Disclaimer: Crimson Peak is Guillermo Del Toro's property, Supernatural belongs to Eric Kripke, The Lodgers to Brian O'Malley. Emma, Constance and I are self-inserts. The old lady from Camden Market belongs to Chibimelodee.
Summary: Ghosts are real and everything happens for a reason. Is this why Marina and her friends find themselves trapped in Allerdale Hall a few days away from Christmas?
Author's note: This story was written for me by « Emma » and « Constance » from Chibimelodee as an Advent Calendar two years ago. Please note that all three of us are french and while we do know our way around English, we might still make some mistakes. Feel free to let us know! As the three girls are french and start to speak from this chapter, I'll put the translations of their sentences right next to them so you know what they say.
At the Candlelight
Chapter 3: Ghosts stories
Lucille watched. Blurred by shadow, her slender figure moved in front of the master bedroom. Dark, ghostly, lurching awkwardly, long scrawny arms groping the air like a blind beggar, movements spectral and disjointed. Staggering unnaturally stooped, as if this time and place were not her time and place. Voices and laughter echoed from the inside of the only room she couldn't step in, making it alive for the first time since Thomas' death.
Unbounded wrath consumed her, burning her soul, turning it into ashes. She would have loved to destroy this pathetic joy, disturbing her grief and sadness. Just like wrong notes, the laughter offended her ears which were now used to cries and oppressive silence. They had entered into her sanctuary, breaking the monotony of her jail, bringing life into Allerdale Hall…
Everything had always been dead here… Vegetation, Father, Mother, Thomas' brides, her beloved Thomas and her… If only she could pass through this door which was erected in front of her…
If only she could enter in this room, his room… If only she could destroy these three reckless and sacrilegious lives… But they won't stay forever in that room. They would have to get out of it. She just needed to be patient… And patient she was !
Lucille stayed before this closed and unbreakable door, piercing it with her deadly glare and her spite… Deep down in herself, she already relished the sweet bitterness of vengeance. They will soon be dead… All of them !
Emma was relieved and happy to be nestled in the huge bed while Marina and Constance were trying to light the fire in the huge fireplace of the huge bedroom. Laying on the bed head, she looked lovingly at her seafood-avocado sandwich in her hands, trying desperately to not listen to her stomach. The mysterious little dog, laid next to her, was looking at her, cocking its head, an imploring look on its sparkly eyes. Mouthwatering, she glanced at the two young women, wondering when she will finally be able to eat. Maybe just a small bite while they were not looking ?
« Emma, ce n'est pas parce que j'ai le dos tourné que je ne sais pas ce que tu es en train de faire ! Pose tout de suite ce sandwich ! Tu pourrais avoir la décence de nous attendre ! On va manger toutes ensemble… une fois qu'on aura réussi à faire du feu ! Les anciens propriétaires auraient pu laisser une notice pour savoir comment ça fonctionne ! Une chose est sûre, je n'ai aucune chance de devenir pyromane un jour ! Non par manque de volonté, mais parce que je n'ai absolument aucune idée de comment on allume un feu ! C'est désespérant ! » Constance mumbled. (Emma, just because I have my back turned doesn't mean I don't know what you are doing! Drop that sandwich immediately! You could have the decency t owait for us! We're gonna eat together... Once we manage to start a fire! The former owners could have left a guide on how it works! One thing's for sure, I have no chance on becoming a pyromaniac one day. Not for lack of will but because I have absolutely no idea on how to lit a fire! That's hopeless!)
