Chapter 21: Obligation

You know the feeling you get when you stand up too fast? Like your world is dissolving around you, right before you black out. Well, try imagining feeling that only your world actually falls apart.  Let's just say, my  "world" was about to be torn out from under me. How was I to know?

Honestly I never thought of what would happen when I would be facing death. I was unable to open my eyes for a good while, I didn't have the strength. Yet his presence was all I was aware of, he never left. In my mind I was back home where there were no ghosts, no curses. Why did I even come here? However my thoughts soon ceased when I heard a voice. It was quiet at first, barley even a whisper until it grew both in intensity and volume. The words were still slurred, almost impossible for me to make out. After straining my ears I finally heard him, his voice became clearer.

"Open your eyes." The way he said it, it was a command not a plea or a question. It was as if he knew that simply by saying this it would give me the strength to wake. Inhaling I forced my eyelids to lift. Gazing about the room the contents were swirling in a wide array of colors and shapes. At first I was confused, my mind was not ready to think coherently yet. In fact it was hard to think of anything other than being dizzy.

Finally my vision cleared enough to see properly.  The first face I noted was George's, he had a grave look plastered upon his visage. Not a surprise. Glancing around I noticed Maynard who seemed to be searching through some books. The man Graham was not far behind.

"She's awake!" George yelped. He immediately grabbed my hand, letting out a sigh of relief he called out to Maynard who was mumbling something. Graham stepped forward, arms crossed. He seemed to be observing me.

"I thought she died... yet another one of yer' victims Master Gracey," He said darkly. The old man was shaking a bit, obviously frightened of George. Yet the master of the mansion paid him no heed, he still had his gaze fixed upon me. Looking back at him my vision still not the best I weakly smiled.

"Are you feeling well?" he asked standing.

"I'm-fine? What exactly happened?" I asked trying to sit up but found my body numb. I found myself only able to move my head, great. Finally fully aware of my surrounding I noticed myself still in George's room. Yet someone moved me to the bed, although it was still heavily coated with dust. Sighing I tried once more to sit up still to no avail. "Why can't I move?!" I asked fear starting to manifest itself.

"It's alright, I'll explain in time" George said trying to comfort me. "Rosalie, Do you remember anything that happened to you?" There was a tension in his voice, something was wrong.

"Yes, there was a skeleton. Also Leota chanting something..." I broke off. George's face seemed to grow paler, if that was possible.

"Do you know why she was chanting?" George's voice broke. What was going on?

"No, of course I don't--George what's wrong?" I asked starting to get a little aggravated. I was still trying desperately to move any other part of my body, yet still nothing happened. Was I paralyzed? "What happened?" I pleaded slightly panicking.

"Don't panic Miss. Rosalie!" Maynard said stepping forward, the spell book still grasped in his skeletal hands. "The most important thing for you to do is remain calm. Wouldn't want to make a fuss now, hmm?"

"I'll make a fuss when I want!" I snapped not entirely in the mood for Maynard to tell me what to do. I was finally starting to get felling back in my legs. Well, I wasn't paralyzed. Looking at George for a moment I sighed, "Please tell me what happened."

"Oh, That's quite alright!" Maynard said before George could speak. "You see you only-fell asleep. Yes fell asleep. The master and I were worried, however for your safety--" Maynard started only to be cut off by George.

"Rosalie your dieing." George stated. Maynard let out a bark of surprise, he was trying to conceal this from me.

I laughed at first thinking it was some twisted joke. "Right." Yet George's expression remained cold and blank even when I laughed. I paused a moment letting the reality of it sink in. "What?" I breathed. No, that can't be right.

"What Leota was chanting was a curse. She plans to kill you before you can save any of any of us." George crossed his hands behind his back. His eyes never moved from my face, there was no comfort he could give me. "She intends to make you just like me and everyone else in this godforsaken Mansion. I believe you only have a day left--"

"Ya see miss." chimed in Graham, "The master called me in to check yer' health and what not-not that I'm much help. You've been out for a few hours, o' course. I thought ya just bumped yer head at first. But Maynard was looking' through that book of Leota's--"

"And I found the page that the Master said you opened to before that being appeared." Maynard continued, the poor man seemed on the verge of tears. "The spell, the spell is one of death. We only know that the creature marked you for death. It was a grim reaper in a way--" Maynard finished heaving a sigh. George made his way to the back of the room, his back now faced me.

Turning my head away from the group I found a spot on the ceiling to stare at. I didn't want to see their faces, when I looked at them all I saw was pity. They had no reason to pity me. No, I wasn't going to die. I felt fine, fine. Not thinking I burst upright, only to have pain engulf me. It was as if a thousand needles stabbed into my back and legs. Gasping I clutched the bed post for support. Shutting my eyes for a moment I regained my control, the pain was only passing.

I forced myself to stand, only to nearly topple over.  Maynard let out a shriek and was immediately at my side, arms outstretched. Catching myself before I fell I let out a weary laugh. "I'm fine Maynard."  although I was starting to get the feeling I was far from fine. I've never felt so weak, I could barley stand as it was. Giving in I sat on the bed, hopefully this weakness was only passing.  Looking over at George who still had his back turned to me.

"George?" I asked desperate for some type of comfort. Although I doubted any would come.  

George turned sharply. His eyes scanned my face for a moment, "Yes?" he asked blankly. It was as if all the emotion was drained out of him. He had nothing left, obviously Leota was still draining him. He wasn't as translucent, but I got the feeling she was taking something else from him.
"Please-just tell me what I can do," All I wanted to do was save George before it was too late. I couldn't think about myself now, if I did I knew I would break down. That was something I couldn't have the luxury of doing.

