The Weeping Marble

April 23, 2014

by Maegan

3 min read

Story Premise 3 min read (510 words)

"When I was eleven, my grandfather’s sister, Aunt Odile, passed away. She had been a recluse, living in a crumbling mansion on the edge of our small town, and the only time we saw her was at her funeral. I remember the marble statue of a weeping angel that stood over her grave, its stone […]"

When I was eleven, my grandfather’s sister, Aunt Odile, passed away. She had been a recluse, living in a crumbling mansion on the edge of our small town, and the only time we saw her was at her funeral. I remember the marble statue of a weeping angel that stood over her grave, its stone face streaked with rain.

A month after her burial, I woke in the dead of night to a cold that seeped through my blankets. My room was bathed in a faint, greenish glow, and there, by the door, stood a figure in a dark, old-fashioned dress. It was Aunt Odile, her face pale and gaunt, her eyes sunken and dark. The dress she wore was the same one she’d been buried in, I was sure of it, with its high collar and intricate lace. I pulled the covers over my head, my heart pounding, and mutely prayed for her to vanish. When I peeked out again, she was gone.

The next night, she returned. This time, she stood beside my bed, her cold breath misting in the air. I felt a bony hand touch my arm, and an icy numbness spread through me. I couldn’t move or speak, and my thoughts became a jumble of fear and panic. In my mind, I screamed, ‘Please leave me alone,’ and as soon as I did, she retreated, and the feeling returned.

The following night, I was terrified to sleep. I lay awake, staring at the ceiling, when the cold arrived again. She appeared at the foot of my bed, and this time, I saw a glimmer of something in her eyes—not malice, but sorrow. I took a shaky breath and thought, ‘What do you want?’ Her lips did not move, but I heard a voice in my head, like a distant whisper, ‘My locket. It’s lost. In the walls.’

I had no idea what she meant. But I was so afraid of her returning that I decided to search the mansion. The place was dark and dusty, filled with moth-eaten furniture and the smell of decay. I spent hours looking, until I found a loose panel in the library wall. Behind it, in a small cavity, lay a silver locket tarnished with age. I opened it to find a faded photograph of a young man and a lock of hair.

The next night, I placed the locket on my nightstand. Aunt Odile did not appear. I thought it was over, but as I drifted off, I felt a cold wisp of air, and in my dream, she stood before me. She smiled, and for the first time, she looked at peace. She reached out and touched my forehead, and I felt a warmth spread through me. When I woke, the locket was gone. I never saw Aunt Odile again, but sometimes, when I pass the marble angel in the cemetery, I feel a calm settle over me, as if she’s still watching over me, grateful that I helped her find what she’d lost.

Related Horror Movies to Watch

Bong of the Living Dead

2017

Gokiburi-tachi no tasogare

1980

Nightstalking

2014

Beyond Clueless

2014

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