Terror Tales

ROSE

Life should have been easier for her, after all she was barely eight. Her given name was Rosalina but everyone just called her Rose. She was a beautiful child, a bit gangly but feminine, amazingly graceful for her age, with olive skin, long dark hair and eyes that glowed a green even God was proud of. Oddly enough she smiled riding a top of the dusty corn bags loaded in the back of the wagon. She groaned a bit as she pushed the rope tied off to the side rail a little lower on her leg so it was not so binding. It was her third day traveling and the first two were a blur of tears. Only three days prior she had been literally pried from her mother's arms, sold by those who owned her parents as a slave to a wealthy relative somewhere in the southern part of England. Suddenly the rut filled road seemed to become more smooth as the wagon turned up a long drive. Here were finely trimmed lawns and large oak trees lined the path like soldiers ever on duty with their knotty toes poking up through the lush grasses. Driving up, the trees gave her a comforting feeling with the blankets of light and shadows that cascaded down onto her. They then passed under a large stone archway and in through a large metal gate. The massive house now loomed before her she had been told it was a manor house started in 1771 and after three years it was only recently completed. She had never been so close to something so grand and she sat in awe as they pulled up in front of a large door.

A young girl around Rose's age came running from the house and ran right up to Rose. I'm Sara, I'm Sara she said. Her mother quickly followed and looking on at the child in the wagon demanded the restraints be removed from Rose's leg. Rose rubbed her leg and rolled off the wagon and stood next to Sara. We're the same height Sara announced, look mum we're the same height she said pulling at her mother's dress. Yes I see that she said smiling down at the two girls together. Can we go play Sara asked pleading with her mother? Ok you girls go play but don't go far, lunch will be ready soon. Sara grabbed Rose's hand and pulled her along the house and out into the side yard. Rose didn't know what to think of all this. I've never had a sister Sara announced. A sister Rose asked? Yes that why you came here mother is making you my sister. Rose smiled hoping this was all true. Come I want to show you my secret place, I've been waiting to show you. They ran down the hill and through the wood until they came to a large ivy covered wall and a vine covered entrance. It's my secret garden Sara announced, now it's our secret garden, she said smiling.

The ubiquitous stone walls seemed to go on forever. Sara climbed daringly up onto one of the stone ramparts as they entered, then playfully jumped down as they passed through the looming archway. Once inside you could see how beautiful it must have been at one time. Now completely vine and weed invaded not a single blossom dared to show its face here. Still it had a lot of character and standing in what appeared to be the middle was a large vine covered plinth with a stone wall and arch over it.

Slowly they pushed back the green ivy vines and there he stood all gnarled and knotty, mottled in an almost florescent green moss, a stone statue of a Gnome. He must have been maybe a half a meter in height and a good two stones if not more. His face was grumbly but intriguing. "He's a right handsome fellow" Sara said as she kept pulling at the vinery to expose him.

"I think he looks a bit glocky myself" replied Rose as she helped pull. Suddenly the strain on the vines incasing him tipped him sideways and he rolled from his Platform. He rolled across the weeds and grass and then stood up. The girls backed up, he stood there still mottled in moss and he was alive and with this he had lost all his former charm as a statue.

"Well what do we have here in my little hall" he said prying through his squinty bloodshot little eyes as he stood there wringing his fat little hands? He tried on a smile to charm the children but it came across only as devious.

"Oh but I must thank you he said since you set me free, you receive a gift."

"A Gift, Sara asked?"

"Yes the treasure is yours" he announced.

"Treasure!" Sara asked.

"Yes, little one a treasure, gold, pearls, diamonds and sapphires all for you both," He said bowing and opening his arms.

"We get a treasure Rose" Sara said jumping up and down in excitement.

"Yes all you have to do, he went on is stand upon the plinth it will show you where the treasure is." Sara ran toward the plinth and Rose grabbed her.

"No, you wait here Rose said I will do it, I mean I am your new sister." The Gnome smiled his nasty smile and watched closely with his own excitement. Rose suddenly realized this room, this garden was his world, he was trapped here, he was its prisoner unless he could trap another to take his place, and if you stood there where he had you would become a statue like he had been and he would be free. Rose knew she had to protect the only one of the earth treasures she had been given, a sister. She walked up between the high wall and archway with the plinth only inches in front of her.

"Where do I stand" she asked the old gnome.

"On the plinth" he said a little louder with eagerness showing in his face and voice.

"Ok, she said and where is it exactly I am supposed to put my feet?"

"Anywhere, just stand on the plinth" he said shaking with anticipation almost screaming.

"I'm not sure, where... Rose said again, I mean I don't want to do it wrong." The Gnome ran up beside her and angrily pointed his finger almost touching the surface of the plinth.

"There little girl he shouted, you stand right there." Rose stood there behind the Plinth against the archway and wall, the coldness of the stone touching her skin made it shiver. Then suddenly she grabbed the old gnome and threw him back onto his plinth and with an explosive crash watched as he screamed and turned back into stone. Rose smiled over at Sara then looked back at the large wall behind her as it buckled and swayed from the act and the loud grinding of the stones moving in towards her pierced her ears. Her jittering hands couldn't block out the last, terrifying sound she would hear in her short life. Sara screamed in horror and ran back to the house crying. She returned shortly with her mother. They looked on at the tons of stone that had fallen and knew she was gone. But wait there was something new. Little Sara stood with her mother and saw it there above the Gnarled little gnome reaching up toward the sun a single bloom of the most brilliant red.

Sara looked up at her mother with tears in her eyes and said

"I'll call it a rose."