When You Hear the Knell of a Requiem Bell by Flashbeagle
Chapter Fourteen
Ben punched Edward HARD. But of course, being that Edward Gracey is a ghost, that didn't do much good. Ben turned to me.
"Kim! Oh my God. You're a walking anachronism! Are you okay?"
"Ben!" I shouted, thrusting myself into my buddy's arms. I have never been happier to see him before in my life. Well, in my life as Kimberly Fox if this reincarnation of Katherine Gracey thing is for real…which after tonight I wouldn't doubt.
"Kim, um, why are you dressed like that?"
"It just keeps happening to me! And I just totally lost my memory and I kept thinking that I was Katherine Gracey, and I mean, I seriously thought I was her! I really doubted this before, but now it's all weird, and I think I really might be her reincarnation!" I blurted out to him.
I noticed Edward trying to get to me, but Ben pushed him away.
"Oh no, you don't. Stay away from Kim." He growled. "Kim, you don't really believe that, do you?"
"I don't know. But all these people are ghosts and they told me that they wanted me to die and be the thousandth ghost and I seriously thought I was her. I was acting like it. I didn't know what my name was and I kept having these flashbacks where everything changed and just before you got here, I was going to die and have my soul be here forever and before that, no one listened to me when I told them that I was Kimberly Fox and…"
"Calm down, Fox. It's alright now. Your incorporeal friend Emily told me everything. She helped me find you."
I turned to Emily. "What happened after I blacked out? Where were you?"
She hung her head. "I saw Edward coming, and I got scared. I didn't want to get caught, so I dissolved away. I felt so guilty. I was on my way to the ball when I heard Ben coming in, so then I went to go help him."
"It's okay." I said. "I understand the whole not wanting to get caught part."
"Katherine, darling, what is going on?" Edward asked me.
"This is my best friend, Ben." I said slowly. And I just want to know who I really am, for once.
I looked at Edward, and suddenly, I really felt like Katherine Gracey again. I felt like running to him, resting my head on his chest, and running my hands over his face. But then I blinked, and I looked at Ben. Suddenly, everything was clear to me.
"I'm Kimberly Fox." I said decidedly, and the good thing was that I knew it 100% this time. My mind wasn't clouded by memories of Katherine Gracey's life, or doubts to my own identity. I don't know why I said it. It's like it just came out of me.
I faced Edward. Ben was still holding onto my hand, which was slightly trembling since I had just been traumatized.
"I wish I knew how to explain what happened." I said, really unsure of what to say. What was I supposed to say? "Gee, um, sorry I kept having some of your dead wife's memories and I kept thinking I was her, but um, I'm not so, screw you, bye?" Of course not! And it's not like he's been mean to me. When you think about it, he's been really nice to me…I mean, the whole trying to kill me thing was clearly out of misguided, long suppressed love for his wife, which is kind of cute in a demented gruesome macabre kind of way.
"But all I can say, I guess, is that I'll never be able to explain what happened." I continued. "I really did feel like I was her for a little while back there, and I guess, um, all I can say is that um, when I uh, thought I was Katherine, I really felt…"
God, this is hard. He looks so sad.
"Like I loved you." That was not easy to say. Not easy at all. But it was the truth, I mean, when I thought I was Katherine, I really did feel like her. I felt all of her emotions, thought the way she would've...ugh, this is too weird for me to even want to think about any more.
He brightened up slightly, ever so slightly, as he looked sort of like he wanted to cry, and approached me. Ben let go of my hand.
"Darling, "he started, lifting a hand to my face. "It's all right." He stared into my eyes. That old feeling of "God, this guy creeps me out" started up again, not to mention some severe nausea, but I ignored them. He ran his hand across my face, and kissed me.
It was like all the lights went out, and I was in total darkness again.
When I opened my eyes, I was back in that other room I had woken up in. Ben was on the floor, covered by blankets. I looked down at myself, and saw I was back in my pink t-shirt and dusty blue jeans.
The first thing I did was jab a few fingers at the bottom of my throat. When I felt my heart beat, I was ecstatic.
I have never been so happy to be alive before. I got off the bed, and saw that my backpack, purse, and all of my other stuff were perfectly perched on top of a table. I grabbed everything, laid it out on the bed, and went through it.
There was a loose paper with my name at the top of it.
Dear Kimberly,
I am horrible at writing letters, but I just wanted to let you know that I was able to speak with Master Gracey after last night. I told him how you were feeling, and he understood. I still need to apologize for dissolving last night. I shouldn't have gotten so scared. You are very lucky to have a friend like Ben. He cares about you very much, almost as if you're his sister. I hope you can put this awful experience behind you and have a happy life.
Sincerely,
Emily Lillian Westin
You know, if she wasn't dead, Emily would remind me of my friend Tracy. It's interesting how she signed her name "Emily Westin" and not "Emily Gracey", but since she was murdered on her wedding night, I guess she never got used to being called by that name.
Sheesh. Murdered on her wedding night. You can't get any more depressing than that.
I silently crept out of the room and slunk into Madame Leota's chambers.
