Stand for Love Ch. 17

Emily had entrusted a maid to make sure Gabriel never found out what had happened. At least the little boy was gonna be spared from all the pain. But all of them were gonna have to suffer and remember Adrian for the rest of their lives. They kept hearing his voices in their minds...voices of Adrian and the image never even left them for once. It was like they were doomed or something.

Granny was devastated, in pain and anguish. She was missing Adrian and his touch. Although she was in pain, she was cursing anyone who had done that to Adrian. She very well suspected that Victoria was involved. She even promised Adrian in her heart that if Victoria was involved in his death...it won't be long before her death.

*****

The mood in the house was really bright. They had all woken up in the morning after celebrating almost the whole of the previous day. They had celebrated and slept late, really late. Each of them shook in their sleep, excited for their greatest achievement. They even had similar dreams, reliving the wonderful moment of the building exploding. Hmm, they talked about it when they woke up. The celebration continued the next day. They had fun...ordered food...danced to music and did everything just to please themselves. Victoria was the happiest of them all and when she actually remembered what Adrian had told her, she laughed out loud. She had found pleasure in Adrian's death and she would willingly do it over and over again.

Night came and Victoria went to her room, laughing and smiling to herself. She was more than happy, walking like a runway diva. She was wearing her head high and she loved every bit of it. Never had she been as happy as she was at that very time.

Entering the room, Victoria smiled to herself while closing the door. Then she held the knob for so long, chuckling to herself. She got lost in her thoughts that she didn't want to stop. But then there came a strong wind indicating that a storm was about to come. There was air in her room and the curtains were moving from side to side, flapping terribly. Victoria snapped out of her thoughts, realizing that she needed to close her window.

Victoria walked to the window, smiling. She reached the window and when she was closing it...she froze. Then her eyes went straight to look out of the window. She closed her eyes and opened them again but it was still the same thing. Though it was not clear, Victoria swore Adrian was standing outside the gate looking at her. His hair was blowing backwards and he was all bloody and scary. He had his eyes on her and she could tell that he was crying.

Victoria's eyes filled with tears at the image of what she saw. Her heart began pounding and her breaths became harsh. Then her hands and the rest of her body began trembling in pain, sending powerful vibrations to her mind. She felt something creep up her skin and she jumped up in fear, moving her hands all over her body while breathing like a wounded beast.

Then as if it didn't just happen, she looked out again but he was not there. There was even nothing but she was scared as hell.

"It didn't happen." Victoria breathed, trying to feel calm. "It was all my imagination."

Taking a deep sigh, Victoria rushed to her window with her heart racing and she closed them. Then she flipped back the curtain and went back in her room, trying to breathe calmly. She tried to get rid of the image of what she saw just a second ago but it was in her mind.

"No Victoria," She whispered, slightly closing her eyes. "It is just your mind playing tricks on you. Adrian is dead and dead for good. Just breathe."

Taking a deep breath, Victoria started moving towards her bed but she was nervous as hell. She needed to calm down or she would be the next to die. Moving away from the bed, Victoria began rushing out of her room to the kitchen.

Reaching the living room, Victoria heard a loud knock on the door. She moved her eyes straight to the door and wondered who might have been knocking at that time. She then raised her wrist and glanced at the electronic watch that was on her hand.

"Hmm," Victoria whispered, moving her eyes to the door again. It was exactly midnight and someone was knocking. Well, it was probably the guards.

Victoria sighed in irritation as she started moving to the door. She promised to shout at anyone who was disturbing her at that time. Then she quickly reached the door and unlocked, ready to shout at the person who was there.

"Look I have a lot..." But that was it. There was no one at the door.

Realizing that no one was at the door, Victoria opened the door so wide, the cold wind entered the house. She brought her hands and covered her arms as she slowly started moving out, looking out everywhere to see if there was anyone. But she couldn't see anyone else, just the cars and nothing else.

She got mad when she realized that someone was playing tricks on her. She knew it was not her house but she was gonna fire whoever had just played a trick. Victoria slowly moved out of the house, moving away from the door.

"Hello!" She hollered, looking all around. She was trying to catch a glimpse of anyone hiding. "Is there somebody out here?" But it was quiet. It was only the gush of the cold wind that she felt. "Look I don't have time for your games. Come out or I will fire everyone tomorrow. Don't play tricks on me because I will make sure that it is the last thing you do."

