CHAPTER EIGHT

PROTECTOR

Grace had never liked the rain. She hated thunderstorms since she was a child. After she put Brahms to bed she had a hard time sleeping with all the noise from the rain and thunders. She decided to close the thick curtains of her room but it didn't help much. It was early in the morning when she finally found peace and slept. She felt something brushing against her hair, she was half asleep and she just turned to the other side when she felt it again. She was so tired and she didn't want to wake up yet but then she felt it again and she jumped up.

It was dark in the room as the curtains did not let the light enter from the window and she couldn't see anything. She reached out blindingly and her hand touched something cold, she instantly got off the bed and run to the window to open the curtains. Looking back at her bed she saw the doll sitting next to where she was sleeping. There was a note with a white rose on resting on his lap. She walked closer and picked up the note.

I stayed by your side so you won't be scared. Good morning, she read the note and looked back at the doll. His thoughtfulness surprised but she shuddered at the thought of him being by her side the entire night.

Thank you Brahms, she said to the doll but there was no answer, as usual. The way he communicated with her was often frustrating. If he could talk why did he left her notes, why wouldn't he answer her questions vocally, she had so many questions but she didn't want to push him. Things were going well between them for the past week and she was glad for it. She tried to keep up with his schedule and he was being very tolerant with her, if she made a mistake he would just brush it off. But there was more to it.

He was always with her now, the only time they were separated was at night which is why she felt uncomfortable knowing he was there the entire night. He seemed to understand that there were some limits and he never entered her room. However she realized that he was developing an unhealthy obsession with her, he would often surprise her with gifts which she found odd. At first he commented how much he liked the way she braided her hair and then he gave her a dragonfly bobby pin with beautiful purple stones on it to decorate her braids.

A couple of days ago he gave her a golden pedant and he wanted her to wear it always, of course she didn't dare refuse his request. She was just hoping that he wasn't secretly taking his mother's jewelry because when Mrs. Heelshire would come back she would have a problem. Last night he told her that he had been preparing something for her that was supposed to be a surprise but he was too excited not to tell her, still ge didn't gave her any hints what it was.

She picked a set of warmer clothes from her dresser and she turned to the doll,

I'll be right back, she told him and she headed for the bathroom. She wasn't planning to change in front on him of course. She headed for the bathroom and she started her morning routine. When she was done she walked back into her room but the doll was no longer there, however she noticed her bedsheets were folded nicely and she knew it was Brahms' work. She went downstairs and she found him in the living room, sitting next to the fire place. She was surprised to see that he had started a fire and the room was already getting warmer. It was one of those little things he did every day to show his appreciation for her.

Thank you for the fireplace Brahms, I'll make us breakfast, she told him and she walked into the kitchen. She prepared dinner for both of them and she headed back to the living room, of course she knew he would not eat his breakfast as long as she was there but she left it in front of him anyway. She ate in silence feeling awkward as the doll starred at her. Sometimes she just wished he would talk to her to break the silence but she knew that he only talked to her when he wanted.

When she finished her breakfast she went back to the kitchen and she washed her plate. It was only when she turned to leave that she noticed something on the table, there was a box with a red bow on it. It must have been the surprise he told her about the day before. She opened the box and inside was a small portrait, she picked it up and turned it to see what it was. There was a picture of a woman playing piano and she soon realized it was her. It was a beautiful portrait and she couldn't help but smile.

Playing piano was one of the few things she enjoyed doing with him, she would take him with her to the library and she played his favorite melodies. Sometimes she could hear the piano from the library but as soon as would get inside he would stop so she decided to not disturb him when she heard him playing. She would let him have his private space and enjoy that moment alone. She remembered Alex telling her how good he was and she could definitely agree, he would have been a very talented young man, if only…

She went to the living room and she saw that the doll was still there but his breakfast was gone. She wasn't even surprised anymore.

Thank you for the portrait Brahms, it's very beautiful, she said to the doll. Of course there would be no answer but she kneeled down and she gently picked up the doll. It still felt strange to hold him in her arms, he would usually move by himself but in the mornings she was the one who would dress him and bring him downstairs for breakfast.

Do you want me to play piano for you? She asked him waiting for an answer somehow. And the answer came from upstairs, she heard the piano and she knew that it was a yes. She walked upstairs with the doll in her arms and she went to the library. She took a seat at the piano and placed the doll next to her. She started with his favorite melody, she knew he appreciated it and she was glad that they could enjoy something together. She would usually lost track of time when she played but he didn't mind, she finished with one of her own favorite melodies, her father's lullaby.