The younger sister threw her meal at the bottom of the bed were laid the other sandwiches and looked at her sister with a false innocent look :
« Comment oses-tu dire ça ? Je n'étais même pas en train d'y penser ! D'ailleurs, je n'étais absolument pas en train de regarder mon sandwich avec son pain tout doré, tout croustillant… Je suis juste en train de mourir de faim… en silence… dans ce grand lit glacé… et toi, tu m'accuses ! Au fait, vous avez bientôt fini, parce que je commence à avoir un peu faim et ça fait… super longtemps… que vous essayez d'allumer un feu et tout ce que vous avez réussi à faire c'est de la fumée… beaucoup de fumée… Vous essayez de communiquer avec les Indiens ? » (How dare you say that to me ? I wasn't even thinking about it ! Anyway, I absolutely wasn't looking at my golden, crusty sandwich... I'm just starving to death... In silence... In this big icy bed... And you, you are accusing me ! By the way, are you almost done ? Because I am getting kinda hungry and it's been... a very long time that you have been trying to set a fire and all you managed to do is to create smoke... Lots of smoke. Are you trying to communicate with Indians ? »
« On devrait mettre plus de bois et moins de papier dans la cheminée… J'ai vu ça dans Les Jeunes Années d'une Reine ! Je suis sûre que cette fois-ci, ça va fonctionner ! » (We should put more wood and less paper in the fireplace... I saw that in Victoria in Dover ! I'm sure it'll work this time!) Marina yelled. Following her friend's advice, Constance rehash the logs and the two women finally lit the fire, shouting with joy : « Vive Romy Schneider ! ». (Long live Romy Schneider !)
The sweet warmth of the fire filled quickly the bedroom, bringing a homey atmosphere to the once deserted room. Marina and Constance shared a triumphant glare. Tensions cooled down, the three women sharing for the first time since their arrival in the mansion a true feeling of relief.
« Vous êtes trop fortes, les filles ! On peut manger maintenant ? » Emma asked with enthusiasm. (You're the best girls ! Can we eat now?)
« Oh ! Mais oui ! Qu'elle mange, mon Dieu ! Qu'elle mange ! Allons, viens Marina, ayons égard à la gastralgie de ma sœur ! » Constance exclaimed in a theatrical way, rolling her eyes. Marina looked at her friend in the bed with compassion, trying to repress the laughter that threatened to set free. (Oh! But yes! By God, let her eat! Come now Marina, let us have empathy for my sister's gastralgia!)
« C'est pas le moment de déclamer du Feydeau… On va dîner ! On va dîner ! » Emma said, pouting. (Now's not the time to declaim some Feydeau... We're gonna eat! We're gonna eat!)
She suddenly jumped out of the warm duvet, reaching the pile of sandwiches at the end of the bed, beginning to distribute them. She took care of the seafood avocado one, looking at it with hunger, licking her lips. She held the veggie one with extra-mushroom out to Marina and threw angrily the BLT one without tomato and lettuce – in a nutshell, it was just a B now – to her sister who barely caught it mid-air. Constance shrugged and fell on the bed in a not-womanly fashion way, sighing with exhaustion.
« Ce n'est pas si mal ici finalement ! » Marina said with a smile. « On a l'impression d'être à Thornfield Hall ! » (That's not so bad here after all ! I feel like I'm in Thornfield Hall!)
« Oui ! Tout à fait ! En à peine plus poussiéreux… Si vous croisez Rochester et qu'il ressemble à Fassbender, faites-moi signe ! Je vous laisse la pyromane qui nous aurait fait gagner pas mal de temps… Jamais là quand on en a besoin ! De toute façon, j'ai eu ma dose de fantômes flippants pour la soirée ! » Constance laughted soflty. (Yes, absolutely, in just a bit less dusty... If you meet with Rochester and if he looks like Fassbender, let me know! In any case, I've had my share of scary ghosts for the night!)
« Aucun soucis, Constance ! » Emma yelled, her mouth full of chewed up bread, giving some small pieces to the papillon dog who was begging nicely to have some attention. « Moi, je préfère Heathcliff… (No worries Constance, I do prefer Heathcliff...)
