Haunted Dreams

Chapter 27

Year 1784. I was tangled in the bed sheets in his bedroom. His parents didn't live here anymore, they abandoned him when he was thirteen. "Oh my God Nellie." He said as he thrust into me. It hurt and I was pretty sure that I was bleeding all over him. It was my first time after all. We both finished kissing each other. "I love you" he said smiling at me. I smiled back and stroked my hand through his blonde hair.

"Well?" He asked me.

"Well what Timothy?" I asked confused.

He laughed at me. "God your adorable. What did you think?" I still looked at him confused. "Of the..?"

"Oh." I said just now realizing what it is he's referring too. "Uh yeah. It was nice."

"Just nice. That's all I get."
"Well I can't think right now." I said rushing to get up and put my clothes on. What time is it? I have to be home before mother finds out. "I have to let it all sink in you know, then I'll give you an answer on how good it was." I said with a laugh.

"So I blew your mind." He grinned.

"Sure." I said shaking my head in disbelief.

Fully dressed now and with him still naked, he grabbed my waist pulling me towards him kissing me. "You're officially a woman now." He said flirtatiously.

"I became a woman when I bled three years ago."

"Yes. But now your not a fifteen year old virgin, so your welcome. Everyone in our year is married and having children, we're literally the only two left." He said laughing.

"I wouldn't say literally." I said not picking up on his hint at all. Actually I felt ashamed, regret. How could I let this boy do this to me. I'm not even married yet, and I had sex. Oh God, if mother finds out I am so dead! Plus it'll be hard finding a husband now, Timothy is right, I'm fifteen. All the other girls my age are having babies. What was I thinking? I'm used now, as good as a whore as the rules go in this time period. How could I? Me having sexual relations with a boy who isn't my husband. I looked into his blue eyes. He's attractive, very sexy, but he's my friend, or "boyfriend" I guess is the more appropriate term.

He did this because he fell in love with me. I did it because... I don't know, to be rebellious, have a change.

"What are you thinking about?" He asked me.

"Will you take care of me, Timothy? You know in case..."

"Oh definitely."

He kissed me once more. "See you later baby."

And with that I walked away from him and out the door.


"Where were you today?" My sister Elaine asked me while I was in my bedroom reading.

"Out." Was all I said.

"Were you with Timothy?"

I looked up glaring at her. She always knew my business even before I did. I don't know how she does it. Then I don't know why I did it but I started blushing.

"Oh my God! Did you two do it!?" Elaine shouted.

"No! Shut up!" I shouted at her blushing even more.

"What was it like?" She asked grinning.

"Painful and messy. Now keep your voice down. If mother hears..."

"You can't have him you know. Mother found a gentlemen for you to marry."

"She what!" I screamed leaping up from the chair.

"Oh it's an honor Nellie. I'd love to get married. You should be thankful."

"Why would I be thankful for being sent off to marry a stranger?"

I ran from my room and into the parlor where my mother sat sipping tea alone.

"Did you arrange a marriage for me?" I demanded.

"Elaine told you didn't she?" She said continuing to sip her tea, not even looking at me.

"When were you planning on telling me? Never I assume!"

She looked up at me calmly.

"And what is it you came in here to demand of me?"

"I don't want to get married."

"Well too bad, your fifteen."

"You can't do this to me!" I screamed tears welling in my eyes.

"Of course I can. I'm your mother." She saw the tears running down my cheeks. "Oh for God's sake Eleanor! It's just marriage, it's not the end of the world. Do you want to stay in this house forever? John was forced to marry his wife and they get along fine. So who knows you and your husband might get along great. By some sheer miracle that he'll even like you."

She got up and started to leave the room. "Father wouldn't have done this to me." I said causing her to stop in her tracks. She turned around to face me with a dangerous look in her eyes. Talking about father was a dangerous thing to do in this house. He died a long time ago, when I was ten. This woman, my mother, never loved him. She wept for him but I could tell it wasn't real tears. I continued on before she could pounce me. "In fact he promised me he wouldn't force me to marry. He said he would let me marry for love."

"There's no such thing as love Eleanor. It's just an illusion, an enchantment that they tell stories about, it's fiction. This is reality, times are hard. And you will fulfill your womanly duty. Now go take a bath, we are meeting with him and his family at their estate tomorrow afternoon."

Tomorrow. Oh no, it can't be that soon I'm not ready. I ran back to my room thankful that Elaine wasn't in there anymore, and I slammed the door shut. I can't believe this is happening. Oh my God Timothy! What will I tell him? Tell him it's not my fault and that I have to leave him for a husband that I don't want. He'll understand. But he's so rebellious. He'll stop it. He'll kidnap me, or crash the wedding. And as much as I would like that to happen, I don't want it to. I love Timothy, but like a friend, he's too wild, too dangerous, I don't think I would want to spend my life with him. I shouldn't of let him have sex with me today, to 'de-flower' me. What was I thinking? He loves me, he said he did. And I don't love him back, not at all. It just wouldn't work, I know it wouldn't.

There's only one man I want. And I haven't heard from him in three years now. Benjamin Barker. He used to live behind my house. We used to be friends. I kissed him in the snow when I was twelve. What happened to him? Why did his family have to move from that house? Where is he? Does he miss me as much as I miss him?

I finished my bath and got ready for bed. I wouldn't meet my husband until the afternoon. Timothy wanted to meet for lunch, which I'll have to cancel now. But I'll go talk to him in the morning. Tell him that I'm getting married and that there's nothing I can do to stop it. I could run away but I don't want too. I don't feel like fighting this battle with my mother. For some reason I can't explain I kinda want to get married. Maybe my mother is right. It won't be that bad, right? At least I'll be out of this house, and all the bad memories it holds.

