Before I am Famous

literature is something we infer after the story is told

Seaspring Briar part 10

Posted on | October 19, 2007 |

*Please note the following is graphic and may be frightening to some. If this type of thing does not interest you please move forward and do come back again*

The morning of July 4th steamed with activity. The caterers set up the tables and bar. Smells of roasted apples, squash, onions, and baked beans in maple syrup filled the air. A clambake was started outside. Barbeque pits were loaded with giant turkeys.

By 6 pm, Phil and briar went to change. She chose a red, sequined gown of Anastasia’s. Briar swept her up with ringlets framing her face. She considered the matching gloves but decided against it. Close to seven, heavenly food embraced her nostrils as she descended the stairs.

Phil, wearing a handsome gray suit, waited for her at the bottom. He took the velvet rope down and held her hand like a gentleman.

“Briar, you are so beautiful tonight. The best looking girl here,” he said.

“You look very handsome as well.”

They shared a sweet kiss. She knew she was overdressed as the fundraiser was only one step below black tie event. Briar didn’t care because she wanted emulate Anastasia.

Darcy greeted them, “my goodness Briar you look like a Polish princess.”
“Thanks,” Briar said.

As guests arrived, Phil introduced her to many of the people. Some said that their parents or grandparents used to come to parties at Seaspring when Lincoln and Anastasia lived.

The sun splashed into the ocean spreading orange wings into the horizon. The string quartet started to play in the main living room. It was magical. Her and Phil walked hand in hand.

Suddenly Darcy ran up to Briar and said,, “Sylvia Spencer didn’t come.”

“I’m sorry Darcy. I’m sure I’ll meet her some other time,” Briar said.

“No, Briar, 2 men came instead. Her great-nephew or something like that. I think his name was Brian. They asked about you.”

Briar lost her smile. This can’t be! How could this be? thought Briar. Phil followed her as she looked for them. She found in the room with portraits.

Their backs were turned but recognized Gabe anywhere. He was tall with olive skin and ebony hair and he wore Armani as he always did. Brian was shorter with medium length sandy brown hair.

“Why are you here?” Briar asked the men instead of the hello-how-are-you approach.

“Briar! I was wondering when we’d the see the lady of the house,” Gabe said as he approached and hugged her tight, “god, it’s so different with out you.”

“Well, Briar sweetheart,” Brian interjected, “my great aunt Sylvia is in the hospital and we went in her place. This house is magnificent, Briar.”

She was angry simply because she could never get Gabe to vacation on the Maine coastline but if Brian wanted to and the is just peachy.

“I thought you would’ve called, Briar,” Gabe said.

“I’ve been busy,” she said pulling Phil closer, “Phil this is Gabriel DiStephanous and Brian Spencer. This is my boyfriend, Philip Skolash.” She had no idea why she said “boyfriend” but she liked the way it sounded, anyhow. The men shook hands.

“Well Briar, I’ve got the best seat in the house for the fireworks,” Phil said.

“Lead the way.”

He took her to upstairs to the master suite. She was surprised she felt nothing when he opened the door. For the first time she took notice of the oppressive beauty of the room. There was maple paneling and a huge maple four poster bed in the center of the room.

Phil opened the door to the veranda, where he set up a blanket and a bottle of champagne in ice.

“It’s lovely,” Briar told him.

“So that was Gabe?” Phil asked.

“Yeah, I had no idea your Sylvia Spencer and Brian Spencer are related. I hope for their sake they leave before everyone else.”

He kissed her, “how about we talk about nothing bad right now. We can talk about us or the fireworks. We’re going to have a mini-break from everything.”

She snuggled close to him as the first rockets went off. The show ended close to an hour later. Briar and Phil dressed. He escorted her downstairs.

Between 10 and 11, many people started to leave. There was a lot of hand shaking and good wishes but Briar did not see Gabe and Brian leave. She hoped they became bored and took off early. The caterers left close to 11 and promised to be back the following day to retrieve their things.

Briar and Phil thought they were alone until they heard laughing from somewhere downstairs. They went from room to room until they found them in the living room with the sun . Gabe and Brian sat on the sofa, drinks in hand. The men looked at her.

“This is an extraordinary sculpture,” Brian said of the sun.

“What are you guys still doing here?” she asked.

“We’re spending the night, Briar patch. You said we’re welcome to stay with you anytime,” Gabe said.

Briar and Phil exchanged uneasy looks, “Okay. I know I said that but not tonight,” Briar urged, “please you have to go.”

“I thought we were friends, Briar. What’s going on?”

The probably wouldn’t believe her for they were also too level-headed to believe in the supernatural but she knew she had to tell them. “Guys, you are in anger. This house is haunted and a medium said you 2 were in danger.”

The men, save for Phil, laughed at the notion.

“It’s true, you should leave,” Phil interrupted.

Just then the double doors leading to the foyer slammed shut. Gabe and Brian stopped laughing and stared pie eyed at the Briar. Her heart thudded. She ran to Phil. Phil tried the door, he couldn’t open it. Gabe and Brian tried with Phil but it just wouldn’t budge.

They heard something rattle. They turned to see the bronze sun shake. Briar looked at Gabe and his vein in his necked pulsed and his eyes oozing fear. An unnatural power filled the room and the sun came off the wall; laid on it’s side like a Frisbee with razors.

Phil grabbed Briar and shoved her to the floor. Brian and Gabe stood as if their legs were weighted with a supernatural force. The bronze sun came at them spinning. Briar shrieked. She tried to say something but nothing understandable came forth. The sun saw decapitated her ex-husband and his husband. Rose red blood rained in the room.

With their heads rolling, the men fell to the floor. The bronze sun with red-tipped rays lodged itself in the wall. Phil picked her up. He tried the door and it opened easily. Briar shook tremendously.

“Do it no,” she whispered.

He nodded. He lit a candle in the living room with the portraits. She grabbed he diary and slipped it in her purse. Phil helped her to the kitchen. She watched as pulled the gas stove out and broke the gas line. They left through the sun room.

He set her in the BMW and drove just a bit down the driveway. He parked the car. They got out and waited.

Like a roman candle, the house exploded. Phil protected her falling glass and debris. The orange and blue flames squelched the beam from the lighthouse. They watched as a white light fled from the blazing pearl of a mansion. Ghostly shrieks and screams super seceded the angry ocean. Phil pulled Briar close. For some unknown reason, she couldn’t weep though she wanted to.

Briar knew there would be questions and she didn’t have the answers . There was so much explaining and planning but those thoughts were distant from her mind. Phil opened the door of the car and helped her in. He got in the driver side and drove down the cliff. Briar watched the flames until the trees became too thick. Phil said nothing but heard her utter goodbye as they turned off her driveway onto the main road.

Category: seaspring briar

Comments

Leave a Reply