A knock on the door caught her attention and she turned to see Alex standing there.

I didn't want to interrupt, he said standing there awkwardly.

It's okay, she said as she got up from the seat taking the doll with her and placing him on the red armchair.

I left the groceries in the kitchen and I wanted to ask you if you need anything else from me, he told her, clearly wanting to start a conversation.

Thank you, she simply said as she walked out of the room, he followed after her and they went to the kitchen. She started placing the things he bought in place while he stood in the doorway starring at her. Their interactions had been very short lately and she made it clear that she was avoiding him. She still had not forgave him for lying to her.

How are things going around here? He asked breaking the awkward silence between them.

You mean with Brahms? We're fine for now, she simply said not bothering to explain further.

Is he… giving you trouble? He asked almost hesitantly.

No, like I said we're fine, she said again.

Look I know you're angry but you have to understand me, there are so many things you don't know… his sentence was cut short when a loud bang was heard from somewhere in the house. They both immediately looked out of the kitchen and Grace quickly walked out into the living room. She tried to find the source of the noise and she noticed pieces of glass on the floor. She noticed one of the decorative glass ornaments from the fireplace was missing and she guessed it was the one that was in pieces on the floor.

She began gathering the pieces from the floor and Alex joined her to help, he picked up one piece and looked at it.

That was a gift from my father, he said sighing as he continued to pick up the glass pieces.

I'm sorry, I don't know how it fell, she said looking at him.

Don't worry, it didn't fell someone threw it obviously, he said clearly upset. He wasn't wrong, someone did threw it on the floor but she couldn't understand why. According to the rules Alex was allowed in the house so why did Brahms reacted like this? She then remembered what he told her before he was interrupted ' there are so many things you don't know'. She was suspecting that he was about to tell her something Brahms didn't want her to know. Again, more secrets.

Is there anything else I need to know Alex? She asked getting up from the floor.

Why don't you ask Brahms? You two have become best friends as it seems, he said in an accusing tone, she couldn't understand why he was attacking her. He was the one who told her to follow the rules so she'll be safe and now he was mad at her for doing so.

At least he doesn't lie to me, she said defending herself and she walked out of the living room leaving him behind. She didn't had the energy to fight with him and she knew it would get her nowhere. He followed after her into the kitchen, he threw the broken pieces at the trash can and turned to her.

I'm sorry, I didn't mean to snap at you, he said with a regretful look on his face.

I have to clean the living room, I'm sorry for your father's gift, was all she said before leaving. This time he didn't follow her and when she heard the car's engine she knew he had left. It was better that way, she told herself, if he wasn't willing to tell her anything helpful she didn't need him around to stress her even more. When she was done cleaning she noticed something on the side table near the couch. There was a note on it that wasn't there before, she already knew who was it from. She picked up the note and read it ' Meet me in the library '. She put the note in her pocket and walked upstairs heading to the library.

It was dark inside and she couldn't see anything, she knew he wanted to talk. That's what he would usually do when he wanted to talk to her, he would always pick a dark room so she didn't bother trying to turn on the lights.

Brahms? She called out for him, she knew he was waiting for her there.

I don't like Alex anymore, his voice answered from the darkness. She had to bit back a scream at the closeness of his voice. His voice would usually sound muffled which was something she couldn't explain but right now she could hear his voice clearly and he sounded like he was right behind her. She tried to control her breath as she adjusted her eyes in an attempt to see any shapes in the darkness.

Why? She said quickly trying to hide the shaking in her voice.

He makes you upset and he says bad things about me, he said and this time she was sure the voice was coming from behind her. She turned around slowly and hesitantly reached out with her hands. She didn't know what she expected to find but she was almost disappointed when her hands touched the wall.

Brahms are you here? She almost whispered as if not to scare him.

I'm always here, he said and she froze. The voice was so close to her that she could hear his breath. Could ghosts breathe? But his breath was warm. She could just reach out and touch him but she was frozen in place, his closeness overwhelmed her.

Do you want to touch me? He asked in almost a playful voice. It was a strange question coming from an eight year old boy. It was a few moments later when she managed to speak.

Do you have a physical form? She asked cursing herself for the stupidity of her question. She was talking with a spirit, something out of this world and she was asking if he had a physical form. Images of the burned body of a child filled her thoughts and she instantly regretted opening her mouth.

I have everything you need, his voice answered but now he wasn't close anymore. She let herself relax for a moment until the meaning of his answer downed on her. Everything she needed? What did he mean? She had to get herself together before she found the courage to speak again.

What do you mean? She asked confused, he didn't make sense to her.

