A Night in Thorn Manor

"Violet! Thank God you're back . . . and you bought a guest." Grandma Rose greeted them. She was wrapped up in a fluffy pink cotton robe and ushered the two hunters inside. Her long grey and red braid slid off her shoulder as she cloused the ornate wooden door behind them. Her faded green eyes smile approvingly at the young man partly wet from the storm.

"We saved two girls tonight." Violet reported. Rose beamed with pride and gave her granddaughter a gentle hug. "Grandma, this is the Drifter, Aiden Doyle, soon to be a permanent member of our Guild if Uncle Chase has his way. Aiden, this is my grandma Rose Thorn."

"Aiden, Chase and Violet have told me so much about you. You know, you're probably the first Drifter we've had since January of last year to make it more than two weeks." Rose chirped. Her eyes shifted to her granddaughter. "Violet, can you please get the guest room ready for Aiden?"

"It's okay. I can get back . . ." Started Aiden before a clash of thunder interrupted him. His hand that hand been on the door knob slumped to his side.

"Let me see if I can find you some PJ'S." Rose laughed. Violet went up the old oak staircase as the rain continued pound on the roof. Rose ushered Aiden into the library where Elizabeth sat on a deep stained daybed in her makeshift bedroom. The walls were a deep forest green and the wooden floors were accented with floral rugs. The girl looked up from her book and adjusted her glasses. "Elizabeth, do you mind keeping Aiden company for afew minutes?"

"So, this is Aiden?" Answered Elizabeth. She readjusted the top of her nightgown. The leafy green top seemed more cut for chill of winter than the heat of summer. A quilt with squares of various floral patterns covered her from the waist down. She extended her hand and added, "Elizabeth, not Liz, not Betty, and definitely not Lizzy."

"Violet told me you're in charge of the Guild's Archive." Aiden shook her hand. Her hands were soft, but her grip was firm. "I wasn't expecting you to be . . ."

"A temporarily disabled college student? That's good; I would've been freaked out if you were." It was then Aiden saw the wheelchair parked at an old fashioned chestnut desk. Vaguely he remembered about a month ago Violet getting a phone call and brusting out of the Calderon in a panic. Aiden thought it best to keep conversation away from that day. " You weren't listed as having any psychic powers on your file."

"Information is still the name of the game?" Aiden tried to change the subject. Elizabeth nodded. He glanced over at the chesstnut bookcases on the adjacent wall. "Any good reads here?"

"Depends on what you're looking for. Fiction or non-fiction? Historical or sci fi? Realistic or fantasy? Horror or romance?" Replied Elizabeth. She knew the entire library by heart.

"Any classics?"

"Second bookcase from the door. Help yourself." Elizabeth smiled. "I would suggest the complete works of Hans Christian Anderson if you want something light before bed."

Aiden picked up the book off the shelf. "Thanks. Any chance you know when the library will reopen?"

"After the Mayor gets the roof fixed and given her current track record, it'll be right before the next election. " Sighed Elizabeth. "However, the Archive does have a door to the library. Let me know if you want in."

"Thanks, Elizabeth." Aiden sat down on the wooden bench. He began flipping thru afew pages.

Meanwhile upstairs Violet double checked the simple beige room. The room was dust free and well lite. The bedding had been changed two days ago to an Americana pattern and red sheets. Even the attached bath had fresh towels-- though with the storm raging outside, Aiden probably wouldn't use the bath or shower that night. Violet placed an extra quilt at the foot of the bed when Rose came in.

"Remind me to reorganize the attic." The elderly woman said. She placed a set of blue linen men's pajamas on the dresser as Violet checked the toilet paper.

"We were supposed to do that when Elizabeth came home for summer break." Countered Violet. She was satisfied with the room, aside from the curtains clashing with the bed spread; something to be fixed tomorrow. "We probably would've had it done if I had been the one pick her up that day. I could've stopped her or protected her."

