The Captured Butterfly

Ellie just stared at him as he left, "Mitch why would he do that, why? Did you know he was starring at me in church during the whole service?"

Mitch just shook her head, "we better get to the cemetery Ellie, come on." She grabbed her hand and pulled her down the steps to the car.

Mitch knew something about him and she was going to get her to talk about it before she left today.

They all gathered around the casket that was ready to descend into its final resting place. The priest read the passages from the bible then took some sand and made a sign of the cross on top of her casket. Then Ellie threw a rose onto the casket followed by everyone else. She waited till everyone one was gone. She wanted to say good-bye and wanted it to be in privet.

"Ellie I'll wait for you at the car ok."

"Thanks Mitch I won't be long."

Ellie bowed her head and said a prayer for her aunt then lifted her head to say good-bye but there he was, right across from her.

"Death is such a final thing don't you think Miss Stanton? It's like this rose before I picked it from the garden. It was alive growing, once I cut it down, its lifeline no longer gave it substance so it dies. All creatures need substance Miss Stanton." He slowly brought the rose to his lips, kissed it and threw it onto the casket. He bowed to her, then smiling he turned away. "Don't let those beautiful green eyes of yours tear for to long, see you later Miss Stanton." Then with a quick backwards look with the corner of his eye he walked away.

Before she could think to ask him to wait to find out what he meant by that, he was gone. "Now that was creepy." She looked down at her aunt's casket, "Bye auntie, I'll miss you." She wiped away the tears as she walked to Mitch's car.

With shaky hands she climbed into the car and Mitch drove them back to the house. "Mitch what do you know about that man? He was staring at me through the whole service, kissed my hand going out of the church, and just now he waited till everyone else was gone just so he could catch me alone while I had my privet moment with my aunt and he said some pretty strange things. I think I've even had bad dreams about him. He's creeping me out so if you know anything about him please tell me."

She pulled into the driveway then turned off the car. "Your aunt said she didn't want you back here. She had tried to have every thing sold so a letter and the money could be sent to you, you were not to be notified till way after her death. For some reason her wish was over road." She put up her hand to stop the questions she saw on Ellie's lips. "I don't know where the letter is or why but she didn't want you coming back here...I have a feeling it had to do with Mr. Branstan. In the past year or so he often came to talk to her, always upsetting her and talking to her like she was one of his servants in fact about a week ago he came over at ten to five, he was really angry about something. I didn't hear all of it but I heard enough, he was saying something about you not being prepared to take your rightful place, she hadn't done the job he ordered her to do and it would cost her. He said she did it all for nothing anyway, it was time for you to come home and he had already taken all the steps to make that happen. He went to leave but told her she better get her things in order as she had little time left then added she should have known better than to try to cross him, a week to the day she died. You never heard anything from me. Mr. Renald Branstan is the owner of the Branstan estate who, I think owns most of this town. He is very rich, very powerful, and..." she whispered, "very dangerous. For your own safety please stay away from him. If I where you I'd sell and run away as far as I could go and never look back. Ellie are you sure you wouldn't like me to stay this afternoon?"

"Are you saying he killed my aunt?"

"No, and I'll deny it if you say that I did but she was under a lot of stress this past year, it wouldn't have taken much to stop her heart. Please think hard about staying on here. I know she wanted you to at a safe distance."

"Well I don't know about him being so dangerous Mitch but he is a bit strange which is something I really need to avoid, I think it's a good idea to stay clear of him though. And you don't worry about me ok I'll be fine. When everyone is gone just clean up the kitchen a bit and then go home and I'll see you tomorrow." She patted her on the shoulder then went in to the house.

Everyone was crammed into the little front room of her aunt's house. She flitted from group to group making sure not to miss thanking any of them for their kindness. She wasn't really hungry so while her guests ate she found a quiet spot near the patio doors to look out while silently tears fell down her cheek. As she looked at her aunt's garden a hand with a black ring came to rest on the glass wall two inches from her face. "I see the tears are still flowing." He touched the tear on her cheek. Really annoyed now she whipped around to tell him to please leave her alone but when she turned he was so close it shocked her. His lips where close to hers, he looked down at her with his mesmerizing black eyes, "Welcome home Ellie." She wanted to walk, no run away but she couldn't move, frozen on the spot. Her brain flipped to her dreams and he smiled like he knew what she was thinking. Suddenly she was pulled from his gaze. "Come on Miss Ellie your guests are leaving," she heard a growl as she was pulled towards front door. She was drained, once all the good-byes where said she shut the door, went into the front sitting room then flopped into her aunt's big armchair. She pushed her shoes off then laid her head back against the backrest.

