Destiny of Demons

The Steeles

"1830.. That's a whole lotta history to crawl through." I answer.

"Some would think. However it's not as extensive as I would have hoped. I have new and old deeds to the house. As well as reasons for change of hands etc. A few families who resided there died of Cholera, it came in three waves and wiped out each family. Unfortunately medical knowledge wasn't as strong as it is now, so many families suffered unnecessary."

I accept the list of deeds and look down through the names and dates. My eyes find one family who were only in residence for a couple of months.

"Why did they change so quickly?" I ask pointing my finger to the name.

"Gambling." Charlie answers.

"They lost a house through gambling?!"

"When a bet is placed, it's placed. And a man is only as good as his word."

"True." Zak says beside me.

"I guess for the age of the house, which is now set to 1830, it's not that usual to have a big list of owners, is it? Considering illnesses and like you said gambling."

"Not at all. It's almost as if the house has some kind of curse upon it, the death rate within the grounds of that house are astronomical. Along with natural causes, you also have to factor in other illnesses such as TB, Dysentery, Cholera, Malaria, Typhoid fever, Whooping cough, Pneumonia, and Meningitis."

"TB was a big problem back then.. With it being a large home, do you think it was ever made into a hospital?" Zak asks.

"I would have imaged so, however I haven't found any information supporting it. Only that the cellar and tunnel under the house was used as a makeshift morgue."

I try to keep my face unreadable but it's difficult. "A morgue.."

"With diseases spreading rapidly, it wasn't uncommon for bodies to be stored in underground premises until they could be buried." Charlie answers.

"Gross." I mumble.

"What can you tell us about the Steele family? More importantly their child and the slave?"

Charlie pauses and folds his fingers together and I wonder if Zak might have offended him by wanting to jump straight into the thick of it.

"May I ask where you were born?" Charlie questions looking directly at me.

"Me? Oh uh, England." I answer.

"Any connections to America? Family history?"

I shake my head. "No, I'm a true Brit, through and through."

His head tilts in thought before he pulls out a photo, the doppelgänger of me..

"Her name was Marie Smith..."

I don't miss Zak's hand tightening on mine, or the way the air feels sucked out of the room.

"Marie?" I ask.

"I know, extremely close to your name. Which is what threw me when we met." Charlie answers.

I pick up the photo examining it. "Who were you, Marie?" I ask.

"Daughter of Ida and John Smith. One of 5 children. George, Charles, James and Alice. Marie was educated and worked in the clerical sector, before she married Edward Steele and retired from work to be a home maker."

I nod to show that I am listening to him.

"Marie went on to have 4 children with Edward, named Thomas, Henry, Edward and Olive."