This Shall Forever Be
Posted: Fri Jul 24, 2020 9:20 pm
I found this in the "archives" and I just had to keep this locked somewhere forever. So here it is. From Inferno when she first joined. May 19, 2004
Inferno decided to take a carriage ride. Imagine her surprise when she spied “The Mansion” through the heavy foliage from the moonlit road. "How beautiful", she thought, as Inferno parked her carriage and set foot alight.
***Footsteps purposeful and dreary could be heard as Inferno navigated the brambles strewen along the wind swept old trodden path.
But… they are not hers, whose then?? ***
The strange glow from the night sky above, cast it's eerie shadows upon the lawn and front gardens as she found her way upon the walk. Objects common to all in the light of day take on new meaning after the sun sets, or so she had been told; after the moon rises and bathes them with it's haunting pallor.
She climbed her way up onto the columned porch still ladened with roses of the past. ...And timidly knocked upon the old oaken door.
"rap ... rap ... rap..."
…But no one answered.
Inferno knocked once more, louder this time,
"Rap ... Rap ... Rap..."
She listened ... and but heard no sound from within, no rustle of clothing and clicking of heels as one might hear from the other side when you're on the outside of the door. Only the mournful cry of a lonely raven as it circled the chimney, winging its way homeward to its lair; bringing food to its young... or was it?
"RAp ... RAp... RAp..!"
Louder still, for now the wind had called up its powerful gales and she could see the swirling clouds of a mighty storm approaching...ever approaching. As the first crash of lightening illuminated the lawn, Inferno stared open mouthed, as it seemed that the garden statuary had come to life... No, no that just isn't possible... but there were eyes that told her differently as their brilliant amber glow seemed to slice right through to her very soul.
Poor, pitiful Inferno…
"RAP ... RAP... RAP..!!!"
She banged on the heavy door.
"Pleeease let me..." Her voice was cut off in near mid sentence, as the violent boom of thunder seemed to trigger the old Oaken Door. And it slowly, painfully swung its way open and Inferno entered The Mansion.
"What a place is here, truly beautiful in all its ghostly glory." whispered Little Inferno aloud.
“Have you come hunting Ghosts?
Then properly warned ye be, says I....” replied a corporeal voice.
"Who’s ........ there?"
But again there was no answer, only the tinkling melody from an old music box, playing in the vestibule. Now, music boxes have always been a particularly grave fear of Inferno’s …though tiny and seemingly harmless…SHE knew better….for she KNEW just what they could do to a person, if you let them. (But that, after all, is another ghost story).
Inferno sidled up against the far wall, furthest from the pulsating box as she made her way down the hall. Another lightening crash filled the room with a pale blue brilliance and she saw in that terrifying instant a beautifully delicate presence dressed in a long white receiving gown and transparent as gauze beckoning her follow.
Inferno breathed deeply for her lungs were becoming constricted and she remembered her pills were still in the carriage on the moonlit road. She noticed that the room had become overpowered with the scent of fresh lavender. Inferno’s breathing was becoming increasingly more and more labored as she clutched at the pain in her left arm.
“I’m so cold…so very cold”, she thought to herself.
“Don’t fret so, my dear! You’ll only make things harder in the long run.” a kindly voice rang in her ears
… Inferno wasn't sure but she could swear that it emanated from the ghostly apparition standing sentry in the doorway.
“What… is… this… place…?” Inferno haltingly asked, as she concentrated on each and every word as if in an effort to comprehend them, for now the pain was as a white-hot knife which pierced through her to where her heart used to live.
“Why, it’s our Conservatory,” replied the disembodied voice.
Inferno not being able to move stood frozen, her feet riveted to the floor as her knees began to buckle.
“I…c-ca-can’t m-m-move!”
“You don’t have too”
To Inferno’s astonishment… and horror, the doorway to the Conservatory began to move backward and forward as though it were breathing on it's own... As though the house had awakened from its turbulent and unrestful sleep and become alive! It slid along the hallway with a slitheringly creaking sound…ever growing in size as it drew itself nearer and nearer until it swallowed her whole.. She shut her eyes in abject terror and screamed.
