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ย  ๐Ÿ’€10๐Ÿ’€ ย 



Somehow the night had grown too intense in darkness and eeriness; Lucy felt, as she walked through the carpeted hallways to where Patrick was laid. She could hear Katie's occasional sniffle and sob erupting from the depth of her heart. It hurt Lucy immensely. Katie was leading the way, walking slowly, not wanting to face the impending doom too soon. Emily was shocked by the scream just as everyone; she was a girl who was never scared easily; she walked behind Katie, taking as much time she can to never rush forth. ย 

However, Lucy was the only girl who saw the windows were darkened by horrific figures. At first, she presumed it was by the trees or something that caused the shadows, but soon as the realization dawned upon her that no trees were situated near to this part of the house; she felt scared. Scared beyond her wits; she looked down and walked, trying to calm her beating heart. Soon the feeling of being chased and watched intensified, making her breath go jagged and heavy.

A sudden flashing of light illuminated the room in an eerie way, making Lucy feel a shadow passing overhead. She looked up to the high ceilings and took a three sixty degrees turn but there was nothing above. She tried to call Em but no words came out. Looking up, she walked on, to bump into Emily's back. Em didn't even bat an eyelid for she was frozen solid in the doorway while Katie was in Lydia's arms crying out loud.

Lucy wasn't prepared to see Patrick in such a worse condition with his arms tightly tied around the bedpost and legs flaying and bending to odd shapes. Lucy covered her mouth from screaming out loud and stood there along with Em whose hands were let loose and mouth hung open, looking at Patrick.

All of a sudden everything ceased.

Patrick fell back down without much protest and closed his eyes. His words were incoherent but Lucy felt he was trying to say something. In fact, he was trying to warn about something but she didn't have a clue what it was.

Katie's guilt blinded her anger; she wept onto Patrick's leg saying she was sorry over and over again. No matter how hard they tried to console Katie, her belief that Patrick had to go through this was because of her, ached her heart.

"Father, please, father, wake up... I am sorry... so... sorry," Katie cried and shook Patrick's legs.

Just as she erupted in another fit of sob, Patrick woke up straight from the bed and stared at Lucy with hard cold eyes. He opened his mouth but couldn't say anything; all that came out was gurgles and noises. He looked at Katie and fell down once again.

The butler hurriedly walked in their family doctor who upon seeing the grave atmosphere realized this wasn't something as simple as flu and cough. He quickly sat by Patrick and checked his temperature and blood pressure.

"My God!" he murmured under his breath after he checked the blood pressure. "He is sporting high blood pressure and fever. The blood pressure is at an alarming rate. He should be shifted to the hospital immediately. I don't remember diagnosing him or anyone here with blood pressure. I sure need to check everything again and it's best that we take him to the hospital... immediately." Doctor SamuelColsby said.

As he was placing his instruments back into his carry bag hurriedly, Patrick got up. Samuel greeted him warmly but Patrick's eyes were cold and hard. He suddenly gripped Samuel's throat and hollered, "No one leaves this house." Patrick looked to Lucy and smiled wickedly; then said, "Thank you LucyMariaSebastianLivinggood."

Patrick loosened his grip and fell down but his eyes had left the coldness and he looked around the room alarmed. Em heard Lucy gasp suddenly but Em was too relieved to see Patrick being ok that she didn't notice how the veins in Lucy's temple puffed out in an alarming shade and size. Everything went back to normal and Lucy wondered what suddenly happened to her.

"What happened?" Patrick asked feebly, then suddenly looked around and asked panickily, "Where is Katie? Where is she?"

Now that his usual tone and posture was back, Katie wondered what Patrick will say now. Anyhow, she mustered up the courage, wiped away tears, and got up from the foot of the bed and smiled at Patrick.

Though everyone was not sure how the relationship will be now after what happened; Patrick surprised everyone as he jumped out from the bed and hugged Katie with all his heart. "I am sorry dear, I am sorry. I am terribly sorry. I was wrong, I was really wrong."

Katie couldn't speak, she couldn't move; she stood there feeling the warmth of her father holding her without any grudge or anger. He was actually hugging her and the experience was the most wonderful feeling for her. Katie slowly wrapped her hands around Patrick and inhaled deeply- feeling happiness, relief and many other emotions warming her up.

She didn't need to say anything, and he knew it.

Samuel regained consciousness but never regained the courage and trust to treat Patrick for the fear of his life. But, eventually, Samuel checked once again his vitals cautiously and declared he is free from anything. "I haven't seen something like this in my thirty-six years of service. There is no blood pressure or temperature now." He couldn't control his surprise. When he moved away from Patrick, in fear that he was getting violent again, Samuel realized Patrick was only coming to shake his hands.