Heathcliff, it's me, I'm Cathy
I've come home, I'm so cold
Let me in through your window
Ooh, it gets dark, it gets lonely
On the other side from you
I pine a lot, I find the lot
Falls through without you
I'm coming back, love
Cruel Heathcliff, my one dream
My only master
Too long I roam in the night
I'm coming back to his side, to put it right
I'm coming home to wuthering, wuthering
Wuthering Heights »
« Oh comme c'est original, Em! ! » her sister exclaimed, rolling her eyes. « Encore une histoire de fantômes… Ah ! Les Anglais et leurs Ghost Stories… Jane Eyre et Les Hauts de Hurlevent de ces chères soeurs Brontë, Un Conte de Noël de ce bon vieux Charles, Le Tour d'Ecrou de Henry James… D'autres exemples ? » (How original, El! Another ghost story! Ah, englishmen and their ghost stories! Jane Eyre, Wuthering Heights from these dear Brontë sisters, A Christmas Tale by dear old Charles, The Turn of the screw from Henry James... Other examples?
« Hamlet de Shakespeare… Il voit son papa ! » (Shakespeare's Hamlet... He sees his dad!) Emma shouted, raising her hand just like she was in school, dropping the remains of her sandwich on the bed, just in front of the little dog who, wagging happily its tail, crawled as discreet as possible towards the meal. It was about to catch the sandwich when Emma took it back before swallowing it, petting its furry head.
« Le Fantôme de Canterville d'Oscar Wilde » Marina suggested. « Et puis, il y a aussi… » (Oscar Wilde's Canterville's ghost. And then, there's also...)
Like a reply, a low, agonized moan filled the room, practically quenching the fire, diving into the room in darkness for a fraction of a second. It raged from one end to the other, lifting the air on the back of their necks. It was ghastly. The sound, like eery freezing, was horrible, giving them the impression that the whole house was participating to their conversation. The papillon dog, trying to look threatening, began to growl. Emma plunged under the covers, putting them above her head, completely disappearing, taking her little furry friend with her. Marina went closer to Constance, trying to seek comfort and reassurance from her eldest who was livid.
« Je vous l'avais dit que cette maison était hantée ! » the young woman bolstered. (I told you this house was haunted!)
The tiny voice of Emma, choking by a burst of nervous laughter, went out of the duvet : « Constance, c'est comme dans la chanson d'Henri Dès : (Constance, it's like in Henri Dès' song!)
Ça fait houou
Ça fait grrr
Sous le toit dans la maison
Ça fait ouiiii
Ça fait toc toc
Y'a des bruits dans le plafond »
« Emma ! Tu crois vraiment que c'est le bon moment pour chanter ça ? » her sister mumbled, trying to recover from the shock before Emma continued to sing off-key, in a trembling voice filled with fear : (Emma! Do you really think it's the right moment to sing this?)
« Et si c'est pas toi
Et si c'est pas moi
Qui c'est qui c'est-y
Et si c'est pas toi
Et si c'est pas moi
C'est sûrement le vent »
Constance began to tickle her sister's feet hidden under the covers before carrying the song on :
Ou bien la souris
Qu'a mordu le chat
Mais sûr'ment pas un fantôme
D'après c'qu'on m'a dit
Ça n'existe pas
Les fan les fantômes
Emma quickly sat down on the bed, still covering with the white sheets, shaking her arms just like a ghost would do. Marina burst out of laughter before joining the sisters in the children song :
Ça fait houou
Ça fait grrr
Sous le toit dans la maison
Ça fait ouiiii
Ça fait toc toc
Y'a des bruits dans le plafond »
Fear was soon replaced by glee and laughter. The little dog was barking, happy to be part of this relieving moment.
« Oh il est trop choupinou ! Et les filles, je lui ai trouvé un super nom pour continuer dans l'esprit fantôme… On va l'appeler Beetlejuice ! » (Aww, he's so cute! Girls, I found him a great name to keep the ghost vibe! We're gonna call him Beetlejuice!) Emma exclamed, sparkles in her eyes.
Once their sandwiches were eaten, the three friends put on their sleeping clothes. Constance now wore plush powder-pink pyjamas with a sparkly unicorn embroidered on the top. Her sister was now in a comfy sleeping suit representing Miss Bunny from Bambi, with a funny fluffy whitetail. A cute reindeer sleeping mask was covering her eyes, the young woman already leaping in Dreamland. Marina had warm ample gold and red pyjamas, the head of Lancel Lannister in a lion costume printed near her heart.
