Chapter 10: Unknown forces taking over

For at least a few minutes, Steve had lost control of his own body. He opened his mouth to scream, but no sound came out. He wanted to run far away from this place of sorrow, but his legs would not move an inch. He wished that he could forget what he had just now seen, but the image would be in his memory for the rest of his life.

Steve had only recognised the body as Emery, because his face was unharmed and wore an expression that was filled with nothing more but terror. The rest of his body was no more than a mess of flesh and blood mangled with the remains of his clothes. The smell of death hung around him together with a swarm of flies.

Finally, Steven came to his senses again and worries now entered his mind. What could have happened to Emery to get him in this state? Was Rose Red still save enough for them to stay? How to explain Emery's wife and his own what had happened? Should he inform the police or not? And if he did not, what to do with the body? The answer came very quick to him. This in all means must be kept secret. Steve would bury the body himself today in this faraway place of the garden, he would tell Julie that Emery was unfound at Rose Red; she would call the police and simply give him up as missing. Then no one would ever find him and it would be a closed case. He would later doubt about the rest of his unanswered questions and if this was the final reason for him to leave this house forever with his children and maybe with Ellen.

Therefore, it was that Steve walked back into the direction of the house to get a spade. All of the time he shut his mind for everything that had happened and what was happening. He didn't even notice that all this time a pair of eyes was following him and that his deeds didn't go at all unnoticed.

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Ellen had been crying in her bedroom for most of the morning. Tears of frustration, anger, fear and despair. Finally, after a few hours, she had calmed down again quite well and decided to go and find her husband to tell him she hadn't meant it like this and they had to go away from Rose Red.

She strayed through Rose Red now, looking for Steve who was nowhere to be found. Neither was anyone else though, the house was completely empty and silent. All of the servants seemed to have left for today, which wasn't too weird, but it was strange that her children were nowhere either. The longer Ellen wandered, the more staircases, rooms and passages she entered were looking new to her. It nearly seemed as if she was walking in maze with no way out. After walking for an hour and still not haven't seen any living soul or have found something she remembered, Ellen started to get frightened.

She was right on the edge of screaming for help, when she opened a door that was right above a stairs and light hit her eyes. Ellen had found a new way into the Solarium. By the look of it, it seemed to her that she was somewhere in the far back directly opposite to the kitchen. When the door closed behind her, she couldn't see it anymore at all; it was a real hidden door. Ellen wrestled her way through all the plants and trees that were full of green leaves and blossoms. After a few minutes, she stood exactly in the middle of the Solarium and in front of her was a something like a vision of a projector.

Ellen stopped working her way out of the plants and stared at the images that were pictured in front of her. Flowers were stuck in her hair and twigs hung down from her cloths, but she did not notice. She was totally transfixed looking at what seemed like her own husband, who stood in a far corner of the garden from Rose Red, and he appeared to be digging a hole. A few feet away from him lay a corpse of a middle-aged man.

She was shocked by what she saw and then a voice of a woman spoke to her.

'Your husband is not obeying you; he betrays you and keeps his secrets. He thinks we are a mad or going slowly crazy. Let him think you are fine, let him think everything will be all right and that he doesn't need to worry about you or any suspicions you might have. Pretend you love him, like you adore him.'

'But…but I do really love him,' Ellen mumbled to herself.

'It's just an illusion… You are mine!'

'Yes, all yours,' Ellen now spoke clearly and it seemed as if her eyes glowed red for a second. Then the feeling was gone and everything was back as it was. The Solarium filled with flowers and bushes and through the window in the kitchen, Ellen could see Steve who was washing his hands. Ellen smiled and then walked towards her husband to surprise him with a little present.

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Steve had just finished doing what in his eyes seemed the best. However, it hadn't left him in a very good state. He was shaking of horror and shock still, soaked with cold sweat, his hands were bloody and muddy, and dried blood stained his clothes in some places. He was now heading back towards the house he deeply loathed, but at the moment its warmth and little safety did give Steve a feeling of hope.

Once inside Rose Red, he hurried to the kitchen and went to the sink to wash his hands. A great relief swept through him as he felt the hot water over his hands and as all remains and memories of the past were wiped off them. He was so obsessed with washing away history, he didn't even notice the kitchen door open and close again from the Solarium. He had just realised he wasn't alone anymore, when a pair of hands closed around his neck. However, before he had time to react the hands were sliding down already to his waist and then under his shirt.

Steve gave a sigh and Ellen gently kissed his cheek.

'Did I scare you?' she asked quietly.

'No, just a little,' Steve replied.

'What did you do? Why are you covered in blood? Are you hurt?' Ellen now asked with slightly higher and louder voice.

'No, no don't worry. It's just – I found a dead animal in the garden and I buried it so the children wouldn't find it,' Steve answered without a hesitation.

'All right then, cause I've got a little surprise for you. But before I'll give it to you, just a question. Where are the children actually?' she now said softly kissing his neck.

'I left the children with Anna. I guess she took them out to the zoo or something, I gave the rest of the staff free too for the rest of the day,' he quickly said for he was afraid she might get upset again about talking of what happened this morning.

'That is a very good idea of you, because now we have the entire house to ourselves,' she replied playful.

'I'm getting really curious now…' Steve said grinning. Then he turned around to face Ellen, put his still wet hands on her cheeks and kissed her passionately.

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A few hours later, Ellen and Steve were lying in bed with their arms around each other and both with a satisfied look on their face. Steve looked Ellen in her eyes.

'I love you,' he whispered.

For a moment, Ellen's eyes shone more blue then ever before and then she replied whispering 'I love you too.'

Silence fell again and was soon already broken again by Ellen.

'Steve, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have done what I did this morning; I don't know what's gotten into me lately. I promise that everything will be better if we just hold on a little longer with all our strength and have a little more faith in what the future will bring us.'

'I know. I know you didn't mean it. Together we will fight to win the war of life. Together we will conquer because I have always loved you and my love for you can still only grow.'

Once more silence ruled over Rose Red, until the sun started to set and one by one the servants returned entering the house and closing the doors with a loud bang. Bit by bit life regained in the mansion. People were busy cooking, cleaning, talking and laughing. Children were running and playing games of their own. Doors opened and closed, boards creaked on the stairs, light spread slowly into rooms and delicious smells of dinner found themselves all the way up to the attic.

With this new world Ellen and Steve started a new part of their life. A new and happier part of their life in Rose Red. A more pleasant bit in the time of horrors and fear. However, little did they know that this was only for a short while, because again dark powers would take over the house and its inhabitants. Unknown forces that were slowly binding their time and just getting stronger every happy day.

Chapter 11: From wishes to reality