Shadows of deceit : The Augustus secret

Chapter eleven

Ashley

I watched as Will's car turned out of the Augustus mansion driveway as my mind worked to process what had just happened.

Who was the man who had been watching us? What did he want? And why was he watching us at all?

All these questions swam through my mind as I tried to shake off the unease that had settled in my stomach since the encounter.

I crept into the Augustus house, my whole body shivering from the rain as I took in my surroundings. Not a single movement or sound was heard, leaving me alone in the vast, empty residence. My heart raced at the realization that I was completely alone, and my mind filled with thoughts of the creepy man who had been staring at us earlier.

I had no choice but to leave earlier than everyone else, even Martin, who was still at the cemetery.

As I stood there in total silence, my breaths began to come in quick, shallow intervals as I tried to control the rising sense of fear in my chest. The memory of the creepy stranger watching us at the cemetery made my heart rate go up, and I couldn't help but to look over my shoulder again and again, just to be sure that he didn't follow me.

My feet moved on their own, taking me deeper into this vast, empty space where I was all alone. Suddenly, every sound became amplified, and every shadow was cast in such a way that could be someone watching me.

I shuddered at the thought of the murder that took place in this very place I was now standing. I could almost feel the presence of the dead, the heavy energy of that awful event hanging in the atmosphere like a dark cloud.

No sound filled this space except for my own breathing, and I could imagine their last moment: the horror on their faces as they realized what was happening to them and the terror that washed over them as they took their final breaths.

I saw a leg laying on the floor, peaking from the wall leading to the living room...Her face...her face twisted into an expression that looked like a desperate choke for air...

As I neared the precise location where Mrs. Augustus's body was found, Martin's words echoed in my mind. I could almost see her body lying on the cold stone floor, her lifeless eyes fixed on the roof above. Her fingers were tightened, a sign that she had struggled in vain against the force that had claimed her life. I could hear her cries of pain and desperation, the sound of her last gasps of air as she pleaded for her life.

I turned to walk away, my body shaking with fear and dread as I left that awful place.

I tried to calm my nerves in the moment, realizing that this was a rare opportunity to explore a forbidden area. A place that had always been so inaccessible, a place that I had always been so curious about, yet so frightened at the thought of being caught.

I took a deep breath as I prepared to step into the Augustus' bedroom.

I stepped inside the dark room, the curtains blocking out any light from the outside. I flipped the light switch, and the room lit up, the light illuminating the elegant decor and fine furnishings. The room was beautiful in its elegance, but the coldness of the space was palpable. The bed had no mattress, likely removed after the tragic events that had occurred in this room. the bed frame lying bare and revealing its true state underneath. Some items still lay where they were last used, the room still perfectly preserved aside from the missing mattress. a testament of how this place was kept frozen in time.

As I took in this morbid space, the chills that ran through me only grew stronger. I walked over to the vanity, my eyes taking in all the details of this space. The hairbrush and makeup set sat perfectly in place, just the way they had been laid out by Mrs. Augustus who used to sit here and brush her hair in this very spot. The boxes of expensive jewelry had been laid out on the counter, adding to the serene and elegant atmosphere of this room. Even with the room's cold and dark air, I could almost see Mrs. Augustus standing here, her reflection in the mirror as she combed through her hair and brushed on her makeup.