Victoria's eyes scanned the whole compound, moving further away from the door. Her heart was racing in anger and she was getting cold from the wind. It was not well lit outside but she was able to see clearly.

"Okay." She said angrily. "Get ready to lose your jobs tomorrow. If you are hearing me then start packing,"

She was fuming and she didn't like what had happened at all. Then she dropped her hands in fury and groaned in anger. She hissed and then quickly turned to go back inside when she...she jumped behind and fell on her ass on the hard concrete. Then what she felt next was something crawling up her skin, making her shiver in fear. She became pale and her eyes watered. Her breaths became violent and her pain was just too much. She was in horror and her eyes almost popped out of her sockets. Then instead of breathing, she was gasping for air. She couldn't believe what was in front of her...a ghost, Adrian.

She could see him clearly, right in front of her. Adrian's hair was furiously blowing backwards in fury just like ghosts in horror movie do, revealing his whole face and his eyes, oh fuck, those eyes, they were so wide and they were glowing in a deep red color. Fuck! Victoria was dead. His face was bloody and his eyes were filled with tears...his clothes seemed torn and a bit burnt...his whole body looked like he was covered in ash...and his look...his look gave Victoria the creeps, especially with those glowing eyes. It was of hatred and the glower on his face was a killer. In fact, his whole body was covered in blood and it was really fresh.

"Ad...ad...Adrian," Victoria gasped. She sounded like she was in labor. And when she looked deep in his face, a shiver ran down her spine. She could swear that the hair on her head moved. "Please..."

"Mother," Adrian's voice was distorted and it croaked. Hearing Adrian's ghostly voice made Victoria to melt. She felt like she was in ice and her muscles contracted.

"Don't kill me," Victoria pleaded. She couldn't make eye contact with him because his jaws were shaking terribly.

"I told you I...would haunt you..." Adrian growled in his ghostly voice. "Why should I spare you? You killed me like that didn't you? I am going to kill you now. My spirit is restless and I will haunt you one by one."

Victoria felt shivers all over her body. There were vibrations taking control of her body. Her tears were flooded on her face and she couldn't do a thing. She felt weak and the need to pee so much. Every bit of her body shook out in intense fear.

"Please," Victoria quaked, breathing harshly. The blood that passed in her veins was cold and it made her shake. "Don't...kill..."

"Look at me," The voice was demanding and it was distorted. "I said look at me." The voice was strange and scared Victoria out of her skin. She became even paler.

From those distorting demands, Victoria knew she had to comply. She quickly moved her face and looked up at Adrian. She gave a loud scream of fear immediately she raised her face. Adrian was right there in front of her, close to her face with his scary eyes and giving her a look of hatred. Then Victoria trembled like an earth quake was occurring but only in her body.

"Please," Victoria cried. Victoria then started panting, shaking and begging for the ground to open up and eat her.

As if that ghost didn't hear her, Victoria saw it moving its head robotically, clenching on its teeth. Then it snapped its teeth, making Victoria's eyes to widen while she shook terribly. She had her eyes on him even when blood started dripping from his head to his face. Then she screamed out in fear, hoping for someone to hear her, anyone.

What followed next made Victoria's fear to reach its maximum and she wet her pants. Right there, Adrian's movements intensified and she swore a bloody knife appeared in his hand magically. He clenched on it, moving like a robot.

Seeing the bloody knife, Victoria screamed out in fear, crawling backwards with her hands. She was shaking and by then her pants were wet.

"Please forgive me," Victoria cried, crawling backwards while he just watched her with his teeth clenched.

"You killed me." Adrian snarled. Victoria swore his voice sounded like many people were speaking. "Why should I spare you?"

"I am your...mother..." Victoria stopped when she felt his harsh breaths which sent vibrations all over her body. She was in so much fear and she kept wetting her pants.

Then as if he knew what she had done, he gave out a loud laugh that travelled straight to her spine. His voice was still distorted and then he looked up at her with a serious face, ready to stab her.

"I told you I would kill you." Adrian laughed, slowly moving with his robotic movements. "It's time to..."

"Help," Victoria gave a low cry of pain.

