Death's kiss

Chapter 5

"So how exactly, did it happen?" enquired the inspector with a rigid expression.
Robin had informed the police as soon as he got back his senses. Catherine and Gemma were silent for most of the time and in between they would just cry out loud as if realizing what just happened and John, well he didn't know how to react. All he did was hug Amelia's dead body and call out her name.
When the inspector arrived, he was shocked to discover such a young, beautiful woman, laying dead in front of him, covered in blood. The killer must have been merciless. The body was sent for postmortem before Ken, the inspector started interrogating the family.
"Inspector, if we knew what happened in that room, then we wouldn't have called you", replied Robin.
"Mr. Rose, if you don't cooperate, then I'm sorry to say that it'll be even more difficult for you and me."
"Officer, we are all tensed... Please understand our situation as well", intervened Catherine, her eyes were reddened and puffed out from instant crying.
"Right. How many members are there in this family?" asked the officer, directing his question to Robin.
"Me, Amelia's uncle. she is my wife, Catherine Rose. My daughter, Gemma Rose and that man is Amelia's boyfriend, John Jones", introduced Robin.
"Boyfriend? Trouble in paradise, Mr?" interrogated the inspector with a shrewd expression, as if he found the missing link.
"What do you mean? Of course not. We were very happy", answered a baffled John. Indeed, they were happy, they never even had any lover's quarrel.
"Are you suspecting him?" Gemma spoke for the first time since the incident.
"I'm suspecting everyone. Your sister was murdered in cold blood on her birthday in her own room."
"Inspector, Amelia was like our daughter. Why would we do such a horrible thing? There were a lot of people in this house just a few moments ago, it can be anyone of them or maybe....maybe a complete outsider. Why don't you interrogate them first?" fumed Robin.
"You don't tell me how to do my job, Mr. Rose. Of course I'll get to all your guests in due time. But first tell me where are Amelia's parents?"
"Amelia....her....her parents-"
"Died in a car accident, two days after she was born. Amelia didn't feel the blow, as she was completely wrapped by her parents. Since then she was staying with us like our daughter",
Catherine replied on behalf of her husband.
After taking in a deep breath, she continued, "I guess Amelia was cursed from the day she was born. But this was 22 years ago, how does it make sense now?"
"You never know which information makes sense, Mrs. Rose. I know today was a difficult day for you all. So, I'll take your leave now. I'll definitely contact all your guests and then get back to you all. No one can leave the city until the mystery is solved."
With that Inspector Ken drove of in his jeep, leaving the Rose family in an utter mess.

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When Amelia woke up finally it felt like eternity. As she opened her heavy drawn eyelids, only darkness embraced her and raw smell of a chilly winter evening. She could feel a different taste on her lips, something bitter, something metallic, pain. And then it dawned upon her what had just happened. She was dead, wasn't she? But how does she remember everything? Yes, she remembers her uncle, her aunt, Gemma, John. She remembers her life so vividly. Shouldn't people forget their past lives after their deaths?
She lifted her body slowly and tried to steady her feet on the ground.
"You are awake?"
As Amelia turned around to find the source of the voice, she was greeted by a very charming young woman. Maybe she was elder to Amelia, but not quite.
Before she could say anything, the lady continued, "Don't stress. You'll be fine, now that you have woken up"
The lady flashed a wide smile as if to make Amelia more comfortable.
"Who...who are you?" Amelia stuttered.
"Oops, I didn't introduce myself, did I? I'm Grace. And all you have to know is that you are safe."
If Amelia was not in so much pain then she would probably have laughed at this comment. Safe? How can she be safe, when she was just stabbed moments ago?
"I... I....Ahh" and like that she fainted yet again.

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"Lady Rose, wake up. Wake up."
Amelia would be happy to know that it was all a dream all along. But it wasn't. She was indeed stabbed by a masked killer and now she's dead.
"I'm... I'm dead...isn't it?" each word made her entire body want to give up.
"Dead? You think you are dead?" the woman giggled and continued, "No you are not dead."
"Wha-what?"
"Don't worry Lady Rose. Your body needs to recover, so please don't stress. It's not my place to give you answers, let him come."
"He?"
"The-"
As if taking a cue, the door of the chamber swung open and the entire room was engulfed in black smoke, trying to hide an emerging shadowy figure. When the figure showed itself, Amelia realized that he was the man from her dreams, the same man that she met in the mall and then in her office, but this time he was dressed completely in a black robe, just like in her dreams, with only his face showing.
"Amelia Rose, you have two options. Leave your mortal body or become a captive human soul."
Amelia shivered under his cold stare.
"Who....who are you?"
"Your worse nightmare", he replied with an uncanny laugh and disappeared into black smoke, from which he had emerged earlier, leaving a confused Amelia behind.