Ghastly Discovery "Wooww!!" Amanda was in awe over Maria's room. She moved from one of the china dolls to another admiring every small detail of each doll before moving to the next. Meanwhile Maria lay upon her bed watching the girl attentively. Maria had never met a girl quite like Amanda before. The girl was graceful in every one of her movements, from the way she swept the bottom of her gown under her knees as she knelt and peer into the face of a china doll to the way she moved to pick up teddy bear on her dresser and held it like a child. This, Maria, also found was interesting. She recalled all the ghost stories that the butler used to tell her late at night, when she should have been sleeping. She thought she knew everything about ghosts and yet here was Amanda not only interacting with her surrounds, but also able to pick things up and hold them. Part of Maria was disappointed. She always thought the idea of a ghost passing through the walls would be so nostalgic. Maria dangled her feet off the edge of the bed while crossing her arms behind her head and gazed up at the top of the canopy. She could not understand why she held such a sudden profound regard for this ghost girl. She tried to think if she ever felt this way before. Even with Jamie it took a few encounters before she started to find an interest in the girl. Was it Amanda that she was interested in or the fact that she was a ghost; well something undead that was for certain. She was suddenly startled out of her musing as Amanda sat upon the bed and lay down next to her. Maria turned her head to look upon the girl's face. "You room is so wondrous." Amanda exclaimed with a broad grin, "I wish I could have a room like this back at home." Maria shuttered as her eyes once again fell upon the ice pick and the bloody eye socket, "It is not so great." She stated with a shrug and sat up. Amanda watched the girl cautiously, "Is there something wrong?" She asked restlessly, reaching out the touch Maria's arm, she has long since removed her muddy gloves so only her soft fingers brushed against Maria's flesh. Maria pulled back from the girl, a perplexed look upon her face. Amanda's touch was warm and not cold like the stories told, "Your... your not a ghost?" She rose out of confusion. "No." Amanda shook her head, "What made you think that I was?" She inquired, even more bewildered by this line of questioning. "Its just..." Maria found herself staring at the ice pick, and then turning away. "What is it?" Amanda became even uneasier, "You keep looking away from me. Do I have something on my face?" She asked rather shyly while touching her face in search of what could be causing her friend to be ashamed to look at her. Maria turned to face Amanda, a shocked expression upon her face, "You..." She tried to think of how to word things then glanced over at the vanity and noticed that she could see both of them in the mirror. She took Amanda by the hand, "Come with me." She brought the girl over to the vanity and signalled for her to sit on the small bench while Maria stood in front of her, blocking Amanda from seeing her own image, "Have you... seen yourself in a mirror since... since the party?" She asked cautiously. "I thought it was still the day of the party until you said otherwise." Amanda admitted confused by her friend's line of questioning. Maria nervously glanced down at her friend. She bit her lip as she eyed the pick, "You do know you are dead, right?" She asked anxiously. "Huh?" Amanda was even more puzzled by Maria's actions then before, "How can I be dead if I'm talking to you?" She inquired even more puzzled, "What are you going on about?" Maria took a deep breath and closed her eyes, "Take a look and see for yourself." She tentatively stepped out of the way of the mirror not bearing to open her eyes to see her friend-shocked expression. "Wha... what happened to me...?" Amanda stared at her face in a daze and brought a hand up to touch the handle of the pick, "H...how...?" She stammered, stunned by the paleness of her skin and the dried blood upon her cheek. Maria cautiously opened an eye to see a tear brim in her friend's unharmed eye. Maria opened both eyes, dropped down to bench beside her friend and wrapped her arms around the girl, "It is alright." She murmured softly. "How?" Amanda repeated warily, "Why would someone do this to me?" She asked even more disconcerted then before, "What did I ever do to deserve this?" She mumbled. Maria released the girl and