That night, sleep was distant.
Elizabeth huddled on the edge of her mattress, her eyes fixed on nothing, lost in the dark. Her hand rested gently on her stomach. Inside her, a tiny life was about to die.
Sir Tansi, she knew too well, was a man who hated mistakes. He was cold, heartless, and his anger was a silent threat. Martha had been no help, only hinting that the poison in the juice she had been forced to drink was for the baby. Death was coming and she was sure, but she would not let it claim her in this cruel house.
"Soon, the baby and I will be gone," she whispered into the quiet room, her mind a whirlwind of terror and despair.
Suddenly, a fierce resolve sparked within her. She clenched her hand tight. "No," she murmured, her voice barely a whisper, "I won't end like this."
Her eyes flickered to the clock: 03:19. Outside, the moon shone bright, pouring silver light through her open window, painting the room in shades of grey. It was a sign.
She slid from the bed, her bare feet touching the cold floor. Her mind raced, planning her next move. Her gaze fell upon a thick, braided rope lying in a forgotten corner. She picked it up, her fingers tracing its rough length. It was long, but not long enough for what she had in mind. Her eyes scanned the room, searching for something more, and then they landed on the heavy, velvet curtains hanging above the door frame. They were thick and strong.
Quietly, she dragged a chair to the door and climbed onto it. From a strap on her thigh, she pulled out a tiny sharp knife. With careful, precise movements, she began to cut the thick knot that held the curtain to the wall. It was a slow, nerve-wracking task, the fabric resisting, but she persisted until the first curtain came free. She did the same on the other side of the door, then moved the chair to the open window, her heart pounding with a mix of fear and determination.
Just as she was about to climb onto the windowsill, ready to cut the last set of curtains, she heard voices from downstairs. Low, rumbling tones, followed by the distinct sound of heavy footsteps. She ducked down quickly, hiding behind the thick drapes, her breath held tight. She raised her head slowly, just enough for her eyes to peek through the window.
In the clear moonlight, she saw Sir Tansi walking towards the main gate. Two burly men walked beside him, their shadows long and distorted. A sleek black car waited outside the gate, its engine humming softly. The gateman locked the heavy iron gates after they passed through.
Elizabeth strained her eyes, trying to see who was driving the car, but it was too far out, hidden by the gate.
"Where are they going?" she wondered, a flicker of curiosity in her desperate mind.
She pushed the question away. There was no time. Quickly, she finished cutting down the remaining curtains. With trembling hands, she began to tie them together, knot after knot, making a very long, sturdy rope. She pulled each knot tight, testing its strength, imagining the weight it would soon bear.
'Where to tie it? The window frame looked old, perhaps not strong enough.' But it had to be. She chose the thickest, most solid part of the frame, wrapping the makeshift rope around it multiple times, tugging hard to ensure it wouldn't give way under pressure.
"Whoa," she breathed out, a mix of fear and awe at her own daring. But the rush of adrenaline, sharp and potent, helped to calm her racing heart.
She glanced down at her simple gown, wishing for a change of clothes, something more durable. Then, she heard it again: footsteps on the grand staircase, coming closer.
'Who would be awake and moving around this huge mansion at three in the morning?!'
There was no time for a change. Pushing aside the thought, she swung her legs over the window frame, trapping them on the narrow ledge. A quick, silent prayer for forgiveness, just in case she fell and died, escaped her lips. Then, gripping the curtain rope with all her strength, she began to climb down the tall building, one story at a time.
Halfway down, a small, terrifying sound reached her ears – a twig snapping, a faint creak from the curtains above. Her heart had never beaten so fast, so loud. She felt as if the entire mansion could hear its frantic rhythm.
She froze, clinging to the rope, her eyes darting around in the darkness. No one. She was alone. Taking a deep, shaky breath, she continued her slow, dangerous descent.
Just as she had feared, the rope was not long enough. It ended abruptly, leaving her dangling several feet above the ground. And the ground below was not soft earth or grass, but hard, cold concrete.
Her heart hammered even faster. Climbing down from a window was one thing; jumping an entire story onto concrete was a terrifying, desperate act.
But it was too late to turn back.
She gritted her teeth, her grip on the rope tightening, then peeling away. She fell.
A forgotten skill from her childhood, climbing trees with reckless abandon, suddenly came to her aid. She landed on her feet, a jarring impact, then tumbled forward, hitting the ground. The sound was surprisingly soft, muffled by the darkness and the vastness of the compound.
For a moment, she couldn't feel her legs. The pain was a deafening roar in her ears. She bit her lip hard, tasting blood, to keep from screaming. Her breathing was ragged, harsh. After a long minute of gathering herself, she pushed up, her legs trembling, and stumbled towards the high fence that marked the edge of the property. Jumping over it was far harder than she had imagined. The sharp wire tore at her skin, leaving several painful bruises.
The moment she cleared the fence, she ran. There were no houses close to the mansion, but it wasn't completely isolated. She just needed to reach the end of the long driveway, the edge of the vast acres, to find a road, a vehicle, a way home.
If she could get home in time, she might still be able to fight the poison that was slowly killing her.
As she ran, her legs ached, each step a fresh wave of pain. The bruises bled, but nothing could stop her now. Her life depended on it.
While Elizabeth ran for her life, far off in the distance, a black car sat hidden among thick bushes.
Three dark figures, dressed in black, stood beside a fourth in a police uniform. They were all staring down at a lifeless body.
"This can't be a Nightshade's work," Officer Aaron said, kneeling closer. His hands were covered in gloves, carefully inspecting the scene.
