Tomorrow is my wedding day and my fiancé and I are driving to see his Aunt Agatha. She lives way out in the country and as fate would have it is dark and stormy though we have been promised a full moon tomorrow night. Either way its spooky out here, the rain pouring down, the road a wash with surface water and Rod his eyes focused on the road is refusing to talk for fear of losing his way.
His mother had talked us into this trip. She said Aunt Agatha would love to see us and that we may not get to visit with her again as she is aging and has become very frail.
I had only just said to Rod to be careful when I felt him swerve and the car went into a spin. In seconds that seemed an eternity the car was out of control and sliding down hill. Thankfully it came to a halt against a tree and our first reactions were to ask if we were both ok.
We scrambled out and made our back up the hill hoping another car would come along and save us the drenching we were already receiving. We were well and truly soaked by the time we made it to the road. Rod we were not that far from Aunt Agatha’s place and so we should keep walking in that direction and hope help came along soon.
Around the next turn we spied a house. It was on the next hill. Lights suggested people and people suggested safety. It took us half hour to walk the distance to the house. It was a large imposing place; the front door had a huge knocker on it.
With two hands Rod lifted it and let it drop. The crash was deafening, the whole building seemed to shake. We heard footsteps and when the door opened the doorman was greeted by two very wet and bedraggled travellers.
The door creaked open and we were invited in. the doorman who looked a little odd to say he least, he had a glass eye and his good eye stared at us in disbelief.
The master he said would be with us soon and returned a moment later with a dry towel for each of us.
Then we were greeted by the strangest of men. A very tall and thin man who said his name was Peeps, Nicholas Peeps and he welcomed us to his house.
Then his sister Mavis Peeps appeared and she seemed rather deaf as she shouted every word she spoke. She was not happy to see us. Said we’d be better off going somewhere else but as it was still raining and the car ruined we didn’t have a lot of choice.
We explained our situation and Mr Peeps was sympathetic. As tomorrow was our wedding day Mavis upon hearing that said we’d have to out of there as soon as possible. Groom can’t be seeing the bride on her wedding day it was bad luck for such a thing to happen.
I thought we’d had our bad luck already what with the car and the rain. Mr Peeps suggested we dry off and if the rain ceased he would drive us back to town. Our visit to Aunt Agatha would have to happen another day.
Dried off and in dressing gowns the Peep’s generously lent us we gathered round the kitchen table as Mavis prepared some supper. Not much was said and Mr Peeps suggested we get some rest and that he would watch the weather and if there was a chance he’d awaken us and drive us back.
I was awakened by Mr Peeps standing over us, urging us to get up. I couldn’t hear the rain any more but now there was a wind blowing, rattling the windows and casting eerie shadows around our room.
As we stood by the front door prepared to say our farewells and thank the Peeps’ for their hospitality, Mavis said the strangest thing. ‘Your Aunt Agatha is a witch you know. Good thing the rain has stopped you going there. Tonight with the near full moon is when she plays her meanest tricks.’
With that the door swung open, Mavis’ mouth fell open and she looked frozen as before stood the most beautiful woman.
‘Rodney darling,’ she said, ‘how good of you to make to effort to visit me, I do believe you are getting married tomorrow.’
Rod stammered a yes and turned and introduced me to his Aunt, though I thought how could this woman be his Aunt when she was supposed to be older than his mother and she was pushing seventy. The woman before couldn’t have any older than forty.
‘Amanda,’ she said, ‘how lovely. What a fine couple you will make. Sorry I can’t make it to the church but I have some pressing engagements tomorrow, full moon and all that.’
‘Oh,’ she announced,’ my wedding gift.’
Turning her arm we followed as she pointed in the direction of the driveway. There stood Rod’s car. Not scratch on it. In fact looking better than ever.
‘You’d best be off, if you leave now you’ll make it home before midnight. Wait around here and no telling what might happen.’
Having said that she then gave Rod a kiss on the cheek, me a gentle hug, while whispering to me, ‘Look after my nephew, he is destined for great things.’
‘My man Hugo is a wizard with things mechanical,’ she said making us aware of the small wizen man standing beside the car jangling the car keys.
‘Drive carefully,’ said Hugo as he opened the door for me, ‘It can get treacherous out there at night.’ I felt a slight tingle when he touched my arm as I climbed into my seat.
Later that night around Rod’s kitchen table we relayed the story to Rod’s mum who listened with interest to the nights events.
‘Its been a big night,’ she said, ‘you’d best get some sleep, big day tomorrow. Oh and I’m glad you met up with Agatha; she does like to put on a show. The Peeps’ you know died fifty years ago.’
With that she disappeared through the kitchen door calling out to us to lock up before we went to bed.
As I went to my room that night I had the strange feeling that there was a lot more to this family than met he eye.
I was about to turn in when a knock on my door brought Rod’s mum into my room.
“Amanda my dear, just one thing, did Hugo touch you in any way tonight?’
‘He brushed my arm as I got into the car,’ I said remembering the tingle down my arm.
‘Oh dear,’ she replied, ‘I’ll give you a betony amulet to wear tomorrow, oh and you’d best drink this, its Carmelite water, it will keep you safe.’
Having felt the absolute need to drink the water I then retired to bed, more confused than ever but once again wondering what could possibly happen next.
What was I marrying into?
Written for: http://mindlovemiserysmenagerie.wordpress.com/2014/06/13/fairy-tale-prompt-12/
Morpethroad 