One More Mistake

「Chapter 2 ○ Tour ○」

We started to pull in an all gravel driveway surrounded by a well wooded area. Even if it was night time, the stars and moon illuminated the dark blue sky with very little clouds, in the distance you could see outlines of the darkened mountains through the trees. We were driving on the road for a good thirty to fourty minutes with bumps here and there, until we pulled up to a large cabin that looked like it had only two floors. I craned my neck forward to get a better look.

"This is our home," Jade spoke up. "I know it may look small, but we have more than two floors. Trust me. There's a couple of floors underground since we do have seven people. Well, now we have eight... Hey, Pax, do we have any room downstairs?"

The scarlet haired boy halted the car and turned it off. He sat their for a second, thinking, and then spoke up.

"I think so. But, you know my memory. Even living in this house for a couple've years and I can't remember the layout. Just give him a tour of the main floor and I'll report right back to ya'."

"Oakly doakly," she nodded. She swung open the door and so did the boy, so I followed along. Standing next to the girl now, I see that I'm quite taller than her. Maybe I have six-seven inches. She has to be about 5' 8". She started to stretch and then moved her mask all the way to the top of her head exposing her face. Round face, pale olive skin, has a scar originating from the bottom of her chin all the way up the left side of her face- stopping at the bottom of her eye, two small ones between her eyebrows, and one across her nose... Looks new, still a bit lighter than her skin. Hasn't faded yet. Dark brown eyes that have a green glint- but surprisingly- not hazel. Maybe a trick of the light? Don't know... Why are you taking in her features anyway? In case she turns on me... Then I have all of her facial and any movements and/or fighting tactics memorized. Then- Then you can use that to your advantage... Smart. One thing that I've finally never thought of.

"There's an upside to living here," she suddenly spoke up, pointing to the right of the house. "You see that lake. It counts as a free swimming pool. But, it's also nice to just sit on the dock and chill. And the sky is amazing at night in the winter and fall. You could just get lost in the sights. Forget all about the days responsibilities, ya' feel me man? We have rafts stored in the house. Oh, speaking about the house... I should probably take you inside."

We started heading towards the house. She suddenly chuckled. "You know what's funny? About an hour and a half ago, it was pouring a fucking ocean out of the sky and now it's all pretty happy. I swear, Mother Nature is on her period."

Where did that come from? I don't fucking know. She opened the front door, showing a large entrance that has a bench to the left of the door, a coat rack right next to the bench in the corner between the wall and door, a shoe rack to the right, and a large rectangular carpet that leads to what looks like the living room. There were windows on each side of the walls, giving it a more open feeling and a light hanging above.

"If you could, can you take off your shoes and place them on the shelves," she said while putting her shoes on the shoe rack and hanging up her coat. "I'm a bit of a neat freak. I may not act like it, but I like the place to be clean. Never know who's visiting, am I right?"

I didn't hesitate to take off my shoes, don't want to anger her in any way since I just met her, and put them on the rack.

"If you'll follow me, I lead you to where we eat, cook, our living quarters, and a library," she motioned with her hand for me to follow. I did as I was told and followed. We entered a huge living room accompanied by one long, black leather 'L' shaped sofa with a love seat at the end of it facing the edge of a brick fire place built in the wall- with it being about a good 10-15 feet away from it-, a light yellow bean-bag diagonally left from the sofa, a good handfull of paintings and photos hung over the walls, and a black coffee table in the middle of it all. A chandelier hung about twenty to twenty-three feet over the table, lighting the whole living space up. Above the fire place was a hundred-twenty inch flat-screen television, with all kinds of game systems hooked up along the shelving with a bookcase filled with games. I gaped at the layout before me.