"Miss Ellie, I've cleaned up the kitchen, there are leftovers on the counter for you ok? There's enough there to nibble for your supper. Is there anything else I can do before I leave?"

"No thank-you Mitch, bless your heart. You've been such a help today, I wouldn't have been able to get threw this day without you. I really appreciate all you've done have a good afternoon now see you tomorrow. Oh I would like to thank you for, ah...the rescue earlier."

"Glad I could help anyway you try to have a good afternoon too." She threw her coat on and locked the door on the way out. Ellie heard her get in her car, start it up and drive away. She just lay stretched out, eyes drooping with her body limp.

She was in the garden, the smells of every single flower overpowering her sense of smell so she couldn't breath suddenly there he was, standing there not saying a word. Just looking at her smiling but somehow she knew he wished her to come to him. She obeyed without a thought, her legs were moving towards him, unable to resist his black eyes with the red flame. She was moving closer but she couldn't stop as if all her will had been taken away. " No stop this its madness, Stop, I won't go. Please leave me alone. No stop!" she screamed as her body slipped to the floor. Her eyes flew open. " Now that guy is the guy in my dream for sure and it's freaking me out. How much am I suppose to take; my job, Paul...now this, it's enough to send me over the edge. I think with everything that has happened to me lately it's causing me to have these dreams. I'll grab myself a tea that should relax me a bit. I need to clean out the up stairs closets so I'll do that, maybe it'll clear my mind." She pulled herself up, threw her shoes at the front door and headed for the stairs.

She spent the rest of the day going threw the closets and packing all her aunt's clothes. When she was finished she started emptying drawers until she came to the last drawer, which was pictures of her growing up. "I don't even remember her taking all these pictures." She put them all in a box and took it downstairs to the kitchen. She made a plate up for herself and then spent the rest of the evening with the box of memories.

She was in the garden sitting on the bench, "You can not escape your destiny and your destiny is with me. You were born for me Ellie and you will come to me. Your blood filled heart will betray your mind and body. Your aversions only make me angry but will not change your fate. It will only cause it to be a slower more painful process for you." Then he ran his fingernail ripping it across her throat. She heard her skin rip and burn. She popped up in bed again this time the tears where running down her eyes as she quickly popped out of bed to run to the bathroom. She looked into the mirror at her neck, "I must be cracking up, it was a stupid dream as if would be bleeding but it felt so damn real. I can't take these dreams anymore, every time I close my eyes." She climbed back into her bed and just lay there till morning.

Chapter 3 Connection with Old Friends

The next morning was spent going threw the rest of the rooms, if she was going to live here in this house it would have to fit her needs. She had her computer and other things coming the fallowing Monday, which she needed to make room for. She packed up some clothes and other things of her aunts and put them in the car then she went to have some lunch.

"Mitch I'm going into town after lunch to take some of my aunts things to the church, maybe they can find someone that is in need of it," She said. She sat at the table and began to eat the sandwich Mitch had made for her. "I have some research I need to do too so I'm going to hit the library also. I'll be gone for the rest of the day I'll grab something in town. When you're done just lock up and I'll see you Monday morning." She finished her lunch then went upstairs to wash and brush her teeth. She came down the stairs grabbed her coat and purse then pulled open the front door. "Ok Mitch, my car is loaded and ready to go, you enjoy your visit with your mother ok, see you on Monday."

"Miss Ellie are you ok you look so tired, you sure you don't need me this weekend after all I can stay if you need me?"

"Mitch I'll be fine go spend some time with your mother. That time is precious because once they're gone, well there gone, you're only left with regrets. I'll go to bed early tonight and get some sleep don't worry I'll be fine." She said with glassy eyes. "See you Monday." She slipped out the door and headed for the car.

