The Eternal Garden

Prolouge

Charlotte was oblivious to the world, she never knew what would come from leaving the Big Apple and moving into a small and secluded town. She loved the house that she bought, and it was so much cheaper than it should have been.

Of course, the fact that it was about a mile away from the town, and it was In a thick cluster of trees that would hopefully not swallow the house anymore, once she managed to clean it up.

She stepped out of her simple car and smiled, her gaze following over the property as she sighed. "All it is lipstick and rouge, what's on the inside counts." She mutters to herself, stretching as she lets out a slight groan. "Well, let's hope there isn't anything dead on the inside."

She sighed once more and pulled her suitcase from the back seat of the car, looking around for a moment before she smiled, carrying it up to the large house and looking around until she managed to find the front door.

Yanking open the door, she bursts out coughing at the cloud of dust that covers her. Looking around the dark house, she flickers the light on and looks around the grand foyer.

"Well, who says I can't live in style?" She murmurs, a grin crossing her face as she stretches out and sets her bag down on the carpet, that desperately needs a vacuuming more than anything else in the world.

"Or, well, it used to be stylish at some random point in history. Maybe I could restore it back to it's former glory." She said, softly and quietly as her gaze travelled around the room. Charlotte shook her head, a small laugh escaping her lips as she walked deeper into the large house. Granted, it was far too large for one person, but she couldn't be stuck in the city after Mark had broken up with her.

God, She thought. How could I ever manage to stay in this old house? But granted, the city proved to be far too challenging for me after we broke up.

A sudden yawn stops Charlotte from her packing, leaning against the wall for a moment before she shakes her head and grabs her bag, pulling it up the stairs after her in search for the master bedroom of the large and gorgeous house that she now kept.

"I could certainly get used to something like this.. Granted if I got into some form of relationship that wouldn't make me as much of a loner as I am now." She mumbled to herself, pushing open a door at the end of the long hall and examining it. Well, considering the rest of the house was a dusty mess, this room seemed.. Well.. Perfect.

A little too perfect.

Charlotte glanced around the gorgeous room with a slight frown, before pushing it off and pulling out her phone, flipping on some music and setting the phone down on the beside table so she could begin to unpack her small amount of things.

'Rule #1 when travelling long distance, don't pack every single item that you own.' She thought as she pulled out a few picture frames, as well as a small teddy bear. Setting her bear on the perfectly made bed, she looked around the room for a moment before shaking her head and walking over to the dresser, which, like everything else, seems unabandoned.

She half expected to see clothing in the drawers, which are as empty as everything else in this godforsaken house would be. She was paranoid to believe that it was going to be something else, that someone else could live there.

Shaking her head, she pulled her clothes out and stuffed them haphazardly into the drawers.

"I can worry about cleaning up later, it doesn't matter if my drawers are messy." She scoffed to herself, sliding the now empty suitcase under the bed and glancing around the room again as she stretched out.

Granted, she never expected she'd be alone by the time that she bought he house, or she wouldn't have gotten it in the first place.

Her and Parker had been engaged.

And she had walked in on him and another girl, fucking.

Not only fucking each other's brains out, but they were practically screeching like banshees. She didn't stay to hear his denying the fact that they were both fucking and they were enjoying it.

She was in love, dumb love.

That was the reason she was all alone out here. Granted, she could sell the house and move into a smaller one, but nothing was the same if she moved.

This house was perfect in her eyes, large and old and utterly perfect.

Who cares if she split up with her boyfriend? Who cares if the house is too big and there's countless rooms going to be inhibited?

She wasn't going to be alone forever, she wouldn't let herself be alone for so very long.

She walked downstairs, pulling cloth off of all of the old and unique furniture that came with the house, making mental notes of everything that she needs to replace.

"New couch, carpets, maybe a television.. Definitely more lighting." She mumbled, bunching up all of the covers and shoving them into a closet as she grins happily.

"Well, my work for today is done, anyways." She sighs quietly, wandering to the back door and peeking out of it for a moment, curiosity crossing her features once more as she slowly tries to push the old and rusted door open. With much difficulty, that is.

After a few minutes of pushing the door open, she walks out of the old an stuffy house to get a breeze filled with the scent of lilacs and honey.

Well apparently there's an upside to this place, it smells like it's heaven.

She can't help but walk around to the back of the house and look around in complete shock.

The yard was in perfect condition.

It was as if someone was living here all along.

Her mismatched eyes widen in horror and quickly looks around for any sign of someone that could be hiding around her.

What if it was a mass murderer? How could she be so sure that whoever was here wouldn't try and kill her for her house?

"Oh god." She whispered quietly as she stepped out of the trimmed garden and walks around for a bit. It was nature, there was bound to be sounds around her. She was just too paranoid for her own good.

After a sharp intake of breath, she shook her head. "Why must I always panic about nothing?" She wondered, running a hand over her face. "I suppose it's only right, living on my own like this." She nodded once, turning around and walking down the steps towards the river, looking around at everything with wide eyes for a moment, as she smiled happily.

Her eyes scanned along the trees as the leaves fluttered in the soft and warm breeze. She smiled, pushing her messy hair away from her face as the wind blew it towards her face.

She could see a dark figure beyond the house, laying still beside the river. Curiosity got the best of her and she glanced around, taking a couple of steps away from the house and peeking around one of the massive trees. She frowned instantly, gasping. "It's a man." She whispered, shaking her head and quickly rushing towards the figure.

His clothes were drenched, his wet hair framing around his pale face. She couldn't see his eyes, considering they were closed. He was so beautiful, an Adonis in the purest form.

How could a girl so unfortunate as me get something so gorgeous as this?

She scoffed inwardly at the thought. She wasn't his! He wasn't hers and there was no possible way that he would be!

How could anyone love someone so broken?

As she pondered this, his electric eyes shot open, and he let out a gasp of breath.