by Ksenia Anske
“A loony, am I?” Lilith repeated. “How would you like me to ask the mansion to crush you to death, dear Grandfather. Who would call me a loony then?”
“You don’t understand half the things you’re talking about. Everything comes at a price. If I were you, I’d choose my words carefully,” Alfred said with a tense smile.
“Oh, why, thank you for the validation. Means I’m not crazy after all.” Lilith lilted over her grandfather’s crumpled shape. “You said I’m bait. Let me guess. Bait for Rosehead’s baby?”
The room screeched, shrinking another few feet.
“I can yell her name on repeat, see if we get smashed into pulp, would you like that, Grandfather?” Lilith said sweetly.
“My dear girl, let us take a stroll in the garden. I’ll explain everything. Would you like that?” Alfred offered, his eyes rotating wildly. He reminded Lilith of an animal that’s been caught by a predator and about to be consumed alive.
She narrowed her eyes, not buying the lie. “You excel at avoiding my questions. A useful skill; perhaps I need to learn this from you. Dad doesn’t know, does he?”
Alfred winced. Deep inside his eyes Lilith thought she saw a frightened boy who came to possess a ferocious rose garden that threatened to dispose of him if he didn’t take care of it, and so he did, until he saw his chance to pass the responsibility on to someone else and retire. He has shielded his son from it, going as far as forcing him out of the country, but somebody in the family had to take over, somebody strong enough to command it. And that somebody happened to be Lilith. Alfred must’ve sensed her strength when she came to his late wife’s funeral. Little Lilith was the only one who detected the stink, but she was too small back then to take over.
Lilith’s chest tightened. She studied her grandfather, his ashen face, his callused hands. “You’re scared. I can see that. I’m sorry.” She sighed. “Listen, I’ll find a way to stop her, Opa,” she called him affectionately, as she had many years ago. “I declared myself heir to stop her.”
“You don’t know what you’re saying.” Alfred stubbornly shook his head.
“I will stop Rosehead,” said Lilith firmly.
The mansion heaved. The windows burst open. A horrific blood-curdling drawl issued from the garden. Lilith thought it sounded like a cry of birthing pain, reminiscent of dog whines right before they passed their litter. Wind swirled the curtains, bringing stench in its wake.
Alfred sidled toward the door.
The room protested by careening. He slipped and fell.
“It’s okay,” said Lilith to the room, “you can let him walk. Will you help me, Opa? It’s what you want to do, wanted to do for years, isn’t it?”
“What do you know about what I want? Did you care to ask me?” Alfred threw over his shoulder, carefully edging along the wall.
“Oh, I’m sorry. It never crossed my mind.” Lilith felt caught off guard. Guilt spread its cold fingers in her gut. She didn’t know much about her grandfather and only assumed the worst instead of taking the time to find out his story.
“Of course it didn’t.”
“I apologize profusely. What is it that you want, Grandfather?”
“I don’t suppose it matters at this time,” he said.
Lilith deflated. “So you won’t tell me what Rosehead will give birth to?”
Alfred reached the door and stepped out. He wore the victorious look of a boy who’d escaped severe punishment. “Well, I have some important business to attend to, if you don’t mind.”
Sadness filled Lilith. “You don’t want to tell me. Fine, I understand. Can I ask you what you meant by feeding organic matter to the roses? It’s people, right? That mutant thing will be born tomorrow and it’ll feed on people, correct?” She followed her grandfather.
But Alfred hid behind the protection of his charming mask. “Not sure what you’re talking about.” He peered at Lilith in mock sadness from the safety of the staircase. “Tomorrow we’ll have a good-bye carnival. There will be a circus, rose gathering, fireworks. We’ll end with a special heir crowning ceremony. I didn’t want to spoil the surprise for you, you see. But your nonsensical view of tomorrow’s events is forcing me to. Such a young mind, so much promise.” He shook his head. “I’m not sure what to do with you, my dear.” He descended a few steps.
“Wait.” Lilith reached out. “You don’t need to do anything, just let me stop her. Don’t be scared. A true rosarian is not afraid of a few scrapes and drops of blood, remember?”
Another scream pierced the air.
“You can’t possibly deny that you didn’t hear that,” said Lilith.
