SMOKE SPIRIT

3: ~chuckles and giggles~

The foyer was dimly lit like before. As I entered the house all the memories came creeping towards me. As I looked up to the wide staircase getting narrower towards the top. As the only thing which looked changed from before was the red luxury ornamented carpet, last time I remember the railing was of metal now replaced by rich reddish-brown color mahogany wood.

Anyone would have admired the house and never got tired, but here I'm not ready to take any step further. The door clicked again, and I heard two male voices greeting each other, but when I blinked again, those voices got cut from surroundings, replaced by the children's shouting and laughing. As I looked up to the first floor, I saw a small child around 10 giggling, her red hair flew as she ran at full pace, bare feet and damp clothes, but her hair was dry. She stopped suddenly then looked at me for a moment, and I wish I could stay a little longer. Her thin beautiful lips formed a full smile again, reaching her doe eyes as her green eyes blinked innocently. Those green eyes reminded me of someone who I don't want to figure out or even if I do, I will find that person in me. She had the same green eyes as mine. Her smile disappeared, and then she looked at her right side, and she chuckled again as I saw my younger self running towards her, but my blond hair was damp and a smile full of playfulness, and that was the only time I used to smile really. I blinked my eyes several times, but the image didn't go away. I was stuck in that time, and my heart was wrenching with every passing second, my throat tight, and tears building in the back of my eyes.

"Hello." A youthful voice pulled me out of my thoughts. The last thing I saw was Alianora smiling at me, and then she turned into nothing. I blinked my eyes several times to get rid of the haziness and blur that got into my eyes.

I diverted my gaze back to her, and she smiled at me. She was wearing a white apron and looked like she was a maid, her uniform completely hugging her skinny figure perfectly. Looking at her, I formed a soft smile. The talk from before had ended, and I could hear nothing other than my hammering heart and giggles of Alianora.

"You must be the new caretaker, Mr. Smith was talking about." She said softly. Her hair was tightly made into a bun. Not even a single strand of hair was out of its place while her brown eyes were innocently looking at me. She was several years older than me.

I nodded my head, and she nodded to me, understanding.

"Jonathan has chosen his room for you to stay," she spoke in a flat tone.

"No, I will stay in the guest room," I said.

"Jonathan wanted you to stay in his room, the room is locked for a while now, and it's his strict orders not to go there, not even you can go there." As she stated, I looked at her with a disappointed look. I always used to stay in that room with me and my little Alianora, and now why would he lock it up and not even let anyone go there.

"You can freshen up, and I'll serve you lunch," she prompted, and I shook my head.

"I had a good meal plan , I guess I'll just freshen up and then sleep." My back was still hurting, and I didn't have any courage to come downstairs again to eat food neither I was hungry.

She nodded at me and then left from there. I looked back and found the driver still standing there with all my luggage around him. It was pretty much everything, but it was important. Two of my bags were full of my writing stuff, while the other two contained my clothes and essential things.

"Can you please keep them in Jonathan's room?" He gave me a tight smile and nodded as I made my way up towards the stairs to start the journey where I will see my past before my eyes and unchanging truth clinging to the hem of my shirt forever since Alianora died.

I moved forward, taking small steps like a small infant who learned to walk newly and didn't know how to use his limbs properly, so I was resembling him. I hesitantly walked towards the staircase and started climbing it as my heartbeat was suddenly so slow that I felt tired. I reached the first floor and looked at the spot where Alianora was standing a while ago and then shook my head a little, shaking the thought out as I took a turn towards the left and went towards Uncle's room. It was the first room in the right side hallways. I looked at it for a while. I knew the driver was still somewhere behind me, wondering why my pace was so slow, but I needed time to figure out something. I know this time isn't enough, but still, I can't run into my past like this so much fast, embracing it all. I wrapped my hand around the metal doorknob. Its texture was smooth and cold underneath my palm, making a shiver go down my spine. I twisted it and opened it ajar and entered it.

Nothing had changed, not even the placement of his desk nor the showpiece placed there.

Shortly after me, the driver entered and put all my things, looked at me, and nodded before closing the door behind him.

I went to the bed and sat on it, rubbing my hand over the smooth Egyptian silk. It was soft, and it will feel so good to sleep in it. But will I get a peaceful sleep in it? I laid back into it as my back came into contact with the bed, a slight pain ran in my back and got relaxed afterwards. I looked up to the ceiling of the roof, all painted and a golden borderline running rectangular in the room in every corner. As I looked towards the right side, I saw the curtains move a little as if someone had touched them, but there was no one, not even any gush of wind to tease it or make it move from its place. I ignored and closed my eyes tightly. I was on the verge of closing my eyes further and drifting into the dreamland, but I didn't feel like sleeping without getting a shower. So, I sat straight in the bed, deciding to take a shower before sleep consumes me.

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