Leaving Emma to rest – the young woman laughing and snoring in her sleep -, Constance and Marina were sitten at the far end of the bed, the little dog laying between them, letting the warmth of the fireplace enveloped them like a cocoon. They absentmindedly watched the mysterious shadows dancing gracefully on the wallpaper. It was a perfect night for spooky ghost stories – at least to Constance's opinion –, Marina clearly not liking frightening tales.
« Tu es vraiment sûre de vouloir raconter une histoire de fantôme maintenant… alors que Emma dort… et qu'on est coincées au beau milieu de nulle part… dans une maison en ruine… complètement flippante ? » Marina said, her voice like a whisper. (Are you sure you wanna tell a ghost story now while Emma's asleep, that we're in the middle of nowhere in a ruined scary house?)
« Bien sûr ! C'est l'idéal… Tous les films d'horreur commencent comme ça ! Des amis perdus, dans un endroit clos où ils se croient en sécurité mais où ils finissent tous par disparaître les uns après les autres… » Constance shrugged. (Of course ! It's ideal... Every horror movie starts that way ! Lost friends in a closed area where they believe they are safe but they start dissapearing one after the other...)
« Mais ça va fait peur ! » Marina shivered. (But it's gonna be scary!)
« Ben c'est le but… Tant qu'on reste ensemble, on ne craint rien !... Du moins en théorie… » the eldest laughed. « Est-ce que je t'ai déjà raconté l'histoire du château hanté, près de Dunkerque ?... Non ?... Alors, je ne sais pas vraiment où il est, mais c'est en campagne… Apparemment on peut l'apercevoir de l'autoroute ! Les derniers propriétaires voulaient en faire une auberge… jusqu'à ce que les choses dérapent !... Ils étaient tout content d'emménager… Ils avaient tout rénové. Et puis, le mari est parti travaillé, laissant sa femme seule. Tout se passait bien, jusqu'à ce qu'elle commence à se sentir épiée et qu'elle demande –dans un éclair de génie – s'il y a quelqu'un et si oui, qu'il se manifeste… Et là, le pire s'est produit… enfin, il y aura pire après, mais c'est juste pour accroître la tension dramatique… » (That's the point... As long as we're together, we're gonna be fine ! Well, at least, in theory. Have I already told you about the haunted castle near Dunkirk ? No ? I don't really know where it is but it's in the country... Apparently, you can see it on the driveway ! The last owners wanted to turn it into an inn until things went sour. They were all happy to settle in, they had renovated everything. Then the husband left to work, leaving his wife alone. All was well until she felt spied on and, struck by genius, she asked if someone was there and if so, if they could show themselves. And then, the worst happened. Well, there is going to be much worse after but it's just to build up drama!)
Constance got up, laughing slightly and searched in their bag. She took a small plastic nightlight out. It was a cute tiny ghost with rosy cheeks. She went back near her friend putting the light under her nose, making spooky moans.