Morning came I got up quickly and set to work. After breakfast I ran to Timothy's house. I didn't even get to make it to his house, on the path towards it I bumped into him.

"Hey there you are." He said hugging me. "Come to give me an answer?" He asked joking.

"Painful and messy." I said seriously.

He stared at me for awhile then started laughing. "I'll take it. But I'll get better for next time."

I don't want a next time.

"Look Timothy I..."

"Hold that thought, I have something for you."

No I will not hold this thought, I need to say it and say it now! I can't stand it any longer. "I'm getting married." I blurted out. Just now noticing the little, velvet box that he was pulling from his pocket.

Oh shit! He looked at me surprised. And then sadly down at the little box, the ring. "I didn't even ask yet." He was still one for jokes even at the serious of times.

"Timothy?" I asked scared. I did not see this coming. He looked at me unsure of what to do next. "It's an arranged marriage. My mother set it up."

"Oh that's nothing then." He said straightening himself up with confidence. "We'll just run away. Here, you marry me, and she won't be able to do anything because you won't belong to her anymore." He said showing me the ring.

I looked down at my feet, ashamed of what I was about to do to him. I don't like breaking hearts, it's so hard. "No." I finally said.

"What? Come on, this way you won't have to get married. What if he's all old and fat and gross. Plus he'll be a stranger, you already know me. I understand if your afraid. Eloping is a big deal, but we can do it. Okay I know I don't have a job, but we'll figure something out and..." I looked at him uncertain. "Your mother won't be able to stop you. You'll have my last name."

"No. I don't want to, I'm sorry."

"Was it that bad?"

"No! Kind of! Just ugh..." I ran my fingers through me hair. Why is this so difficult? I took a deep breath and looked straight into his eyes. "This has nothing to do with you. God your actually really sexy, and good looking, it's just... I don't love you. And that's not fair. That's not fair to you. You deserve someone who cares about you, who actually loves you, and that person is not me. I'm sorry."

"Your making a mistake." He said darkly, the joking nature in his eyes gone. "You can't have him, you do realize that?" He said referring to Benjamin Barker.

"How do you know?" I asked angry.

"We're not the only ones that have been bad. He's got a girlfriend. I saw them fucking behind a park bench at night. He's never going to want you."

"Bye Timothy." I said walking away.

"I'm the only chance of happiness you'll ever get!" He screamed at my back as I walked away, ignoring him, and trying to hold my head high.

"Ready Eleanor?" My mother asked me. I nodded and walked out of the house with her, catching a glimpse of Elaine giving me a reassuring nod before I went.

He lived closer to me than I thought, just a few blocks away, this future husband of mine.

We got to the estate and knocked on the door. His mother and father stood there. His mother looked a little younger than mine, when she saw me she flashed the sweetest smile and pulled me into a hug. "It's so nice to meet you." She had long, gorgeous dark hair.

I didn't remember much of the occasion be honest. It all flashed by as a blur. My mother chatted with the two, I looked down at the floor, or cast curious glances across the room. I may had even stifled some yawns a few times, causing my mother to glare at me.

"Darling, she's here. Come down stairs." His mother called. I heard footsteps leading from the hall upstairs to the stairs where they began to descend. "I'm sorry he's a little shy." I heard his mother say.

And there he was.

Staring at me with those same dark onyx eyes I always dream about.

He stared at me. I stared at him. Both of us too shocked to even mutter a word. And there he was, right in front of me, looking as handsome as I last saw him.

Benjamin Barker.


Then she felt a tingle in her gut. A little nudge right under her bellybutton. Nellie woke up, facing the ceiling. Her hand self consciously touching her stomach, rubbing it gently. She stared at the ceiling, confused for a second. Still thinking she was that innocent, little, fifteen year old girl. Well maybe not innocent. A stinging pain in her shoulder proved that she was wrong. That she was back in the present. With an injured shoulder, and a baby who just learned how to moved.

Nellie got up and wandered into the kitchen. And there he was, her husband. Standing at the cooking niche attempting to prepare something.

"What time is it?" She asked sleepily.

He looked at her and smiled. With those pair of dark eyes of his. "One O'clock in the afternoon."

"Really?"

"Hm mhm. I thought I should let you rest. We had a long night, fending off wolves and all."

"Ugh, don't remind me." She said sitting down at niche. "That beast's body is still laying the back yard isn't it?"

"And full of maggots I presume."

"How are you feeling?" He asked her.

"Lack of energy, headaches, moody, pregnant. The usual." She said smiling.

"How's your shoulder?"

"Just stings a little."

"Did you sleep well? Dream anything?" He said sitting down across from her. Continuing to chop up ingredients for the salad he was making.

"I don't dream anymore, all I see is memories and flashbacks. At least that's what it feels like."

"Like what?" He asked going back to tossing the salad.

"Do you remember when we were engaged?"

"Not really. I can't recall much of anything before the prison camp."

Nellie looked at him sadly. "I'm sorry."

He looked up at her. "I don't care that I can't remember. I don't want to think about the past. That's why I'm so busy making a future." He leaned forward and kissed her. She thought about Timothy Gales. 'I'm the only chance of happiness you'll ever get.' Well he was wrong, very wrong. But why think about that? 'Why worry about the past, when the future looks so good?' Nellie thought, smiling to herself.

Ugh I don't like this ending. Writer's block is a butt! Well hope you guys enjoy! :D