"What would you like to know, Miss Fox?"
"Um, Madame Leota, am I…am I…right to um, leave this place? I mean, I just sort of feel like a total bitch breaking Edward Gracey's heart and all."
"Miss Fox, do you have a family?"
"Yeah."
"And friends."
"Yeah."
"And a career?"
"Yeah."
"And a DVD player with Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl in it?"
I admit that I grinned.
"Could you honestly leave that behind?"
"No."
Madame Leota smiled at me. "Good luck with your article."
"Huh?" I blinked.
"Hurry back, Miss Fox. Be sure to bring your death certificate!"
I paled. "WHAT?"
"It's just something I like to say." Madame Leota laughed. "Goodbye Miss Fox."
"Eh, uh, bye."
After I left Madame Leota's chamber, I ran into Edward.
"Hello." He said.
"Hi." I said.
There was a sort of awkward moment.
"I'm sorry." I said.
"You have nothing to be sorry about. I owe you an apology, darling. I should never have tried to keep you here. I was so blinded by what I wanted. I led myself into thinking that was what you would want too. I should have listened to you." He looked deep into my eyes.
"I still believe you are Katherine's reincarnation, but I never bothered to think that perhaps by being reborn, your destiny may have changed. I still want you here with me, but I love you. I want you to be happy. I want what is best for you. I could never take you away from the people who love you, and I cannot believe how close I came to doing so."
Oh, man, I feel guilty. Poor guy.
Wait a sec. Why am I the one feeling guilty? I never tried to kill anyone!
"Are you going to be okay?" I asked. Thank God he's already dead, because if he was alive I'd totally be worried about him hurting himself.
"I will be fine, my love."
"Are you going to um, pass on?"
"Pardon me?"
"Pass on, to the um, next, um life or to heaven or purgatory or reincarnation?"
Edward laughed. "I may miss you tremendously, but I rather like being a ghost. The ghosts here are quite convivial. It is really not a bad existence. It can be quite amusing at times." He smiled at me.
Suddenly I was reminded of why I disliked him in the first place.
"Um, that's good. I have to um, go now."
He grabbed my hand and kissed it. He also handed me a rose that had been on a nearby table.
"Goodbye, my darling. If you ever feel lonely, or if you ever just need a place to go, you are always welcome here. You are, even if it was in a past life, this house's mistress." Edward gave my hand a squeeze and looked at me longingly.
A million different emotions rushed through me. They were all variations of fear, guilt, and apprehension.
"I'll remember that." I said slowly. "Goodbye, Edward." I turned to go into the room I had woken up in. When I turned back, he was gone.
Oh man, this just couldn't get any weirder if it tried…
I crept back to the room, put all of my stuff away, and woke up Ben
"Hey. We're alive." I said.
Ben yawned. "So we are. Kim. I'm really glad you're alive."
"So am I."
"Are you gonna go home?"
"Yup."
"Are you gonna catch a flight?"
"Yeah."
"Eh, I have to stay here. Still have some research to do on those stupid overpriced hotels." Ben grumbled.
"You wanna know something?" I asked mischievously, trying to take my mind off this whole disaster.
"What?"
"I'm really, really hungry."
Ben rolled his eyes.
"Kim, you're so…you." Ben laughed.
I smiled, although the whole "you're so you" remark slightly made me sad. Was I just me, Kim Fox? Or was I the reincarnation of Katherine Gracey as well? Last night was…well, it was weird. All the details of what happened were really fuzzy in my mind, and I felt strangely weak.
When we were leaving, we bumped into the butler, and guess what? I couldn't remember his name.
"Um, goodbye, um, er, Ripley?" I offered.
"Ramsley. Goodbye, Miss Fox." He said, smiling sadly. Damn it, why do I feel so guilty?
Ben was staring at him.
"Kim? Is he dead too?"
"Yeah." I nodded.
Ben shook his head.
"Weird."
"You think he's weird, you should've seen the singing busts in the graveyard."
As we were leaving, we could hear the singing busts from the front yard. Ben insisted on going back to see them, despite my protesting. We were able to catch the tail end of a song.
If you would like to join our jamboree
There's a simple rule that's compulsory
Mortals pay a token fee
Rest in peace; the haunting's free
So hurry back!
We would like your company!
I looked at the bust that looked sort of like Walt Disney, though Ben insisted it looked more like the guy who sang "You're A Mean One, Mr. Grinch", and said,
"Not on your life."
End Notes: That may be the end of the story, but it's by no means the end of the fic! We've still got special features coming up! There's an exclusive interview with Kimberly, the descriptive story starring Christine, the early version of Kim's character, an alternate character focus starring Ramsley the butler, and an exclusive behind the scenes documentary on the making of this story! Well, okay, maybe not the last one…
Plus, there's also Kim's upcoming adventure, A Phantom Awaits You, which takes place at Phantom Manor! For fans of comedy, there's plenty of that. For fans of adventure and thrills, there's plenty of that. For fans of doomed romances, there's plenty of that, though this time Kim's not a factor in that, plus many lovable new Disney characters destined to become family favorites!