looked her in the eye, "You did nothing." She remarked bluntly, "It was those psychotic twins. They are evil and have no place in this world. They keep killing everything beautiful." She snarled with a clenched fist. Amanda gazed at her reflection again, winced at the image, "How can you even look at me?" She turned back to face Maria, "I'm frightful..." She sniffled. Maria let out a soft sigh, "Because we are much alike." She said weakly, she pulled up the sleeve of her gown and pushed her bangs up to show Amanda her scars, "I'm not entirely alive myself." She said with a fragile smile. Amanda stared in awe at the scars, "Do they hurt?" She asked with morbid curiosity. "I do not feel a thing." Maria said with a shrug as she rolled her sleeve back down, "It probably hurt at first but I do not feel anything now." Amanda attentively reached out a hand to touch Maria's cheek, "You don't feel cold." She noted. "Neither do you." Maria stated, "I don't know how this came to be, but I do feel it was more then a coincidence that we stumbled upon each other on this day." "Maybe..." Amanda looked at the mirror again and sighed, "At least you can cover yours up..." She stated, depressed with her situation. "Maybe..." Maria drifted into deep thought. "What?" Amanda faced her friend with excitement and a glimmer of hope, "Anything!" She exclaimed. Maria gave the girl a nervous smile, "Maybe we can try and pull it out. At least that would be better then it sticking out like that." A part of her was queasy about the idea, nevertheless a little queasiness was better then her stomach doing flips when ever she looked at the thing. "Do it!" Amanda nodded in affirmation of the idea, a look of determination drawn across her face. "Alright..." Maria was unsure about this idea, but it was to help her friend, probably the only friend that will fully understand her. Maria swallowed hard and stood to her feet. Setting one foot on the bench as she reached out and took hold of the infernal ice pick. She could feel herself getting ill just holding the thing in her hand. Amanda squeezed her eye tightly closed and gripped the sides of the bench solidly in preparation for the sudden movement that would free her of the ugly device that took her life. Taking a deep breath Maria wrapped her other hand around her first, "Ready?" She asked. "Do it!" Amanda replied. Maria kicked off of the bench, wrenching the pick from the girl's eye and falling to the ground on her back. Maria opened her eyes to find the bloodstained tool still in her hands, "It worked!" She smiled at it then looked up to see her mother standing at the door to her room. "Maria, it is not very ladylike to lay on the floor like that." Clara said displease with her daughter's unrefined manners. "Mother!?!" Maria got to her feet quickly and straightened her gown with the pick still in hand, "I was trying to help my friend." She gestured to Amanda, whom was staring at herself in the mirror, "Mother, this is Amanda. She was going to come to my party until..." she stared at the tool in her hand and let it drop to the ground in loathing. "Yes, I know Lady Dalant from when her father attended one of my lectures." Clara remarked as she stepped around her daughter, knelt down next to Amanda and place a hand upon the girl's cheek forcing Amanda to look at her, "That is quite a wound you have there." She stated bluntly, eyeing the gaping hole where the girl's eye used to be, "Interesting." She stood to her feet, "I might have an spare eye that would suit you nicely." She said with a smile, "It may not be a matching colour but we can't have such a beautiful face marred like this, now can we?" "Really!?!" Amanda exclaimed excitedly, "Oh, thank you!!!" "I will not be able to fix your eye lid but we'll think of something. Will you be staying long?" Clara asked politely, "We do have other guest rooms if you so desire. I would not want to send one of my dear child's friends out into the cold if she had no place to stay." "She can really stay here!!!" Maria jumped with joy and hugged her friend, "Isn't that great." "I don't think her father would take things to well if his daughter suddenly turned up from the grave, would you?" Clara stated with a smile, "So of course she can stay." "Thank you!" Amanda thanked the woman profusely, "You have no idea how good that makes me feel." "By the way, Maria." Clara turned to her daughter; "I have a surprise for you. Come with me." She led the two girls into the lounge. **** Jamie