You are lonely just like me. You need a friend, a companion, a protector, he answered. His words didn't much his childlike innocent voice, she felt like she was talking more with an adult than a child. Her thoughts went back to the first days she had learned about 'Brahms '. She was afraid that whatever was inside the doll was not really Brahms but something demonic. It was at moments like this that she believed that her theory might not be entirely wrong. He was supposed to be a child but he seemed to be too intelligent and too mature sometimes.

Would you protect me? She asked him. She wasn't sure why out of all the things he said she chose to ask him about him protecting her, she couldn't even be sure she was safe from him.

I will protect you, I would do anything for you, he said. It was so strange to hear such words coming from a child's voice but he sounded so sure of himself. She jumped when she suddenly heard the piano, he started with a soft melody she had not heard before and then it changed into something familiar. He was playing her father's lullaby she realized.

How did you learn to play that? She asked him curiously when he finished.

I learned it from you, I watched you and you always look so peaceful when you play that, he explained and she could tell he was smiling. He must be proud of himself, she thought.

My father wrote it for me, she said quietly.

It suits you, it's beautiful, he said as he continued to play. She slowly kneeled down and got comfortable on the floor resting her back on the wall. He wanted to play for her and tried to relax herself to enjoy the sound of the melody. She could enjoy those short moments of peace with him.

The sound of her cellphone ringing woke her up but instead of the floor of the library she found herself sleeping comfortably on her bed. How did he manage to move her without her realizing it was beyond her. She quickly got up from the bed and and picked her phone.

Hello? She said still trying to get the sleepiness off her.

Grace? A familiar voice came from the other side and she instantly felt wide awake.

Mrs. Warren? She asked surprised.

Oh thank God Grace I have been trying to reach you for days now but it seems you don't have good service where you are, she said relieved. She knew that her phone was often out of service and even the house line did not always worked.

I know it must be the area around here that has bad service, she explained.

I needed to talk to you, I even thought about contacting the Heelshires but I couldn't reach them either, she said and it was only now that she heard the worry in her voice.

Why? What happened? She asked the older woman.

It's Harry, he was here at the job center a few days ago, she told her and at the mention of his name Grace froze in fear.

And? She asked swallowing hard, she knew something bad had happened if the conversation included Harry.

He came to me personally and demanded to know where you are, of course I explained to him that it's the policy of our office to keep the location private but he insisted. He made a scene but that's not the worst part… she trailed off. Mrs. Warren was hesitant and Grace was afraid that he hurt someone in an attempt to find her, that was Harry.

What did he do? She asked urgently,

He payed one of our employees to give him your location, I found out when it was too late. Grace, he knows where you are, she told her. She felt the color drain off her face and she had to sit down for a moment. She thought she had escaped him but he wouldn't let her go so easily. She knew he would hurt her if he found her, for leaving him, for betraying him. He was a sick person and he would do anything for money.

I'm so sorry Grace, I could never guessed he would go this far to search for you, Mrs. Warren apologetic voice came from the phone interrupting her thoughts.

It's not your fault, it's okay. Thank you for warning me Mrs. Warren, she told the woman. She couldn't blame her for having a corrupted employee.

I think you should talk to the Heelshires about it, I'm sure they can help you, she suggested. Grace doubted that anyone could help her if he decided to come find her, especially now that the Heelshires were away and she was all alone at the manor. The only other person she knew here was Alex but she couldn't count on him for help. Then there was Brahms… he had promised to protect her. So far he had been true to his word and she was glad for it. Perhaps he could help her, perhaps he could scare Harry away in case he…. She stopped her thoughts right there, she didn't even want to think about it.

I'll talk to them, she answered to Mrs. Warren.

Please call me if anything happens, goodluck sweetheart, Mrs. Warren said in a gentle tone. She knew it was one of the very few people who actually cared about her and she appreciated it. She thanked the woman once again and they said their goodbyes. Grace starred at her phone after the end of their conversation and she found several missed calls from Mrs Warren, she then thought about the Heelshires. Could they really help her? Should she try to contact them? She thought about her first day at the manor with Mrs. Heelshire. She had asked about her uncle which surprised Grace, she thought that maybe Mrs. Warren had told her about her situation and her abusive uncle.

She searched her contacts and decided to attempt to contact them but as Mrs. Warren had told her before, she couldn't reached them. She hadn't talked to them since the day they were gone and that was almost two months ago. It was strange that they never called to ask about Brahms. Unless he was the reason they left, she thought. If his own parents could not handle him what made her think she could? She rubbed her temples trying to soothe the headache.