"Ma'am," Victoria's felt relieved when she heard the voice of a guard. She looked in his direction and saw him running towards her. Victoria then rose up and fell again because had no more strength. Then she rose again and held on to the guard who had reached her by then.

"What is it ma'am?" The guard asked. "Why are you so scared and pale?"

"Hi...him..." Victoria quaked, pointing her shaky finger at the ghost of Adrian who seemed even madder than he had been.

"Who?" The guard asked, looking around.

"Can't you see him?" Victoria pointed, crying and shaking. "He's...right of there."

The guard sounded surprised, looking all around. "Ma'am there is no one over there."

"He's there," Victoria gasped as she felt a sharp headache.

"Ma'am," The guard sounded pissed. "There is no one here. It is just you and me."

Hearing what the guard had to say, Victoria felt a hot liquid running down her legs. She realized that she had wet her pants again. She was totally fucked because Adrian was gonna kill her for real. Her fear intensified and rose to a new level.

"Ma'am..."

"He's over there," Victoria's body was so hot that sweat began pouring.

"You can't run from me." Adrian said angrily. "My soul will not rest until you die."

"No!" Victoria cried. "Please. Don't kill...me. I'll do anything and..."

"Confess all your sins..." Adrian's voice was still scary. His breaths became violent and his eyes widened. He then raised the knife and shook it in the air.

Victoria had her eyes on that bloody knife. "I can't..."

"Get ready to die," Adrian said as a tear poured down his face. Then he began moving towards the guard and Victoria, holding the knife firmly, shaking it so much.

Seeing Adrian getting near, Victoria gave out a loud scream of fear and pain. Then she gripped the guard and began moving with him. Then like lightning, she let go of him and began rushing into the house screaming and crying out loud.

"No!" Victoria screamed, climbing the stairs. Then as she was climbing, she fell but she got up again crying. She moved her eyes behind to check if Adrian was behind her but he was not. She quickly ran, moving her eyes forward. Then she reached the top and bumped into something hard. She fell flat on her face, crying and sobbing in fear. She knew who...what she had bumped into. She knew it was Adrian and he was gonna kill her.

Victoria quickly shielded her face, taking slow harsh breaths. She was screaming so loud, the neighbors nearby could probably hear her.

"Don't kill me..." Victoria's voice was filled with nothing but fear. "...I didn't mean to kill you."

She was convulsing on the floor, trying to crawl away but her body was failing her. She couldn't do anything. She was done for. All she was waiting for was to be stabbed to death.

"Victoria!" Todd and the others were more than surprised at what they saw. They wondered what could have made a woman like Victoria that scared, to the point where she was convulsing and crying. They even got scared when they heard her begging not to be killed.

Hearing Todd's voice, Victoria raised her face and looked up. She found all her allies looking down at her with questions all over their faces. Then she gasped, quickly rising from the floor. She was shaking like never before and her whole body felt cold.

Victoria quickly gripped Jane and held on to her tightly. She didn't want to let go and...her cries went to a whole new level. Then she started hyperventilating.

"Victoria?" Jane was more than surprised. "What's wrong?"

"He tried..." She breathed, pointing down the stairs. "...he tried to kill me."

"Who?" Jane asked, pulling away from Victoria's hug. Then she cupped her cheeks and felt just how jaws shook. "Who tried to kill you? Tell us so that we can go and..."

"Ad...Adrian..." Victoria was pointing to the living room.

"What?" Jake shouted. "Adrian is dead."

"I swear,"

Victoria tried to explain to them but they just kept on rejecting that it was true. She was scared and her pants were wet and she was sweating but they couldn't believe her. Then after they had so much, they decided to take her outside to show her that nothing was there.

Reaching outside, Victoria trembled and stood firm, frozen. Adrian was nowhere to be seen and the blood that she had seen was not there either. The guard was back to doing his rounds.

"I...I swear he...he was here." Victoria quaked.

"Look there is nothing here." Todd said angrily. "It's all in your mind. Please stop this and allow us to rest. You're supposed to be rejoicing but you look weaker than yourself."

"He was here and...and he said he was gonna haunt us even in death. He is not...gonna rest until we all die."

"Look," Todd was getting pissed with Victoria's behavior. "If you are worried about what that bitch told us then..."

