Whispers of The Frozen Heart

Chapter Two

Everette

I was awakened by the grandfather clock's chime which made me jump from slumber. I glanced by the window to look outside and it was already dark. I must have slept for an hour and have let the world around me spin in my unconsciousness. I still hadn't awakened all my senses and was still in a state of hypnagogia when I heard knocking on the door. I don't usually open up in the first knocking so I waited for whoever is behind the door to start knocking again. Then, there was knocking again, twice, and then silence, and then a knock and silence and a knock. I waited for the knocking to start again but I was met with deafening silence Ah, these people playing tricks with a lonely lady.

I lazily got up from the sofa and headed to the door, my heart beat fast as I tried thinking who could be behind the door. I don't expect visitors since Grandma's friends wouldn't visit me this late at night. Maybe this is the guy I've met at the park, he's a stalker? I brushed off all the negative thoughts running in my head and unlocked the door. My heart beats even faster as I readied myself to meet, NOBODY. I was greeted with a cold breeze that brushed my skin softly making me have goosebumps and shiver. I smell roses. I tried opening my eyes wide to look around and there was no one. Gosh! Such a waste of time. As I was about to close the door my eyes landed on the envelope on the doorstep. I was contemplating whether I should pick up the envelope or just leave it be, but my curiosity was over the top and I ended up picking it up. I took one last scan of the surroundings and locked the door.

It was a black matte envelope tied with an icy ribbon. It was cold and I wonder why it's so cold that it seems like it came straight out of the freezer. It was sealed with a pearl white wax with the logo of what seemed to be, a rose.

"Oh, maybe this is my invitation from a kingdom far, far away," I say laughing at my thoughts. I remembered my grandma's tales when I was younger but the details are no longer vivid in my mind. I guess when you grow older, your imagination starts to be limited as well. But, I do remember about the chosen one. I find it funny why the kid in me still believes in those myths.

I ripped the envelope expecting a card only to find a single rose petal that fell from inside.

"This looks familiar, I wonder where I saw it. As I was looking at the petal in my hand, the fragrant smell of roses filled the room and it made me feel like I was lost in a garden of roses. This brought memories.

"Oh!" I remembered where I'd smelt this scent before. My grandma's black rose. I rushed to the library to confirm that indeed the smell that filled the room smelled like my grandma's black rose.

"C'mon grandma, is this from you?" I asked to the nothingness. I might be going crazy with loneliness. I put the petal back into the envelope and head back to the living room. I'm hungry but too tired to eat. I decided to munch an apple from the counter and stayed troubled thinking about where I had possibly seen the seal before. It seemed familiar. I was lost in thought when there was knocking on the door again.

"Again?" I mumbled. "Who's that?" I asked. I waited for a response and there was none. I was starting to get pissed.

I stood up to open the door but paused and decided to peep the window first to see if there was someone outside the house. I scanned the surroundings and I started getting scared as I saw an unfamiliar figure standing still from a few meters away. Who might that be? Pranksters! I made up my mind to not open the door and let the creep freeze in the cold outside. Fear consumed me and I rushed to the library to hide. My instinct never fails and right now it's telling me to hide. No good comes from being curious, maybe sometimes. But, just like in the movies, the curious dies first. Unlucky for me, I'm alone so I'm going to die first and last.

"Who are these people? First in the park and now, in the house?" When I reached the library I locked the door after myself and calmed myself.

"It's okay now, deep breaths" I probably sound crazy talking to myself but who else would?

I sat by the bookshelves taking deep breaths. The smell of roses calmed me down. As I was starting to relax, I saw the book Grandma used to read me to sleep before. There's something with this book I'm sure, as I reached it the smell of roses grew intense.

"Just like in the movies, magical" I flipped through the pages and there it was.

"Aha! I knew it. That's why you look familiar." I said looking at the envelope. The seal, the ice queen's winter rose.