After she finished her chores for the day she started preparing later that evening, she had not seen Brahms since they talked to the library which was odd. He would usually be with her all the time lately but not today, maybe he was still upset about Alex, she thought. She left his dinner on the kitchen table and she took her own plate to the living room. She settled comfortably on the couch with a blanket and she ate her food watching a show on the large tv of the living room. It was at moments like this that she longed for his company and she realized that he was right, she was lonely.

A noise from the kitchen caught her attention and she looked behind her towards the doorway. She brought her now empty plate to the kitchen where she found Brahms sitting on the table with an empty plate as well.

I made your favorite for dinner, I hope you liked it, she told him taking his plate and placing it on the sink. She knew he would not answer but she had to break the silence somehow. When she was done cleaning she picked up the doll in her arms and walked headed over to the living room. She settled next to the fireplace covering both herself and the doll with the blanket and she continued reading the book they had started the day before.

When she finished the book and looked at the large grandfather clock and noticed that it was time for bed. She walked upstairs with the doll in her arms and changed his clothes, she put him to sleep and walked out of his room. It was strange that he didn't gave her any signs, she hoped that he wasn't upset with her. She hadn't done anything wrong to upset him anyway. She headed to her room and picked a towel, she decided to take a shower before she went to bed. She got into the shower and let the warm water relax her body and mind.

She was almost done when she caught a movement from the corner of her eye through the glass door of the shower. She instantly turned off the water and grabbed the towel, she walked out of the shower looking out of the bathroom in the hallway. It was dark with the only source of light coming from the bathroom. She saw something moving in the darkness and she heard creaking on the floorboards. She took a couple of steps back into the bathroom in fear.

Brahms? She called out. She hoped it was him, she had put him to bed and it was already late anyway, what was he doing still awake there? She made a mental note to always shut the door when she was in the bathroom. He might be a spirit but that didn't mean she was comfortable with him watching her in the shower. Still there was no answer from him and it made her a little uneasy. She quickly ran out of the bathroom into her room and locked the door behind her. It was dark in her room as well even though she was sure she had left the lights on when she went to the bathroom. There was little to no little coming from the window as the curtains were pulled together.

Why are you scared Grace? His voice came from the darkness making her jump in surprise.

What are you doing in here? I thought you were asleep, she said trying to see into the darkness.

I can't sleep, I was thinking about you. I saw you talking with someone on the phone and you looked so scared, he said in a soft tone. His concern sounded genuine and she couldn't help but smile, even if he couldn't see it.

It was about something back home. Just a bad memory, she assured him. Now that her eyes had adjusted in the darkness she could see a shape in the dark corner of the room. She starred at it trying to realize what she was looking at, it was something white… something that looked like… a face?

I don't want to see you scared ever again, I'll keep you safe, this time when he spoke she knew that's where the voice was coming from. She widened her eyes in realization it was the first time she had seen anything of him, of the real Brahms and not the doll. The strange shape moved as he talked and she felt herself shaking. She didn't know if it was fear or excitement, this was not something she could experience every day. It was somewhat comforting knowing that he had an actual form and he wasn't just an invisible spirit.

That's you… she whispered not taking her eyes of the shape afraid that if she looked away he would disappear. He moved again, this time closer and she could see more details. It was indeed a face, a white face, like a ghost.

You're not afraid of me, he said softly. It wasn't a question, it was realization. And he was right, she wasn't scared of him in that moment, she looked at him in wonder.

No, she said honestly. They starred at each other and for a long time no one said a word.

Then who are you afraid of? He asked suddenly and she blinked in surprise at the sound of his voice. She looked down at her feet not sure how to answer this.

There's a man… I grew up with him after… after my family died. He is cruel and dangerous. I didn't want to live with him anymore so I accepted the job to work as a babysitter for you… He is my uncle, she said struggling to explain her situation. It was hard for her to talk about it but he had already heard her conversation with Mrs. Warren and there was no point hiding the truth from him.

You don't have to be afraid anymore. I won't let him hurt you, I won't let anyone hurt you, he stated. He had already promised her that he would protect her but he didn't really knew the danger she was in, it made her feel a little better now that she had told him about Harry.

Thank you Brahms, she said with a tired smile.

Goodnight sweet Grace, he said as he disappeared in the darkness. She sighed feeling exhausted, she felt cold suddenly and it was only then that she realized she was still in a towel. She dropped the towel and changed into warm clothes before going to bed. She closed her eyes let herself fall into a dreamless sleep….

… unaware of a pair of eyes that watched her from the darkness…