"Maybe, but life happens and we're lucky Elizabeth will recover. " Grandma Rose Comforted. She placed her hand on Violet's shoulder. "Should've, would've, could've, . . . They don't change the past. Right now, she needs us and you're here for her now,Violet. Well, I'm going to turn in . . . Do I go with the witch form or Werewolf? or maybe I'll try the good fairy?"

"Grandma!" Violet scolded.

"Just trying to lighten the mood, Sweetie. I'll make you a deal. If you go downstairs, make Elizabeth go to be bed, and escort Aiden to his room and I'll go to bed without making any Grandma jokes in front of your boyfriend." Rose pulled a stray lock of hair from Violet's face. The young woman's eyes burned with a blue inferno.

"Aiden's NOT my boyfriend!" Violet blushed with anger.

"I never said he was, but you do like him." Rose smiled knowingly as she walked down the corridor to her own room. "He's definitely an improvement over your last one. Night, sweetheart."

"Night." Violet sighed. She wondered if Rose had psychic powers or she had just spent so much time around her the old woman could just read her like a book. Thinking of books, Violet walked down to the library.

Both Aiden and Elizabeth were reading. Violet smiled and gently touched Aiden's shoulder. "Aiden, the guest room is all ready for you. Follow me. Sis, the armies of Mordor can wait until tomorrow."

"Okay, Vi." Elizabeth set her book aside. She stretched out on the tiny bed and put her glasses in a brown leather case on the makeshift nightstand. "Night, you two."

"Sweet dreams." Violet replied. She gently pulled Aiden by the hand out of the room and turned the lights off behind them.

"Night, Miss Elizabeth." Aiden bowed. He tucked the book under his arm. Violet turned the lights out. The winds outside were whistling and the rain hadn't let up by the sounds of the pounding on the manor's windows. Lightning lit one up a brief second. "Is she going to be alright down here alone?"

"She should. She slept thru a tornado once." Violet reassured him. She lead him up the staircase and to his quarters for the night. "It's just a broken leg. The doctor says she'll be back on her feet in a couple of months. Anyway, here is your room. It's not much, but it does have a private bath. I'm just a couple rooms over if you need anything." She pointed to a door with a burlap wreath decorated in purple and yellow flowers.

"You're doing way too much for me." Aiden said. He opened the door. The room was bigger than his bedroom at the apartment. It felt like he was checking in at a bed and breakfast.

"Nonsense. Besides, this is one of the smaller rooms." Violet answered. Aiden's eyes widened at the word 'smaller.' It probably was possible that they could house the entire guild in here."Try to get some rest and I'll take you back to your apartment tomorrow."

"Alright. I'm exhausted anyway." He yawned. "Night, Violet."

"Sweet dreams, Aiden." Violet smiled as she walked over to her room. Aiden watched her until she closed the door behind her; he was able to see that her bedspread was purple and the canopy matched. Somehow, that didn't surprise him. Aiden cloused the door to his own room. He placed the book on the nightstand and heard the lock begin to turn.

Aiden dashed to the door and sure enough it had been locked from the outside. He jiggled the knob, but it refused to budge. The solid wooden door was as cold as ice. He dashed to the window and it too was stuck. Aiden looked down. Even if he could break the bullet proof glass, he couldn't have made it to ground uninjured, especially not in the storm. A bolt of lightning striking the iron gate ended all thoughts of escaping thru the window.

He was tempted to call out to Violet or her grandmother or even dial Violet's cellphone. He pulled his own phone out of his pocket; no bars and the battery was almost dead strangly. He looked behind the nightstand and plugged in his charger.

Aiden called out to Violet, but the storm outside drowned out his voice. He searched thru the drawers. All he could find was a Catholic Bible and an extra blanket. Nothing that could help him.

There was no point in worrying about getting out of the room until morning. He was stuck there for the night. He had a bathroom and was still full from earlier. Nothing left to do, but read and sleep. He changed into the pajamas and folded his own clothes neatly on the dresser. He curled up in bed and began to read until sleep claimed him as the storm continued to rage in the sky outside the window. The light turned off and the book floated to the nightstand. The extra blanket unfolded and covered him.