groggily stirred, she felt as if she had been asleep for weeks. She was certain that she must have died and yet she didn't feel any different. She yawned and rubbed at her eyes when she heard the sounds of voices. At first the sounds were muffled and unclear. She opened her eyes to find them to be blind. She was frightened at first, however she quickly discovered that it merely took a few moments till they came into focus. When they did she found herself staring up into the face of Clara Greystoke. Her mind froze up in pure terror at the smile upon the woman's face. "Oh look! He is waking up." Clara exclaimed with a bright grin, "Just in time." She picked Jamie up and turned her around to face Maria. Jamie was overwhelmed to see her lover was still alive. She opened her mouth and yet no words came forth. She could not understand what was wrong with her. It was like she was part of a strange dream. "I would like you to meet, Tegoth." Clara continued, "Your fiancée." She declared. 'Her what?' Jamie again tried to speak but still found her voice was not working. "Mother!!!" Maria sat down on one of the sofas in a huff, "I don't want a fiancée. I told you that already." She looked at Jamie and wrinkled up her nose, "And he is so... weird..." Clara swung Jamie around and set her upon the fireplace mantle in front of a large mirror so she could fix the bow tie she has put around Jamie's neck, "He is so cute and will never cheat on you. It will take a bit before his vocal cord work again, but I'm telling you it will be prefect." Jamie stared at herself in bewilderment. What she saw before her stunned her so much that even her mental voice stalled. Sitting on the mantle staring back at her was a big brown teddy bear covered in random stitches, a small dress shirt over its upper body and black bow tie around its neck. She could see her own blue eyes started out from beneath the furry eyelids. When Jamie blinked the bear blinked. When Jamie moved her arm the bear moved its arms. She tried to scream, yet only a crackling sound emitted. "I think he is trying to communicate." Clara said joyously grabbing the bear and setting it back down on a chair, "I'll leave him here so you two can get acquainted." She quickly crossed the room and stopped at the door, "Remember no funny stuff until after the marriage." She said with a maniacal laugh. The room fell quiet as the two girls stared at the teddy bear unsure what to say. Amanda was the first to open her mouth, "Well, he does looks cute and cuddly." She stated trying to give light to the situation. "I hate this." Maria crossed her arms and glared intensely at the bear, "I don't want to ever get married." "What about the boys at your party?" Amanda inquired wanting to know more about the party she missed. Maria let out a terrible sigh, "That is why mom made that thing. I didn't get along with any of them. They were all rude and dirty. I hated them all." She stated kicking her legs in a small tantrum, "Now she thinks I will marry that thing. Even if it is a teddy it is still a boy." Amanda smiled, "You don't like boys either, hmmm?" She seemed very pleased by this notion. She spotted a silver tea set on the coffee table before them, "You want some tea?" She inquired politely. Maria merely nodded, not taking her eyes off the bear. Amanda knelt in front of the coffee table and took the kettle off its stand above a small candle, which kept it warm, and poured out two cups, "Sugar?" She inquired. "Did your parent try arrange a marriage for you as well?" Maria finally turning to her friend, "Two please and a bit of cream too if you would." Amanda nodded at both statements, "I never really found them very interesting. I think that is why Daddy sent me to your party. To met a boy..." She let out a sigh of despair as she added two spoons of sugar to one cup and three to her own then reached for the creamer. Maria suddenly got to her feet, walked over to the bear and picked it up by one arm, "What am I supposed to do with this?" She asked repulsed by the object. She turned to look at the fireplace and grinned, "Mother can't make me marry him if she can't find him." She stated, her eyes flicking with firelight. Amanda stopped pouring the cream and turned to see what her friend was thinking, "You do not intend to burn him, do you?" She asked slightly aghast with the idea. Maria held the bear at arms length, "Why not? I have no need for a husband and he is creepy." She walked over to the fireplace and held