The Secret of Jauregui Estate (Camren)

Chapter 5

I walked up the old, black stair case to the gigantic double doors. Gargoyles sat perched on the roof staring intensely down on me and a fountain spewed red water out front. RED WATER! I glanced to my left and saw a lion knocker on the door, gathering myself, I lifted it then slowly let if fall from my hand. A large knock echoed through the yard startling me. A skyscraper of a man dressed in full black opened the door and looked around the yard before looking down on me.

"May I help you?" He muttered sternly.

"Uh, my car got a flat tire. Do you think you can help me?" The man paused and opened the door so I could enter, closing it almost immediately after I walked in. I stood in the entrance of the Estate and gasped. Everything was either black or red including the windows! Two sets of red, curved staircases led to the upper level. I'm pretty sure my mind was playing tricks on me, but I could have sworn that some of the paintings on the wall were moving! The paintings seemed to be somehow... alive. The Estate was beautiful, but in a way I was completely unused to.

"Follow me." The man muttered as he led me to a large dining room with a beautiful ruby chandelier hanging from the ceiling. "Please, take a seat. My mistress shall be in momentarily."

"Thank you-"

"You may call me Jebodiah." He said with a slight bow.

"Well then. Thank you, Jebodiah." He nodded and walked off into another room of the Estate. I sat there for a while until I heard someone clear their throat.

"Jebodiah said you wanted something?" I couldn't believe who was standing before me!

"Lauren?"

"Camila?"

"Why are you here?"

"Why are you here?" Lauren and I stood awkwardly as we processed what was happening.

"Lauren, why are you in an abandoned Estate?" I asked.

"Well," She began, sitting on the far side of the long table. "I live here."

"But this place!" I gestured at the home. "It's supposed to be abandoned! Lauren chuckled lightly.

"Just because it's supposed to be doesn't mean it is!" Jebodiah brought two glasses of what looked like some sort of red beverage. Lauren took one off the tray and thanked her servant politely. "Camila, would you like one?" I shook my head no so she shrugged and dismissed Jebodiah from the room.

"So have you always lived here?" I asked. Lauren put her drink down and gazed at me with her cold, green eyes.

"Since birth."

"Oh." I muttered. "I didn't know."

"That's because no one is supposed to know." Lauren stated swirling her beverage around in the glass. "It's supposed to be a secret."

"Why's that?" Lauren glanced at me and set her drink down.

"Well that's simple. People judge me before they even get to know me, Camilla." Lauren sighed half heartedly. "It's been in my family for God knows how long, plus if people at school knew I live here they would shun me."

"I wouldn't." I said.

"And how do I know that for sure? How do I know I can trust you?" She said more as a statement than a question. She leaned back in her seat. "I thought so." Lauren stood to walk out and I didn't notice what she was wearing until she did. A cloak as black as midnight was draped over her shoulders. Black shorts were worn over hose with matching combat boots on her feet. She had on a black lace crop top and a silver cross necklace around her neck.

"Lauren, wait!" I called after her. Lauren stopped and looked over her shoulder. "There's something your not telling me." Lauren smirked and chuckled lightly.

"Jebodiah, show Camila out." Lauren continued smirking as she snapped her fingers and vanished. I stood bewildered as Jebodiah escorted me out.

"Wait, wait, wait! What about my flat?" I yelped as Jebodiah carried me over his shoulder. Jebodiah put me down on the porch and sighed. He glanced at my flat tire and it immediately inflated. I gasped in awe.

"Have a good evening, Ms. Camila." He said and with that he turned and slammed the door behind him leaving me there on the porch with a dumbfounded look on my face.