The silence that continued between George and I was unbearable. All he did was stare at me, as if he was searching for something. Finally he broke his gaze by turning it to the floor. "Rosalie, I'm afraid there is nothing for you to do. We have to find a way to save you now."

If there was anything I didn't want to hear it was that.. "You know that I'm going to try--" I said beginning to stand. As soon as I was upright a overwhelming feeling took over. My sight started to burr. Grasping the bed post I was able to stay upright, barley.

George was by my side quickly, sighing he took my arm and practically made me sit back down. I shot him a disapproving glance. Sometimes he really did get on my nerves. I could stand if I wanted to. A bit angry now I tried to stand but something odd happened. It was as if my sight began to give, the room was becoming bright. Shutting my eyes I thought I would snap out of it. However in the middle of my struggles bodiless voice started to echo through the room, Leota.

"She fading fast Master, I don't suppose you'd like to know how to save your precious mortal?" her voice held a hint of malice. Even though I could barley see as it was I could tell George was standing in front of me, as if he was shielding me from something.

"How?"  George asked.

"Master Gracey, you know I am never one to make it that simple. I ask that you and the--" Leota paused and cackled some before continuing, "--the mortal come to my seance room. There we may bargain. I give you this one chance I suggest you take it, or she dies." with that the room fell silent.

Surprisingly it was Graham that broke the silence, "Well-I suggest you go take 'er, and be quick about it. She'll be dead soon." The old man's voice quivered slightly, as if he was frightened of something. My sights cleared and I could see once more. From what I could collect every tenant in the room was around me. Were they scared of me? They looked at me as if they were looking at, death.

"I--" George shook his head slowly. Pacing back and forth he began to slightly hover above ground. Graham's knees started to quiver at the sight. It was at moments like these when I realized that George really was dead. I was starting to accept that fact, things were easier to accept now. Reality was finally setting in. This was no longer a fairy tale.

"M-master Gracey, you must take her!" He barley gasped out before he nearly swooned. The old man breathed heavily and stuck his head between his knees. "If you don't she's--good as gone." He mumbled then leaving the room and saying something about 'getting out of such an atmosphere'.

It was difficult for me to grasp the situation, I felt very tired suddenly. Laying down I was sorely tempted to fall asleep. Shutting my eyes I kept listening but George's and Maynard's voices became muffled. Realizing my condition George came to my side, yet it was hard to be sure. I had no senses left. It wasn't much longer until I fell unconscious.

The room was cold, the air dry. I could not open my eyes, as if there was a great weight on my eyelids keeping them closed shut. Yet their voices were clear. Leota and George spoke, I listened unable to do anything else.

"The deal is this, you-- hand over your soul and I spare the mortal. Not that it matters, she's bound to die eventually." Leota chuckled darkly, I could visualize the smirk on her face.

"She stays safe then?" George seemed hesitant, although I couldn't be sure of his true state.

"Of course, she goes home. Probably will forget this little experience, won't she?" Emma joined in the conversation. Her voice remained the ever bland it always is, with a ghostly echo. After Emma spoke the room's occupants voices grew muffled.

That's when the room changed, it was as if a force was sucking all the air out of it. For a few minutes I had trouble breathing. Then there was silence. I thought surely I had gone deaf. Feeling the weight lift from my eyes I sat upright. Looking about the room I marveled at it's state. It seemed as if the rooms objects and furniture were all floating. There was an eerie green glow to everything. What was this?

My eyes scanned the room searching for her, Leota. Yet I didn't find her or George. A cool breeze blew behind me, turning to face the culprit I came face to face with Emma. "What have you done?"

Emma scoffed some and rolled her eyes, "Yes what have I done. That is probably the best statement you've said so far."

I raised a eyebrow in question, "What is that supposed to mean?"

Emma floated around me, "Well-- didn't you and the Master search my room earlier in your stay?" I nodded in answer as Emma continued to circle around me. "When did I die? I couldn't have possibly died before the Master, now could I have?"

Standing on the black floor I wondered if I too was floating. The room was so morphed I wouldn't have recognized it. "What do you mean Emma?"

"The curse, from what we know of it, states that all who die after the cursed one are to be cursed themselves." Emma smiled then.

Realization of what had occurred struck me. "No-- Your cursed?" George was not to blame, it was Emma. All this time he had been torturing himself because he thought it was him. "You evil--"

Emma burst closer to me, a force struck me that nearly sent me to my knees. "Yes, believe me I know. Now be off with you. He's going to be non-existent soon. My mother and I will finally have this house, the way it should have always been." Emma made a motion as if to shoo me away.

The objects in the room began to spin around me, the silent room soon was buzzing with noise. From musical instruments but mostly Leota's voice. Her never-ending chant that seemed to be forever engrained in my ears. Clasping my hands over my ears I fell to the ground. A burst of light erupted all around me. Opening my eyes I noted where I was, in the foyer. Why would I be sent here?

Taking a clearer look around I realized I was far from alone. Spirits were surrounding me from all sides. I picked out Ezra, Phineas and Gus from the crowed but other than that none of them I knew. Ezra glided forward and smiled, "Well, seems we're in trouble. Now that Georgie is gone, yer' going to have to help us. What say you?"

I stared at Ezra for what seemed like several minutes, when in reality it was only seconds. "I--" How could I possibly help? Taking a look at all the ghosts around me I felt obligated, maybe this is why I'm here. What if its fate? Would this be my only chance to make a difference. "Okay."

Ezra laughed, "I knew you'd help Rosie. Now, lets find Leota and her daughter and bring em' down to size!"