Stray

Chapter 8

“I’m searching for a paradise,

                That I just can’t seem to find…”

                -City and Colour (Paradise)

Rhyet pushed his door open and rushed over to mine, opening it while I sat stunned in awe of the massive house. The ever-green colored vines that ran up the side of the white, carefully skirting around the bright windows, the careful placing of each of the flowers in the beds which contained every color your mind could possibly dream up; they all created a picture of perfection in the dark moon-lite night.

                The cream mansion that hid peacefully in the trees looked like something a bright, gorgeous, young princess, in huge white, lace and jewel covered gown would reside in. The frail pink dress I wore, that had seemed lovely in the dull hotel room this morning, felt completely out of place in something quite so grand.

                Finally Rhyet had to prod me out by calling my name. I had almost somehow forgotten he was even standing just a foot away from me, holding the door open. I jumped at the sudden noise, but then hopped out of the dark car in the chilly night air, breathing in the seemingly salty air. He swung the door closed after I was safely out of its way, and then continued on his way up the crimson brick round-about that was in front of the house and up the front steps.

                I followed him until I reached the bottom of the steps, but then hesitated. These steps probably seemed unsubstantial to everyone else, but to myself, they were leading into something so unknown and honestly rather terrifying. Opening the doors into this mansion, opened doors to a life that was supposedly mine but seemed so far off and… well not mine to live. They meant that my life that’d I’d lived for so long, Marcy, my mom, well… everything, most likely had to be left behind; Just dropped as soon as walked up the intimidating stairs. I knew I couldn’t allow that though. I couldn’t just let go of everything that had mattered to me for so long, everything that had made me.

                Rhyet turned back, half way up the flight of steps, becoming aware of the absent footsteps behind him. His face quickly flooded with confusion, but was quickly replaced by one of concern, which was unwelcome to me. I didn’t want his concern, not after today. So I quickly bounded up the stairs to where he was, struggling to hide my hesitancy.  He looked over at me to ensure I was okay but I only returned it with a glare, hoping he’d move along and make this process as painless as possible. Rhyet shook his head a bit but then continued up the steps with me beside him. When we reached the huge French doors that stretched the entire height of the first floor, which in itself was tall, Rhyet slowly pulled them open and ushered me in.

                Inside was a great entry hall that was covered in white marble with delicate black detailing that appeared in certain places, allowing a very clean feeling to encompass the room. It reached up two stories and had a massive glass chandelier hanging from the soaring roof which had a long strip of glass in the center of it, allowing a stunning view of the moon and sparkling stars. On either side of the great hall was a curved staircase which appeared to float with nothing to hold it up between each platform, with delicate black detailing in their iron rod railings. Like I had assumed, there were two different  wings and both staircases led to their separate wings.

                The floor was a white marble that checkered with black marble, but then the white took over and led up to the walls throughout the entire hall until it halted at the back-most wall which was almost completely made of glass, in the exception of a glass door in the center of it which appeared small in comparison to the one that we entered through and still stood in. Outside of it I could see a long balcony that extended from both sides of wall and seemed to continue on, but couldn’t see what lie beyond the balcony. On the left of us neatly tucked into the marble wall was a small door that was slightly opened and I could see a small den with books lining each wall in chestnut colored bookshelves, although I couldn’t see much more of it than that.