Rose Cottage (standard:Ghost stories, 938 words)
Author: kathyg	Added: Sep 04 2005	Views/Reads: 4111/2602	Story vote: 0.00 (0 votes)
Rose Cottage is a place like no other. Its simplicity speaks for itself. Memories of past lives linger here in the form of apparitions...A Prologue to the story I am working on... feedback welcome.

Rose Cottage 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

Rose cottage is a place like no other. Its simplicity and history speaks
for itself in a glorious vista of the seashore, spectacular rose mazes, 
and the crowning glory of Rose Cottage. 

The fragrant beauty of rose maze gardens have a history of past lives.
Love, suffering, joy of spirits remain lingering at Rose Cottage just 
long enough to repeat the sorrow and walk the well worn path of the 
lives they lived... 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

Drifting though the garden maze, the apparition travels silently. The
fragrance of roses lingers behind her in the evening air. An echo of 
voice calls out, “Marie, Marie...I am Marie.“  And then the sound of 
laughter... 

An invisible hand caresses a rose petal. It falls in the pond, and
floats aimlessly in a curious journey. The apparition watches 
curiously. Her white gown flowing in the breeze as she listens to the 
ocean waves crashing on the rocks below. Just a moment she pauses to 
reflect and times stands still. 

The love of a place, such as Rose cottage, never dies. The roses
remember her, the moon, the cottage itself call her back home. 

The memories of life at Rose Cottage in another time, another life... 

~~~~~~~~ 

Through the front entrance, Marie glides up the stairs seeking the place
where happy memories linger. Yes, soon she will find what she seeks. 
Around the corner, a few doors down... 

The scent of roses follows her everywhere she lingers. Passing from room
to room and penetrating through doors and walls even. The woman is 
quite unaware that she is dead. To her, Rose Cottage is forever. A 
sanctuary. Continuing to drift up, up, up the grand staircase. To a 
place where so many happy memories imprint her heart. The playroom... 

Marie reaches the door. Opening it, she catches her breath. Who are the
two children waiting to play with her? She does not remember who they 
are but they seem to know her. 

Upon entering, Marie materializes. She walks around the familiar
surroundings of her life and smiles. She picks up the toys and brings 
them to her cheek, taking each one out of the toy box. She then brings 
them to her heart and feels happy. She knows peace here. This is a 
place where she spent many hours with her mother before the day she 
decided to take a walk in the maze at night. 

In the corner of the playroom, there is a cabinet. Inside the cabinet, a
box. Opening the box, she finds a stereoscope, which is an old 
fashioned picture machine. Picking it up and turning it in a circle, 
she caresses its cool surface. This is her greatest treasure. 

"Marie?", the strange vision speaks to her. "Where have you been? Do you
remember me from your last visit? I am Isabelle and this is my brother 
Pierre. You have been gone for so long. Come now and play with us. She 
opens a beautiful music box and the enchanting music fills the air with 
its hypnotic tune. The little girl watches the ballerina twirls around 
and around with fascination and she starts to imitate it. She hums the 
tune to herself and dances around the playroom. "How silly you are!", 
they shout at Marie. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

A woman in black looks out at the ocean. She is also a spirit. She
carries a rosary in her hand. Her translucent specter wears a black 
dress.  She weeps for her child that froze to death in the rose petal 
maze. An apparition looking for another apparition. So many linger here 
at Rose Cottage. Pain, sorrow, grief and love bind the spirits together 


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