"Why won't you believe me?" Victoria's headache was out of control. She touched her head in fury and dropped her hands. Never had she been as scared as she was at that time. "He told me to confess my..."

"Victoria!" Jane shook her till she looked at her. "Look, stop all this madness and just be happy. Be happy because we have defeated him and he's not coming back. He's dead...gone." She yelled. "Ghosts don't exist and you know that. You don't even believe in that madness."

Victoria shook in intense fear as more tears rushed down her cheeks.

"Okay." Victoria cried out. "Why don't you ask the guard?"

"To stop this madness," Todd yelled. "I will really do that."

Todd went ahead and called the guard. Then he made him stand in front and folded his arms on his chest. Todd frowned and asked the big question to the guard. The answer that she heard made Victoria to quiver in fear.

"I'm sorry, sir," the guard said officially. "I only saw the madam talking to herself. There was no one here."

Todd then rudely dismissed the guard and diverted his gaze at Victoria. She had never been as scared and as humiliated as she was. Wetting her pants at her age was humiliating and she felt dirty but the fear was too much.

"Did you hear that?" Todd said, trying not to raise his voice. "It was all in your imagination. Where would Adrian come from if he's dead?"

"But I..."

"Victoria," Jane smiled, cupping her cheeks. "Look we understand that you are just tired. So let's all go in and sleep. By tomorrow morning, everything will be..."

"I don't wanna sleep alone." Victoria yelled, shaking like a leaf. "I know what I saw. He'll kill me."

"Okay." Jane reassured, slightly closing her eyes. "You'll sleep with Cynthia tonight. Nothing is going to happen to you."

"Yes aunt," Cynthia said, rubbing her back. "You'll sleep with me tonight. There is nothing to fear. Just enjoy yourself and celebrate Adrian's death. Don't let that imagination ruin your happiness. We killed Adrian and that's all that matters. We don't care whether he has risen. We will kill him again. Do you believe me?"

Victoria stared at Cynthia for a little while before staring at all of the others. They were absolutely right but she was scared as hell.

"I don't..."

"Where is that Victoria who doesn't fear anything?" Cynthia chirped, grinning brightly. "Where is that Victoria who puts fear in others? Where is the woman who inspires me a lot? You fear nothing. You defeated him and he can't do a thing to you."

"Yes mother," Jake chirped. "You are stronger than this. Now let's go inside and dream nothing but good dreams. He will never defeat us. Even if he is a ghost, we will kill him again. He wasn't able to defeat us while he was alive and he won't do it in death either."

Victoria loved the praises and words of encouragement big time but they didn't seem to get to her at all. It was like they just made her shiver even more than she could have ever thought in her life. She was scared. What she saw was real no matter what they say to her. They were supposed to believe her and not the other way around.

Victoria was so lost in thought that she didn't even feel the arms that Jake was wrapping around her. The only thing she heard was his voice.

"Mother,"

"Uh," Victoria gasped, literally melting. It was a cold night and the wind was still blowing but she was sweating.

"Let's go in." Jake grinned. He had never seen Victoria that scared and he even got scared. But he wasn't gonna let that affect him. She was wet all over her face and she trembled. Her eyes were red and she looked vulnerable.

Still trembling and in panic and shock, Victoria slowly moved with Jake inside. What she had seen was real and she couldn't forget about it no matter what. She didn't have any idea if she was going to get any sleep at all.

What if she wakes up and finds Adrian on the bed with her, she thought as she convulsed in Jake's arms. The very thought of seeing Adrian or...she gulped...even hearing his voice was making her whimper in fear.

It was going to be a really long night for her.

****

Nicholas was lying down on the bed, slowly passing his hands on it, missing Adrian so much. He had just woken up and had no idea what the time was. He didn't even bother to look where he was but he just cried of pain. He could feel that his clothes had been changed. What bothered him were the memories that kept torturing. He was supposed to be in his room, holding Adrian in his arms while they sleep. He was supposed to be passing his fingers in his long hair and feeling his body heat.

Fuck, Nicholas' heart was dead. It was beating but it was dead. It had died together with Adrian. He was never gonna be the same again. He didn't care if his tears kept on flowing and he was begging...begging to just wake up dead. Yes, that was what he was wishing on himself.