the teddy above the flames, "This will make sure that I never have to see the thing again." "W... WAIT!!!" The teddy called out in a very panicked voice. Maria held the bear between both hands and glared at it, "So you finally spoke. I was wondering what it would take to get you to talk. Where you just going to sit there staring at us like that all day?" She said coldly. "I... I was... trying too." Jamie stammered still having difficulties speaking, "It is... hard to... speak. It... feels weird. What happened... to me... Maria?" She asked bewildered. Maria tiled her head at the bear curiously, "Your voice...?" She inquired cautiously. Jamie's lips quivered in an attempt to smile, "Hi love. It's me, Jamie..." "Jamie!?!" Maria shook her head in disbelief, "No.... you can't be..." "I thought you said you didn't like boys?" Amanda asked slightly confused by the situation. Maria nodded, "I don't..." She admitted, "Jamie is the girl I love, a girl who's face made my heart flutter and touch made me want to cry out." She walked around the couch and flopped down upon it with the bear upon her lap facing her, "H... how do I know you are my Jamie?" Maria nervously inquired, "Tell me something that only Jamie and I would know." Jamie bit her lip in thought then looked Maria in the eye, "Something personal, my lady?" Her eyes shifted to Amanda and back to Maria, "Are you sure? What about her, my lady?" Jamie nodded towards Amanda. Maria nodded, "I need to know you are really Jamie. Don't worry about her. There is nothing you can say that I would be embarrassed about." Jamie again thought then smiled, "We first made love under the cherry tree near the lake and last night, during our bath, you showed me an interesting trick you can do with your ton-." Maria clapped her hand over Jamie's mouth. "That is enough." Maria said with a nervous laugh. Her face was bright crimson, "You didn't need to bring that up." She blurted. "Sorry, my lady," Jamie apologized guiltily, "It was the only thing I could think of to prove I am who I am." She admitted sheepishly. "Your mind was always on that..." Maria was startled by what she was saying. She looked the stuffed animal over, and then she noticed that the teddies eyes were indeed those of her lover, "How can this be?" Tears filled her eyes. "I could ask you the same." Jamie remarked, "I heard you were dead, my lady." Maria gave a timid smile and pushed her bangs back to show Jamie her wounds, "I was..." She stated then let her bangs drop back in place again, "Mother brought me back and it would seem she turned you into this... thing..." She could not find words to described how she felt, "Did mother... find out... and k...kill you...?" She asked anxiously, not sure if she wanted to hear the answer. "No..." Jamie replied, "I fell out a window and was run over by a carriage." she admitted regretfully. "I was trying to bring you back to life with a spell and it... well... went wrong somehow..." She thought to herself for a moment, "Now I think I understand why. You were never truly dead to be brought back." Maria suddenly hugged Jamie tightly, "Still I am so glad that you are here." She sobbed happily, "I was afraid I'd never speak to you again. Afraid you may not want anything to do with me now that I am..." "I would never leave you, my lady." Jamie closed her eyes and tried to keep herself from crying, "I never thought I'd lay my eyes on you again." She said dismally, a tear welled up in her eyes. She breathed in Maria's hair and enjoyed the scent, and then blinked, "Hey, I can smell!" She suddenly became aware that she could feel Maria's embrace and felt her tongue in her mouth. She pulled out of Maria's embrace and stared into the girl's eyes, "How can this be? Am I alive or not?" She inquired troubled by the situation. "It is the same with all of us." Amanda explained, finally feeling she was not intruding upon an intimate moment, "I never thought that I would be hungry or thirsty or be able to touch things after I died." She touched her wounded eye, "Other then there being no pain in my eye I feel like I normally did." She explained. Jamie shakily turned in Maria's lap, she was still having troubles working her new body, "I'm sorry. Who are you?" She inquired with extreme interest in how such a beautiful girl was connection to her lover. "Oh, Jamie, this is Amanda Dalant." Maria introduced her new friend, "She is a noble from Far East that came to be at my sixteenth birthday party, however she had a