She slowly opened her eyes. She was no longer in the hallway. The beautiful Conservatory loomed about her in all it's Victorian finery. Inferno shuddered and shook off her moment of insanity and relaxed a bit for the horrible clutching pain was gone. She felt light and airy as she glided about the Conservatory recognizing both new and old friends from forums past and present,
Inferno decided to take a carriage ride. Imagine her surprise when she spied “The Mansion” through the heavy foliage from the moonlit road. "How beautiful", she thought, as Inferno parked her carriage and set foot alight.
***Footsteps purposeful and dreary could be heard as Inferno navigated the brambles strewen along the wind swept old trodden path.
But… they are not hers, whose then?? ***
The strange glow from the night sky above, cast it's eerie shadows upon the lawn and front gardens as she found her way upon the walk. Objects common to all in the light of day take on new meaning after the sun sets, or so she had been told; after the moon rises and bathes them with it's haunting pallor.
She climbed her way up onto the columned porch still ladened with roses of the past. ...And timidly knocked upon the old oaken door.
"rap ... rap ... rap..."
…But no one answered.
Inferno knocked once more, louder this time,
"Rap ... Rap ... Rap..."
She listened ... and but heard no sound from within, no rustle of clothing and clicking of heels as one might hear from the other side when you're on the outside of the door. Only the mournful cry of a lonely raven as it circled the chimney, winging its way homeward to its lair; bringing food to its young... or was it?
"RAp ... RAp... RAp..!"
Louder still, for now the wind had called up its powerful gales and she could see the swirling clouds of a mighty storm approaching...ever approaching. As the first crash of lightening illuminated the lawn, Inferno stared open mouthed, as it seemed that the garden statuary had come to life... No, no that just isn't possible... but there were eyes that told her differently as their brilliant amber glow seemed to slice right through to her very soul.
Poor, pitiful Inferno…
"RAP ... RAP... RAP..!!!"
She banged on the heavy door.
"Pleeease let me..." Her voice was cut off in near mid sentence, as the violent boom of thunder seemed to trigger the old Oaken Door. And it slowly, painfully swung its way open and Inferno entered The Mansion.
"What a place is here, truly beautiful in all its ghostly glory." whispered Little Inferno aloud.
“Have you come hunting Ghosts?
Then properly warned ye be, says I....” replied a corporeal voice.
"Who’s ........ there?"
But again there was no answer, only the tinkling melody from an old music box, playing in the vestibule. Now, music boxes have always been a particularly grave fear of Inferno’s …though tiny and seemingly harmless…SHE knew better….for she KNEW just what they could do to a person, if you let them. (But that, after all, is another ghost story).
Inferno sidled up against the far wall, furthest from the pulsating box as she made her way down the hall. Another lightening crash filled the room with a pale blue brilliance and she saw in that terrifying instant a beautifully delicate presence dressed in a long white receiving gown and transparent as gauze beckoning her follow.
Inferno breathed deeply for her lungs were becoming constricted and she remembered her pills were still in the carriage on the moonlit road. She noticed that the room had become overpowered with the scent of fresh lavender. Inferno’s breathing was becoming increasingly more and more labored as she clutched at the pain in her left arm.
“I’m so cold…so very cold”, she thought to herself.
“Don’t fret so, my dear! You’ll only make things harder in the long run.” a kindly voice rang in her ears
… Inferno wasn't sure but she could swear that it emanated from the ghostly apparition standing sentry in the doorway.
“What… is… this… place…?” Inferno haltingly asked, as she concentrated on each and every word as if in an effort to comprehend them, for now the pain was as a white-hot knife which pierced through her to where her heart used to live.
“Why, it’s our Conservatory,” replied the disembodied voice.
Inferno not being able to move stood frozen, her feet riveted to the floor as her knees began to buckle.
“I…c-ca-can’t m-m-move!”
“You don’t have too”
To Inferno’s astonishment… and horror, the doorway to the Conservatory began to move backward and forward as though it were breathing on it's own... As though the house had awakened from its turbulent and unrestful sleep and become alive! It slid along the hallway with a slitheringly creaking sound…ever growing in size as it drew itself nearer and nearer until it swallowed her whole.. She shut her eyes in abject terror and screamed.
She slowly opened her eyes. She was no longer in the hallway. The beautiful Conservatory loomed about her in all it's Victorian finery. Inferno shuddered and shook off her moment of insanity and relaxed a bit for the horrible clutching pain was gone. She felt light and airy as she glided about the Conservatory recognizing both new and old friends from forums past and present,