~ Jed ~

The light. The flashing red light beckoning me to the door. The door with the symbol on it. I had to get in there. It was stuck, like it didn't want me to get in, but finally the door gave way, the lights snapping on with a flicker that made me blink. A morgue? Of course, it made sense a facility the size of that would have its own morgue, especially when some of their practices back in the day had an equal chance of killing the patient as it did of curing them. But there was something so chilling about the sight of that autopsy table. Something wasn't right.

The vault doors swung open, beckoning me. To what? To my mother? To my final resting place? Why was I brought here?

Mum?

Was this where she lay, cold and unmoving? If I touched it, I might know. I might see her. What was done to her. My hand stretched out, breath coming faster as I steeled myself.

Images assaulted me, so fast I could hardly interpret them. But not of her, not of my mother.

I had to let go, catch my breath. And then I saw him. Saw the symbol drawn in blood. No, not drawn, carved into the flesh. Carved into the flesh…

I woke, heart pounding, covered in a cold sweat as though I'd narrowly escaped with my life.

Only I had no idea what I'd escaped from. Why couldn't I remember what had happened next? It was as much a blank to me as the day I'd woken from the coma.

Perhaps I'd never know.

After a while I got up, unable to get back to sleep, and made myself a coffee, something to eat. The kitchen seemed warm and cozy, and I sat at the small table with the paper, staring at the quick crossword puzzle for a while, not really making much progress on it, just zoning out.

I heard it when Gemma got up and around, and set to making a coffee for her as well, and something to eat.

She came bustling in, hair still damp and curling around her shoulders. "Good morning," she smiled, going straight for the coffee and pouring it into a travel mug. "Thanks for this. Haven't got time to make a proper breakfast, I'll have to grab something on the way."

"Good morning," I smiled, getting up and going to the small toaster oven tucked into the corner. "I made you an egg sandwich."

She stopped and stared at it as though she didn't quite trust that it was real, even when I wrapped it and thrust it into her hands. "You did?"

"It's nothing big. Egg, cheese, toast," I shrugged.

"It is to me. Thanks," she smiled softly, like I'd done something incredibly sweet.

What was this girl's life like that something so simple seemed like such a big deal? Then again, she'd been on her own for a while now, from the sound of it. I knew what that was like.

And then her smile faded as she looked to the table where the paper was with the pencil broken in two. "Jilly, did you do that?" she frowned.

There were deep, angry scribbles all over the page where I'd doodled in the margin. I hadn't even noticed I'd been doing it, drawing that symbol I'd seen in my dream, the stylized B with the design around it.

"She says it's bad," Gemma murmured. "What do you mean it's bad? Stay away from who?"

I hated that I was only getting half of the conversation. "She wants you to stay away from me?"

"No," she shook her head. "She said she doesn't know his name. But it's his mark you've drawn."

It was my turn to frown in confusion. "Whose mark? How does she know about him at all?" Had she ever come to Bedlam Heights?

"Well?" Gemma prompted, but shook her head in frustration when she got no reply. "She won't say. She's gone now. Honestly, I don't know what's gotten into her," she sighed and then noticed the time. "Gosh, I've really got to get to work. Are you still coming to borrow the car?"

"Actually, no. I traded a few texts with Ryan last night and he won't be there this morning to let me in and get my stuff. Is it alright if I borrow it later this afternoon?"

"Of course. We can both go then. I admit, I do want to see the place and Jilly seems keen on it too."

The thought of Gemma going gave me pause, but I nodded. "Alright then. We'll go together later."

~ Gemma ~

"Will we need to go down into the cellar where you were hurt?" I asked, looking up at the structure. "Is that even safe?"

"No, you won't have to go down there," Jed said quickly, and my stomach immediately settled. "Honestly, before, just wandering through the halls was enough." He looked up at the imposing building. "I used to see them in the windows, trying to get my attention."

"And now?" I didn't see anything.

"Nothing," he admitted.

"Jilly, what about you? Do you see any ghosts?"

"I don't want to go in there," Jilly said, staring up at the windows.

"Jilly says she doesn't want to go in. Why not? You said you wanted to go to a real haunted house."

"Bad things happened there, didn't they?" She wouldn't look away, and I couldn't help but wonder what it was she saw up there to make her hesitate.

