What Lies Ahead

What Lies Ahead - Chapter 4

Chapter 4

My right arm stings and only then do I realize that I'm breathing quite heavily and that now, I am on the ground. I get back up to the chair which faces my unfinished painting. I must've dozed off. I check the time, it's 4:26am. 

I make my way to the bathroom and splash some water on my face after washing off some of the paint in my hands. Looking at myself in the mirror, I then remember the dream I just had. It's the same creepy dream I had 2 weeks ago. Although, it feels quite different now.

There was more energy. Like I was actually there.

I shake my head. That's absurd.

Now tucked in my bed, I fall asleep right away & before I knew it, morning had come. And to my amazement, no one has come barging into my room to open my curtains. That's a first. 

Climbing out of my bed, I walk to where my balcony doors are located still covered in cream colored curtains & swing them open. But what started out to be a good morning become a freakishly weird nightmare. Am I still dreaming?

"OUCH!", I yelped after pinching myself on the arm. 

Okay, I'm awake. I open my balcony door and I see that a bunch of crows are lying dead on our front lawn. If this was some kind of sick prank, it wasn't funny at all. Who would do such vile thing?

"Miss Alice,.."

"Holy cow!", I gasp turning around to see who it was that had startled me. "Jesus Christ Annabelle, you scared the living daylights out of me."

"Uhm, sorry. Your uncle wants to speak with you before you leave for school. He's in his study .", she says then turns to walk away.

"Wait.", I call to her before she was about to close my door.  "What happened to our lawn? Why is it covered with dead crows?"

"What are you talking about? There isn't such things miss Alice."

"Yes there is. Come look at it yourself.", I drag her back inside my room and into the balcony. And I am surprised to see that there are no more dead crows.  

"Exactly what am i supposed to see miss Alice?"

"Oh don't get cocky with me Annabelle.", I turn to glare at her and she raises her hands in defeat. Then I look back at the lawn and I am still stunned as to how they just disappeared. I could've sworn a minute ago they were right there. After a moment of silence, Annabelle speaks.

"Well if there isn't anything else..", she says.

"No there isn't anymore. You can go now." I walk off towards my bathroom and take  a shower. Blow dry my hair and pull it up into a messy ponytail. Get a light blue 3/4 button down shirt and tuck it in my grey shaded distressed jeans and put on my black converse. I grab my bag and start to head down to the kitchen then I remember that my uncle wanted to talk. 

I knock on the door to his study. And I can hear him say, "Come in". So I step inside and I see he's on the phone and directs me to take a sit on the couch to the left side of his desk. I take my time to check out his study, it's looking more like an office from the last time I've seen it. 

In the middle of the room is his desk made of mahogany with a bunch of tree carvings. At the right side is a Globe Map of the World figurine which I used to have fun messing around with when I was a kid. It was here in this room that I learned a lot about history. What with his collection of books stacked in a wall of shelves located on three corners of the room. And at the right corner towards the door are his collection of souvenirs from where he's been. My favorite is the carnivale mask he bought in Venice. It covers half the face and it's coloured bronze-gold with emerald accents. At the top right corner is a small black velvety hat ribboned with black lace. In the middle of the bow there are a bunch of ombre tahitian baroque pearls glued to secure the peacock feathers. The mask has a detachable handle which is what I love most about it because then you can have the option of tying it around your head.