Great Aunt Rose.

When I first found it, I knew as soon as I placed my hand on it that this was going to be something.

The something it was I couldn’t possibly comprehend.

The something was inside the little black book.

The book itself was smooth and it had a hint of a shine, particles of glitter had infiltrated the leather.

There was a single red lace string that hung lazily out to the side of the little book.

It was almost a secret, a naughty little secret, like it’s underwear was showing.

I laughed out loud at that thought, the sound startled me.

The sound echoed off the dark wood walls.

Instantly it hit me, I knew what I had to do.

My laughter was coming back at me, it was as if the house was offended at the merriment.

I forced laughter now, loud and obnoxiously.

I turned in a circle laughing hard, spinning so that the sound would hit every corner of this particular room.

It was the third clue in the book.

I heard a clanking, similar to a car motor starting up, or a broken clock motor rotating inside itself.

It was a loud sound, and I knew I had solved the third clue.

“Madness broke the mind and laughter broke the darkness of the nightmare, and there loudly within was the doorway to blue wings of freedom”

My great aunt Rose had kept herself shut up inside this vast wooden room for nearly 16 years.

It was kept dark and gloomy.

Like great aunt Rose.

Her husband left her and ran off with his best friend Vincent, a gorgeous dark haired stallion of a man and poor old Rose the worn down mare, went absolutely mad.

Great aunt Rose had decided to send herself to heaven when she found out, but before her forever vacation she got busy organizing a large easter egg hunt.

The easter egg remains unknown and it definitely isn't easter.

She filled this old house with tricks and clues, to solve them would lead you to a small hidden fortune.

All the treasure she had and a secret.

A secret that could only been revealed upon aunt Roses death.

I Fia Rose, named for my aunt, was her sole heir.

The only daughter of Raymond’s sister.

The estate lawyer gave me the metal box containing the little black book on my 36th birthday, the same age Rose was when she went to meet her maker.

The first clue had been simple enough.

“Past the stone eagle, skip 43 times down the pheasant row until your hear the crows crow.”

I drove to the house past the giant stone eagle that watched over the drive way of the house, Pheasant Row. Almost at the house was a sculpture of a crow puffed up and singing.

The house was number 43, next to the crow sculpture was the mailbox 43. Inside was the key to the house.

The 2nd clue was also straight forward.

“Let me carry you across the threshold.Your eyes locked on mine.Forever I will love you, never will I let you down.

My love, my best friend, my to the very end.

Where does a lie end and the truth begin?”

I walked over the threshold and entered the house, right inside was a larger than life portrait painting of my aunt Rose and her betrayer.

Raymond.

Her eyes were large and grey and you could see the love shining out like a burst of sunlight.I locked my eyes on hers and approached the painting.

Within her great gray eyes, the pupil disguised a button, I pressed it and a door in the wall appeared.

Leading me to the dark gloomy heart of madness that was great aunt Rose’s room and final resting place.

Where now I find myself about to solve my third clue.

A door opened in the wall, there was a blue passageway within.

The walls had stencils of eagles painted on them.

Beautiful little pops of gold color that shone like little diamonds on the blue background.

It was a long passage and I was overcome with a strong smell of mold and decay.

A sinking feeling began to wash over me.

At the end of the passage there was a note stuck to the wall.

Vincent,

I know about you and Raymond.

I beg you please don’t leave me to my misery.

He is my one and my all.

We swore forever, and I cannot let him go.

My heart it breaks and divides my soul.

To have and to hold.

Forever I was told.

I leave with you a bag, inside is $20,000.

Solve the clues within this little black book, find the bag.

Begone forever is all I ask in return.

Love lost.

Souls broken.

Do not doubt Vincent, one day you too will suffer this pain.

Take the money please and I beg once again, go.

Rose.

Below the letter was another clue.

“You have come this far, too late to turn back now.I knew how far my little bird had flew.

Turn the key set my little bird finally free.

This cage is too stifling and my heart cannot take these secrets I kept so deep and dark within me.”

My mind was starting to fit pieces together.

I traced my finger over the little birdcage drawing that was beneath the note, a little sound emitted from the wall.

The wall cracked open and a smell so strong hit me like a punch in the face.

I knew instantly what that smell was.

Death.

At the back of the room locked in an eternal embrace was Vincent and Raymond the star crossed lovers.

Great aunt Rose had told Raymond what she had done.

She thought by revealing Vincent as disloyal that Ray would leave him and see the goodness in her.

Raymond waited in the dark for Vincent.

When he appeared in the room he went for the bag.

Sweat glistened on his brow.

Raymond breathed deeply.

It was all it took, Vincent saw him and broke down.

Begging for forgiveness.

Rose saw the despair in Raymond’s face.

Also on his face was the worst thing of all, forgiveness.

It broke her further.

She gently closed the door and sealed it.

Raymond would forgive Vincent.

They would come for Rose.

Accusations would fly and then they would go off arm in arm and with the bag of brand new shiny money.

Rose was one step ahead.

Enraged and broken.

She shut them into this back room.

Sealing the door shut and letting the great old house have them forever.

She herself did the same in the little gloomy room down the end of the blue hallway.

As in life, and now in death, she was pushed to the outside, forgotten and betrayed.

Next to Vincent was the bag, with the $20,000 inside.

She left it there for Raymond’s dying eyes to see, that this is how much his love was worth.

I pulled the bag away from the lovers.

I opened it.

Inside was one last letter.

V.

My husband loved you.

The grief washes over me like a tidal wave.

I could never reach the surface.

I will never forgive you.

Rose.

I took the $20,000.

I left the house.

I closed all the doors behind me.

Ensuring the secrets of the little black book remain.

The fate of the lovers and the forgotten bride.

Goodnight Aunt Rose.