Raven (2011)

The winter storm blew through the house. The chill was so extreme that frost covered every surface. Rachel found it difficult to sleep. She had lit candles before the sun down and was down to just one which she huddled close to. Her blanket was paper thin and. she kept her hair down around her face. She did everything she could possibly do to stay warm except burn the house down. If the temperature dropped anymore she was considering it.

There were other people in the house to think about. Her future in-laws who were kind enough to let her live there, her future brother-in-law, and of course her fiance whom she had been engaged to for three years all lived in this house.

Benjamin, her fiance, had gotten really sick the week after their engagement. The local doctor had warned her that he would never recover but she hoped that he would. Rachel couldn’t bear any more death. Her family was murdered around the time she had gotten engaged and she wondered every day if she was the cause for all the death. Could she be slowly killing Benjamin?

A shriek shrilled through the frozen house. Rachel awoke from her light sleep she had managed to fall into and rushed to the attic – Benjamin’s room. As she ran, bare foot against the ice covered floor, a woman screamed her name. "RACHEL!"

Rachel ran into the room where she found Lydia, her future mother-in-law, hovering over Benjamin. He was passed out on the floor in a pool of his own blood. Lydia turned to her. "You!" Her eyes flared. "You were supposed to keep an eye on him. You killed my son!"

Lydia’s hands were clutching Rachel’s neck by the time Lydia’s husband and Charlie – the other son – ran into the room. "Lydia!" Eric shouted and dragged Lydia down the stairs. "Charlie fetch the doctor!"

Charlie, who had rushed to move his brother to the bed, looked over to where Rachel had fallen to the floor. She was coughing, wheezing, and holding her throat. "Are you alright?" he walked over to her.

She motioned to the door and in an oxygen deprived voice said, "Go find the doctor." He hesitated for minute but then ran down stairs. She begged her lungs to work as she listened to the front door slam and the horses neigh. Good, Charlie took Brownie. Brownie was the fastest horse this family owned. Charlie and the doctor would be back quickly.

Somehow she found the strength to stand and made her way to Benjamin. She put her head against his chest trying to find a heartbeat. It was barely there. Rachel grabbed the rag that had been put on the bedside table and began to wash away the blood. "Don’t die." She told him. "Please."

Eric returned and came by her side. "Did Charlie leave?" She shook her head yes, talking hurt too much. "What happened?"

Rachel tried to hold the tears back. "I checked on him." She swallowed hard and took a breath. "But I guess I fell asleep. Lydia found him. She got mad. Then she-"

"Okay." He said in a hushed voice. Eric pulled her into his arms. "Don’t worry about Benjamin. The doctor will take care of him."

She pulled away to wipe the tears from her eyes. She knew Eric would never intentionally hurt her. He was nice. Rachel never understood how a man so gentle could marry a woman so… Lydia.

Right then the doctor walked in followed by Charlie. "Charlie said he fell?" the doctor asked while taking his pulse.

Eric looked at Rachel, it wasn’t good for her to be there. "Charlie, take Rachel downstairs."

"I want to stay." Rachel squeaked.

The man closed his eyes. She could see water building in the corner. "Charlie."

"Let’s go downstairs Rachel." Charlie spoke softly. He took her by the arm and led her downstairs.

As they left they could hear the beginnings of the conversation. "How is he Lewis?" Eric asked. She couldn’t see his face but she could only imagine the devastation on his face, "Not good."

Downstairs Rachel tried to busy herself with chores. The sun would hopefully rising soon anyway. She grabbed a rag and began to furiously wipe down the table. Charlie watched her in silence until she broke down in tears.

"I think you missed a spot."

"It’s all my fault." She replied.

"Now don’t get started on the ‘you bring death to all you love’ theory because it is nonsense."

."But it’s true. Ouch!" Rachel held her hand tight. "Splinters."

"Here."

"No, don’t!"

Charlie ripped his shirt and threw the scrap on her hand. She sighed. "You shouldn’t have done that to your favorite shirt. Hannah isn’t the best seamstress, it will never be mended."

"It’s Ben’s shirt."

Silence fell. Rachel pulled her nightdress closer to her neck. She felt uneasy and why shouldn’t she? After all she was in her undergarments, sitting in the kitchen with her brother-in-law, waiting for news on her fiancé’s health. It all seemed uneasy.

"Does it hurt?" He asked.

She avoided eye contact. "Does what hurt?"

"Your neck."

"I don’t know what you’re talking about." Rachel got up and moved about the room.

Charlie watched her as she avoided him. "I was there, I saw what she did."

"It was nothing. It’s nothing."

He walked over and brushed his hand against her neck. She winced. Charlie’s blood boiled. "She should be locked up."

"Don’t talk about your mother that way!"

"Why not? She’s crazy. Can’t she see that you do everything possible to tend to Ben? Doesn’t she know that you slave every day to please her?"

"Of course she does. She hands out the slave work." Rachel’s hand flew over her mouth. "I shouldn’t have said that."

"You’re right though." Charlie got quiet for a minute. "I don’t understand. Why do you put up with her?"

