3/9/10 - 3/10/10

Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN ROSE RED, ITS CONCEPT, ITS IDEAS, ITS LOGOS, ITS CHARACTERS NOR ITS .. ANYTHING ELSE. THEY BELONG TO THE WONDROUS STEPHEN KING. THANK YOU. (Ugck. I have the hiccups. ... kinda. Suddenly disappeared! Amazing!)

....

The rest of the group continued in their conversations as I sat quietly, smiling to myself. Well, it was kind of true. I had nothing ... but nothing was something, and I had seen something. Which is .. kind of confusing. I glanced over towards Nick to see that he was still angry looking. I sighed, shaking my head subtly. Well, it didn't matter. Ellen would take care of it.

Finally Joyce's meeting ended and she stood from the table. I turned my eyes toward her, staring. She smiled at everyone in the group, her eyes settling on me. I didn't smile back. "If one of us had a premonition," she began, "we would tell the others. So, please, if you've had anything happen to you .. tell us. Now would be a good time." It was like she knew something. I stared back blankly.

"I, uh ... I kind of ... " Pam began, raising her hand slowly. Joyce's eyes turned to her, almost surprised.

"Pam?"

"Yeah ... I, ah ... " she glanced around the table. " .... I was in the, ah, Parlor .. and I went over to the fireplace ... " she paused, looking over to Nick and then to Sister, "and ... I touched the mantle ... I-I saw Ellen's children .. um ... April and .. .Adam?" She glanced over towards Joyce whom nodded. "And I saw a ladder ... and a rope. And there was a man standing on the next-to top step of the ladder, with the rope around his neck. ... He tossed a rose to the little girl and when she caught it, she ... she kind of shrieked, like she was in pain. Then he tossed his hat -- it was a cowboy hat -- to the little boy and he caught it and put it on his head ... Then he stepped up onto the ladder and took in a deep breath, like he knew it would be his last one ... Then he jumped off. ... " she stopped, staring down at the table. "I-I think it was Douglas Posey."

"That would be impressive," Joyce began, "if I hadn't already told you that story." she shrugged loosely, turning back towards the entire group. "But it's all right. Anyone else have a story?"

It's not a story, I thought bitterly. Pam sighed, sitting back. I leaned over, whispering. "I think it's marvelous that you saw that ... ... did you see Adam shoot Douglas with his pop-gun too?"

She glanced over, exhaling sharply. "No .. why?"

I stared at her for a long while, staring at her clear eyes. It seemed she was afraid for some reason. I smiled a bit, "No reason. Just wondering," I sat back and stared ahead towards Emery as he snorted and rolled his eyes at Joyce.

"Is there something wrong, Emery?" she asked.

"You and your phony way of expressing emotions -- you think this is a game? Rose Red will have eaten us all alive before we're done here!"

"Technically," I began, pointing my comment towards my brother, who shot a glare at me, "Once Rose Red has us, we're practically dead. It does not make any difference whether we are alive or not. As soon as we came in the door, we were dead." My comment seemed to bother a few of the people, as they stared at me worriedly. Perhaps they thought I was going insane. That wouldn't be too impossible to imagine, seeing as how I was acting on a dead woman's wishes.

Emery frowned deeply, scowling. "What are you? Psychic, now?"

I tilted my head to the side, "Maybe. Why?"

He scoffed, "Just now? Did you decide to be?"

I shrugged. "Maybe."

He frowned deeper.

I could tell that he didn't like me as his sister. He didn't want me as his sister, to be more accurate. It wasn't all that much of a surprise, as he had never talked me when we were at home. But here, it just seemed more... more ....

"Tch, this is ridiculous."

I looked up to see Emery stand and head towards the door, stomping loudly. He wanted all of us to hear he was upset. All of Rose Red. All of Seattle.

"I wouldn't do that," I heard Nick murmur to himself.

As he reached the door, I heard something. It was soft, almost silent. Similar to the sound of metal against metal, like knives being sharpened. I watched as my brother threw open the door only to see the pale figure of a ghost standing there. He jerked back, stumbling over himself. I stared in silence as everyone turned to see what had scared him. They all stood quickly, standing away from the table. I continued to sit, staring.

