Marie awoke in her room feeling certain that what she saw at the cemetery was just a bad dream. She dressed for dinner and went downstairs to meet her friends at the hotel's grand dining room. Marie took her friend John's arm and they entered the grand dining room together. John was tall and of athletic build. Marie enjoyed looking at him, and tonight he was dressed very nicely in tan slacks and a long sleeve white dress shirt, open at the collar. A handsome man with light hair, and a quick smile, John could be very charming, and he was good company for Marie. The Grand dining room was adorned with chandeliers, white tablecloth's, sparkling Crystal and fine bone China. The party was subdued given the day's events, Marie and John whispered quietly, and Gertrude and Dora hid behind their menus. Marie could see their red cheeks as they peered over the menus. It looked as though they had put on too much rouge.
"I really don't have much of an appetite tonight" and with that Marie excused herself and returned to room 404C in The Nightshade Hotel.
She was feeling woozy as she opened the door to her room. 'Did I leave the light on' she wondered. Her eyes made out a candlelit table in the middle of the room. It was set for dinner. Closing the door, Marie approached the table. Lifting the steel lid covering her plate, Marie smiled broadly. Someone had ordered French toast and eggs for her dinner! 'John' she thought. 'He knows me so well! What a sweetheart.'
As she sat down to eat, Marie realized she wasn't alone in the room. A shadowy image emerged. It seemed as though it walked right in through the wall and Marie stared wordlessly. "Hello Marie. How are you this evening?" His voice was soft and quiet as though he was trying not to scare her.
"Charles."
"Yes! It's Charles!" He smiled, delighted that she recognized him. Marie noted she could see right through him. His form looked like smoke in the darkened room.
"Charles?" she uttered again. "Yes my love. It is Charles. I saw you today and my heart skipped a beat. You have finally returned to us."
"...I don't understand. How did you get here?"
"When we lost you, my love, I was heartbroken. I sold my soul to the Necromancer."
Feeling woozy now, Marie went to the bed and sat down upon it. The next thing she remembers is hearing a knock at the door. It was John. "Are you all right?" "Yes" she looked around behind her, leaving John standing at the door. The table was gone.
"I brought you some dinner. I thought you might like some French toast."
"Whoa" John caught Marie as she began to swoon.
"Stay with me please! I ... don't know what is happening to me."
"Ok"
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