"Because I love him."

"He will never get better. He’s never going to be able to provide for you. He’s never going to love you the way a man should. Why stay?"

"Because I love him. I will provide for him. I’ll take care of him. I will love him, for better or for worse."

"You two haven’t even exchanged vows yet! And yet you are determined to stay here forever taking on the abuse for a man who will may or may not live to see tomorrow."

"Wouldn’t you do the same for Hannah?" Rachel asked.

Charlie sat down and put his head in his hands. "I don’t think so."

She stood speechless. Charlie and Hannah seemed so perfect, so in love, it was sickening. "But Charlie, you’re getting married in a few months."

"I know."

"Then call it off. If you don’t love her, don’t leave her at the alter."

Charlie looked up at her. Their eyes met. "I’ll leave Hannah the minute you leave this town."

Rachel’s gaze found its way to the floor. This subject was no longer open for discussion. She sat down across from him but they didn’t speak again for a long time.

Finally Doctor Lewis walked down the stairs, his sleeves rolled up and hat in hand. Rachel and Charlie both stood up to meet him. He motioned for them both to sit and they did. Charlie was brave enough to speak. "How is he?"

"Stable." He didn’t seem pleased about that. "He lost a lot of blood."

Rachel dared to speak next. "Is he awake?"

The doctor sighed. "No, I gave him some herbs that will keep him asleep for a while."

She moved to walk up the stairs but Charlie blocked her. "Doctor you have one more patient."

"Charlie." She warned.

"Rachel’s neck is injured. I was wondering if you could look at it."

"I don’t see why not. I’ll be here for a few more hours anyway." Doctor Lewis walked Rachel into her room. She managed to shoot Charlie a nasty look before disappearing into the room.

Doctor Lewis went to work at checking her over. He checked her neck, her lungs, and her voice. He didn’t ask questions, he had learned better. Any questions he asked about her ‘condition’ were never answered. Rachel was sure that he knew the truth and she was thankful that he kept it quiet.

"Everyone in this house looks exhausted." He began.

Rachel winced flinched as he put pressure on her neck. "Yes." She replied. "We are all busy preparing for the wedding."

Doctor Lewis spun around and grabbed some kind of gel. "This is going to be cold." He warned her before slathering some on her neck.

"It cannot be any colder than it was this morning."

He quickly observed the room and then her clothing. Thin walls, a single candle, a rag for a blanket, and she was barefoot. "I can imagine. Is the bride-to-be frantic?"

"Not as much as we are. Hannah cannot make up her mind about anything. She wanted venison for the wedding feast but now she’s wants pheasant. She requested that all of her wedding party wear wolves’ fur but now she says rabbit." Rachel sighed. "I don’t know what she’ll change today."

"Sounds like my wife when we were married. She made all of these last minute decisions, she even postponed the date three times so that her favorite berries would be in season." Doctor Lewis chuckled. "We did eventually get married and that day was the best day of my life next to the birth of my daughter."

Rachel couldn’t help but smile. "Mary is such a wonderful woman. You are a very lucky man Dr. Lewis."

"That is what she tells me every day." Dr. Lewis handed her the jar. "Now, your neck is very sore and it’s hard for you to breath. But you don’t need me to tell you that. The stuff in this jar will help. Put some on when you can’t take any more pain."

"Thank you." She put the jar on her nightstand.

"You’re welcome. Why don’t you get dressed then you and I can go check on Benjamin?"

Rachel couldn’t push Dr. Lewis out of the room fast enough. She was never allowed Benjamin’s room when the doctor was there. She didn’t know if they all thought she was in the way or if she would become depressed. Either way the doctor himself told her she could go up. There was no way Rachel was giving up this opportunity.

It took a few more minutes to get dressed than she wanted, it is very difficult to lace up a corset in the cold. When she stepped into the kitchen she was greeted by stares. Everyone was gathered there, including Lydia.

"Are you ready Rachel?" Doctor Lewis asked. Rachel nodded in return and began to walk towards the stairs.

Lydia watched them. "Ready for what?"

"I need an assistant by my side while I check on Benjamin."

"She needs to feed the horses. Charlie will go with you doctor."

Rachel paused accepted the fact that she would have to wait for nightfall to see him again. Doctor Lewis; however, could not accept this. He held her back. "I’m afraid this will require the gentle touch of a woman, Lydia. Charlie is anything but gentle."

"Then I will help you." Lydia stood up. Doctor Lewis looked down at Rachel not knowing how to get her out of this one and as if to say that he was sorry.

Eric knew what the doctor was trying to do. "Lyida, why don’t you let Rachel go check on Ben. Hannah will be here in soon."

At the mention of Hannah’s name Lydia snapped out of the glare she had focused on Rachel. "Oh, you’re right."

Before she could change her mind, Doctor Lewis and Rachel snuck upstairs and into Benjamin’s room. "Thank you."

"You need to thank Eric. I couldn’t have gotten you up here." Doctor Lewis explained.

She turned her attention to Ben who was fast asleep on the bed. "What do I need to do?"