The body was gruesome. Half-skeleton from the face to the chest, the rest still flesh. It looked like a chubby man, about 5'5", dressed in office clothes.
Officer Aaron checked the man's pockets. "No ID on him," he muttered, then stopped as his fingers found something. He pulled it out. "No phone either, just cigarettes." He stood up, opened the pack, and put a cigarette to his lips. He turned to Sir Tansi, who looked deeply tired, clearly wishing he were anywhere else. "Got a match?"
Sir Tansi pulled a lighter from his pocket and handed it over.
Aaron took it, lit his cigarette, and took a long drag, puffing smoke into the cool night air. "Want one?" He offered the pack to Tansi, who shook his head slightly. Aaron chuckled. "You never take anything from me."
"Anybody," Tansi corrected, a hint of dry humor in his voice, making Aaron laugh out loud.
"My bad, Anybody," Aaron said, taking a few more drags. Tansi, meanwhile, walked closer to the body.
Sir Tansi was dressed in a long, brown coat that reached his calves, polished brown shoes, and black trousers with a matching sleeve shirt. His wavy, short black hair was neatly combed back.
He bent low, running a finger across the dried skull, then brought his finger to his nose. "Lilac," he stated.
Aaron paused mid-puff, looking at Tansi. "Lilac?"
Tansi nodded. His hand touched the skeleton's lips. "Lips are still warm. Lilac means it's a woman. The same scent as Lady Hira."
Aaron walked closer. "Just because Nightshades are mostly women doesn't mean this was one. Lady Hira wouldn't have a soul in her body since it's been a day, and this looks fresh." He said as Tansi stood up. "We've been on this case for two months, and we've never seen a death like this." A deep frown line appeared on his forehead.
"Don't forget to wipe away any fingerprints before you tell your team," Tansi said to Aaron, who sighed in response.
"That's why you wear gloves," Aaron replied, pulling a sealed wipe from his pocket. He tore open the plastic, took out the wipe, and carefully cleaned the skull and lips. He then put the used wipe back into the plastic and tucked it into his pocket. "What if it's a new disease? We've tracked all the Nightshades and killed them all, except one. And her soul is missing."
This caught Tansi's attention. "Soul missing?"
"She turned herself in, clearly not in her right mind. When she realized what she'd done, she put herself to sleep. Her soul hasn't returned yet, but we've kept her body safely locked at the station, under a fire tank. Just in case she comes back, we won't make any mistakes again."
Even in the dim moonlight, Tansi's eyes held a flicker of amusement.
"How long has it been?"
"About two days."
"What if the soul is dead?"
"The body above the fire tank would rot instantly if the soul were dead," Aaron explained.
Sir Tansi's men stood by the car, silent and stiff, their faces showing no emotion.
"A new disease outbreak would mean a lot of work for you," Tansi mused, a hint of a smile playing on his lips.
Aaron caught the slight arrogance in Tansi's tone. "It's not a new disease, I just know it. A different pattern, yes, but it's very similar to other Nightshade deaths."
Tansi sighed, a sound of weariness. "I'll never understand how your mind works."
Aaron's frown deepened as he looked at the body again. He took a small pin from his pocket and flipped it open into a tiny knife. He moved closer to the dead man and tugged at the bottom of his trousers. "We're missing something," he mumbled, still holding the fabric.
"Tampering with evidence could put you on the suspect list," Tansi warned, knowing what Aaron was about to do.
"I'm in charge of this case, my private investigation matters." Aaron carefully brought the knife to the edge of the left trouser bottom, being careful not to cut the skin beneath. After making a small rip, he used his fingers to tear it further, revealing a band wrapped around the man's calf.
"I knew it!" Aaron exclaimed, glancing at Tansi to see if he was watching. He studied the band closely. "This wasn't just anybody, it's a corpse." He read the words written on the band. "A fresh corpse, it seems, from the state's mortuary."
"Finally, a lead," Tansi said, a hint of satisfaction in his voice.
Aaron stood up, removed his gloves, and used his free hand to pull out the plastic bag where he'd put the used wipe. He placed the gloves and the small knife inside it.
"I'll head over there by dawn and check the cameras," Aaron declared.
Tansi nodded. "Sounds good."
Aaron walked to the black car and got into the driver's seat. One of Tansi's men opened the door for Sir Tansi, who got in. The other two men followed.
The car drove away, heading towards Tansi's mansion to drop him off.
It traveled down a lonely road, made even darker by the tall trees that blocked out the moonlight.
Shortly, the car reached the mansion.
Sir Tansi felt Aaron's eyes on him, watching as he and his men walked into the compound. Only when they were safely inside did Aaron's car speed off. As soon as Aaron's car disappeared, Tansi turned to one of his men, while the other drove his own car towards them.
They left the compound immediately.
Elizabeth gasped for breath as she crawled, her legs finally giving out. But she refused to stop. She remembered reaching a dark road, where the tall trees completely blocked the moonlight. Then, she heard the sound of a vehicle. At first, she thought it was help, but then she realized it was the same car that had picked up Sir Tansi earlier.
She silently praised herself for her quick thinking, for hiding despite her weakened state.
Finally, a tiny spark of strength returned. She pushed herself to her feet and began to run again.
A sharp, searing pain ripped through her stomach, forcing a scream from her throat. She collapsed to the ground, clutching her belly, agony twisting her features.
From afar, she saw a moving vehicle, driving from Sir Tansi's mansion, heading directly towards her.