"Don't be such a scare-baby," I said, trying to chivvy her out of it. "They can't hurt you." I turned to Jed. "Can they?"

"I know there were some ghosts in there that were afraid of another more malevolent ghost. I don't rightly know what they could do to her though."

"I'm not about to be your guinea pig to find out," Jilly snorted.

"Stay out here then, we'll be back," I said to her with a smile.

Jed turned to me, concern etched on his features. "You don't have to go in. You can wait out here by the car."

"I want to," I reassured him. "Besides, you'll keep me safe," I smiled, but Jed looked less than convinced.

"I wish I could be as confident about that. I've led others down before."

"Fine, then I'll keep you safe," I grinned, lacing my fingers through his. "Come on."

Despite her refusal, Jilly came with us, looking everywhere at once like she expected something to jump out at her from every corner. "It's everywhere," she murmured.

"What is?"

"His presence."

"Whose presence?"

"His. Look, his symbol's everywhere." Jilly pointed to the stylized B set into the wrought iron, the floor, everywhere.

"That's for Bettany, isn't it?" I asked Jed, who stared at the wrought iron.

"Yeah. I must've been past here a hundred times or more, but I've never really noticed it before." He dropped my hand and reached out to touch one hesitantly, as if anticipating a shock, letting out a breath when nothing happened. "It's just the family being ostentatious, putting their stamp on everything."

"Maybe so, but it's his mark," Jilly insisted.

"How do you even know about that?" I pressed her, but she shrugged.

"I just do."

"Let's go up to the flat," Jed said, and we went up the stairs, his longer legs eating up the distance much quicker now that we were no longer holding hands. Jilly and I did our best to keep up, but he still reached the door first, and Ryan had already answered by the time I got there.

"And this must be Gemma," he smiled. "I'm Ryan, we spoke before…"

"Yes, of course," I smiled back. "It's very nice to meet you. I hope you don't mind I'm stealing him away."

"I'm starting to understand why he decided to move out," he said, looking me over. "I suppose it's back to being ultra lonely around here," Ryan sighed.

Jed clapped a hand on his shoulder. "Sorry, mate, but I'm not wanted here."

"Of course you are. I've missed you," he insisted.

"Yeah, but it's Warren's building and he doesn't want me about."

"Maybe I should look into getting my own flat? Someplace less controversial?" Ryan considered aloud. "I don't suppose you have any more rooms to let?" he asked me with a smile.

"Sorry, no, I'm full up at the moment. But if I can ever get rid of Lilah, you'll get the first call, yeah?"

Ryan turned to Jed. "Lilah?"

"Don't ask." Jed shook his head, going to his old room. "Ah, I see everything's already boxed up. You didn't have to do that."

"I didn't. Kate wanted to keep it all safe and sound for when you got back, but then she left, and Warren had it boxed up one day when I was out on a work call." He gave a little shrug.

"Is Kate not coming back then?" I asked softly as Jed gave a look through to see what was in the cartons.

"I don't think so. I heard Warren having a row with her on the phone the other day," Ryan admitted confidentially. "But don't tell Jed just yet, best to give him a bit of hope."

"They were close? Jed and Kate?"

"I think so. With them it was hard to tell. They grew up together, they were at each other's throats more often than not, but yeah, I think they were close."

I nodded, looking around. I didn't see Jilly anywhere. Where could she have got to?

"I think this one's the only one I need," Jed said, coming out with a single box.

"Are you sure? You've got plenty of room for more at the house," I reminded him, but he shrugged.

"The rest of that stuff isn't really mine. It's Kate's or Molly's. There's even a jumper of yours in there, Ryan."

"Oh, I'll have to have a look through it later," he smiled. "Do you have to be going just yet? We can have a drink. Or watch a movie?"

My heart went out to him, Ryan was obviously lonely, and I felt bad for taking Jed from him. "I have some time…" I ventured.

Jed set down the box. "Actually, I was thinking we might have a look around. See if we can't get into the cellar?"

Ryan's face lit with excitement. "It's all been walled off now, but we can go down there to the entrance and see if that triggers anything?"

"Yeah," Jed said, taking in a breath. "Let's go."

~~~ Feedback is Love ~~~