She drove up to the church, got out and headed up the church steps, quietly entering the heavy wooden doors. She saw an old woman placing flowers on the altar. "Excuse me can you help me, I have a lot of clothes and thing to give away to the needy where do you keep it?"

"Oh hi there, your Junes niece. Beautiful service wasn't it? Giving to the needy, sure there's a door on the side of the building. Here's the key just lock it back up and bring it back to me, I'll be puttering around here somewhere." She smiled then dropped the key into her hand. Ellie unloaded the stuff from the car, then unlocked the door placing the stuff on the counter then brought the key back to the old woman. "Thank-you."

" No Thank-you, god appreciates any help you can give." She smiled and then went back to her work.

Ellie drove out of the church parking lot heading for the library. She parked the car walked up the steps then quickly walked into the library. Her eyes swept over the large room, which was almost the same except for a new room off to the side. It had a row of computers and lots of new books.

"Wow that's new?"

"Yes it is." A quiet voice behind her said.

She quickly swung around, "Penny Cooper, is that really you?"

The woman smiled, she gave Ellie a hug with one arm while she balanced a stack of books with the other. "I figured you'd show up here sooner or later. I got your forms all filled out, just have to sign and I'll give you your card.

"You're the librarian here now, what happened to Mrs. Brooks?

"Retied two years ago, but she still comes here every morning and helps put books away, volunteering her time. Gives her something to do you know? So I see you were noticing our new computer room?

"Impressive, getting caught up with the times are you?"

"The room, computers, and books are all thanks to Mr. Branstan. It's called the Branstan reading room. Isn't that something?"

"Ya something!" she said sarcastically. "Is there any where in this town that hasn't been touched with the hands of Mr. Branstan?"

She let out a low giggle, "not really, he's great isn't he? Well I should get back to work, you get what you need then just come up and I'll sign you out."

"I think I'll go on the computers then there are some books I need to get."

"Ok just help yourself."

She moved towards one of the computers and logged on, instantly punching in the subject she was interested in, Death. Well it isn't the subject she would of picked to write about but then she had to write on the subject requested after all she still needed to make some money and one of the magazines was excepting freelance stuff from her so she could start branching out on her own, she still had to eat. A whole list of books came up so she wrote them down.

She was going to turn off the computer when a thought came to her, "humm I wonder." She punched in 'Branstan Estate' then waited eagerly while the information came up. " Original Family's and their Estates, Founders of Bronsville, and Bronsville's Beginings." She wrote them down on her paper and then turned off the computer. Swirling about the library she found all the books on her list then took the large stack to the table and started to leaf threw them. Out of a stack of twelve books, she kept six, three for her story and three for her very over active curiosity. She put the other books back and then grabbed the stack of books as she headed to the front desk.

"I got your card all ready so just go ahead sign these papers and I'll put your books threw." The girl smiled while she past her the paper and pen.

"Well here is your card and books. Hey call me sometime, we'll have lunch ok, I moved my family into my mother's house after she passed away. You remember where I use to live?"

"I didn't know you're mother passed away I'm sorry to hear that."

"Well I guess her heart was always to large for her body and after my father died, it was to broken to keep going," she forced a small smile. "I'm sorry I had to work yesterday and missed you're aunt's funeral."

"That's ok I got your card and flowers thanks. Hey lunch would be nice Pen I remember where you live. Well I best get starting on my reading." She gave a slight smirk as if to say help.

"I feel for you, see you later Ellie."

"Ya, Bye Pen." Ellie started towards the doors; walking down the stairs she heard another voice.

"Ellie, Ellie Lynn Stanton?"

Ellie didn't need to look past her books to know who came with the voice, it belonged to her best buddy she ever had when she was in grade school. Their relationship was never love except love you would have for a brother. Growing up David knew her better than anyone else. When she left Bronsville she missed two things the most, her aunt June and David.

"David Penno, wow I'd give you a big hug but you did catch me coming from the library." She said with a laugh.

"Hey I was really sad to hear about your aunt, I feel horrible that I missed her funeral but I just got back from a seminar in TO. Hey how you holding up?" he took some of her books so he could see her.

