«Besides, she’ll be bored alone!» «I thought I could take you too! You’re a kind person! Descended when I called! Helped me out! Isn’t it fair if I repay the same???»
«I don’t want to!» «Want or not, doesn’t matter! What matters is it will happen! But you have a choice — agree voluntarily or resist! From that depends if it hurts!!!»
Robert realized he had very little time left! Lily was becoming more transparent, her breathing slowing! A bit more, and changes would be irreversible! He remembered the book Aunt Mabel gave, and words that the spirit can be appeased by giving what it really wants! Not a child, but peace!
«Charlotte,» he said, trying to speak calmly! «I understand why you do this! You’re lonely! It hurts!!! But taking us won’t rid you of pain!»
«It will! I’ll have a family!!!» «But we won’t love you by force! Love doesn’t work that way! You know yourself, Ethan didn’t truly love you, or he wouldn’t leave!»
Charlotte’s face twisted in anger: «Don’t dare mention his name!!!» «Why? Because it still hurts… 15 years passed, and you still can’t forgive!!!»
«He ruined my life! He acted basely!!!» «But you ruined your life yourself when you decided you couldn’t live without him!!!»
Charlotte released Lily and turned to Robert! In her eyes blazed cold fire: «You don’t understand! I loved him! I gave him everything! And what???»
«Love doesn’t give right to own a person! Ethan made his choice! Base, cruel, but his! And you decided better to die than live with it!!!»
«Because living was unbearable! Was! Then!!!»
«But pain passes if you let it go! You cling to it like treasure!!!» Robert saw his words touched her! Charlotte was losing control, meaning her power over Lily weakened! The girl was becoming more material again!
«Know what I think?» He continued! «You’re not afraid of pain! You’re afraid… To forget! Afraid if you release the grudge, nothing will remain of your love!!!»
«Not true!» «True! But love isn’t grudge! Love is ability to wish happiness to another, even if he caused you pain! You can love Ethan and let him go at the same time!!!»
Charlotte sank to her knees, and tears flowed from her eyes! Unusual tears, glowing like drops of molten silver! «I don’t know how,» she whispered! «I’ve lived with this pain so long! It became part of me!!!»
«Then let me help! Not by force, not coercion! Humanly!!!» Robert felt the invisible wall disappear! He approached Charlotte and carefully sat beside! «Tell me about him! Not how he left you! What he was like when you were happy!!!»
And Charlotte began telling! Robert didn’t sleep the rest of the night! He sat by Lily’s bed, holding a homemade cross carved from wood! Not that he was especially religious, but now ready to grasp any straw! Toward morning, Lily spoke in her sleep! First indistinctly, then clearer: «Yes, Aunt Charlotte? Understand! Won’t tell Dad! Our secret!!!»
Robert gently shook his daughter, and she woke with a guilty expression! «She came again!» He asked! Lily nodded, lowering her eyes! «What did she say???» «Said she’ll come for me soon! And you shouldn’t know! Said if I tell you, you’ll drown in the well too!!!»
Robert clenched his fists! Whoever this Charlotte was, she knew how to manipulate a child’s mind! In the morning, he took Lily to Aunt Mabel! The old woman agreed to watch the girl, though crossing herself! «Bad business,» she said! «Charlotte clings to your daughter! Need to do something!!!»
«What exactly???» «Need to call a priest! Let him bless the well, drive out evil! But the nearest priest lived in the county seat, sixty miles away! And time passed, and each day Lily became paler, more detached!
Robert decided to act alone! If Charlotte is tied to the well, that’s where to deal with her! He bought salt, holy water from the only active church in the nearby town, and prepared for another descent into the well! In the evening, with Lily at Aunt Mabel’s, Robert headed to the well again!
The sounds started on approach — not crying this time, but something like a song! Quiet, mesmerizing melody, without words! At the well awaited a surprise! The iron cover was fully shifted, and weak bluish glow came from the depths!
And Charlotte began telling! At first reluctantly, then freer! She spoke of Ethan not as a betrayer, but as the young man she loved! About his laugh, how he read her poems under the old oak, plans they made together! «He wanted to be a teacher,» she said, tears streaming down her transparent cheeks! «Dreamed of opening a school for rural kids! And me? I wanted to help him! Wanted our own children!!!»