Chapter Two
At about seven-fifty p.m, I grabbed my coat only and put it on me. I stepped outside and closed the front door of my rented house, locked it and stuffed my key into the pocket of my coat.
The rain was beating heavily on the black asphalt of the road. A cold breeze swept by me, chilling me to the bones even though I have worn my warmest coat. Suddenly, a tinge of regret settled in me - I should have declined that woman's offer.
Too late! A second later I saw a black saloon car turning into my alley and stopped beside me. For a few seconds, I felt a great urge to run back into my house and get into my bed. But I fought it any way.
The passenger door opened and I stared into a pale-skinned woman with intense blue eyes and long blond hair. She was simply amazing.
"Hi. I am Mrs. Wilton, the one who phoned you. Thanks a lot for helping us out tonight. ''She forced a smile and added, ''Come in, we don't have much time left.''
Again, that feeling of hesitation nagged me at the back of my mind but I overcame it.
I entered the car and closed the door. Immediately, Mrs. Wilton started the engine and drove at an increasing speed. I remained petrified in my seat and stared nervously at the rain pouring on the windshield. Noting my uneasiness, Mrs. Wilton said, ''You will really like our small Nicolas. He is three years old and yet very intelligent.''
''I'm eager to meet him,'' I replied politely. ''Is he awake?''
''No, he is not. Nicolas has been asleep about one hour earlier but he will wake up for his bottle at midnight. Don't worry dear, when he will be hungry, he'll let you know.''
I looked at the road ahead and tried to relax a little. Maybe the night would go well. Nicolas would sleep till midnight and I could read till then.
We continued our drive silently under the heavy downpour till the far edge of the town. I tried to make out precisely where we were but the dark night has already overwhelmed my senses of orientation. Abruptly, the tires of the cars hissed loudly on the wet asphalt as Mrs. Wilton turned into an alley which lead to an ancient huge house surrounded by tall dark trees. Two gas-lamps burned on the front porch of the house. They glittered in the dark and projected strange and deformed shadows. The house was painted a sombre gray and consisted of a black roof which was pointed like the hat of a witch. The feeling of uneasiness came back. I realized that it had not quite left me all along the drive as I watched the dark trees,
''Follow me!'' Mrs. Wilton said from behind and hurried to the porch. Her voice possessed such an authority that I obeyed like a good little girl. I marched quietly behind her till the front door. We entered a straight hall which was dimly lit by candles placed on fixings on the wall. The luminous glares of the candles casted bizarre moving shadows on the wall.
Mrs. Wilton turned round to discover my anxious face. "Don't worry. You'll feel comfortable in a few moments,'' she smiled nervously. ''Nicolas' room is found on the first storey. You can go into the study room while waiting for him to wake up.''
While she was instructing me about the study room and the kitchen, I heard the stairs creak. Raising my eyes, I saw an elegant man dressed in smoking black. When our gazes met, I hastily lowered my eyes. He had such an intensely penetrating gaze.
''We must leave now,'' Mrs. Wilton said as she noticed her husband. ''Please don't forget to give Nicolas his bottle of midnight. And yes, another thing: don't open the curtains in his room!''
I hardly got the time to wish them 'good evening' and they were already outside. I heard the engine of the car roared to life and then they were gone. I locked the door and took a deep breath.
Slowly, a feeling of dread came to haunt me. In that terrible silence, the realization of being all alone in a strange house located in a strange place filled my mind...
