The Necronomicon

Chapter Three

Frustrated at Eleanor, Meredith turned away from her. Her father had his arm around her, staring out the carriage windows, while her stepmother sat across from them, sighing. Meredith let out a pointed huff, glaring at Eleanor, who ignored the stony gaze. Meredith gritted her teeth.

"I enjoyed most of the party." She said, her tone sugary sweet — Eleanor did not respond.

Disappointed that Eleanor wasn't rising to her bait, Meredith turned away. Elder Hawthorne looked at her, his sharp eyes catching hers. "Why didn't you enjoy the whole night?" He asked, and Meredith let out a lengthy sigh.

"Someone wouldn't let me dance the last two dances."

Elder Hawthorne looked up at his wife. "But those are your favourite dances. Who stopped you? I'll have a serious word with them."

Eleanor looked resolutely ahead, between the pair. Elder Hawthorne shifted so he sat closer to Meredith, and into her line of view. Meredith looked up into the steely eyes of her father, gulping. Maybe she shouldn't have said anything.

"I said, who told you that?" Elder Hawthorne roared, his face pulsing an angry puce.

"It was me." Eleanor said, and a silence fell. Meredith looked down at her shoes, scared.

For the rest of the carriage ride no-one spoke. Soon they were home, and Meredith sunk into her bed, falling asleep easily, glad she wouldn't have to be awake for the shouting between her parents later.

When Meredith woke up, she was awoken to screaming. Meredith usually woke to the smell of Eleanor's cooking — sizzling bacon and creamy butter spread on large square pieces of toast — and the soft rays of sunlight dancing on her face. The sky outside was a harsh, jet black coloured void, devoid of any light — even the twinkling of stars — but she could see a faint orange colour further down the street — perhaps the sun was rising. "Who's screaming?" She yelled, irritated.

Her stepmother burst in. "Meredith! They're coming!"

"Who?" She sensed the fear in Eleanor's voice, but could not muster any urgency.

"The rebels! Quick, get dressed! We're leaving." Eleanor hissed. Meredith let out a small whine.

"What rebels? I just want to go to sleep." She hissed, teetering on the edge of a temper tantrum. Sighing, she lay back down.

"Get up, you stupid girl." Eleanor said roughly, her words scarring Meredith. "We need to leave now — or we'll be killed." The last word made Meredith laugh.

"Nobody in their right mind would kill us, Eleanor — you're married to Daddy, and I'm... me. Daddy's daughter. And it's like Daddy says, I'm the most beautiful girl in the land. Who in their right mind would kill people like us?" She said, giggling at even the suggestion of it.

"Either get up and help me pack, or stay and die." Eleanor told her pointedly, leaving the room. Meredith blinked, confused, and peered through the window. She struggled to see the orange colour clearly. Then it came to her — she gasped, falling backwards off her bed. It was fire!

She only had dainty bags, and one extremely ugly knapsack. Eleanor came back in, and observed Meredith looking through her bags. As Meredith selected her prettiest one, Eleanor scoffed. "Stop being so vain — take that." She said, pointing at the knapsack. Meredith turned to her pleadingly. She had never been treated this way in her entire life. She wanted to take a pretty bag, a bag that would look lovely hanging across her body.

Unwillingly, she opened the knapsack, and shoved her best things inside — her green dress, her black gown, her short white frock, her jewellery box. She folded up a few more items and shoved them in. Meredith was still wearing her pale blue dress from yesterday, and it was so beautiful she didn't want to change out of it. Stepping in front of the mirror, she admired herself in it, before quickly turning away and grabbing some more clothes. After all, it wasn't like they were in mortal peril — the only sound outside was a tapping — probably thunder. And the fire... it was a long way away. It was then that she heard a loud shout from beyond the window — a chorus of people yelling the word 'Burn'. Meredith jumped at the sound, leaning towards the noise. The voices sounded nearer and nearer with every second. Her eyes widened. Burn? Surely, these strangers wouldn't burn her magnificent home... or worse, burn her... would they? Maybe they would... their voices sounded so savage, so... animal. Meredith shivered.