The Stone Dweller's Curse: A Story of Curses, Madness, Obsession and Love by Jacqueline Henry

Author:Jacqueline Henry [Henry, Jacqueline]
Language: eng
Format: epub, azw3
Publisher: Jacqueline Henry
Published: 2015-06-04T23:00:00+00:00

Friday – Stayne House

Deidre opened her eyes and sat up. Her hand went to her chest. A glass of water sat on the bedside table and she reached out for it, drinking in huge thirsty gulps. Light filled the room, the clock showed it was nine thirty seven - pm. Pushing the bedclothes off she swung her legs out and sat on the edge of the bed realising she was dressed in her pink flannel pyjamas. Plucking at them desultorily, feeling the material between her fingers, she wondered how she’d gotten into them, trying to recall the actual memory of physically changing her attire. Her thoughts were fuzzy and unformed, like trying to piece together a jigsaw puzzle made out of dough. Dylan had been here, she remembered, but how long ago? He was gone now. But before that…

Closing her eyes, she pressed her hands to her face, trying to clear her mind, trying to think lucid coherent thoughts.

Dylan…

She saw him running up the hill towards the headland on the other side of the valley…

No, not him.

She rapped her knuckles against her forehead trying to dislodge the distortion, trying to knock a clearer reception into her brain.

There was a faint knock and the door opened unbidden, Vee’s head appearing around the corner. ‘Oh, you’re awake,’ she said, stepping into the room. ‘Good.’ She moved closer to Deidre, bending slightly, studying the invalid like a bug in a jar. ‘How’re ye feelin’?’

‘Okay, I think.’ Deidre looked up at her, then away from the eager curiosity in her face.

‘We’ve been checking on ye every half oor.’ Vee sat on the bed beside her, her weight causing Deidre to tilt sideways. ‘Ye woke up for a wee bit afore but den you went back oot again.’

Deidre repositioned herself on the bed, shifting slightly out of Vee’s orbit.

‘Dylan’s been worried sick aboot ye. Dey were oot in da valley looking fur ye fur oors. What happened t’ye?’ Vee fixed her with an expectant look, waiting. Silent.

Deidre stood up, feeling light headed and off balance, stepping away from Vee’s intense gaze. ‘I’m not sure,’ she muttered, grabbing the glass from the bedside table and drinking.

Vee held her stare. ‘Yer gonna hiv t’tell us someting,’ she said. ‘Before da curse gets ye. Afore ye go fully mad,’ she added provocatively and Deidre glanced at her, pressing her hand down on the bedside table for support. ‘Aunty Mavis is sayin’ it’s too late,’ Vee continued, ‘she said ye’ve awready got da curse. Ye’ve awready put da cross aroon yer neck.’

The cross. Deidre’s hand flew to her chest.

‘Aunty Mavis had a right fit when she saw ye were wearing it. She was aw fer pulverising it an’ sprinkling it in da sea.’

Deidre took a step towards Vee, alarmed, water spilling out of the glass in her hand with her sudden propulsion. ‘Mavis has got my cross?’

‘No,’ Vee replied calmly, wiping water splashes from the knees of her jeans. ‘Dylan got to it afore she did.’

‘Dylan?’ This came as a surprise to her.

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