Rotham Manor

Warning

It seemed every time I visited the manor, the less sense I discovered was present there. How can you tell someone is older or younger without having an age? And I needed to explain to Silas what uncles and aunts are. How can you recognize siblings but not the siblings of your parents? Heck, I didn't know if he even knew what grandparents were and if the concept or the lack of concept applies to it.

Mom's been restricting my exploring time ever since the supper with the Rotham family. She has also been more short-tempered too. Dad didn't look fazed however. I decided if I was to keep my promise to Silas, I needed to see him earlier and leave earlier.

One time while playing chess, I mentioned the word friend. Silas didn't know what that was.

"Silas! What do you know?" I groaned.

"Quite a lot. It just appears I don't know many of the things you speak of," Silas said indignantly.

"Someone who you can rely on and have fun with," I said.

"Can't my siblings fulfill that role?" Silas asked.

"No. I mean yes, but friends generally aren't within the family," I said.

Silas tilted his head in concentration. He almost looked statue when he did so; blonde hair against pale skin and deep green eyes resting on a gentle-sloped nose. Below his nose, thin lips slightly darker than the rest of his skin were almost always was set in a straight line.

"Why are you staring at me?" Silas asked interrupting my observation.

"You look like a statue."

"Statue?"

"Lord, don't tell me you don't know what a statue is."

Silas, "..."

"Ha, you're like a child that needs everything explained to them," I remarked.

"I am a child," Silas said.

"So were your parents but they outgrew that stage," I said.

"My parents can't be children," Silas objected.

"They were," I corrected.

"Never had they been children. It's impossible," Silas persisted.

I, "..."

I was about to explain to him how it can be possible in my world but decided to against it. Plus, it was getting late and I needed to return home before Mom killed me.

I waved goodbye to Silas and went through the ivy wall, thankful for the long-sleeved clothes I had on.

"Leo, I want you to survey our land and map it out on this notepad," Mom said after I sprinted to the front porch.

"Can't Dad do it?" I asked.

"Leopold, your dad works six days a week and you do nothing but play seven days a week," Mom snapped.

"Okay! Jeez, I'll do it."

I quickly grabbed the meter counter Mom had in her hand and rushed outside. I grumbled complaints about the chore as I jotted and drew the land. By the time I was done it was past dinner time and I was exhausted. I flopped onto my bed and was knocked out.

I was going to Silas as I normally did. However, I was running through the ivy wall and the thorns cut into my exposed skin. I didn't know why I was in a hurry. I saw on top of the hill flames roaring from the manor. The garden was scorched. I barged through the charred side door and saw the servants lying burnt and dead. As I passed the sitting room, I saw the older Rotham children and parents burning in the flames. I barreled ahead and threw Silas' door open. He was on top of the younger Rotham children in a protective position. I squatted down and held Silas' head. His eyes were glassy and his pale skin was scorched in several places revealing muscles and other inner parts.

"You promised," Silas gasped.

"Leo, it's past ten," Dad said. "Mom's angry."

"Hmm."

"Leopold!"

"Coming!"

"You're drenched," Mom remarked.

"Bad dream," I said.

"Suck it up then," Mom said.

"I am!" I snapped.

"Cut it!" Dad barked.

Great. Best way to start the day. After eating burnt toast with plenty of butter slathered on it, I explored the town a bit to "suck up" my nightmare. Two blocks from my house was a convenience store, an ABC store, and an old movie theatre dating back from the forties. To the opposite direction of those places were a playground, fishing docks, and the local fire department. Most of the residents there had thick Cornish accents whereas I had an American Southern tinge to my voice. After talking to the locals for an hour (and struggling), I casually walked toward the ivy wall but I remembered the dream. By the time I emerged from the other side of the wall, I was racing toward the manor at full speed.

"What's the matter, Leo?" Silas asked.

"You're alive, right? You ain't dead?" I demanded, shaking my poor friend.

"Leo, stop shaking me! What is dead?" Silas asked.

"A state of being you don't want to be in nor can you escape it," I said solemnly.

Silas looked confused but didn't ask for me to explain it further.

"My siblings found you delightful that night at supper. They wonder if you would like to talk with them extensively," Silas said breaking the gloomy vibe.

"Why sure. Your folks are nice but, erm..." I started. "Helga does seem to like to load my plate a lot."

"In that case, I shall tell Helga only to serve you at your command," Silas said lightly.

Silas' siblings were cool to be around with. Stewart was basically a walking dictionary and the older sisters tried to teach me crochet and needling while the youngest kids wanted to hog me for themselves. As I looked at each one of them, scenes of their death from my dream surfaced especially when I saw Silas' face. Twice I puked in the chamber pot which Matthew would silently throw it out immediately after I did it. At last, when I have hung with the Rotham children for several hours, I decided to leave even though it was still early.

"Why leave earlier and earlier every single time you come now?" Silas asked.

"Tasks," I fibbed.

"Get someone like Helga, Brahm, or Matthew," Silas said.

"That cost m-nevermind, you don't know about that sort of stuff," I muttered.

"Be safe then, Leo," Silas said.

I nodded and went into the wall. I couldn't bring myself to tell Silas the truth of my early leavings. And that truth was by every time I go there, I increase the chance my nightmare will become reality.