“Stupid girl,” Alfred whispered. “She’ll suck you dry and throw you away like a piece of trash. Nobody can stop her. Nobody.”
He skidded down the steps.
“Wait!” Lilith rushed after him and snatched his arm. “Thank you so much for being honest. But, Opa, what if I can? As an heir I can command her, can’t I?”
They faced each other in the gloom of the red floor.
“You think I haven’t tried?” Alfred snapped. “Every try came at a price. She took my Eugenia.” His face contorted. “You don’t know what you’re dealing with.”
Another wail reached them. This time it lasted longer.
Alfred pushed Lilith. “If you’ll excuse me.”
“Dear mansion, please stop him?” she said.
The floor curled and threw Alfred backward, to her feet.
He moaned, massaging his sides and staring up with unconcealed contempt.
“I’m sorry, Grandfather,” she said. “I truly am. I tried being nice, but you don’t seem to understand. Unfortunately, I’ll have to resort to your nasty tactics.”
“Let me go,” he hissed.
“No. Not until I tell you what I want you to do.” She fixed her beret. “I’m sure my parents will want to know the results of my session. You will tell them it went very well, but that, given the fact that Doctor Wilhelmus Baumgartner had to depart in a hurry, he had no time to write up a report.”
Lilith jerked the paper out of grandfather’s breast pocket and tore it up. He glared but didn’t attempt to stop her.
“He wanted to relay to them that I’m suffering from jetlag, a rare week-long occurrence. He suggested I take frequent walks in the garden and in the forest.”
“Certainly. You may stroll in the garden and in the forest at your leisure,” Alfred said, injecting poison into every word. He slowly pulled himself up. “I’ll ask Gustav to accompany you.”
“No. No Gustav. I want to walk alone,” Lilith demanded, pocketing the torn paper. “And Ed doesn’t have to move out of his cottage, he can stay there if he wants to. With his step-mom.”
“Anything else?” Alfred’s voice turned cold. He took a cautious step back.
“Yes. Please tell all guests to vacate the mansion at once. Tell them that the carnival was canceled due to, I don’t know, due to a circus elephant falling ill. They might not believe you if you told them the truth. Don’t say anything to my parents, I’ll tell them myself.”
“Would that be it?”
“Yes, I think that’s it for now,” Lilith said thoughtfully, and gestured to the stairs. “After you.”
Chapter 23
Petra’s Diversion
They descended in forced silence. In the middle of the foyer, holding Panther by the leash, Daniel conversed with Gabby. Other guests scurried past them into the dinner hall for lunch. The Rosenthals strolled with Patrick and Petra in tow, Hanna pushed the wheelchair with her blind mother, and Trude shuffled by in a frilly dress smelling of soap. She gave Lilith a curious glance. There was no sign of the Schlitzberger twins, who must’ve already ventured inside to load their plates early.
Lilith lost her appetite. The fact that people could think about food seemed unreal to her in light of the future massacre that she had to stop, yet not knowing how.
“Alfred!” Gabby called. “What did the doctor say? May I speak t
o him? Where is he?” Not a greeting to Lilith, not a question about how she felt or how the session went.
Daniel’s face fell. “Pup, what’s wrong?”
Panther energetically wagged his tail.
Lilith rushed to her pet and felt her knees give out. The enormity of the task ahead sapped her energy. She badly wanted to collapse into her parents’ arms and confess.
Mom, Dad, I killed the doctor. I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to, I promise. Well, it’s not me who did it, it was the room, but still...I declared myself heir. I commanded it, and it did it. It ate him, in seconds, bones and everything. I’m so scared. Tomorrow Rosehead will give birth to some monstrous baby thing and it will eat everyone in the mansion. They both will. Opa knows, but he’s not doing anything about it because he’s scared. I want to stop it but I don’t know how. I need to see Ed, we’re supposed to talk to Rosehead, but I feel so weak, like I’ve forgotten how to walk.
Lilith wanted to cry. Her self-imposed courage quickly crumbled. She buried her face in Panther’s neck.
“Anything exciting I missed?” he grunted in the merest suggestion of a doggy cough.
“Later,” she whispered.
“What did the doctor say?” Gabby repeated.
