[✔️] Across The Years | Seulrene

Ch. 18 - Another outing

My smirk widened just a bit more, "Aaaand... you need someone to drive."

Irene suddenly frowned and looked just a bit hurt, I guessed she didn't quite get my humor. "I didn't just need you do drive, I wanted to spend the day with you. A chance to get away from all the..."

Feeling bad, I put my hand on her shoulder. "I was Jesting. Having a bit of fun at your expense. I've been looking forward to today. I'm ready to go if you'd like."

Irene quickly smiled again and nodded quickly, "Yes, I have a surprise for later. I hope you like surprises."

"Normally I hate surprises. Actually I hate lots of things, but in your case I'll make a exception." I said as I left the cabin and closed the door.

She had the wagon and horses ready by the barn and soon we were off. Though I was kidding about driving, I did take the reins.

As our wagon got out of town. Irene, who had been mostly silent, asked. "So Seulgi, I know you read a lot. What kind of stories do you like to read?"

"I like reading scary stories, ghost stories. Edgar Allen Poe is one of my favorites."

She shuddered a bit, "I do not like ghost stories. I've heard of Mr. Poe, the American writer. But I've never read any of his stories. Can you tell me about one?"

"Are you sure?"

"Yes. I think if you tell me about it, it won't be scary."

"Well, my favorite is Masque of the red death. It's a short story. In olden times there is a kingdom where a terrible sickness has fallen upon the land. Many are dying. There is this prince who cares nothing about the sufferings of his people. So he takes all the nobles and rich and they seal themselves in an abbey with enough food to last a while. They plan to let the plague run its course, leaving the commoners to die, then emerge after.

One night, they throw a grand costume ball. All is well, until the prince spots a guest wearing the costume of someone with the plague. Angered, he chases the guest through the abbey, until he reaches him and pulls off the mask. Much to his horror, he sees nothing underneath. It is essentially death itself. Soon the prince and his selfish guests all fall dead due to the plague."

Irene seemed to shiver, but at the same time enjoyed my little telling of the story. "That sounds scary. If I read such a story, it would most certainly give me nightmares. Do tell me about another story."

"Wait, I thought you said they would give you nightmares?"

"I like hearing them from you."

A lot of stories I couldn't mention as they had not been written yet, but there were a number of ghost/scary stories that I could mention. I read a bunch of gothic ghost stories in the last few months in my preparations.

I told her I liked stories of vampires and briefly described two novels I had read, 'The Vampyre' by John W Polidory in 1819 and 'Varney the vampire', written by James Rymer in 1847. Again, she seemed fascinated and scared at the same time. I got the impression that she would not read such stories alone.

Gradually, the conversation drifted to other subjects and we finally arrived in London. As I drove the wagon through downtown I spotted several women standing on a street corner, holding crudely drawn signs asking to be given the right to vote.

As our wagon went down the street towards them, I could see several other walking past who give them rather dirty looks and a few verbally taunted them.