The ghost stepped forward, their filmy face shuddering from the transition between rooms.

"Help up, Emery," came the voice, much like Ellen's, "Help Rose Red."

He stared in horror, struggling to his feet and stepping back, between the table and the rows of books. The apparition tilted its head to the side, grinning to reveal long fangs.

"G-Get out!" He shouted, "N-Not there!"

Her smile fell and was replaced by a scowl that was more sinister than Emery's. She glared, her eyes narrowing evilly. As she raised her hand, a hammer appearing in her grasp, I noticed Steve grab a book. In silence, or so it seemed, he threw it book at the misty figure which disappeared in a bright flash and a pop. I closed my eyes calmly as if blinking. When I opened them, Ellen was gone.

How could he? Hurt the lady of the house? His own great-grandmother? I stood finally, staring towards the door. Was she after me? She had told me she wanted Pam, not Emery. Had I misheard her and she was now trying to direct me to the right victim? My own brother? I shuddered involuntarily, staring towards the door then at the man cowering in the corner. Apparently he wasn't as composed and fearless as he led us to believe.

"E ... Emery? Are you all right?" Cathy began, turning her face towards the man who glared and took off towards the door.

He didn't say anything as he stormed out of the room, though I could see he had gooseflesh. This almost made me laugh. My brother, the "fearless", afraid? He was always acting to tough and so angry, mostly because he was bullied by others throughout school. While I ... I was just ignored. People passed me by in the hallway, not even seeing me there. Some even bumped into me, and then stared at me like I was a ghost. Not seeing me there and then having me suddenly appear kind of freaked them out.

Earlier, Emery had commented how he was bullied in school by people like Steve. And Nick. I couldn't imagine it -- teasing and harassment were very fine lines that my brother couldn't tell apart, though. Nick had been teasing him, making me laugh. But Emery ... he hated him. From then on.

I sighed, crossing from the table to the door.

"W-Wait, Emily -- " Pam began. I glanced back, shaking my head and putting my hand up for her to stop talking. Instead of saying anything, I left the room, following the sound of my brother's grumbling. It led from down the Hall towards the Parlor. But I knew he wasn't in there. He wouldn't go in there. I crossed the Central Hall East to the Grand Stairs, walking past them and to the Central Hall West. This led to the Gun Room and the Banquet Hall. I could hear his voice, still. It was louder, though, and now it seemed that he wasn't grumbling. He was just talking. But to who?

I walked down the Hall and turned, standing in the doorway of the banquet room. Emery was standing with his back to me, staring up at the ceiling. He was talking in a low, murmuring voice. Almost chanting, but not in English. I stood and watched him as he crossed the room towards the table. Setting his hands on the wood, he let out a sigh.

I could hear another voice now. It was feminine and soft. The voice from the library, the voice from the Tower. A soft glow filled the room, gold and yellow. I heard the tinkling of the glass from the chandeliers as a breeze blew through the room, whipping my hair around. I blinked, and in an instant there stood the woman. Women, actually. The two of them, watching as Emery turned his head to them.

Ellen smiled, holding out her hand. Sukeena stood behind, watching in silence.

Emery ... help us, please ... ... Help us, help Rose Red ... help us build ... and you will have life ... just as I have had it ...

I was silent, watching as she turned her pale hand towards my brother. I didn't do anything as he nodded dumbly. I felt jealous. She was talking to him, asking him. She had asked me. ME. Not Emery .. yet here she was, talking to him. Had I been duped? Had I been lied to? Cheated out of sanity? Had Ellen seen my weakness and taken advantage of it? Or had I imagined it all and was just now only visiting my brother?

I had almost ... I had almost gotten Pam for her ... No, not almost. I was going to. But something else bugged me, itching at me like dead skin. Who else had she visited? How many in the group had she used to get what she wanted? Cathy? Pam? Nick? Steve, obviously. That was family. Her blood ran through his veins. A psychic connection was between them, even if it wasn't obvious.

Finally Ellen told Emery's his instructions, just as she had done to me.

I will give you life ... all you have to do is bring me Victor Kandinsky.