Dark Dreams (COMPLETED)

Dark Oaks

I took off my skates and, having placed them in my bag, walked a few yards along the path, which was marked out in stone slabs illuminated by luminous spheres that seemed to rise and fall in the air as by magic. I found myself in front of a sign resting on an angel-shaped black iron pedestal.

"Welcome to Dark Oaks," I read, "Founded in the early nineteenth century by the Reynolds family. Thanks to its 2,000 hectares, it is today Goldmist's largest estate."

I would not have been surprised if, hidden behind the oaks that carpeted the property, there had been a tour guide ready to tell me anything and everything about the history of Dark Oaks. A red circle, with the inscription "You are here" marked my position; in front of me was what the map called "the Mansion", and at the center of the property, was "the Lake House" – named for the large lake it overlooked – and to the southwest was "the Ranch". The whole lot was surrounded by dense forests of "magnificent, centuries-old oak trees".

"A lot of information, but no hint as to where the party takes place," I said, rolling my eyes.

And then I saw him.

A hand moved one of the curtains on the first floor, just enough to allow me a glimpse of his face.

Despite the distance separating us, I recognized his face in less than a second.

I wanted to look away, but I couldn't. I was like a moth attracted by the light of a bulb. My legs trembled and I had to put both hands on the pedestal to stop myself falling. Of all the people on whom my gaze could have fallen, Sean Reynolds was last on the list.

He sipped his drink, staring right at me. He was one of those people whose presence is so strong that you can feel their touch on your skin. Suddenly his hand let go of the curtain which, sliding in front of him, made him disappear.

Another howl.

I didn't know why, but I was starting to feel uncomfortable. I was struggling to find enough oxygen in the air I was breathing. I looked down at the map, trying to think about which route to take, but I couldn't get his icy stare out of my head.

I was bending over the map, as if that would make it clearer to me, when a branch broke.

I turned.

"Is anyone there?" I asked, looking around me.

The only reply was the rustling of trees in the wind.

"Stop being a chicken, Sarah," I said, turning around.

This time I heard the noise of someone's footsteps on dry leaves.

"Imagination is not always our friend," I said with false conviction.

I returned to studying the map when two enormous hands grabbed my shoulders, followed by a loud, serious: "Boooo!".

I spun around, screaming like a lunatic.

"Cooper... what the hell!" I yelled at him, trying to lower my pulse. "You almost gave me a heart attack!"

"You're such a coward Sarah," he observed nastily. "So, explain to me what the hell you're doing here? Did you come to steal something?"

"I was invited to the Elite Party, if you want to know," I said with fake effrontery.

He couldn't find out that I had heard the password by mistake; I risked ruining everything just when I was a step away from achieving my goal.

"And which crazy person invited you?" he asked, putting two fingers in his mouth and pretending to vomit. "You could infect everyone with your patheticness."