Heredity

Chapter 8

Charlie led the way through the hallway passing the wall with the portraits and down another that was so dim and cool Sophie felt like she should turn back. His cold hand continued tugging which she was grateful for since it was so dark she couldn't see anything.

After a series of twists and a short stairway they reached another hall. This one with a faint light shining at the end. Her heart  beat thunderously and the level of panic reached critical breathing level. All the rumors and legends she'd heard started invading her racing thoughts. Most of which led her to thoughts of s dungeon or torture chamber.

Almost as soon as the panic hit over the top mode Charlie stopped. His hand squeezed hers and in that tiny glow of light at the end of the hallway his white hair cast an almost angelic glow.  She grit her teeth and marched on. She was supposed to be level headed. The one above all the small town gossip and stupid rumors.

When they finally reached the softly lighted room it  was so amazing Sophie's feet planted themselves in the doorway and waited for her jaw to work again. It was a study. Bookshelves lined the walls and a desk sat in the center sturdy and reflective. The ceiling was spattered with glowing constellations that moved and changed almost dancing in rotation with every blink.

Charlie watched her as she took it all in. His smile as warm and wonderful as the galaxy above.

"Jumping Jesus on a pogo stick little man. This is incredible."

He let go of her hand and pushed a button on the wall and it illuminated into a forest scene. Dense trees with a soft blue light behind it. The air filled with the sounds of crickets and the crinkle of leaves brushed by wind. Sophie could swear she could feel the wind blow gently against her cheek.

"Charlie. This is incredible. It's like being in a museum."

Charlie flopped himself on an overstuffed chair and touched the remote next to him. The stars spun faster and streaks of light made the room look like a disco ball. Sophie looked down and noticed her clothes were cast with shadows of the constellation patterns and twirled in response to the light until she was dizzy.

"Someday Charlie- you're going to have awesome parties in here."

Charlie changed the forrest wall to a life sized racetrack and threw Sophie a remote.

"Omg!" She squealed. "Prepare to lose." 

He didn't. He beat her four times in a row and Sophie didn't mind at all. He was smart. Calculating turns and knowing exactly when to turn up his speed and knock her out. When she tired of the game she left it and spent some time wandering around the room.

One wall was chalk drawings. Charcoals in black and grays and color ones so detailed she had to scold herself not to touch them. One of the drawings held her attention. It was in color, and a close up of a girls face. Her deep brown hair curled in large ringlets bustled atop her head. She was smiling but the smile didn't quite reach her eyes. Something about the eyes seemed fevered, or pleading. It was mesmerizing and Sophie felt oddly unhinged. She placed her hands outward blocking her vision of the portraits hair and clothes and focusing on just the oddly familiar face. She gasped.

The face she was staring at was hers. Not hers, that was impossible. But so similar that Sophie's skin itched and the top of her head tingled.

"Charlie. Who is this? In the drawing here?  Did you do this?"

Charlie paused his game and walked over to where she stood staring at the drawing. His dark Eyes studied it, and then met hers.

"That's Victors. He drew it. I don't remember her name."

Sophie didn't feel the relief she'd hoped for. Instead, more questions flooded her mind.

"Who is Victor? Did he draw all of these?"

She looked at the drawings and noticed each one was a woman, maybe the same woman in different styles of dress. If not exactly the same woman, surely a close set of relatives. Blocking out everything but the faces it seemed like the artist had taken the same woman and drew her in different periods of time.

"Victor is my brother. You know him. Don't you?"

His words were almost challenging and suddenly Sophie wanted to be somewhere else. Away from the back room and the eyes from the drawing all staring at her. Each one looking like they knew the thoughts just out of reach for her.

"Nope. Don't know him. Never met him. I didn't even know you had a brother. But I do know I'm ready for a snack. Let's go back to the kitchen and I'll make you one too."

She knew she sounded desperate. But the need to clear her brain from it's spinning and stop the straining of her eyes from playing tricks was the only thing she could focus on.  It was impossible not to see her face in every portrait. Charlie hit the remote and the wall became just a wall and he stood and grabbed her hand. Relief courses through her as they turned to the door.

"We can play again, if you want to. I just didn't eat enough at dinner."

She didn't know why she was explaining anything to him, but words tumbled anyway.

In the kitchen relief flooded through her. Maybe this is why people who work midnights always feel half crazy. It's messing with my mind.

Sophie grabbed some tortilla chips and tore open the bag inhaling the smell of salt and corn.

"I haven't had these in so long! Since I moved her actually. Back home we liked them up with cheese and salsa and ate them fighting over the chips with the most fool on them."

Charlie watched her, his head tilted slightly to the side. She thrust the bag in front of him.

"Smell it. That's pure junk. Probably not even made with real corn."

She put a chip on her mouth and her tastebuds exploded. Charlie giggled.

"I'm gonna have to seriously thank your parents. I don't even know how they got all this. The stores in town are all missing the high end junk food. Tell ya what Charlie Boy. Let's pig out and I'll tell you some crazy stories."

When she looked up again Charlie was missing. His seat still held the dent where he was just seconds ago.

"Okay. Hide and seek it is. Give me a warning next time."

A cool breeze danced against her skin and she involuntarily shivered. On her way to the living room she glanced at the clock. It was already 4am. Time was flying.

"I happen to be a hide and seek world champion you know. There's no way I won't find you."

The front door banged against the wall and Sophie felt the wind blow in from the hallway.

"Crap. Not again." She yelled running toward the door.

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Thanks so much for reading. Truly. I'm having a lot of fun with this story and I hope you aren't too comfortable. It's about to get twisty!