After a strange, distorted night, I stumbled out of the bedroom to find Barnabas and Julia waiting for me. Breathing heavily and unsteady, they helped me sit. What happened to me? They asked for me to tell them. They said it wasn’t important how they found me. I said I wanted to know what happened.
Barnabas held up a glass and asked me if I drank it. Yes. He said they weren’t making any judgment on what I did. What I did? What did I do? Julia said they knew what was in the whiskey. The whiskey? Of course. That’s it. There was something in the whiskey that made me sick. What was it?
After a moment of silence, I told them if it was some kind of secret, they should tell me what it was. Barnabas replied that if I wanted them to help, I’d have to be completely honest with them. I was being completely honest with them. Julia then told me that the whiskey was poisoned. What? Barnabas added that the question was, who put it there?
Wait a minute. They thought I did it? Well, believe me, I considered that many a time… of course I did. But why would I do it now when I had them both trying to help me? Barnabas suggested perhaps it was because they weren’t able to help me. I exclaimed that I did not do it!
Barnabas peppered me with questions. Was anyone else in the house? Was I gone for any length of time? No and no. Wait a minute… Somebody was here, but that’s impossible. He wouldn’t have done anything like that. They asked who I was talking about. David Collins. Yesterday morning, but he stayed right beside me the whole time.
Barnabas gave Julia an odd look and confirmed that David had paid me a visit. Yes, but he’s a good kid and he’s been really nice to Amy. Barnabas agreed, then dismissed himself, telling Julia that if she didn’t need him, there was something he must do. “Something which may prove most interesting.”
Julia replied that she would stay here with me for a few hours. I told her that it wouldn’t be necessary, but she argued that she thought it would be. She still thought I did it. I asked if she thought I did it on purpose. She said, no, of course not, that they were very glad they were wrong about the poisoning and it was important that I stay alive. Ha, why was that important? I told her I’d like to know how she happened to find me. She said she supposed she was avoiding it because it seemed improbable.
She told me a ghost led her here and that I had a guardian spirit watching over me. I asked how she could believe that. She said it was because she saw her and that if I’d seen her, I would believe it, too. She said I would have died without her and asked if I had any idea who she might be. Idea? I can’t even believe she exists. I told her I was sorry, but she said not to be. I should be thankful.
There was a knock at the door. Julia said she would get it and I really ought to go to bed for more rest. Amy rushed into the cottage and said, “You are sick!” Before I could ask how she knew, I told her I was all right, just had a little upset stomach. She argued that she knew it was more than that. What did she mean? She said she had a dream that something terrible happened to me.
I told her I just wasn’t feeling well but now I was feeling fine. She shouted, “No! I don’t believe you!” Was she going to believe some dream and not believe her own brother? Julia asked what exactly she dreamed. Calmer and more carefully, she replied just that I was sick. She didn’t know what made me sick and dreamed nothing else.
Julia asked if she was sure. She quickly replied, “Yes,” and said if I was going to be all right now, she’d leave. I told her, yes, I was fine and not to worry about me. She told me I was going to be all right. Nothing else was going to happen to me. Ever. Ever!
Classic Horrors Club 
Leave a comment