06-29-2022, 10:36 PM
It took longer than Malachi would have liked for Arthur’s arms to wrap around him. There was no time left for hesitation, and less still for peace, but he felt like he was falling blind into water. Floundering, and his only sense of direction was about to walk out the door.
“Mn,” he forced the sound when the words wouldn’t come.
He wanted to say, if you don't feel right, don’t go. He wanted to say, I’ll be right there behind you. He wanted to say, I want you to hold me more than I want you to hurt someone else. It can wait. You can stay a little longer. Please stay.
But it was now or never. He wanted it all to be over, and to leave everything that happened in this god-forsaken house in the grave with Miriam and Lyle.
A new life, a better one, awaited them when they were done.
It was time to learn to breathe or suffocate.
“Be careful, love,” was what he got out instead. He would wait, and once they left, he would follow after.
“Yes, sir,” the servant girl bowed her head politely, avoiding the doctor’s gaze. “My mistress has requested that I bring you to her. Please, if you will follow me.”
She turned without waiting for an answer. Carried with only the sounds of their footsteps and the flicker of passing candles, she continued through the hall, back through the main entrance, and all the way up the grand staircase that curved and brought them to the second floor. Miriam’s room was through another hallway, and the servant stopped before the door.
“Here, sir,” she said. Pulling open the door, she dipped her head once more and gestured for him to go inside. “If you have need of anything else, sir, please fetch me.”
Candles decorated the many surfaces of the bedroom. The vanity, the wardrobe, the floor at the corners. Miriam sat before her vanity removing her earrings, her blonde hair beginning to fall from the tidy way it had been pinned up. She glanced over as she heard the door open, casting a curious look in the doctor’s direction.
“Doctor Adams,” greeted Miriam, her voice as smooth as velvet. “Be a dear and help me remove my necklace, would you?”
“Mn,” he forced the sound when the words wouldn’t come.
He wanted to say, if you don't feel right, don’t go. He wanted to say, I’ll be right there behind you. He wanted to say, I want you to hold me more than I want you to hurt someone else. It can wait. You can stay a little longer. Please stay.
But it was now or never. He wanted it all to be over, and to leave everything that happened in this god-forsaken house in the grave with Miriam and Lyle.
A new life, a better one, awaited them when they were done.
It was time to learn to breathe or suffocate.
“Be careful, love,” was what he got out instead. He would wait, and once they left, he would follow after.
“Yes, sir,” the servant girl bowed her head politely, avoiding the doctor’s gaze. “My mistress has requested that I bring you to her. Please, if you will follow me.”
She turned without waiting for an answer. Carried with only the sounds of their footsteps and the flicker of passing candles, she continued through the hall, back through the main entrance, and all the way up the grand staircase that curved and brought them to the second floor. Miriam’s room was through another hallway, and the servant stopped before the door.
“Here, sir,” she said. Pulling open the door, she dipped her head once more and gestured for him to go inside. “If you have need of anything else, sir, please fetch me.”
Candles decorated the many surfaces of the bedroom. The vanity, the wardrobe, the floor at the corners. Miriam sat before her vanity removing her earrings, her blonde hair beginning to fall from the tidy way it had been pinned up. She glanced over as she heard the door open, casting a curious look in the doctor’s direction.
“Doctor Adams,” greeted Miriam, her voice as smooth as velvet. “Be a dear and help me remove my necklace, would you?”
