Chapter 22

"It is really kind of you, Anna for letting me stay the night." Jack said as he put his suitcase on his bed.

"It is no problem at all. I don't want you to go back to the big city in the dark and besides, you need to eat something. You look as pale a tablecloth."

"I am not really hungry I am afraid." He sighed and took off his coat. Anna was still standing inside of the room and walked towards him, the flame of her candle lightning up the side of his face.

"Rose has told me about you." Anna confessed and Jack was certain his heart had stopped for a second.

"I recon it's not very positive." He nervously laughed and turned around to face her. Anna was smiling too and shook her head. "On the contrary, Jack. I remember that one night, she had just finished a whole bottle of wine by herself, she called you un artiste passionné. A man whom her sister must feel lucky to call her husband."

"I…" He almost tripped over his own words as the woman's gaze burned deeply into his soul. "I did not marry her sister. We called it off last minute after she found out my feelings weren't mutual. Now I am here, but she isn't," He took a deep breath, "Do you really think she has left, Anna?"

Anna shrug her shoulders before shaking her head. "I know she didn't like it there, but she never spoke to me about wanting to leave. Perhaps I don't know her that well."

"Yet something is still off, Anna."

"We will find her, Jack." Although her words sounded secure and Jack desperately wanted to believe them, he felt nothing but unsure. The universe had given him so many opportunities to make things right just in time and he had always chosen to ignore it. Now, he truly believed he was being punished for his cowardly behaviour.

In a way, Jack hoped the she had left to go and find a place where she truly felt at peace. Everything was better than the agonising feeling that kept him up that night. He felt restless, not only by himself but about this whole situation. His instincts had kicked him and almost screamed that something wasn't right. But he couldn't grasp what it was. Still sitting down, his body wrapped in a thin blanket, he felt like he was melting into the loneliness of the dark. It was now his closet friend, keeping him company in this confusing time. Jack's mind started to drift off towards his homeland.

"You're playing with fire." His father had told him the evening before he left, "Being engaged to a sister is one thing, but now going after the other? Jack do you have a slight comprehension of what you are doing? Imagine the gossip you'll get drowned in when you get back."

His answer was a simple and firm yes. Jack was aware of all the consequences his actions would bring, and he didn't care in the slightest. He was here now, following his heart in the depth of desolation. The walls had become his friend and the the time ticked away, they hugged him until he felt like he was suffocating.

In the early hours of the next morning, faint voices awakened Jack from his short period of sleep. The opening and closing of the front door brought him completely back to his consciousness. It was still slightly dark outside with only a faint streak of blue light peaking through his curtains. He stood up and tried to listen, yet his French was thus underdeveloped that it was impossible to comprehend from far away. It was the creaking noise of the wooden staircase which lead to his room that made Jack realise he was going to participate with the conversation.

Anna's face appeared in the doorway. "Jack, are you awake?" She whispered into the room.

"Yes." He whispered back.

"There is someone for you."

Confused, Jack shot up from the bed. It couldn't be, could it? Was he still dreaming? As he pinched the skin of his right arm, he knew this was all happening in real life. Pushing past his host, he almost jumped off the stairs and in to the kitchen. It wasn't her. Rose was not there. The woman sitting behind the table looked scared; Jack could see her body trembling. As she looked up at him, he then recognised her soft eyes.

"You are Mrs. Dubois am I right?"

"Oui."

"How did you know I was here?"

"Yesterday as you left our house I looked out the window and recognised the car." She was still staring at the man in front of her, "You must be wondering why I am here, monsieur."

"Jack. And yes."

"My husband left for Paris this night and when I noticed he was truly gone, I stood up and made a run for it. He'll be back in the evening so we must be quick."

"Quick for what? Do you know where Rose is?" He moved closer towards her, kneeled down and almost took her hands in his. She was so young, he then thought. Not older than a teenager as she looked so fragile. Her facial expression held on to years of pain and Jack believed he could almost feel her misery. Mrs. Dubois nodded her head continuously.

"My husband has locked her up inside of our barn." She whispered as if she was afraid to get caught. "He thinks the devil has send her to us for punishment and now he wants to punish her."

"The devil?" It sounded ludicrous to his ears. Had he traveled back in time?

"I am so sorry, Monsieur." She burst out crying. "I am so sorry I didn't say something when you were there, but I was scared. Mon Dieu, I am so scared of him."

"Where is she now, madame Dubois? Still in that barn?"

"Yes, she is still in the barn. My husband keeps her there because he is afraid that she will possess us all." A loud sob slipped from her mouth, "He wants her dead, monsieur."

Jack felt his body turn numb as if had he fallen into a deep sleep and was now trapped into a horrific nightmare. His hands started to tremble as he stood up and quickly put a cigarette in his mouth. "I don't believe you."

