Chapter 3: Some answers, but more questions

Steve was sitting alone in his bedroom behind his desk that was set in front of one of the windows. Another four days had passed, but Sukeena was nowhere to be found. Rose Red was now the home of the Rimbauer family for thirteen days. Steve, as being a little superstitious, hoped that nothing would happen today. However, he had little confidence in that. They had lived here now for nearly two weeks and already so much had happened. Ellen lived in her own world now and talked to nobody, except for the fact that she had started a diary. Steve knew this because when he was looking for her one day, he had seen it lying open on her desk. Steve still disliked that fact that she had brought him here, but did feel a bit worried now too. A knock on the door interrupted his thoughts.

'Come in,' he said, wondering who it could be.

In came the young girl that had stepped forward a few days ago and told him that she was the last to see the now missing servant Sukeena.

'Close the door,' Steve demanded.

She closed the door and remained standing in front of it.

'Sit down,' Steve said, pointing at another chair.

She sat down and looked at her feet, while her hands in her lap weren't lying still.

Steve thought it was better to be a bit nicer to her, if he wanted to get the full story out of her, which was probably about the happening of four days earlier.

'Would you like a drink?' he asked friendly.

She shook her head, which was still pointing at her feet.

'Can you then please tell me why you came to my bedroom or at least what your name is?'

'My name is Corrine. And … and I'd like to tell you the truth about the missing of Sukeena,' she whispered, looking in my eyes now. Her eyes were big, blue, and shinning with tears.

Steve felt himself drowning in those eyes.

'Please go on,' he heard himself saying.

'She told me that your wife, Ellen, wasn't being nice to her. She hated Ellen and hoped that when she didn't do her work good that Ellen would sent her away. That same evening, Ellen sent Sukeena to the tower, because everyone was too scared to go there. However, Sukeena never came back. Ellen does now think it's her fault and servants have even heard her talking to herself about suicide.'

This awoke Steve at once out of his trance.

'She is talking about what?'

'Suicide, sir.'

'Yes, I heard you the first time. Please leave my room, now!'

'But sir, I know how to help you,' Corrine said now with a firm voice.

Steve sat down again, while he couldn't remember standing up.

'All right then, tell me.'

'My mother has been a servant here as well, when it was still the home of John Rimbauer and his wife Ellen. She has told me many things about her time here, and I think it is best if you let a medium visit Ellen, Madame Lu. She lives in Seattle in the China District, you can reach her with this number,' Corrine said hastily, gave Steve a paper with a number and then disappeared.

Steve was left with a feeling he couldn't name and with even more worries. He did have some answers now, but to be honest there were more questions raised. He still doubted if he would contact that Madame Lu, when he was forced to look out of the window that gave view of the Solarium. His heart skipped a beat when he saw what he was looking at. The Solarium was a sea of green plants and at some places coloured with flowers. For now, he didn't care anymore about small things, and grabbed the phone.

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The doorbell rang through the house of Rose Red. While the butler opened the door, Steve came quickly towards it to welcome the guest. The guest was the Chinese Madame Lu. She was very old, very big and something else. For a moment, Steve did nothing but just staring at this strange old lady, then he stepped forward and introduced himself.

'Good afternoon, I'm Steve Rimbauer. I called you, because there are some difficulties with my wife, and I thought you could help.'

'Is her name Ellen?'

'Er, yes,' Steve said taken aback, because he hadn't told her that yet.

'Could you bring me to her?'

'Off course. Henry, bring this dear lady to Ellen.'

Steve followed them to Ellen's room and positioned himself next to the wall. Madame Lu sat down on the ground in the middle of the room. Ellen, who sat in front of a window, turned around when the door closed behind her again. Steve saw that her eyes were red from crying, and a stab of pain went through his heart.

'Ellen Rimbauer, please come and sit in front of me,' the Chinese lady spoke quietly like the wind.

Ellen did what was said and sat down opposite her, still without making any sound.

'Now please tell me, what I already know, but what your husband wants to hear.'

With this, Steve became curious and Ellen sobbed. Then Ellen began to speak at last.

'Horrible things have happened here. Worse than the staff and Steve know about. During the rebuilding of the children's wing, a man was murdered. Two of them had an argument; suddenly one of them grabbed a screwdriver and pushed it in the other man's eye. He died instantly, because the screwdriver hit his brains.'

Ellen fell silent now. However, Madame Lu urged her to go on. Steve didn't want to know more, this was too horrible. This could not have happened in the same house where he lived and his children played. Nevertheless, Ellen got to her voice again.

'I have never told Steve that I was pregnant for ten weeks already when my dear maid Sukeena disappeared. Due to shock, I got a miscarriage. I felt so horrible and thought all of it was my fault. Therefore, I have started writing a diary. To free my soul and refresh my mind, just like Ellen Rimbauer.'

Madame Lu was clearly satisfied with this information and got up.

'Now Ellen, your dear husband will understand everything and there's no need for you to stop talking anymore or plan any other thing that you'll later regret.'

Ellen seemed to awake out of a trance and looked around her as if she had never seen the room clearly before. Then she saw Madame Lu and at last Steve. She jumped up, run to him and nearly flattened him with hugs and kisses.

'Oh Steve, how could I have ever thought that you would hate me and never understand me. I love you so much, please forgive me.'

'Off-off course I'll forgive you. But please, please tell me everything and I'll never hate you or let you down,' Steve replied with tears in his eyes too.

Finally, half an hour later, Steve brought Madame Lu to the door once more. There however, she did not go away at once.

'Steve, this will be a shock for you as well, but Ellen is not cured now. Ellen is possessed by the ghost of old Ellen Rimbauer. Ellen will do everything she is told to without knowing she has done it. For now, she is safe, but Ellen Rimbauer will come back and take her over once more. I cannot help you then, because Ellen Rimbauer is too strong. Then please call Madame Stravinski, she can help, but not often is she here in Seattle. Rose Red is awake again and wants more then before. Watch Ellen carefully and do not build any further! Rose Red is not yet at full strength, but she's awake and with Ellen Rimbauer, it's more dangerous. Ellen is becoming obsessed, because she is possessed. Stop her in time and don't do everything she wants. When in big trouble, call Madame Stravinski,' Madame Lu ended pointing at the note she had given Steve. Then she walked to the car and drove away.

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Steve and Ellen had a good time for a while together with the children as Christmas was nearing. Everything went as it had to and there were no more disappearances or murders. However, there were some things that were bothering Steve. Like some answers, he got from Madame Lu, but at the same time the questions that were once more raised.

In February, the new grand bedroom for both Steve and Ellen was finished. The children's wing was also half way. With spring entering the world, Steve and Ellen also had their best time. Their children, which where now all going to school went to the next class with high grades. Rose Red seemed to have given up, while Steve and Ellen couldn't have had a better life. However, somewhere in Steve's head a small voice kept on whispering. It's fake, it will go wrong again, and Rose Red is not a dead cell.

Chapter 4: Ellen Rimbauer returns