« Donc la femme a entendu un cri horrible s'élever dans la maison, sortant de partout et de nulle part à la fois, accompagné par le son d'une clochette » Constance continued, with a gloomy tone intersected with burst of laughters, due to the scary face of her friend. « Elle a été tellement terrifiée qu'elle n'arrivait même plus à bouger… Quand son mari est rentré, il n'a –bien évidemment – pas voulu la croire. Le cas typique ! Jusqu'à ce que lui aussi soit victime de ces curieux phénomènes. Le soir-même, ils ont entendu l'esprit taper dans le plafond… dans les murs… partout… et puis la sonnette a tinté de nouveau ! Ça a bien duré une heure et puis ça s'est arrêté soudainement ! Ils ont bien évidemment fouillé toute la maison le lendemain, sans rien trouver. Un ancien système de sonnerie avait bien été installé dans la maison, mais il avait été complètement enlevé quand ils avaient fait les travaux et remplacé par un chauffe-eau. Leur fils est rentré du lycée où il était en pension. Les parents ne lui ont strictement rien dit à propos des choses étranges qui se déroulaient dans la maison, pour ne pas l'inquiéter… Il a choisi de dormir dans la chambre verte, pensant que ça lui porterait bonheur pour ses études. La nuit venue, le fils a senti comme une présence dans son lit… quelqu'un qui bougeait, des mains glacées et tremblantes cherchant à l'attraper. Il a entendu une respiration rauque juste à côté de lui. Il était complètement mort de peur ! Il est parti dormir avec papa et maman qui n'étaient pas vraiment plus rassurés que lui. Les choses ont continué ainsi pendant un moment, sans qu'ils ne trouvent d'explications. Une nuit, il y a même un vieux fauteuil roulant, qu'ils avaient trouvé dans la maison, qui est sorti brusquement du cagibi, a traversé le palier, a dévalé les escaliers et a foncé dans la chambre verte où le lit sautait sur ses pieds… un peu façon grille-pain de Ghostbuster ! Ils sont alors partis en courant… Ce qui est une réaction tout à fait normale, je pense ! J'aurai fait pareil… certainement avant l'incident du fauteuil ! En fait, si on était pas bloqué par la neige, je pense que j'aurais été dormir dehors ! J'essaie de te faire peur depuis tout à l'heure avec mon histoire, mais en fait je crois que je suis en train de flipper toute seule ! Qu'est-ce qu'on s'amuse… Je suis sûre qu'on va bien dormir cette nuit ! Je sais même pas comment je vais réussir à fermer l'œil… »
(So, the woman heard a horrible scream rising inside of the house, going everywhere and nowhere at the same time, accompanied by a chime's sound. She was so frightened she could not move anymore ! When her man came back, of course, he did not believe her. Typical. Until he too became a victim of these curious phenomenons. On that same evening, they heard the spirit slam on the rooftop, in the walls, everywhere and the chime rang again. It lasted for at least an hour and it suddenly stopped. Of course, they searched the entire house the following day but nothing was found. An old chime system had indeed been installed in the house but had been removed completely when they renovated it, replacing it by a water-heater. Their son came home from high school where he was a boarder. His parents didn't tell him anything about the weird thing going on in the house so he wouldn't be worried. He chose to sleep in the green room, thinking it'd bring him luck for his studies. At night, he felt a presence in his bed. Something was moving, icy and shaking hands were trying to grab him ! He went to sleep with Mom and Dad who weren't much calmer than he was. Things carried on like this for a while without finding explanations. One night, there was even an old wheelchair that they found there that suddenly came out of the closet, ran through the corridor, went downstairs and rushed to the green room where the bed was jumping on its feet... A bit like the toaster in Ghostbusters. They ran off. Which is a natural reaction I think. I would have done the same thing. Even before the wheelchair incident. Actually, if we weren't locked in because of the snow, I think I would have slept outside ! I'm trying to scare you with my story but I think I'm doing that to myself ! What fun... I'm sure we're gonna have a good night of sleep ! I don't even know how I'm gonna doze off...)
« On va laisser le feu allumé… Comme ça, au moins, on ne sera pas dans le noir » Marina suggested, clearly uneased with Constance's story. (We're going to leave the fire burning so we won't be in the dark at least.)
The two young women jumped when Emma began to growl in her sleep, apparently not amused by all the sounds.
« C'est pas bientôt fini vos bêtises ? Il y en a qui aimerait dormir ici ! Venez vous coucher maintenant… » (Are you done? Some would like to sleep here! Come to bed now...) she mumbled before sitting straight, taking the dog in her arms and drifting back to sleep with the pet just like a plush toy, not waiting for their answer.
Laughing slightly at Emma's behaviour, they soon went under the warm covers, trying not to think about the ghost story Constance had told, trying not to think about what they thought they saw in that house, luckily not seeing a tall human shape appearing with subtlety in the comfy armchair near the dying fireplace.