“Well, nothing major, as it turns out. Simple adjustment issues, dissociative behavior due to time and climate change.” Alfred’s voice sounded strained. “He said she needs fresh air, which may be conveniently provided by the garden. The fragrance, the splendor, it will do her well. I think we’ll go on a little stroll before joining you for lunch, won’t we, my dear girl?”
Lilith sniffled, too embarrassed to show her face.
“Thanks, Dad. But I think I’ll take her with me,” said Daniel. “We’ll walk Panther around the property, if you don’t mind. How would you like that, buddy?” He ruffled Panther’s coat.
Panther obediently wiggled his joy.
Lilith’s heart hammered. Did her father believe her?
“Thank you, Alfred, thank you so much. I’m glad it’s nothing major. I’m so grateful for everything you’ve done for us. Truly. Didn’t know what else to try,” Gabby trilled. “I’m sure Lilith would like your company.”
Lilith had a sudden urge to vomit on her mother’s shoes.
“Love? You didn’t hear me, did you? I’m taking Lilith on a walk,” Daniel said louder.
Just then a shrill high-pitched scream came from the dinner hall, together with the sound of breaking china, a collective intake of breath, and a child’s explosive crying.
Alfred darted in. Always incessantly curious, Gabby followed, Daniel after her. Lilith used the commotion to relay her news to Panther, half-crouching, half-running next to him.
“The doctor is dead,” she whispered. “I declared myself heir and I asked the mansion to take him. The room crushed and ate him, Panther. It was terrible. And it’s all my fault.” She crammed in as many details as she could in just a few sentences.
They arrived at the crowd. Panther stuck his nose into Lilith’s ear, growling in the lowest register he could muster, “Old news, madam. Bär told me already.”
“What? You talked to Bär? He can talk? Wait, since when are you two on speaking terms?” she asked a little too loudly.
The mastiff arrived behind them and woofed angrily. Gustav shushed him, but not before giving Lilith and Panther the meaningful look of one who knows everything, including thoughts.
The crying escalated.
“Poor girl. I wonder what happened?” Daniel’s voice finally forced Lilith to stand up and look.
Sitting on the floor, surrounded by broken china, little Petra wailed uncontrollably, pointing at the floor-to-ceiling windows that faced the garden. Flustered, Sabrina and Norman kneeled next to their daughter in a fruitless attempt to calm her down. Patrick stood to the side, his face white.
“Pup, I’ll go see if I can help.” Daniel gave the leash to Lilith and walked over.
Gabby threw her arms in the air. “I can’t stand this noise. Can’t stand it.” She stalked off in search of coffee on the table, where Gwen, Daphne, and Irma—unperturbed by the racket—stuffed themselves silly. Trude and Hanna relayed something to the blind Heidemarie, their heads touching.
Lilith gave a startled gasp.
A shadow covered the window. A gigantic leafy shape peeked inside, rotating its ruby eyes, exactly at the moment when the only people she saw looking in that direction were Petra, Patrick, and her grandfather. Lilith sensed with her back that both Gustav and Bär stopped breathing for a moment. They must’ve seen the monster as well.
Petra screamed anew, choking on her tears. Alfred rushed to the window and jerked the curtains shut, Gustav and Agatha at his aid. By the time the others looked up, the source of the agitation disappeared. The butler and the housekeeper proceeded to close every curtain in the hall and turn on all the lights.
“She’s here,” mumbled Lilith to no one in particular, her skin erupting in goose bumps. “Dad!” She ran up to her father and tugged on his sleeve. “Dad, did you see her?”
“Yeah, I saw her. Poor girl,” he echoed.
“No! I don’t mean Petra, I mean—”
“My dear guests,” Alfred boomed. “I apologize for the interruption of your meal. I’m sure little Petra got scared by a crow. We have an unusual number of them this season. We’ve closed the curtains, they shouldn’t disturb her anymore. If I may hold your attention for a little bit longer, I have an important announcement to make.”
Petra’s crying changed to hiccups.
Lilith held her breath. At last, her grandfather would tell everyone the truth. She was gravely mistaken.
“I wanted to keep this a surprise, but, alas, the circumstances dictated otherwise. In the best tradition of the Bloom family, tomorrow we’ll have a good-bye carnival!”
