The Ghosts of Winworth Manor -Now Published Sample Only!!!

Chapter Eleven: A Father's Love

Sarah had sat on the floor of the shower crying for a good half an hour. She didn't know what to do. Her father would be the one she would normally go to, but she was afraid he wouldn't believe her. How could he? Sarah then got up, turned off the shower, and began to dry herself with a towel. Just then there was a knock on the door.

"Sarah, are you alright?", her father asked, "It's two o'clock in the morning, why are you taking a shower?" She wrapped the towel around her, and opened the door.

"I'm sorry Daddy.", she said, "I had a nightmare, or rather a night terror. I woke up sweating, and I just felt gross. I also need to change the sheets."

"Night terror?", he asked, "You haven't even had a bad dream since you were eight."

"Um, it was about Todd.", she said. That of course was a lie, but she just couldn't tell him the truth.

"I'm sorry.", he said sympathetically, "It's too late to change the sheets. Why don't you sleep in my room, and I'll sleep on the couch."

"Daddy?", asked Sarah, "Can you stay with me tonight."

"Sarah, you're sixteen years old.", he told her, "It's a little inappropriate."

"Please, Daddy.", she said, "I'm scared." Her father couldn't help but noticed the frightened look on her face.

"Sarah, is there something you're not telling me?", he asked.

"What's going on, it's after two in the morning?",asked Jonathan, interrupting. He came out of his room half asleep.

"Sarah had a night terror.", explained Robert, "She woke up sweating, an decided she needed a shower. Jonathan, can I have an extra blanket?"

"Yeah, sure, there here in the linen closet.", he told Robert, "What do you need that for?"

"Sarah's afraid.", Robert began, "She's going to sleep in my bed, under the covers. I'll just lay in top of the bed under the blanket. That way it won't seem as odd."

"What did you dream about, sweetheart?', asked Jonathan.

"Todd's death.", she told him, "But I'm too scared to talk about it right now."

"Well, I don't know about you guys.", said Jonathan, "But I've gotta get back to sleep, goodnight you two." As Jonathan made his way back to his room, Sarah went with her father into his room. She got under the covers, while her father slept on top with the blanket over him.

"Goodnight Daddy.", said Sarah, "I love you."

"I love you too, princess.", he responded.

Later that morning, Robert made his way down tio the kitchen.

"How did you sleep?", asked Jonathan.

"Not very well.", Robert responded, "She was tossing and turning in her sleep all night. I know she's hiding something from me."

"All teenage girls are secretive.", said Jonathan.

"I know, but most of them don't witness a gruesome death.", said Robert, "She keeps saying that she gets cold chills, and then hears a man's voice. I don't know. I think due to Helen's, Karen's, and Todd's deaths being so close together. It might be more than she can handle. She really needs family right now., maybe even a therapist." Jonathan saw this as an opportunity to get her to the manor, and hand her over to Michael.

"I have idea.", Jonathan began, "While you're meeting with the real estate developer, I'll take her to lunch. Maybe it would be easier to talk to an uncle than a father."