Dark Season: The Complete Second Series (All 8 books) by Amy Cross

Author:Amy Cross [Cross, Amy]
Language: eng
Format: azw3
Publisher: Dark Season Books
Published: 2012-08-14T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter Five

"Wake up," says a voice in the darkness. It takes me a moment to realize who's speaking. "Wake up," the voice says again, and this time I'm certain: it's Sophie. "I need your help".

"Leave me alone," I say, keeping my eyes closed. "Take Patrick with you. Whatever your problems, I do not wish to be a part of them".

"He's here," Sophie says. "I'm not, but he is. I can't help you. You have to help yourself. Do you understand?"

"I don't understand a thing," I reply. "Who are you?" Silence. I wait for her to answer, but she doesn't say anything. I open my eyes and find that I'm laid out on the bed upstairs, with Margaret sitting beside me. The room is filled with the day's fading light and, with window open, I'm a little cold. Outside, birds are chirping.

"How are you feeling, Madame?" she asks.

I open my mouth to reply, but I feel indescribably weak. "I..." I start to say, but the effort of saying even a few words seems beyond me. It's as if all my energy has been sucked away and I have been left as a hollow shell.

"A doctor has been sent for," Margaret says. "He should be here tomorrow".

I stare at her. A doctor? What's wrong with me? "Where's Edward?" I ask.

"He and Mr. Lively are still out hunting for that poacher," Margaret says. "They caught sight of him, but he got away before they could get any shots off. Still, they're hopeful of at least scaring him from the property by tonight. If he dares to come back, that is".

"Oh, he'll dare," I say quietly.

"Pardon, Madame?"

"What time is it?" I ask, changing the subject.

"I believe it's almost five o'clock," she says.

"In the evening?"

She nods.

I look over at the window and see that it is already starting to get dark. Soon the sun will dip entirely in the sky and the house - and all of us inside - will be consumed by shadows. The thought of another night in this place makes me shiver: during the day, the house seems fairly friendly and un-threatening, but I fear that the dark of night will awaken various ghouls and fears in my own mind, if not in the real world itself. All my old certainties have wasted away, and I'm left wondering if there is any divide at all between my fantasies and the real world. It is as if a barrier has been broken, and all my nightmares are spilling out into the house. "We must leave," I say, turning back to Margaret and trying to sound as determined as possible. It is difficult for a woman to seem authoritative, but I must make an effort. "This house is not a good place for us. It is full of darkness and it will do us no good to remain here".

"That's the Master's business," Margaret says. "Not mine".

"It's my business too," I say. "I cannot spend any more time in this house. There is something about it.

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