Strings Of Time

VI

Once again, the young lady with striking blue eyes stood in front of the large gates of Hadleigh Hall. At this point she doesn't know what to feel. Earlier, she was anxious. Her dreams of this place will haunt her forever but she had hoped that it will change once she gets inside.

"Who's there?" said a voice.

Elise was startled, she could find anyone around, she kept on looking and looking but there's no one there.

"Miss, I don't have all day." Said the voice irritably.

There it is again. She thought she was dreaming again and this particular one was the cherry on top.

"What do you want?"

"Um, S-sir...? I can't see you. I'm here for Mr. Mathews. I work here?"

"Miss, I can't hear you. You have to speak through that small box to your left."

Elise looked at her left and saw a flat surfaced box with a speaker on it. She thought it was like a radio. "Okay..." she whispered. "Um, I'm here for Mr. Mathews?"

The voice sighed in irritation and said, "Miss, you have to push that red button when you speak."

The young lady sighed as well because she was feeling a little bit stupid at this point. She pushed the red button, "I'm here for Mr. Mathews. I'm his new assistant." she said sarcastically as she makes face.

"Oh really???" answered the voice, "You think I can't see your expression of mockery, young lady?" the man chuckled and added, "You see that small camera on top of the speaker? Yeah... right there."

The young lady looked closer as she narrows her eye sight. She pushed the red button again and shouted, "WILL YOU LET ME IN ALREADY?"

"Ouch! Geez, lady. I'm just kidding... Can't a man be funny for a second? Geez..." the man sighed, "What's your name?"

Elise raised an eye brow and said, "Elise Summerhall."

In a split second, the gates opened for Elise. She was taken aback when she saw the whole view of the path going up the mansion. The oak trees and the birch trees were tall and mighty. The red bricks were old and almost crooked.

"Are you gonna come in or what?"

The young lady hissed and scowled at the camera. "What a foul man..." she mumbled. Just as she made her first step in the paths of Hadleigh Hall, the wind blew strongly as the trunk of the trees swayed. Falling leaves followed after as it tumbles and rolls on the ground.

"Welcome, Miss Summerhall..." said the man doing a creepy voice then he laughed maniacally as the gates closed behind her.

Elise made a deep breath and walked on the path going up the mansion of the once mysterious man named Hadleigh Mathews.

As she draws near the mansion, she was greeted by an old lady dressed in a vintage looking outfit. She must be the housekeeper, Elise thought. The old lady looked scary with her small eye glasses and her crooked teeth.

"Zis way please." Said the old lady as she led Elise inside the mansion. "Mr. Mathews vill be vith you shortly."

Elise was in awe when she saw the inside, it was marvelous and grand. The murals on the ceiling was perfect, it even has that enchanting chandelier. The staircase in the middle was even grander. She felt like she wasn't even at a mansion but a castle. There were paintings everywhere, paintings of landscapes, painting of people who used to live there, paintings of horses, and also paintings of the mansion. It was beautiful in the eyes of a wonderer.