"Why would I lie? I am putting myself at great risk by coming here. If my husband finds out I have visited you, he will kill me as well. Slowly but surely. No blood, only agonising pain until we rot in hell." She smashed her hand onto the table before wiping her tears away. "He needs to be stopped."

The young woman had a determination in her eyes Jack believed not to exist the way he had seen her prior. Through her watered eyes, they were burning. She had a hatred for her husband that was not to express in words and yet you just knew. Blowing the smoke into the air, Jack nodded his head. "I am going to get my coat."

Mrs. Dubois turned her head towards Anna. "I shall call for the doctor if I were you."

The car seemed to have stopped moving completely. Pushing his foot onto the gas pedal as hard as he could, Jack cursed towards the upcoming sun. Mrs. Dubois had explained it all; from the moment Rose arrived at their house up until this moment. And with every sentence she spoke, Jack could feel his stomach turn and he was certain he was going to be sick any minute. If he only had been here sooner.

"Can you put this car somewhat away from the premises, monsieur? I don't want our maid to see it."

Jack nodded his head and after what felt like an eternity, he parked the car far away enough from the wooden fence. Mrs. Dubois took a deep breath, stepped out and ran over the path towards the house. He followed, running as if his own life was depending on it.

"Mildred will give her her food in half an hour, so I have to get the keys." Mrs. Dubois hissed as she tried to open the front door. A sound of cracking leaves closely behind them caught the two by surprise. Turning around they saw she was already there.

"Is it these keys you are looking for?" Mildred lifted them up in the air. "I knew something was up when you were gone this morning so I've already give her her medicine. She is asleep now so you don't have to worry." She smiled in a haunting manner and casually walked past the two. Jack was now closely behind her, grabbed her wrist and turned her around. Mildred gasped in pain and closed her eyes.

"If you don't bring me to her now," He hissed in her ear. "You and those kids will never make it to the end of the day. I'll be sure of it."

"You're bluffing." Mildred spat at him. She tried to wiggle free from his grip, but it was too strong.

"Am I?" Jack moved his other hand towards his back pocket and took hold of a small knife that once belonged to his brother. Perhaps he had been possessed himself for he couldn't think clearly no more. As if his body was taken over, he brought the object close to her neck before letting it rest onto her skin. "It's up to you."

Everyone remained quiet. Mildred could feel a small droplet of sweat running down her face. Then she came to the notion that, even in the early hours of the day, this was a game she was not going to win. Mrs. Dubois' eyes were fixated on their every move and she dared to take a step closer. She begged the maid, almost falling onto her knees and it didn't take much longer for Mildred to give in. Her own life was indeed far too precious.

"This one if for the top lock and this one for the other." She mumbled and remained standing. For a moment, Jack was scared that the woman was going to run off until she eventually threw the keys at his feet and disappeared into the vagueness of the morning light. He grabbed the keys and looked over at Mrs. Dubois who signed him to follow her. And just as she had told him earlier, behind the house, there was a small barn surrounded by puddles of mud. Jack's stomach dropped the instant he laid eyes on it; no one would even want to lock up an animal in such a place. He feet started to move automatically and he called out for her name. Of course, it was only the silence that answered his calls, but he was determined. Within second he had unlocked the first lock before the second one shot open and fell onto the ground. He pushed the door open with such force that he was afraid the whole structure was going to collapse.

Then there it was, in the far corner, a shadow that slowly started to move. Jack knew, he felt it was her and stepped inside.

"God, are you there? Have I died?" Her voice echoed in the darkness. His heart broke right there and then. She sounded thus weak as if all life had been sucked out of her, but as he suddenly saw a glimpse of her appearance, he almost collapsed onto the ground.

"Oh my love, what have they done to you?" He rushed over to her side and tried to turn her body around to face him. Rose was almost completely unrecognisable and it scared him to the core. Her face was bruised with a large gash running over her lips. She was trembling he saw she had been tied up.

"You are God, aren't you? I am dead. You have come to take me."

"No, Rose. You are not dead." But he thought she would if he didn't get her out of here, "It is me, Jack." He took his knife once more and cut the ropes that kept her from moving. He reached out for her to touch her hand and after what felt like an eternity, she finally did. Jack helped her stand up, yet her knees kept shaking. Within seconds she fell back onto the freezing ground. "God let me die." She whined, "please, let me die."

"Listen, Rose. You are not going to die. I am here now and you are safe. I am not letting you go." He wrapped his arms around her body and lifted her up from the cold stones. Her head was weak and leaned lifelessly against his chest. Stepping outside of the darkness, Mrs. Dubois had already rushed to the car and opened the door. Jack carefully laid her down next her, his eyes filled with sorrow as he looked at the state she was in. There was barely nothing left of the woman he loved.