"Doing good, but the place sure misses her, specially her garden. Hay thanks for the donation to the flowered parks in her name, she would have liked that."

"Well I just couldn't see myself sending her cut flowers to her, you know?"

"Ya I know, she would have loved that it went to growing more flowers." She blinked away the tears that where trying to escape, "hey enough sad thoughts eh, how are Janet and the girls?"

"Oh ya I guess you haven't heard yet, eh? Janet and I have split. She moved back to BC and well you know the girls went with her. I get them for 6 months she gets them for 6."He made a slight smile and jerked his head a little. "It's not so bad."

"Oh David I'm so sorry."

"Hey don't be, the last 2 years have been spent on the battle grounds from hell, believe me it's the best thing for all of us."

"Ya well it's still sad."

"So I hear your making it permanent. Missed me too much right? City wasn't as grand as you thought or what?"

"Ah ya I needed peace and quiet cause I want to start writing on my own you know? But well.... needed...a fresh start."

"Ok who was it?"

"Who was who?"

" Who broke your heart? El you might be able to fool some people but not the D ok. Talk to me cause no matter how old we get I still have the biggest ears around to listen." He ginned pushing his eyebrows way up towards his hairline. She looked away because he was the one person that could read her like no one else. She had put Paul behind her and wished to leave him there. This was one road she didn't wish to go down even with David.

David sensed that the conversation had gotten to a hard spot, "Hey El I was just heading to Bruno's for super, it would be great to have company for a change. Come on join me, please?"

"Oh I don't know David, got a lot of reading ahead of me you know. I was just going to grab something and head home."

He pulled her chin up with his finger so he could see her face. "El we don't have to talk about it if you don't want to ok? But... remember I'm here if you change your mind. We're just going to have supper, keep each other company that's all. If there are domains you want to stay away from than fine...ok? Come on El." He looked at her with puppy dog eyes. "I missed talking with my best friend have a heart."

"Alright, but we both pay for our own."

"Wouldn't have it any other way.

"Well hello Mr. Branstan."

Ellie froze then slowly turned around as he came down the library steps.

"Hello David, did that property come up for sale that I asked you about last week?"

"Not yet but I heard they're thinking about it."

"Good man, let me know when it does."

"Oh how rude of me, Mr. Branstan this is Ellie Stanton, just moved back from the big city.'

"Miss Stanton nice to see you again." He tipped his head.

"Oh you've met?"

"Yes once to many times I should like to say." She announce with a snort.

"David looked puzzled at her, "What's wrong?"

"Nothing, look David we should go I have a lot of reading ahead of me and I don't want to drive home to late."

"Right ok, hey Mr. Branstan you want to join us for dinner?

"No...I mean I'm sure he has more pressing business to take care of." She grimaced.

Mr. Branstan smiled at her. "Thank you David for the invitation but Miss Stanton is correct, perhaps another time." He tilted his head slightly nodding towards them. "David, Miss Stanton, have a pleasant dinner. I'll be seeing you around. " He gave Ellie a large smile and walked away.

David just looked at her, "What was that about?"

"Nothing the man annoys me, can we go to dinner the thought of all this reading is making me hungry.

David laughed, "Here give me those, before your arm drops off. God El you'll have to lock yourself up for a year with all this."

"Research, for a magazine, it's allowing me to send in freelance work. Helps feed the starving writer." She pulled a large grin across her face.

As they got to her car she unlocked it, took the books from David and threw them onto the passenger seat.

"Ok meet you over there." He turned around and headed towards a green Jeep.

She got in and drove over to the restaurant. They got out of their cars, headed into the restaurant but without thinking they both headed to the third table. They looked at the table then at each other then laughed.

"Great table," he said with a grin.

They laughed again and sat down.

"Hello may I help you? Oh Ellie, hi it's Paula, Paula Dipple or now it's Paula Tomson remember me? Hey I was sad to here about your aunt. So are you coming back to live here now? Hey that would be great we could have lunch some time catch up on old times. Hey hi David you have a good trip?" The girl took out a pad and paper. "What would you two like?"