Before I am Famous

literature is something we infer after the story is told

Seaspring Briar part 4

Posted on | October 11, 2007 |

“Thanks so much, Phil, for showing me around and telling me about this place,” Briar said.

“I’ve lived in Bar Harbor all my life and I always loved this house. Please come down when you can, if you’re serious about working out something.”

They shook hands; liking the feel of his hands beneath hers. It was a manly hand; dry and slightly rough not like Gabe’s soft and delicate. She waved as he drove out view, then unpacked her car. She put her canvas, and paints in the back room. Briar chose a room on the right side of the staircase that had an ocean view.

After she was through moving in, Briar made the trek into town to pick up some provisions. When she arrived back at the house a thick night fell on top of the cliff. The moon was full but it still seemed too dark. Briar entered her home and it was too silent.

She was alone for the very first time in her life. There was no one there. She began to miss Gabe and even Brian and her mother. She had an urge to call someone but there was no cell service. Discovering there was phone a kitchen with a dial tone, she tried her mother but it was long distance and could not complete the call. She thought of calling Darcy but she hardly knew her. Briar replaced the phone and went to the bedroom.

Earlier, she selected a book from the study. She tired focusing on the words but her mind drifted. Then fear and paranoia overtook her and she had to check every window and door including the master suite. Everything was locked up tight. She tried painting but the feeling was not there. Briar decided to look over the contract. She turned no light off as she retreated to her room. The contract was tedious and boring and soon she was asleep.

Briar ran through the mansion. Someone was chasing her. It was a man. She did not know who it was. He screamed her name and called her stupid shore. It was too dark, she tumbled down the stairs. The man yelled from atop the stairs,” Get out! No stupid whore woman will live here!”

Briar crashed to the floor from her bed. She was sweaty and gasped for air. Her watch stopped. She checked her phone it was only 3 am. She was terrified. Never did she have a nightmare such as that. Briar climbed back in bed and pulled the covers over her head and cried.

The following morning, Briar was amazed she slept after that horrible dream. Slipping on her clothes, she went downstairs to make coffee. For some unknown reason she looked in the sun room. Her paints were squeezed out, her canvas was torn, and the paintbrushes were broken.

“What the hell?” she gasped.

She nixed the idea of coffee and drove into Bar Harbor. Phil was parked in front of the historical society. She opened the door.

“Are you okay Briar? You look like you’ve seen a ghost?” Darcy asked.

“Is he busy?” Briar asked shortly.

“Go ahead.”

Briar forcefully opened the door and slammed it shut.

“Briar, you’ve got the contract done already?” he asked; surprised to see her so soon.

“You have a key don’t you?” she yelled at him. “You come in last night and messed with my stuff in the sunroom. Making me think the place was haunted, so I’d run away and you can take control back!”

“Briar, calm down. There is only one key and you have it.”

“Yeah sure. Well explain the paint. I am sure you know how to get in with out a key.”

Phil moved beside her, “please calm down. Let’s go talk but not here the walls of ears.”

She agreed. What was he going to tell her? Briar wondered. They walked to the diner and he chose a booth in the corner away from people. Each ordered coffee.

“Briar, please tell me what happened last night?” Phil asked.

She began her story from the moment her opened the door to the master suite. She left nothing out.

He did not say she was crazy or absurd but instead he said, “I broke the rules once, but only once. It stated in the contract that no one was allowed to spend the night. I did thought. It was several years ago. I had a nightmare as well but it was a woman. She chased me with a knife. I never saw her face. When I woke up I was scratched like a rabid cat was loose in the bedroom. I slept in their bed, Briar, in the master suite. There was another clause in the contract that under no circumstance was there to be any paranormal experts or physics. To be allowed in. I didn’t believe in ghosts that’s why I stayed the night. But I do now.”

Briar look at him wide-eyed, “Phil, I want to stay there but last night was horrifying.”

“I don’t know what to tell you,” he gazed at her and she retuned it.

“Do you want to come to the house and see the sunroom?” she asked suddenly.

“Okay.”

She told him that she would drive and bring him back later. They spoke nothing of Seaspring Briar but chatted about each other. When they arrived, Phil followed her inside. But here was something new in the sunroom. Yes, the paint was still everywhere and the brushes broken but on the easel sat a fresh painting.

A painting of Briar or Anastasia, Briar could not tell. The nude woman was on a horse looking over the cliff and the house was painted small on the far left side of the painting.

“Did you paint this, Briar?” Phil asked fixated on the painting.

“No. I swear it wasn’t here when I left,” Briar replied.

“I believe you. I really do.”

She pulled out the ring of keys, “I figured what all these keys are for but this one. Do you know what it unlocks?” pointing to an iron, ornate key.

“Probably the attic. We were never allowed up in the attic, I am pretty sure I know where it is. Do you want me to show you?”

“Yeah.”

He led her up the stairs and went to the right of the staircase. Then he opened the bedroom door next to hers and opened the closet. And another door which he opened to a set rickety steps. Briar handed him the key and stayed close behind and smelt his cologne. He inserted the key and opened the door.

The room was covered in cobwebs and dust. Faint sunlight barely pushed through the boarded up attic window.

“We need some light. I keep flashlights in the kitchen. We’ll go together,” Phil told her.

Moments later beams of light filled the room. She had no idea what she was looking for but went to a trunk and popped the lid . Inside where dresses from the 20’s and 30’s maybe even 40’s. Some were frayed others looked as new as the day Anastasia bought them. Phil stayed by the door. Briar went through trunk after trunk and discovered more dresses, shoes and hats. The last trunk was locked and she could not get it open. She decided to take all the trunks downstairs even the locked one, Phil happily helped since he was anxious to see the treasures. He started down with the last trunk when a beam of light hit something in the corner which caught Briar’s attention.

“Phil, come here. Look its her paintings,” Briar said with a smile.

More than 50 paintings sat protected underneath a sheet. She only noticed because a large seascape that was not covered completely. They carried them downstairs as well.

“That’s where they were,” Phil said, “we thought she burnt them or your family had them. These are incredible.”

“Oh I know. It was a shame they were locked away for so long,” Briar commented, “maybe I should set up a showing in town. These are too good not to share.”

“That’s a good idea, I can help you. I have a lot of connections in town.”
She smiled at him sweetly, “Thanks Phil. I am sorry about earlier. I just thought, well, you didn’t want me here.”

“It’s okay.”

While he went looking for something to break the lock on the last trunk, Briar looked at the dresses. They might fit me she thought. She picked a black sleeveless number and tried it on. It fit like second skin. Phil came back into the room and she whirled around. His mouth fell open.

“Can you pull the zipper up?” she asked and he did.

“Wow, Briar. I feel like I am looking at Anastasia. You look beautiful,” then he paused, “uh not that you didn’t before.”

Category: seaspring briar

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