The Mansion

Chapter 12

 I stared at Adrianna, half shocked, half awed by her sudden truth. Despite my emotions, a sense of familiarity tingled at the back of my head—like something that I had forgotten. I shook my head again and stared at her.

“H-how come? You are a human,”

She sighed and propped her feet up the bed and arranged herself into a cross-legged position.

“We escaped and found a mortal vessel,” she said, gesturing to herself. “I managed to find this Miss Adrianna’s body in a car crash, fifteen years ago. Pitiful… such a young age…”

“So, you’re not…”

“No, I’m not Miss Adrianna Winchester. I just a soul that simply dwell in her body,”

“Then, who are you?”

She hesitated for a while, her eyebrows furrowing as she was in a deep thought.

“Time has marred all my memories, Genessa. I was trapped there even before your time,”

My eyes widened in surprise.

“H-how--,”

“Of course! You do not remember a thing!” she shouted, standing up.

Her glare pierced through my heart like icy daggers. Her hands clenched into balls of fists as endless tears rolled out of her eyes.

“Y-you left us when w-we escaped!” she continued. “You chose rebirth!!”

I took a step backwards, shocked by the sudden outburst. My mouth opened only to utter no word at all.

“I- I was also…?”

“Yes, Genessa, you too were a Shadow!”

I stumbled back, gaping at her. She was now standing, tears pouring down her face anew.

“Now, you know why she wants you badly?” she asked. “It’s because of--”

“Revenge?”

She looked at me and nodded slowly.

“You were the one who thought of the escape. And you were so near to destroying her,”

She said and slumped back towards the bed, wiping her tears.

“Who is she?”

“Vivian Redwood,”

My eyes widened in shock. Could this woman be…?

“I think I saw her when I was unconscious,”

Her eyes widened a little.

“That’s impossible,” she muttered. “She doesn’t have enough power--”

“Well, guess what? She did,” I cut her off, exasperated. “And she said she’ll be waiting for me or she’ll kill my father and Amara,”

“It’s a trap. You mustn’t go!”

“Of course I know that!”

“She still wants to take your soul. Don’t return--”

“What choice do I have? My dad is in trouble. And though he left us… I have to save him!”

My heart felt heavy.

“You’re defenseless against her!”

“Well, you said I was close to destroying her!”

“Look at your state!” she retaliated, gesturing towards me. “You can do nothing against her!”

Anger boiled inside of me despite the cold atmosphere.

“What are you going to do then? Run away? Escape? We already did that, didn’t we?”

Her mouth opened to strike back but considered and closed, looking guilty. I took the opportunity to speak during the silence.

“Can’t you see that she can get into our minds? There is no escape,”

She looked away and tears formed in her eyes. After what seemed like eternity, her eyes turned back to me.

“Fine, however. You have to do this on one condition,”

I nodded determinedly.

“Do not trust your eyes…”

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The icy wind stung my exposed skin, despite all the layers of clothes I was wearing, as we drove through the night. The wind smelled of freshly mowed grass. The night sky was like an impenetrable dark blanket scattered with countless shimmering diamonds. The ivory moon’s presence illuminated the gathering gloom of the world below.

The constant buzzing of the motorbike was the only sound present in this gloomy world. Adrianna steered the way but she still kept silent which was quite awkward for both of us. I could sense her nervousness even though I couldn’t see her face properly. Her nervousness was quite contagious for I myself started shivering with anxiety. To ebb away my nerves, I attempted to start a conversation.

“Are we there yet?”

“No,” replied Adrianna in a monotone voice.

And that indicated that she did not want to talk, let alone make a proper conversation. I slumped back into my seat and kept silent for the rest of the journey. After a while, I noticed that Adrianna stopped driving.

“We have to walk up the hill,” she said as she stared at the hill with a look of apprehension plastered upon her face.

Something red caught my eye and my eyes flickered towards it. Upon laying my eyes on the damaged cottage, I saw the same words when I came here: “Beware.”

I nodded and obediently followed her uphill. After all the scrambling and slipping, we arrived near the same territory of the dim forest. The moonlight failed to provide light to the forest. Trees with long, spindly branches waved their twisted hands around causing a scene of dancing. Sinister shadows lurked around the roots of the trees and occasionally the wind would whisper insensible words. Dried leaves crunched as I trudged alongside Adrianna. I placed a hand over my eyes, blocking the dust carried by the wind. But Adrianna seemed okay with this. All of a sudden, she pointed at something.

“That was the place where I heard you scream,” she spoke inanimately. “I ran as fast as I can too save you. Then, I saw you drowning in a pit,”

“If it weren’t for you I wouldn’t have lived,”

“Also Alex…”her voice wavered momentarily. She turned her heels around and strode towards the house. I followed her again, eyes fixed on the growing figure that I once used to call home.

Seeing the mansion from afar, I felt uneasiness in my stomach. Adrianna glanced at me and beckoned me to follow her.

As we got closer and closer, I could see the iron gates opened in a mocking welcome. No one was present there, giving off an aura of neglect. We walked on, entering the strange garden that I once used to admire.

The mansion towered above me. Since it was at night, it was darker and more menacing. Not even a single light was to be seen at the bleak windows. The gargoyles on either side glared ferociously at me, challenging my courage.

I averted my eyes off them and stared ahead at the ancient door that lay in front of me.

I’m home, I thought.

We crossed the garden and stood in front of the door. Mustering up all my bravery, I gave the door a little push. As soon as it opened, Moonlight Sonata by Beethoven echoed ominously throughout the room, sending shivers down my spine. The familiar feeling of threat nagged me at the back of my head.

“Take note of what I said, Genessa,” said Adrianna, staring into the hall. “What you had seen last time was only just the beginning,”

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Thanks for reading again! :D What cha think about the chapter so far?? Comment, vote or fan if you want. Thanks! ;) I think the song Moonlight Sonata by Beethoven really matches with this chapter. :) It is the help of this song that I got to write this chapter. xD