slight accident along the way here." Maria explained politely. "Amanda, this is Jamie... my lover..." She explained with a blush hugging Jamie again. "So you are dead as well, Lady Dalant?" Jamie inquired with a mix of confusion and jealousy that this girl lived so intact while she was stuck in some kind of teddy bear's body. "We all are it would seem." Amanda remarked slightly amused by the events that had transpired, "You can just call me Amanda. It is turning out to be quick an unusual day, I should say." She lifted her cup to her mouth and took a small sip. Jamie licked her lips at the sight of the tea, "Could I have some, Lady Amanda?" She asked thirstily, "My throat feels so dry." She explained rubbing her neck with a paw. "Can a teddy bear drink tea?" Amanda inquired curiously looking at Jamie. Maria shrugged, "Knowing my mother. More then likely." She remarked slightly disconcerted by the idea, "You can try mine if you like." She picked up her cup and brought it closer to Jamie. Jamie took the cup in both paws and pulled it closer, with Maria helping to keep the cup steady, "Thanks you, my lady." Jamie said before bringing the hot drink to her furry lips and taking a long swallow of the warm liquid. She could feel the tea wash through her mouth and down her throat into her stomach. It felt a little unusual but other then that it was all right. "How was it?" Maria asked increasing concern in her lover's new form. "Needs more sugar." Jamie stated licking her lips and smiling, "I think I have fangs too." She stated running her tongue along her teeth, "What did she make me out of? I thought I was just a stuffed bear or something." "I don't know." Maria stated running her fingers through Jamie's fur, "Your fur feels real to me and you are warm. Almost as if you are made of a living thing." Amanda pet Jamie's head as well, "Wow, it is very soft." She exclaimed excitedly, "Like some kind of animal." She expressed. Jamie closed her eyes and enjoyed the two girl's petting her head, "That actually feels good." She admitted then felt herself blush and she shook her head. At that moment there was a knock at the door and it opened slightly, "Lady Maria?" Anita entered pushing a tray filled with food, "I'm sorry to intrude, however Lady Clara told me to bring up a snack for Lord Tegoth and Lady Dalant?" She announced slightly perplexed by the order. "Great!" Jamie exclaimed rubbing her paws together, "I'm starving." Anita stopped in the middle of the room and looked at Jamie, "My Lady? Did that teddy bear just talk?" She inquired clearly mystified by the creature that sat upon her mistress's lap. "Yes... it did." Maria replied nervously, "Anita, I'd like you to meet Jamie or Tegoth as mother calls her, and Amanda Dalant." She uneasily introduced her friends to her maid, "This is my personal maid, Anita." She explained to her friend. "Greetings." Jamie waved a small paw to the maid. "Pleaser." Amanda nodded to the maid. Anita glanced from the bear too Amanda and back to her mistress, "Pleaser to meet you Lord Tegoth, Lady Amanda." She said with a twitchy smile as she set took the tray off the down trolley and placed it upon the coffee table. "Please do not call me Tegoth." Jamie stated in disgust of the name, "That woman could have asked my name before giving me such a ridiculous name." She remarked then muttered under her breath so only Maria could hear, "How come she thinks I'm a boy to begin with?" "Sorry about mother sweetie." Maria apologized, "She can be a tad eccentric at times. Jamie carefully took cookie between her paws and clumsily dunked it in the tea that Maria was still holding, "She is a little more then eccentric if you ask me, my lady." She stated bluntly then took a bit of cookie and smiled at the sweet taste, glad that her taste buds still worked. Anita blinked at the sight and covered her mouth in shock, "My lord..." She whispered. "What is wrong, Anita?" Maria watched as the maid stumbled backwards, "I know she looks kind of odd at first but you get used to it after a bit." "I'm... sorry, my lady." Anita sunk into a chair and took a deep breath, "It is just... I think that... that... used to be my... dog..." She swallowed hard as she started to notice the resemblance. Maria and Amanda glanced from Anita to Jamie, who stopped eating and dropped her cookie, "You don't think mother...?" Maria could not bring herself to finishing the sentence. **** To be continued...
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