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Lucille knew. She knew since she began to hear the sounds. And since they started to leave the doors open, the clay marks on the walls and floor. She knew.
The ghosts were getting stronger, more odious, their screams were loud and angry.
She thought that was Edith's blame, the little bitch could be strengthening the ghosts. But on the night that Thomas slept outside with Edith, that excruciating night she , could not sleep because of the screams and moans. That night, she realized it, was not Edith, was she. Each time that her shoulders trembled in fear the cries grew stronger.
Then she began to be more demanding with Thomas, no matter how hurt she was with him, she could only sleep if he was around.
Until that night.
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Lucille awaked with whispers, Edith's whispers in the hallway near the room where the brothers slept embraced. Alarmed she looked at her sleeping brother and stood up, put on her robe and lit a candle.
She followed the whispers and saw Edith retreating of one of the ghosts, the skeletal hand covered with clay stretched to the girl's face.
"Get out! Run away of Crimson Peak!"
The ghost whispered. Only listening to the weak voice, Lucille could say it was Pamela. Before the ghost could reveal something, Lucille interrupted.
- Edith?! What are you doing out of bed? - She ignored the ghost and looked at the child carefully.
- Lucille! Watch out! Behind you! - Edith pointed out.
The dark-haired woman turned quickly and stared at the ghost with a cracked head.
- Mother - Lucille took a deep breath trying to calm down, but the ghost shouted, spreading red clay stripes on her face and in her robe. She tried to step back, but the ghost grabbed her neck rising her from the ground.
Lucille grabbed the muddy bone hand, her heart thundered in fear.
The brunette heard a scream and the next thing she knew was that she was on the floor, coughing and breathing again.
Edith used the fire poker to cut the ghost's hand, which crumbled like ashes in Lucille's hands.
The blonde was thrown on the floor by Pamela's Ghost that looked resentful, others emerged from the hallway. Edith rose to her feet and pulled Lucille's arm.
Lucille was still paralyzed with shock as she was dragged by Edith.
- Come on faster! - Edith went downstairs and went into the kitchen, she opened the drawer of knives and took the longest.
- Thomas ... - Lucille finally woke up. - We... We have to wake him up! He's alone!
The older woman ignored Edith's pulls, and ran for the stairs, but it was too late, the ghosts were already there, all spectra shouted when they saw Lucille, that blanched and retreated.
- Thomas! Thomas! - Lucille shouted loudly, the muddy figures cornered her against the kitchen door.
- Stay behind me! - Edith pulled. The knife pointed at the ghosts.
The skeletal hands trying to reach Lucille, but Edith always intervene. Until one of the ghosts pulled Edith sharply forward, the girl fell.
Lucille retreated more and more, looking for a weapon. She threw dishes in ghosts, but nothing happened. Almost trapped in the wall she tripped on the table's foot and fell to the ground hard, fainting.
The next morning the brunette woke up with a severe headache, her vision took a time to get used to partial darkness. The only source of light was coming from under the door of the pantry.
Pantry?
Lucille sat in one swift motion, repenting soon after with the dizziness almost made her vomit. She looked around and saw a figure near the door, was Edith.
Leaning on a flour bag the little woman was sleeping peacefully. Lucille approached with curiosity. Her face was relaxed, despite the large knife in her hand. Her evening gown was full of red clay stains, and the hair as well. She had a free hand rested on the collar bone and the tissue under her hand was red, but not of clay, of blood.
Moving the girl's hand gently Lucille saw a deep cut, with signs of infection.
Lucille wanted to leave the stuffy room, call Thomas, but she was too scared.
She layed in another bag of flour and swallowed with the last night memories.
Skeletal and red hands trying to reach her like claws. Faces eyeless and expressionless. The screams ... And Edith.
Lucille looked at the girl. Most of the time she felt only a distaste for the blonde girl, but now she was almost admired.
The girl knew Lucille to a month or more, but yesterday she just grabbed her and pulled her into protection. Edith protected her. Using her own body to shield any harm that could come to her.
Thomas had never done nothing like that. Even after all the times she took a beating for him from their ruthless parents, Thomas never did anything. He cowered in a corner, crying for her and asked them mercy.
Thomas never rose to defend Lucille, or to volunteer in her place, as she often did for him.
Edith rose for her. Possibly got cut because of it and also dragged her until the pantry all alone.
Edith protected her like Thomas never did.
And it changed a lot of things.