Norman forced a fake cheer.
Gwen and Daphne picked it up, squealing.
“I’m glad you’re excited. I’m excited too. As you may remember, we owe our roots to the daughter of a circus jester, my twenty-times great-grandmother Rose Bloom.” Scattered applause ensued. “Thank you, thank you. In honor of Rose, and in memory of my late wife Eugenia, we’ll have a traveling circus perform in the garden tonight. There will be trained elephants, and clowns, and—”
The pounding in Lilith’s ears prevented her from hearing the rest. She tried to think logically and couldn’t. Her grandfather tricked her, in the most cowardly manner. She had to act, but how? Ask the mansion to do something? What? Could she risk it coming alive in front of these unsuspecting people? No. It would cause panic, would make them flee and run straight into Rosehead, who probably patrolled every exit this very moment in hopes of scoring a meal. Then what? Disoriented, Lilith resorted to the only method she knew. You need not fear to speak the truth, Sherlock Holmes’ words rung in her head.
“Don’t listen to him. He’s lying!” she said loudly.
All heads turned toward her.
Alfred tensed. “My dear girl—”
This infuriated Lilith. “I’m not your dear girl, stop calling me that! Liar! You’re hiding a monster in the garden! Tell them!” she screamed, deliberately working herself into hysterics. “I saw her just now! Petra did too, that’s why she’s crying!”
Petra nodded, sniffling.
Daniel started saying something, as did Alfred, but Lilith screamed over both of them. “Her name is Rosehead! Like Rose Bloom’s nickname! She’s some possessed bush-freak that feeds on people!” Lilith sucked in air, stepping away from her parents, who both advanced cautiously.
“SHE’S REAL, I SAW HER! SHE’S PREGNANT! WHATEVER COMES OUT OF HER TOMORROW, IT WILL EAT YOU! ALL OF YOU! AS HEIR TO THE BLOOM PROPERTY, I COMMAND YOU TO GO! LEAVE WHILE YOU CAN! GET OUT OF HERE! NOW!” Her voice broke from strain.
An uneasy silence descended on the room.
Alfred lurched at her, apologizing to everyone. Gabby darted after, but Daniel restrained her.
Not wasting any
time, Lilith jerked on Panther’s leash and sprinted for the vestibule.
“She iz mental, didn’t I tell you?” Daphne blocked her, a crumbling bun in her hand.
“You’re right. Mom sayz her nickname iz loony.” Gwen materialized next to her sister, chewing on an identical bun.
“Out of my way, you elephant-hugging piglets!” Lilith shouted. Panther barked, and the twins parted, squealing.
“Where you off to? Back to the madhouse? Togezer with Kitty?” Daphne shouted.
Panther grumbled angrily.
Lilith halted and turned around. For a second only, a picture of Rosehead swallowing Daphne dominated her vision. This was the girl whose life she was about to save.
“I’d choose being mad over sleeping with a stuffed elephant any minute,” she said sharply.
Daphne’s face contorted. “Mutter!” she howled. “She spied on me! She broke into our room!”
Irma sauntered over. “What iz ze matter?”
“Incidentally, it’s nothing compared to,”—Lilith turned to Gwen—“sucking your thumb. Do you smear jam on it, to make it less revolting?” Gwen joined her twin, yowling.
The rest of the guests erupted into gossip.
“Lilith!” Gabby and Daniel reached their daughter, but Lilith was off, sprinting through the foyer, skidding to a halt, yanking the front door open, and shutting it behind her.
“Dear mansion, please don’t let them follow me.”
The walls shivered in agreement.
“Thank you,” whispered Lilith, thinking it’s the least she could do—lock them up inside for their own safety until she located Rosehead and figured out what to do next.
“That was quite the exit. A bit melodramatic for my taste,” growled Panther. “So the mansion is your new friend now? You just ask it to do things and it does them? Very convenient.”
Lilith didn’t get a chance to respond.
The doors shook. She jumped away. There was vigorous pounding and energetic tugging on the handles. They wouldn’t budge. Muffled voices expressed puzzlement. Crows squawked, dotting the sky in a shifting blanket. The familiar rotten odor enveloped the garden, intense and overpowering. Moans of agony trailed on the wind, alarmingly close.
