YAY I'm on top of stuff right now so here' chapter 4!!! I'll probably have chapter 5 up by the end of the week also so hang tight you guys!!!
Chapter 4
Dinah ran through the woods, searching, searching. Finally she came upon the familiar quiet of the Mausoleum. She slowed and walked among the gravestones. Finally she came upon a tall tree near the center of the yard. I don't remember this being here. Imbedded in the tree was a small plaque:
For those who know
What lies beyond?
Swing and snow
Till the day is gone.
For love's light is lost
And can't be found,
To open the gate
You must spin round.
For before the church bells ring,
Loves last song will finally sing.
How sad. She noticed a small swing hanging from a thick branch. She shrugged and hopped on. Only the wind blew her slightly forward and back. She hummed and had only her thoughts to keep her company. I've got to calm down, she told herself, I wonder what they all will say tomorrow.
"DINAH?!?" rang Jane's voice, echoing off the trees. Dinah's head snapped up. No she mustn't find this place! She tried to hop off the swing but goo oozed from the aged wood and tied her to the spot. Malicious laughter breathed past.
"Fell for it," the creature growled. He circled her slowly. "So sad isn't it. All girls fall for a love story." He laughed again, "Too bad no one's coming to save you eh? Guardians went bye bye." He smiled, the site sent chills racing up her spine. Her stomach dropped. I'm in trouble now. She thought frightened.
"There you are Dinah!" gasped Jane exasperated, "I've looked everywhere for you! You know how scared I was? Come on we've got to…" Jane stopped in her tracks, "What the hell is that thing?!" she whimpered pointing at the unbearable.
"You can see it?" Dinah was shocked. Jane nodded, "Aunt Jane… Listen to me. You have to leave! Now! RUN!" Dinah screamed as the unbearable lunged for her aunt.
"MISS DINAH!!" shouted Edrear knocking the beast off course and into a nearby headstone. "GO!!!"
"I can't," she cried, "I'm stuck!"
"Coming kid!" called Edaniel, rushing to her rescue.
"Forget about me for a minute and get my aunt out of here," Dinah exclaimed.
"The pretty lady in shell shock?" Edaniel whispered in her ear.
"Yes, now get going!" Yelled Dinah elbowing him in the chest. Edaniel grinned and ran to Jane.
"Please forgive my forwardness." He snickered, scooping the terrified aunt into his arms and running her into the Mausoleum. Dinah sighed in relief. The unbearable threw Edrear across the graveyard and ran at Dinah. She shrieked and kicked as hard as she could. Her foot collided with the things face and he fell back a few paces.
"Evil witch!" It ran for her again. This time Edrear pushed the swing so Dinah flew high. The unbearable missed and collided with Edrear's fearsome animal form. Teeth and claws grabbed at each other. Blood splattered the ground. Dinah cried out as she crashed into the tangle of guardian and ghost, knocking them apart. The Unbearable ran off as fast as it could.
"Damn!" whispered Edrear, returning to his human form and dusting his armor. "Got away. Are you alright Miss Dinah?" she nodded. He stopped the swing and began to cut at the gooey ropes with his sword. He lifted and carried her away once free.
"You can set me down now," she murmured. He did as instructed, but still kept a firm hand on her back. He was tense, alert, waiting for the thing to return. He led her to where Edaniel was attempting to calm Jane down, not with much success. "Aunt Jane?" Dinah worried, placing a hand on her aunts back. Jane was shaking, crying, and slowly rocking back and forth. She opened her mouth as if to speak but no sound came out. She tried to stand but stumbled. Edaniel caught her and set her back on her chair.
"What was that?" she managed to whisper after a moment of suspended silence.
"That was a very dangerous kind of ghost called an unbearable." Dinah said, "This is the sunken Mausoleum where restless spirits, such as that one are kept. I've been coming here every night for a few months now to try to empty this place of the spirits it keeps." Dinah paused, gauging her aunt's reaction. Her aunt looked tired and very upset.
"Who are these people?" she muttered, waving a hand at the guardians.
"Edaniel and Edrear, spiritual guardian brothers at your service." Smiled Edaniel, sweeping a curtsy. Jan's eyes widened.
"Edaniel?!?! Then you're the one who sent that letter to Vincent's parents!!" She shouted. "You kidnapped Vincent!!"
"Actually…" Edaniel started, Dinah shot him a death glare.
"Aunt Jane Vincent hasn't been kidnapped." She whispered.
"Of course he has, by what his father and you told me there is no other explanation." Jane protested.
"Aunt Jane… Vincent… he's… Vincent is dead." Dinah whimpered. Jane's eyes expanded to the size of dinner plates.
"What?"
"He was in a ghost world with me and got stabbed by a boat pin. He didn't make it. He's buried just out back." Dinah's eyes were down cast, it was still painful for her to speak of her former best friend.
Jane pinched herself. "Okay, that hurt. So I'm not dreaming? Am I going crazy?" Dinah shook her head. "Then, why are they here?" Jane gestured to the brothers.
"They help… err… protect me when I enter a ghost's world and try to make them pass on." Dinah sighed, slightly embarrassed. Jane nodded.
"I guess that makes sense?" She said straightening up slightly, "So ghosts are real. Dinah's not making stuff up and she's not crazy." Dinah flushed, "That thing is trying to kill us. And Vincent has been kidnapped." She nodded assuring herself.
"Correction," interjected Edaniel, "that 'thing' is only trying to kill Dinah… as far as we know."
Jane stood abruptly, swayed, and fainted.
"That was… awkward." Edaniel shrugged.
"That's the understatement of the year." Dinah growled, "Poor Aunt Jane. This must be such a shock to her."
"What did she mean by 'she's not crazy' as if she wasn't sure?" Edrear wondered aloud. Dinah flushed again.
"After my parents died… That's when I started seeing ghosts. People thought I went insane. Traumatized or something from the whole car crash experience. They didn't believe that my… 'Fits' were caused by ghosts." Said Dinah, Edrear could almost hear her heart breaking. He wrapped a comforting arm around her shoulders. She began to cry. Edrear pulled her close and she cried into his armored chest. Edaniel rubbed her back soothingly. "I must*hick* sound so*hick* pathetic." She hiccupped, wiping away her tears.
"Not at all Miss Dinah," Edrear whispered into her hair, "Your life has been hard, and this place hasn't really helped. You are very strong. I will always believe that." He smiled, attempting to reassure her.
"Um… shouldn't we like move the lady from the floor, that can't be comfortable." Edaniel laughed, hefting Jane over his shoulder. Dinah forced a laugh. They deposited Jane in Edrear's room.