Patrick was confused when Sam moved away from him. Confused, he looked at Julian and Peter for an answer. Samuel saw the confusion and asked in a very bewildered manner, "don't you remember?"

"Remember what?"

"That... that you just grabbed my neck." Samuel wildly said in animated gestures.

"I... I; did what?"

"You grabbed my throat."

He looked around frantically, unable to understand what he just said. "I am sorry, I don't remember doing so. Why would I even do that?"

"I don't know, you tell me," Samuel answered crudely. "Look, it may be because of your fever, I don't know, anyway, if there are... um, signs, um, call me..." Samuel walked himself to the door, not waiting for the butler to join him.

"That was very strange, what happened?" Patrick said to everyone in the room.

"You don't really remember?" Lydia asked.

"No... I mean, I remember Katie, um, slapping me... but, oh, I remember a horrid thing behind Katie's back. I was livid. It scared the wits out of me."

"Then, do you remember anything?" Julian asked.ย 

"No, I remember, as if I woke up from a good night sleep." Patrick chuckled.

Everyone was relieved that was over. Everyone gathered around the family room for a cup of coffee and hot chocolate for the girls. There, Julian retold everything to Patrick who had his hands in his mouth and exclaimed out.

"Oh my God, I can't believe I did that."

"Even we," Lydia said, now relieved ever too much with Patrick's hand looped with hers. Katie was lost in thoughts, looking at the fire. Em was normal again. Lucy was sitting with Julia's knitting set.

"What's wrong with you?" Em whispered to Lucy.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, you look different. There is something different about you, what happened?"

"I guess it was the shock."

"Hmm-mm," Em let that go with a nod of her head.

Later that night, everyone prepared to go to bed but it was already dawn. The light slowly at snail's pace crept up, warming everywhere. Lydia was on Patrick's chest, crying and smiling at the same time while Patrick looked outside, watching the sun coming up.

"You see, I saw a horrible dream when I was asleep, or when I believed I was asleep, whatever, it was horrific," Patrick said, stroking his wife's hand.

Lydia pulled her head up and asked, "What dream?"

"That the secret of that wretched bridge mansion was reopened."

"You mean the curse?" Lydia asked, repositioning her head on his chest.

"There was never a curse, to begin with, it was just a wild tragedy and on death, her drastic message turned out to be a 'curse making' process for the people."

"What really happened there?"

"It's best not to be told," Patrick said as he kissed her forehead.

Lydia looked up, loving the feel of his kiss. She smiled at him warmly. "I am sorry Lydia, I am sorry; I have no idea how that stupid idea conquered me all my life from a small rumor. I am sorry..." Lydia stopped him from saying any further by putting her finger on his trembling full lips. Patrick kissed Lydia with tears streaming down her face. Lydia cried too, but it ended in the happiest love making time for her lost years.

Em was asleep while Katie was in the bed thinking about what happened as she looked at the reddish but dark horizon.

"You know, there is something dark and wrong in that house. It all started when we entered it, right?" Lucy suddenly spoke up, still staring at the ceiling.

"Oh, you are not asleep. You scared me Lu," Katie said sitting up with a smile.

"I am sorry."

"What were you saying?"

Lucy sat up, looking at Katie in her bed. "I think it all happened since we entered that house."

"Rubbish!" Katie shook her head, looking at the rising sun.

"No, think about it. I don't think I am being a childish crybaby this time like Em always calls me. For Christ's sake, believe me."

"Then what; what if I believe in you? Then what," Katie asked frustrated.

Lucy was silent for a while. "I don't know," she mumbled.

"Exactly, don't feed your brain with unwanted thoughts Lu. We will find out what happened in that house and then we will decide. I wonder how come our family never mentioned it before. They are such loud mouth about our lovely county, telling us about everything and everything; but how come they never mentioned anything about that mansion or that forest? It's strange."

"What are you guys doing?" Em propped on her elbow, rubbing her eyes as she strained to look at the time. That made her fall back on her head. Lucy giggled.

"In the afternoon, after we are rested properly, we will go to that farm house, the last house before bridge mansion and talk to whoever resides there. I hope we will get answers, or we will go to the library and find answers there." Katie said.

"Wouldn't it be better if we just ask mom?" Em said, raising her hands above her head, without getting up from the bed.

"You, back to sleep! Now," Katie ordered with a smile and prepared to lie down for a while.

"I am gonna go for a walk," Lucy said after trying to sleep for a while. But no one heard her. ย 

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