Only the Night? (Niam)

HOLA! 

So as you can see- or maybe not I guess- this is my first attempt at writing. And posting. Okay, my first written and posted story on here. So I'm sorry if I mess something up, I dunno, I'm writing this on an iTouch. So cut me a little slack. x( Anyhow, I'd you're here, thank you so so so so much. Pleasssseeee comment and stuff so i know what I'm doing wrong, okay? thanks! And here's chapter one!

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"H-hello?" I whispered. The empty house echoed my shaky greeting. The only other sounds that met my ears were that of the howling wind beating against the windows.

Perhaps empty was the wrong word.

Ornate furniture that looked like it was snatched right out of a medieval era was placed around, and a quick glance towards the many entrances from the foyer revealed that that must be how the whole house was furnished.

Candles mounted on the walls lit the high-ceilinged home, casting drastic shadows up the walls. They danced with the flickering of the flames, and I shivered.

The large oaken front doors suddenly slammed shut. I whirled around, eyes wide, but only a draft met my face, sending my blonde hair askew. This was a scene straight out of a horror movie- the stormy, dark weather, the eras-old furnishing, the doors slamming... I shivered again.

I was starting to really hate the boys for putting me up to this.

It was really all Louis' idea- he was the first to bring up the seemingly-abandoned home. Less than a week later a suspicious game of Truth-Or-Dare was set up and this was where I ended up. I had to last at least the night- or no Nando's for a week.

I took a right, seeing a long cherrywood dining table adorned with silver plates and cutlery. Goblets and platters gleamed. It all looked surprisingly spotless- no dust or grime. I was expecting the house to be empty- a few pieces of furniture with sheets over them, dust an inch thick. Not a fully-furnished, freshly-dusted, candle-lit mansion. The fact that it could very easily be inhabited (maybe by someone with older, more refined tastes) sent chills down my spine.

I quickly moved on, heading through a spacious kitchen- containing a cooks quarters, a walk-in pantry, and what appeared to be the entrance to a wine cellar- and making a full loop around the bottom level of the east wing. I walked back to the foyer, pausing to look in the mirror.

I screamed (it wasn't exactly manly) and whipped around, shoving myself against the mirror on the wall. But there was no one there- surely there was a guy leaning in that doorframe? Surely the mirror had conveyed that?

I peeked up at the mirror again, but all that was reflected was the candle-lit entryway and my own frantic blue eyes. No dark-clothed figure.

I hazarded a few steps toward where he had surely been standing. The entry led into a den.

A few leather couches were seated around a low wooden table; the legs hand-carved to look a though they were gargoyles holding it up. I felt my mouth drop open as I took in the rest of the room. Floor to ceiling windows- mostly hidden by heavy, royal purple drapes- revealed the raging storm outside. A huge fireplace was in between the two towering windows, the mantel supporting two candelabras. There was a large desk on the back wall, and next to it another entryway that looked as though it led into a lavish bathroom.

I slowly backed out of the room, making eye-contact with the black bear pelt that lay in front of the fireplace. It's claws were outstretched and it's jaws were shut.

I was breathless- maybe it was the absolutely gorgeous mansion, or the mirror scare. As if in a daze, I stumbled up the deep brown staircase, pausing on the second-story landing. At the end of the landing on both sides there was a door- in front of me there were two. One was open; a bathroom. The other was shut tightly. I went to the left end of the landing, and the double doors opened wide to reveal a giant library- bookshelves reaching all the way to the half-dome ceiling. The entire back wall (the domed part of the ceiling) was stained glass, making the raindrops that pelted against it a multitude of colours.