Free The House of Wood by Anthony Price

spell."
    “Can you sit?" Becky asked, her
face full of anxiety.
    She sat up on the bed. Her eyes
hadn't quite focused properly yet, but she could feel herself
slowly coming back to normal. The storm outside seemed to have
subsided.
    "The colour seems to be coming
back to your cheeks."
    "Thank God," Becky exclaimed.
"Do you feel better?"
    “Much…” She still felt woozy.
“Thank you.”
    “I think maybe we should give
dinner a miss tonight," David said. "It's probably best you stay in
bed and rest.”
    “I’m fine. I just need a few
minutes to tidy myself up.”
    “I don't think that's a good
idea, Rach. You should listen to David, he's a doctor."
    Rachel turned to look at him.
She still couldn't work out what it was that was drawing her ever
closer to him. Like a moth to a flame. His face was grave. It had a
familiar look even though she had never met him before. “I’ll be
fine." She looked at her watch. “If we hurry we can still make the
reservation."
    “Rachy-Bear -“
    “Becky, I'm all right. Please,
stop fussing over me." She took her friend’s hand in hers.
"Besides, you have your date to think about.”
    “I know that look," Becky
replied with a grin. “But only if you're positive?"
    “I am.”
    "In that case doc, she's all
yours."
    “This is against my better
judgement, but…” He took one look at Rachel, her eyes bursting with
hope. “I’ll wait for you downstairs.”
    David left the room, closing
the white door behind him. Rachel moved with caution, as she got
out of bed feeling strange. It was a mixture of relief and anxiety.
Her image looked back at her from the cracked mirror. She was at a
crossroads. She could feel it. If she got everything off of her
chest tonight, everything that had built up over the last three
years, then she would be cleansed. Her demons would be gone and it
wouldn't matter if the house was still out there, or not.
    "Are you sure you want to do
this?"
    "Positive."
    She said goodbye to Becky and
left, telling her to not wait up.
    The corridor seemed less
oppressive, but Rachel still didn’t feel like hanging around. She
fixed her eyes forward and made her way done the stairs, as quickly
as she could without showing any outward signs of fear. Her feet
slowed at the bottom. Mrs Ryan was standing there, her brow
furrowed in to a deep scowl.
    “I hope you’re not planning to
return late tonight. The door will be locked at eleven.”
    “I wouldn’t dream of it, Mrs
Ryan,” Rachel replied, walking straight past.
    The old lady grabbed her by the
wrist.
    “I warned you,” she spat. “I’m
not having any of your trouble disturbing the other guests.”
    Rachel snatched her arm back
and rubbed at the finger marks around her wrists. Her eyes were
cold with hatred, as she starred hard at the woman.
    “Look, you spiteful old bitch,
I don’t know what I’ve ever done to deserve your scorn, but I’ve
had enough. You have no idea what happened to me, or my friends,
only what the damn gossips have told you.” She leant forward to
within an inch of the trembling woman’s face. “Now back off!”
    Feeling satisfied she spun on
her heels and walked out, leaving Mrs Ryan standing there, one hand
holding the banister. Her other hand was clutching at a cross
around her neck.
     
    ***
     
    Rachel was glad the storm had
subsided. She hated night driving at the best of times, let alone
in the rain. It was still spitting a light drizzle; the kind that
was more refreshing than a hindrance. Especially, after the high
temperature. Grey clouds still hung in the air, sliding across the
sky. The soft sounds of Lynyrd Skynyrd playing Freebird drifted lazily out of the stereo speakers.
She found herself dropping off to sleep.
    “Are you sure you’re okay?”
David asked, never removing his eyes from the road. “It’s not too
late to turn back.”
    “Honestly, I’m fine.”
    She forced herself to stare out
of the window in order to stay awake, as the black Toyota Camry
cruised down