prove to be quite entertaining.

I left them to their task and went into the main kitchen. A tall man with thick curly red hair stood stirring pasta in a large pot.

“An’ who are you?” he asked gruffly.

“I am Elijah. Were you not informed of my arrival?” I folded my arms.

“You’re quite scrawny. What they feed you?” he said, taking a closer look at me.

“You haven’t told me your name.” I said.

“M’ name is Vincent Shelley. I’m sure ya met Charlotte and Oscar. You’ll have to separate ‘em though.”

I didn’t understand what he meant by separate until I went back to the room containing the china and the silver.

Oscar’s back met my eyes as he pressed Charlotte against the wall, her hands above her head, pinned in his grip.

“AHEM.”

They split apart. Charlotte smoothed her skirts and apron before she snapped the buttons on her collar.

“You are supposed to prepare the table for dinner!” I fussed.

“Are you jealous, Elijah?” Oscar asked. I glared at him.

“Go make yourself useful!” I snarled.

“No need to get touchy, old man.” Oscar left, pushing the cart of dishes to the dining room.

I could feel my patience starting to slip. I followed Oscar and we prepared the table in silence. Once the dishes were in place, the family began to enter, one by one.

Nathaniel took the seat at the head of the table. He dressed in what looked like his finest clothing. Two youths who favored Nathaniel entered the room. They took their seats near the head of the table, and Mariana followed behind them. The children dressed in their best clothing, just like their father.

“Children, greet Elijah. He’s our new butler, and I hope he stays.” Nathaniel said, nodding toward me with a smile.

“Papa, Elijah is a creepy man.” Mariana said.

“Mariana, you cannot call all of our butlers creepy.” Nathaniel explained. That child had her eyes on me.

Nathaniel turned to his sons. “You two need to introduce yourselves to Elijah.”

The boy to Nathaniel’s right spoke first. He had a serious, quiet demeanor. His hair was dark brown and curly, just like Nathaniel’s. He smiled at me.

“I am Theodore, the eldest. It is a pleasure to meet you, Elijah. I hope my little sister doesn’t drive you insane with her demands.”

“I do not make demands!” Mariana protested. I almost chuckled. Right now, they appeared to be normal children, enjoying the chatter at dinner. Then the other boy spoke.

“I am Ashton. You’ll find me in the library most of the time…my siblings are annoying.” Ashton brought one of his books to the table. He peered at me from behind his book before moving it up to hide his face.

“Our butlers never last long.” Mariana said. “They always leave.”

It is something about you people that makes them leave… But I was sent here by the higher ups in Heaven to protect them. Why? I needed to find out the reason, and soon.

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