The Dead, Blue Eyes

A chill filled the air, settling into me, down to my bones. The warmth of the fire across the room ceased to reach me. The faint moonlight illuminated my pale skin. My breathing was ragged and shakey, my breast rising and falling rapidly. The dark ringlets of my hair fell around my shoulders, glinting slightly in the light.

It had all begun around a month prior. The large manor's numerous hallways had intrigued me, and I couldn't help but wander them. Afterall, it isn't every day that a lady, such as myself, inherits a fortune from a distant relative. My curiosity got the better of me, and my feet seemed to move of their own accord as I wandered.

The halls were eeriely empty, lacking any of the servants that served the previous owner of the mansion, my uncle, Reginald Morgan. The floors were cold on my bare feet, and I pulled my night gown around me a little tighter. I was both thankful and bothered by the fact that there were no people around. I was completely indecent in my night wear, and hated being seen as anything but a proper woman. However, I was also alone.

My amazement at the construction of the home quickly faded as a strange feeling entered my mind. The shadows swirled around me, and I could have sworn I heard breathing. It sounded like panting, struggling. I froze as it grew in volume. Though light from the moon broke through the windows of the hallway, it was still very hard to see anything. It was like the dark wood of the walls and floor was sucking up all the light.

Then, there was a slight glow down the hall. It seemed to be coming out of the room at the very end of the hall. Though my mind was frozen with fear, my body began to move toward the room. Before I realized it, the room was mere feet away.

The light was soft, but flickered slightly. It was as though it were a blue flame on a candle. It was a cold light, making my blood run icy. I continued toward the door. I had come this far, after all. No point in stopping now. I touched the door frame, and peered into the room.

I didn't know what to expect, but the figure standing in the middle of the room was not at all what I was prepared for. It was a man, his entire body aglow. His clothes were old-looking. It was something that my grandfather might wear. Then, the glow dimmed, and he faded.

Since then, I had seen many people that no one else could. Men, women, children, and even babies haunted me. Sometimes, I even thought that they could see me, as well. It was disquieting, to say the least. No one believed me, of course. I quickly learned to keep the experiences to myself.

Tonight, I stood at this window, trying not to think about the horrors that I have been seeing. Something glimmered, catching my eye. A figure outside, in the gardens below. My heart began to race, and I felt compelled to follow the form below.

I hurried into the cold night, pulling my gown closer to my body. The chill pierced me, but I ignored it. I could see the faint bluish glow just ahead of me, over the hedge of roses. My heart was in my throat as I followed. I shoved my way through the bushes, the thorns scraping over my body.

I rounded a corner, and came face to face with the thing. The pale blue eyes met mine. I was horrified. It couldn't be true. The pale, smooth skin was not mistakeable. It was him. It was my Jeffrey. But it was all wrong. His eyes were empty, his clothes blood-smeared.

I looked into his eyes for the first time in years, and I felt like I was going to die. I froze for a moment, unsure of what to do. He just stared. When my breath returned to me, I ran. It looked like my Jeffrey, but it wasn't. I reached the house, and shut myself in my room.

Since then, he has returned, every night. Every night, he comes closer. I know he will take me soon, whatever it is that looks like my husband, my beloved. I find a strange sense of calm when I think that, however. I will be with him soon.

Author's Note

Written for a weekly prompt. :/ Eh.

Reviews

[Ashen Raine]

I'm gonna have to agree with Nikki on that one as far as: "Eh"?? I really liked it! It was well written and just a bit spooky. With a little bit of refinement and obviously, some added content, I think it could make a very haunting, longer story. Nice job. =3

[Aiden- Aiko- Kiyomi]

Eh? I LOVED it! It was like All the wandering scenes from the Woman in Black, mixed with a certain episode of Ghost Hunters, all in a period style setting, what with the manor and all. I think this was rather well written and definitely worth the wait. :)