Chapter 1
While there was once laughter in the halls of Rosewell manor now there was nothing but emptiness and fears.
Echoes of a past taken and thrown from reality like a scene from a old horror flick. The beauty of it belying the agonizing truths that were buried under gravestones.
The building was darker and older than any other in the town of Sand Hill, Tennessee. It’s stone walkways and enclosed garden was stopping anyone human from imagining a happy family ever living there.
Sand Hill was small and mostly empty but for a few stores and a city hall in the middle of town. It's history all most forgotten along with the town.
Then there was Rosewell far beyond the town on the edge of the field where slaves had once harvested cotton stood that house...our house.
The wind not touching her as time seemed to leave her alone but here I the last remaining survive of the Rosewell line will tell you the haunting tale of Rosewell and why Sand Hill will never be whole again.
1863
The sun was rising as Loraine Rosewell studied the fields where many slaves worked. Her father said the war wouldn't change anything but that was a lie.
If there was not a change soon they would start to feel the pain of this more heavily than they already were. The number of runner's was few after Father had gotten the hounds after a man.
Her father Micheal Charles Rosewell the third was a proud and harsh man but never raised his voice once.
"Lori are you up already, dear?" Josie, their maid said softly and brought her tea. "Sugar?"
"Yes, please...where is Madeline?" Loraine inquired about her sister.
"The young miss is still asleep but I will wake her if you like."
"Yes, do that." Loraine sipped her tea thinking this was going to be a hard year since the passing of their mother Debra. "mother who will cool Father's temper now?"
"Why you of course!"
A voice from her left startled her and she sloshed tea onto her finger, hissing at the pain.
My! what clumsy person I am! She turned to see Jackson Pose from the livery leading her father's mules.
"I'm sorry Miss Rosewell...You father's Mule's got loose again last night." He looked a bit red and Loraine chuckled.
"No worries...Josie!"
"Yes ma'am?" The small woman appeared in the doorway.
"Mister Pose will wish to speak with father and call a boy to put the mules away."
"Yes ma'am." She scurried away and Loraine stood waving toward a chair. "I must fetch my sister, it seems she's planing on sleeping all day."
"Thank you miss."
She then entered the house scanning the living room to see Kathy the servant for Madeline picking up clutter.
"i assume my sister is being stubborn?"
"Yes miss...she kicked miss Josie and I out of her room."
"I;ll get her myself then...the childish, girl." Her mind drifted toward her sisters golden locks as she scaled the oaken grand stairs to the second floor and continued toward her sister's room.
Suddenly as if a window was opened a cold almost winter-like air touched Loraine's skin, surrounding her, and she stopped mid-step unable to move.
I-I don't understand...It is summer...but i'm freezing why am I so cold? What is happening? I feel something behind me...
Fear like a vice gripped her heart and she blinked back tears until it, as quick as it came, was gone.
The terror was resonating through her body as she tried to move and slowly was able to walk toward Madeline's room. Still not looking behind her the whole way.
She entered her sisters room, not having the mind to knock in her fear addled brain.
"I said to...Loraine?" Madeline looked at her sister with wide faded blue eyes clambering from her large bed. "Your pale as snow, what happened?"
"I...I do not really know but I think I should rest a moment...why have you been in bed all morning?"
"I woke feeling ill but didn't want to worry you." Madeline looked at her pale skin as Loraine sighed. "I know you have been trying to look after everyone so."
"That includes you silly. I'll ask Kathy to bring you something to calm your head." she smiled at her sister nodded looking at the darkened room seeing things thrown about.
"I had a odd dream last night..." Madeline started to explain. "I was...walking through the halls of the house and I could see everyone asleep but when I came back to my room...I was standing up and walking away from the bed, tipping things over as I did...towards the window ledge...I woke up to the room like this."
Loraine shivered internally thinking that if hearing about it was frightening the dreaming it must have been terrible.
"Then I will tidy it up then." She pulled the covers over Madeline and smiled picking up the clutter. "Madeline, where is your necklace?"
"I sat it on the nightstand last night before I put the candle out." she said as she looked around the bed and under the covers. "It isn't in here."
Loraine nodded looking inside the jewelry box seeing only a picture of them as children and a few trinkets as you would find in a thirteen year old's things.
After tidying up the room she still could not find the necklace and that troubled her. Where could the girl have left it at? On a whim she walked to the window and fiddled with the curtain.
Nothing...It did not seem as though someone have slipped in...but that dream was traumatizing so maybe she forgot and put it somewhere else.
"Madeline i will be right back, dear." Madeline nodded, nod reading a book on the bed. "Light a candle that's bad for your eyes."
"Okay."
Then she hurried toward the flower garden where she remembered seeing Madeline yesterday studying with her friends.
As she looked around a glint caught her attention from the window and she gasped as she walked closer then covered her mouth.
There hanging from the window was a silver chain.
Madeline's necklace.
And right below it lay Madeline.
