The Mansion

Chapter 8

I stared at my reflection in the small mirror as I snapped my blood red lips. I looked quite stunning if I may compliment myself and I was pleased with my attire and appearance. I had on some mascara, eyeliner and blood red lip gloss. My waist length black locks were pulled into a messy bun at the nape of my neck with a few stands framing my features. The eyeliner I had on made my green eyes pop, giving them more life and personality while emphasising them to the public.

My navy blue formal dress was a gorgeous turtleneck that had a Chinese collar with black stitches and a short 2 inch long slit on each side of my legs.

My feet were adorned by a pair of shiny, leather pumps to complete the attire. I felt good and would confidently claim to look good too. I liked what I saw and even felt more confident with my appearance than I did on most days which were quite a lot. I even dared to hope that someone would notice me, but that felt like quite a stretch to hope for.

Releasing a quiet breath, I stepped away from the mirror and made my way back to my small, quaint room that were littered with half empty boxes. I had decided to dress my bed when I got back and emptied some of my clothes, neatly packing them into my small closet.

I got here at about 1pm with my one box and suitcase and a heavy heart full of regret, but one call from my parents earlier had me feeling more rejuvenated and happy that it decreased the guilt that was burning me like wildfire.

I grabbed my small clutch that I had already prepared earlier on and hung it on around my arm before grabbing my phone and making my way to my small, quaint black and white kitchen. I had left the box with all the cutlery at the corner of the room when I left, because I still hadn't decided what I wanted to do with it considering there was new equipment and utensils at the mansion already, so when I got back, I just unpacked all that and placed it where it belonged while shuffling some of the things to make a newer look.

I dropped my bag on the counter along with my phone and made my way to the tap to get some much needed water.

Earlier on while I was unpacking, I noticed that my night light was missing which to my dismay is something that I can't live without because I don't do well with the dark, at all. It scares me and I get nightmares throughout the night if I sleep in it and unfortunately by the time I noticed it was missing, it was already late for me to run to the stores unless I was willing to spend a lot of money on a trip to the city which was 35 minutes away, just for a small night light so I decided that I'd just go back to the house after dinner to fetch the light and then I'd catch an Uber back.

And if you're asking, no, I didn't get the chance to call Samuel earlier and besides, I still don't know how I'll tell him so I just need time to practice what I'll say to both him and Solana.

I stopped in front of my counter with my glass of water in hand and grabbed my phone so I could go into the Uber app and request a ride to the mansion first on my way to the restaurant.

I placed the phone back on the counter because it said my driver would be here in 5 minutes and gulped the rest of my water down so I could wash the glass and at least leave it to drip dry while I'm gone. Besides, the time is only 6:00pm and I'm supposed to meet the Lovebirds at 7:00pm on the dot and because I have time, I just thought it would be better to drop by the mansion first and get the night light before it's gets dark and then go over to the restaurant.

I felt very nervous at the thought of going back there again for some reason. Maybe it's because I knew that I wasn't keeping the house, or maybe it's because the spacious rooms brought me shivers and the familiar feeling of loneliness multiplied when I was there, I don't know. Or maybe, I'm just scared of seeing Elias, the ghost again. But, then again who wouldn't be scared of seeing a ghost, I am. Proudly so.

I just hope he doesn't pop out of nowhere and make me pee on myself or faint again.

I looked down at my phone again and almost jumped and screamed in surprise as I immediately grabbed it. The driver was 500m away, so I didn't waste a minute as I grabbed my bag and slung it over my shoulder before running around the small apartment to turn off the lights as to avoid a crazy electricity bill at the end of the month, which is still quite far. Once everything was in order, I ran out of the apartment, making sure to lock the door behind me before making my way downstairs where my Uber had just parked near the curb.

~"~"~"~"~"

Stopping outside of the familiar house was very surreal as I opened the car door.

"Thank you." I threw behind me as I closed the door and made my way down the pathway and used the remote control to open the gate before slipping into the yard and closing the gate behind me.

You'd expect the house to look creepy and scary with a haunted aura surrounding it, but instead, it's beauty radiated in the dark evening as the outside lights all lit the exterior of the house and yard. The water from the fountain seemed to glitter under the night sky and from the artificial light created by the light bulbs that littered the yard. The house held a mystical hue that seemed to grow at night as opposed to in the morning and probably the morning.

For one, the house felt so light earlier because all the windows allowed fresh rays of sunlight pour into the rooms and brighten them until the dark night was a memory. It was truly a marvelous and breathtaking sight that for a second, I felt at ease, at peace and dare I say like royalty. It was amazing, which is probably what made me leave later than I had anticipated. I was enjoying the warmth of the house and the lightness that it seemed to welcome into one's mind. I loved it, but then reality knocked in and I found myself calling an Uber and leaving with some of my things.

I stopped in front of the door and inserted the door key which was the only one aside the gate and garages' remotes so it was very fast to identify.

The moment the quiet 'click' filled my ears, I pulled the handle down and revealed the dark hallway of the house that almost had me shivering and running away, but luckily, there was a switch at the door that would turn on the lights, so I just stretched my arm out and pressed the switch, immediately illuminating the familiar hallway.

The bright lights seeming to ease the tension in my muscles and allowing me to move forward and into the home that was surprisingly warm. It felt like home.

My hand immediately shot to my chest at the familiar warmth and feeling of being at home, which took me off guard because even my own apartment doesn't fill me with such a sense. Only my childhood home, my home home fills me with this feeling.

This place....

This place was different, but I'm not sure if it's a good or bad different yet, but going from what I just felt, I'm hoping for the first.

I absent-mindedly took one step into the house and another, until I was standing inside the manor. I hesitantly pushed the door close behind me and nervously bit the inside of my cheek while taking slow and cautious steps that sounded louder than they should have been in the silent home. My breathing was as loud and clear that it made me tense up in shock at some point when I thought I was being followed. It was very embarrassing.

In fact, the silence was awfully deafening that you wouldn't think that there was an inhitant in here. Now that I think about it, it was awfully quiet earlier too. I wonder if something happened to Elias, but nothing could have happened, right? He's a ghost, so he can't be harmed. But, where could he be, then?

I didn't take note of my surroundings as I remained deep in my thoughts while instinctively making my way up the stairs, but everything came back to me when I stepped into my room.

What was I here for again?

I remained silent, thinking for a few seconds as to try and remember.

"Right!" I said a bit too loudly into the moonlit room, that it echoed across the walls and had chills crawling inside my body. I immediately shook my head and pressed the switch on the wall, immediately brightening up the room. I had forgotten to close the curtains before I left so I guess now that I'm here, I should.

I made my way towards the curtains and grabbed the one to my left, but I didn't get to then second one, not only because it was too far for me to pull them simultaneously, but because my body froze as a familiar voice rang throughout the room from outside of the door.

"May I come in?" The velvety, muscular but sweet and soft voice sounded and filled my ears in the otherwise quiet space. "Please."