"She'll be fine, Mr. Dawson." Mrs. Dubois reassured him as if she was able to read his mind, "I'll keep an eye on her. Now drive."

Mrs. Dubois stroked her hair gently, soothing her frail body with calming words. She hated herself for letting it have come so far. She hated herself for being weak. It was impossible to say anything to the man behind the steering wheel for guilt had shut her down. Luckily the car stopped just in time before she felt she was going to lose it herself. Jack opened the door and Mrs. Dubois helped him get her out of it.

"Come here." He murmured and lifted her in his arms once more. Anna had already spotted their arrival and was impatiently waiting in the doorway.

"Oh mon Dieu, ma pauvre fille!" She gasped as they walked in.

"Please help us, Anna." Jack said.

"The doctor is in the living room. Put her on the sofa." Following her instructions he gently let her go. She felt hot to the touch, her face was covered in sweat.

"She is heating up, doctor." He spoke without having looked at the man once. He felt a pair of hands touch his shoulders and pushed him carefully to the side. Jack stepped back, afraid that being one step away from her would already be too much.

"Let me walk with you to the shadow of the valley." Rose moaned whilst barely being conscious, "the valley of death. We will die together. We are all going to die!"

"Please help her!" Jack yelled at the man who then furiously turned around. He murmured something to Anna which was impossible to understand. She then took hold of his arm and tried to guide him out of the room. He remained standing and watched how the so called professional turned Rose onto her side.

"Jack, please. The doctor knows what he is doing." Anna murmured and pulled his arms again.

"I can't leave her alone."

"She is not alone. Besides, you'll need your own doses of physical attending if you don't come with me right now. I can feel you are about to faint yourself."

Glancing one last time at her, he finally gave in. Closing the door behind them, Jack leaned his back against the wall and took a deep breath. Then there were the screams again. Her voice sounded haunting. Anna and Mrs. Dubois kept the passage blocked before taking him to the garden. Jack could feel his reaction from the day he heard about the sisters' car crash. It was nothing but horror that had taken over his body, yet now he was feeling much worse than he did back then. Jack felt as if a piece of his warmth that was still within him had now completely vanished into the nothingness. Yes, he was nothing no more. Without realising it, Anna had put a cigarette between his lips and put it on with her matches.

"I hope this will calm you down." She whispered and he quickly shook his head back to reality. Feeling the smoke burn in his longs he eventually allowed himself to relax. Anna took hold of his hand and squeezed it tightly.

"She'll be fine, Jack. Trust me."

"You don't know if she will… have you seen the state she is in?" He then turned his face towards Mrs. Dubois and frowned, "why didn't you say something last night? We could have gotten her sooner!"

"No we couldn't, Mr. Dawson." She tried to defend herself, "If I had told you the truth last night with my husband roaming around the house like a maniac, he would have done something horrible to us. I took the first opportunity I had to come to you. I know you are scared, but I truly believe we were just in time before the poison—"

"Poison?!" Jack snapped and shot up from his chair. "You are telling me that for the past week or I don't know how long, your husband and that English rascal of a servant have been poisoning her and you did nothing?!|

Mrs. Dubois could feel tears burn in her eyes and she hid her face in the palm of her hands, shaking it continuously. She wanted to speak, yet couldn't for she was burning with guilt. Anna put a gentle hand on her back and started to stroke it carefully.

"Mrs. Dubois is not to blame, Jack." She interfered, "she has done everything in her power to prevent it from getting any worse."

Jack was still standing and stared at the two women in front of him. A small apology fell from his lips and he threw the bum of his smoke onto the ground.

"I don't even know who you are, monsieur." Mrs. Dubois looked up at him through teary eyes, "I have put my trust into a stranger."

And what was it that he was of her? He realised it was almost an impossible question to answer. For what once was, Jack and Rose were now nothing but haunting ghosts to one another. How was he going to explain that…

Jack cleared his throat. "It is a long story, difficult to explain."

"It is what you call difficult," Anna interrupted, "Jack here was about to marry Rose's sister, but he eventually didn't."

Mrs. Dubois nodded her head. "Amor." Was all she said as if she understood the circumstances without any further comment. Love had in fact brought him to this place, to her, and it was her who had brought him love. It would never go away. As they together in silence, every one of them in agony of their own minds the back door suddenly opened. Everyone looked up as they saw the broad shadow of the doctor appear in front of them. He said nothing, only took off his black hat and clenched it under his arm. As Jack followed his movement, all the air was being pushed out of his lungs and he felt as if the earth had swallowed him whole.