No good deed goes unpunished- My Short Story Entry for We-Write #4

The Contest

The clattering of the tea cup against its saucer rang through the formal living room. Its hand-painted periwinkles and gold leaf rim were normally safe in the hands of the Countess, but today the cup chattered in unsettling clinks. The noise disturbed the Countess’ attempts at composure, so she placed the china safely on the glass table before her. As she did so, the door opened suddenly, making her jump farther back on the silk settee.

“George, must you enter so frighteningly quickly?” She accosted the man, who remained by the doorway.

“My apologies, your ladyship. I will do my best to be less…frightening, in the future.” The butler gave a small smile, to which the Countess responded with a relieved chuckle. Taking her laughter as forgiveness, he walked into the well-decorated space.

“I suppose it’s just this storm that has me on edge,” she confessed, with a brief glimpse to the ever-darkening scene beyond the window’s delicate frame. From their place on the hill, they could ordinarily see a small town in the distance, with vibrant green mountains beyond that. But today all charm was washed out in the sea of deepening purples, grays, and blacks descending into the valley. The Countess had watched as it grew closer, as the rumbles became roars, until it was too much for her to take.

“I thought your ladyship might wish to know that there has been a letter from town,” George ventured. The Countess perked up at the news, and eagerly took the envelope from his gloved hands. He continued, “Your brother has decided to wait out the storm at his office. He feels, and I must agree, that it would be too dangerous to ride back in such weather.”

“At least he’s indoors,” she sighed, “though I do feel he’d be safer here.”

“I understand your fears,” he comforted, “but all storms must—” A flash of light burst into the room, accompanied by a thunderous boom. The china rattled on the table, and the pair felt the very floor beneath them shake. It was enough to crack George’s professionalism into a primal fear, a fear reflected in the Countess’ eyes.

The Countess however was the first to reign in her fears and quipped with deliberate nonchalance.

"Come on George. This is just another bad storm. We see them every year."

"But not so fast and intense and never in this season. This is ...Unholy." George replied seriously, his dread trumping his dignity.

"What nonsense!" The Countess refused to be rankled.

"May be she spoke the truth."

"What? Who?" The Countess sat down in a huff while George only managed to point to the floor. Another bout of lightning lit up the room in flashes, followed by booming claps of thunder which sounded ominously near every time. There was a crack and tinkle of glass as a window was probably smashed to bits.

George looked at the Countess. "Maybe we should just take her outside and ask her to go."

The Countess stood up in anger. "She is a small child and barely alive. Do you really think she is Poseidon's daughter and escaped from the Aegaeon's minions?? She is dreaming a fairy tale she probably read."

"But the storm gathered right after we found her this morning. and it has not yet abated. I have never, my Lady, never seen it shake the manor like today. This is Not Natural. And she has the Triton mark on her neck." As to punctuate his point, the building shook throwing cups and cutlery and tea and biscuits and vases and stationery to the ground.

The Countess had fallen back into the plush settee while George was holding onto the brass candelabra bolted to the wall.

"We will die if you do not send her back my Lady." George entreated.

"OK OK" The Countess relented but not before looking at the dark clouds and shouting. "You bloody have to wait."

Strangely the storm was uncharacteristically silent as they made their way to the basement where the rescued girl was quartered. The Countess gestured for George to wait while she entered the room. It was a small stone room with a bed, a chair and a chest. The girl was awake and sitting cross legged on the bed. After cleaning up and dressing of her bruises and cuts, she had been fed thick bean soup and some crackers. That was almost six hours ago, the Countess had been informed that the child had fallen asleep, and she looked much better for it.

"Child." The countess began as she seated herself. "I think we are all in danger, from the terrible storm outside."

The girl nodded. "I feel it rage outside. I have heard my father say that uncle Aegaeon has a nasty streak."

The Countess was speechless for a moment. "Is there any way we can save ourselves?"

"How far are we from the shore?"

"About three hundred yards but we are high; a thirty feet drop from the edge at the ground level."

"I can feel the water near, below us I think. If I can touch the waves my father will know about it in moments."

The Countess thought for a moment and stood up and let George in. "You know family the tombs. There is a small tunnel from there to the sea. Dad said it was used to dump the earth after excavation. It was through a small wooden door right at the back near the older graves."

George replied. "I have seen the door."

"OK. The tomb entrance is just twenty feet away from the ball room side door. You take the girl and collect from the kitchen anything you can dig or remove stones with- in case the tunnel is blocked. I am going up to distract Uncle Storm for as long as I can. Go hurry."

The girl had understood the plan and latched onto George's hand without having to be told.

To the Countess' credit, she held the attention of a storm god for almost a minute. Then all the windows of the room blew inwards and cold rain and wind came lashing in. Dozens of red spots and streaks on her arms and torso were the result of splinters of glass violently being flung her way. But by this time the girl had reached the tunnel below the tombs. For the next minute, guided by the sea itself she crawled furiously to reach the rocky shore. The waves were high and salty foam hung in the air before dissipating, a stroke of luck which saved valuable time which she would otherwise spend in climbing down.

The Countess was nearly unconscious when the blue light flared from the sea, heralding the arrival of a major god.

PICTURE CREDIT: wikimedia.commons