XXXX
The night had taken its place, darkening the house and the bedroom. The once-burning fire had slowed to only some red ashes, its light slowly making its way for the shadows of their dreams.
Thomas was comfortably sitten in his large armchair, watching with curiosity the three young women. He had felt, deep down in his soul, that something would happen this day. He had awoken from his dreadful slumber, where all had been black around him, where he had been floating through nothing, where he had been nothing. Alone. With nothing to hold on. With nothing to look at. No voice. No thought. No feeling. Since his death, he had been just like an empty shell. So, he has laid into nothing there, letting fate decides his future, or rather his non-existent future. He didn't know how much time passed since Edith had left Allerdale Hall. But the coming of three innocent ladies has been enough to bring him back to where everything had started. To where everything had ended. To where everything could start again.
They were now peacefully asleep, together in his warm bed. He vaguely wondered in what era he was now, their talk and clothes too weird to be in his. Sure, French people were odd but not this odd. What kind of woman had pink hair and dressed as a rabbit ? Or a reindeer ? He couldn't really pinpoint what was the weirdest ! The three women had, despite of them, brought apparently a new century into the old house, and maybe awoke far more dangerous being than him.
To protect them was now his duty as Lord of the house. And protect them he will. He could feel his sister outside of the thick wooden door, already planning murder out of her jealous black heart. Like an invisible guardian, he had lighted the fire in the living room, warming the place for their arrival, so the light could guide them inside like moth attracted by the candlelight. He had guided the eldest one into his room where he knew nothing bad could happen, incapable to protect her when his sister had meant to harm her in their Father's office. Lucille must not know he was here. He couldn't protect them if Lucille knew. Then, he had stayed to hear them laugh and talked, their sparks of life warming his dead heart. Their attempts to light the fire had succeeded to make him smile for the first time in so many years. It was true, he had helped them when they were not looking, because he wasn't sure if they would have succeeded without it.
And then, when the ladies had started to talk about ghosts and the way they had reacted with the wind… Thinking it was a ghost, while he – the true ghost – was just near them, utterly silent, had practically made him want to show himself to make the situation even more comical. It was just the east wind that picked up, the chimney forming a vacuum and, with all the windows shuttered, the house breathed. Nothing supernatural. Just science. Their reactions had been priceless. And the story the young woman had told to her friend... Her words still echoed in his mind. He wanted to know more. He wanted her to tell more stories. And more importantly, he wanted to be part of her stories… her ghost stories and not just stories with ghosts ! The one who answered to the name of Marina was the quietest and with a friendship and loyalty beyond measure. She clearly wasn't from the same parentage as the two others but the bond they shared was strong. From what he had understood - luckily for him, he had studied French when he had been sent away in boarding school -, they were here for her to see her favourite actor. It kind of surprised him, the memories of the theatre not showing him true reverence to this kind of profession.
The smaller woman, who appeared to have problem to walk and carry heavy things, was quite unsettling. He couldn't quite pinpoint what in her made him feel light-headed. If he had properly understood, her name was Emma. She was so full of life and carefree. She seemed to bring light into the house with her songs and jokes. She was just so fun to watch and listen to.
The last one had been the one who mostly caught his eyes. Constance. Things felt so simple with her. Which he realised was completely absurd since the situation they were in was anything but simple. Maybe it was because of how her emotions were shown in her colour-changing eyes. Maybe it was because of her way to treat her sister and her friend, protecting them the best she could. Maybe it was because she seemed to be the more receptive to his presence. Whatever it was about her made him feel alive. When he looked at her, it made it difficult for him to remember anything before these couple of hours.
Thomas went near Constance and it seemed he had never been more aware of anything in his non-living existence than he was when his fingertips slid over her soft skin, as he slipped his hand along her jaw to cup her face. He swore he could feel it when she inhaled, only to let out a shivering breath. His blue eyes drifted on her lips as he watched her expression, a light smile gracing them, as he watched her unconsciously turn her cheek, pressing more firmly into his touch.