Behind That Door

Chapter 3

Spring

The Claymont family was very cordial and down to earth. Mr. and Mrs. Grayson always treated me as their own daughter. Mrs. Claymont had lost her interest in the world and would spend most of her time in her room after her husband's death so the entire responsibility of business and mansion fell down on her brother, Mr. Grayson. They gave family goals and would often make me wonder how it would have been if my dad was alive. 

Today was Mr. Claymont's death anniversary so the entire Claymont family was going to an orphanage to donate. It was a ritual. And that was one of the rare days when Mrs. Claymont used to step out of the house. How many years had elapsed but she still wasn't over his death. I had never seen her smile. Never talk casually. Never showing an ounce of interest in her surrounding. The woman had not only lost her husband that day but her only child too. My heart reached out to the frail old woman. Life was really unfair to her. 

I saw the family marching out of the mansion and climbing into the car. They were going to spend the whole day out visiting his grave, and then an orphanage in the city to spend a day with the unfortunate children. From what I heard, Mr. Claymont was very fond of kids. Irony.

I had taken the day off as Mom wasn't feeling well today. Thankfully, today was her off too along with other maids as the occupants of the mansion were not home. The mansion wasn't entirely empty though. He was there. 

The giant chunks of grey cloud swirl around in the blue sky without a care in the world.  A storm was on the horizon. Literally and figuratively both. I rushed outside to bring the chairs inside the house. The winds slapping against my face. I shielded my vision with my hand as the wind was blowing at full speed. I also noticed how giant trees were swinging from left to right by the impact. I was afraid some of them would get uprooted in the storm.

I lifted the chairs one by one and brought them inside. But just when I lifted the last chair the sound hit me, making me falter in my step. The roaring cloud and rambling winds couldn't outshout the melodious tune of his Piano. It rode the chaotic air and came straight to my heart. I imagined his skilled fingers dancing on the keynotes. I wondered how does he look? He must have changed a lot.  

I leaned against the door and closed my eyes to soak up the heart-soothing song. The tendrils of my auburn hair swayed over my features and the helm of my floral dress floated in the air. Today, the tune was riddled with heavy emotions. Without my realizing it, tears flowed down my eyes. The pain in his music was very compelling and intense. That led me to wonder if he knew that today is his father's death anniversary? Was it the guilt I was hearing? The world had labeled him as a monster but was he really a monster or just a victim of it? 

Another roar from the sky and a drop of a raindrop on my closed eyelids brought me back from my trance and I realized the song had already ended. I wiped my tears and shook the heart-wrenching thoughts away. The rain had started so I dragged the chair inside and bolted the door close.

Once done with it, I walked over to my Mom's room to check if the fever had come down or not. Thankfully, it had but she was still asleep. I returned to my room to study. The rain had intensified. 

Hours ticked by but the Claymonts hadn't come home yet. It had never happened before. Confused, I shot a glance at the clock that said 08:00. I peaked out from the window and noticed that the rainstorm had reduced into drizzling. I went downstairs to check on Mom. She was still asleep. The medicine had got her good. 

As she was out of fever now, I decided to prepare soup for her. I was about to leave the room when her phone rang. Totally confused about who would call her this late, I rushed to her mobile to answer the phone. 

Mrs. Grayson's name flashed across the screen. 

I picked the call in a heartbeat.

"Carol, I want you to do something for me," she began 

"Hello Mrs. Grayson, I am Spring speaking. Mom is asleep as she was not feeling well," I replied

"Oh," she sounded disappointed

"Umm...Is everything alright? You said you wanted Mom to do something for you. You can tell me if I can help," I offered. There was a short stretch of silence before she spoke again.

"Umm...Spring. A tree fell down on the road, blocking our way. We are stuck here and we don't know how long is it gonna take," she sounded worried.

'It might take hours. Child, I need you to get food to the room on the top floor. Can you do that?" she asked hopefully. The room on the top floor. His room. My eyes widened in surprise. No one was allowed on the top floor. No one. Except for Mr. and Mrs. Grayson, Oliver, and Mrs. Claymont. I had seen Mrs. Grayson taking dinner, lunch, and breakfast to that room a number of times but then I had no idea that someday I would be asked to do the same. I was thrilled and horrified both at the prospect. 

It was an open secret that the inhabitant of that room was possessed by a dark spirit. What if  

"Spring?" Mrs. Grayson uttered from the other side bringing me back to reality.

"Ye...yes Mrs. Grayson," I stuttered a little

"Child, will you do that for me? There is nothing to be afraid of. He stays in his room all the time. You will go and put the food on the table of living area and leave," she was trying hard to persuade me.

It was surreal talking about him. The first time acknowledging his existence. It felt so odd and unnatural. And maybe today I was going to see him. Who knows. The thought caused goosebumps to rise on my skin. 

"Alright, Mrs. Grayson," I answered. There is no denying that I was always attracted to that door and the world behind that door. The opportunity to peek into the hidden world of his had practically fallen into my lap and who was I to deny that. 

I was curious but I was frightened too. What if he would try to attack me? What will I do then? The mansion was all empty. No one would even hear my scream. The risk was a lot but I already had given my words. 

I went to the mansion, warmed up the food, piled it on a tray. Mrs. Grayson had told me that the key was kept in her bedroom's drawer. I picked the silver key from there and came back to the kitchen. My heart was thudding violently against my heart. I was a bundle of nerves. Just to be safe, I tucked a knife into my waistband before embarking on the journey to that door.

Every step towards that room filled me with both thrill and apprehension. the excitement propelled my feet forward and the fear weighed them down. The nervousness started gaining on both the feelings as I stood before the stair that led to the third floor. A No-go zone. My heartbeat accelerated as I ascended the stairs for the first time. The third floor was drowned in pitch black dark. twice I saved myself from falling on the floor. It felt colder too and alien. As if it wasn't a part of the mansion. 

I didn't know where the switches were so I turned on the flashlight of my phone and walked towards the door I was looking for. The only sound echoing on the floor was the sound of my footsteps hitting against the floor.

And a few seconds later, I found myself standing right before that door. There was nothing unique about that brown-colored door. But still, it attracted me like no other. Perhaps, because of the world that hid behind it. I could hear a pulse in my ear as I put the key into the hole. I didn't twirl it though. Still deciding if I should do this or not. A part of me pleaded with me to run away. 

I swallowed a lump and spun the key in one go. The click sound told me that I had unlocked the door.

Taking a long deep breath, I pushed the door open.....                                      

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