The Mansion

The next day I didn't see Sid in school. That made me nervous more than I'd care to admit. I'd been planning on confronting her on the matter concerning grandma's sudden interest in me. Even though I always swaggers around like I didn't give a damn, I didn't in fact want trouble. Our fight should stay between us god damn it! But you just had to be a snitch Sid, didn't you?

She'd told on me. I could feel it in my nerve wrecked gut. Nothing I could do about it though. But if I get my hands on her.... Urg!

It stayed on my mind all day, worrying me greatly. I couldn't concentrate on one thing. More than once today I'd been called out by teachers for blanking out in class. For all that was embarrassing though, I couldn't bring myself to care. Had Sid told on me? I was fucked up real time if that's the case. Really fucked up!

"Earth to your majesty," Owen grinned down at me.

It was lunch break. But unlike reasonable people we were holed up in the library trying to make last arrangements, touch downs and preparations for the up and coming quiz competition on Saturday. Tomorrow is Friday so we'd decided we won't talk anything quiz related, or science for that matter___ we'd made enough preparations already___ and will instead rest our minds.

You know, play video games, party.... if we party. The thought made me frown. I glanced at Sarah.

She was busy on her phone. She's been occupied by her phone more often than usual today, and dressed a little more revealing too. Nothing sluttish mind you, but more bold than she usually dresses. She was wearing a white blouse, brown jacket and pleated, slightly below the knee length skirt. She looked good in it too I had to admit.

This I could care to worry, as literally my only friendship was on the line. But I forced myself to not think about it and turned to the rest of the 'Nerd gang'. Meaning the smartest kids in the year, and, unfortunately, the nerds.

Who's bright idea was it to divide high school into social hierarchy? What a, okay I am not gonna curse, fucking genius! Oh I cursed? That's like world ending, blah blah blah; I am in a bad mood, deal with it.

The full gang was here, at least the main gang. Willow, Owen, Sarah, Joe, Caleb and me. Everyone here is a friend of each others; okay, Willow and Owen are literally twin siblings___ looked alike too if different genders; red hair, pale skin, blue eyes___ but my point still stands.

The overweight African american guy is Joe. While Caleb is the tall hadsome guy. With all that hispanic blood in him, black hair, bronze skin, red lips; somehow I don't know if it's only me but it makes him very attractive.

Probably not only me, I decided. Caleb noticed my gaze and smiled at me. "What's on your mind?" He asked.

That's the problem. You see, Caleb is all attractive till he opens his mouth. The fact that he can say anything is a real deal breaker to me. He can say fucking anything, I mean it, like his mouth didn't have a filter.

Owen smirked seeing the sour look I gave the guy. "Probably how to make an atomic reaction more efficient," he joked.

"Or how to make cars with thrusters, you know like the fast and furious movies. I bet it'll get her to and from school faster." Joe added.

That was suppose to be funny? "Ha ha ha ha," I said dryly. "And no, I wasn't thinking about perfecting famous science, or making inventions for that matter. You know, It might surprise you fools that I also have mundane problems weighing on me. Nothing related to science, or mathematical formulas I assure you dimwits."

"Like what? I mean the mundane things?" Willow asked, curious more about the wittiness of my answer than the answer itself.

"Like," I spread my hands indicating the whole library. "When can I go to lunch?"

Willow smirked, my answer must have satisfied her somewhat. "We told you to bring food,"

"Yeah," I air quoted. "News flash, I am a highschool senior, I don't carry lunch boxes."

"If your point stands," Sarah looked up from her phone. Finally! "Then what does that makes us, since we all brought lunch?"

"Don't know, nerds? Are we done here?"

"Yeah, I think we have everything wrapped up," Caleb said. I stood up and started towards the door when he added. "You should be careful what you eat Sam, you don't want to gain weight."

"How's that your problem?" I glared at him.

"Because, you know," he shrugged. "You want guys attracted to you." ___I winced__ "You don't have a boyfriend yet so it is especially important for you.... Don't get me wrong, I didn't say a little bit of fat is unattractive though, but slim girls are the range, know what I mean? Anyway, any guy you like? If you want I can give you highschool dating tips. They work." He winked.

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I grimaced. The others were trying to hold back their laughter. "I... I will keep that in mind." Quickly, I fled.

I stretched in the gym as I thought of that. Damn Caleb, if only he didn't have a disgusting mouth, and a girlfriend.... I'd date him. For all his 'cluelessness', he's a good guy. Ah Sam, concentrate.

I am in the school track team. Currently the best runner in the school. I was looking forward to venting some of my frustrations on the track. But it couldn't be. I only ran a few laps when I came on with an injury. Hamstring, a nasty thing, I had to sit back on the bleachers and watch the soccer team practice.

Perfect day, yeah, watching soccer of all things! I thought sullenly.

Usually Sid will be among the soccer girls, she being captain and all, it added to my nerves that she wasn't here too. I hope it was not because of the fight. Did I hurt her more than I expected that I put her in bed? Or worse, the hospital? She was supposed to be tough, damn it!

So after school, nerves racking, I drove out of the city. High rise buildings rose around me as I went, and the billboards advertising the new Alien show everyone is talking about on their screens hunted me. I snorted not interested in any conspiracy that involved extraterrestrial beings.

The Ravens mansion was at the outskirts of Oak city. Surrounded by miles of land, that it took almost 15 minutes to drive from the road to its gate said something. The gate was modern with CCTV cameras fitted, and automatic doors. I had to get out of the car and get identified before the gates opened.

I drove another 10 minutes on a road between stretch of woods with trees having branches with no leaves, a glaring consequence of the Decay, before I reached my destination.

The Mansion was in truth a manor house; a grey ugly monstrosity of a house, three wings span and equally sprawling upwards like a giant fortress. A fountain sat at the center of the grey dirt courtyard that would have been covered in lawn in better tines. And dark clouds above added to give it a cold creepy feeling.

I drove through the intended path to the side of the mansion were other cars lay parked. I parked between a Ferrari and an Audi. My car looked crappy in comparison to both.

Getting out of the car I saw dad coming over from the arch entrance way. He was a tall man, 6ft 4, long dirty blond hair, and gray eyes. He was wearing a black suit that couldn't hide his buff muscles. He was a handsome man, with lines beside his eyes when he smiled. "How's it kiddo?" He said as he drew closer.

He smelled like mom, I noted. Of cigarette.

I looked around sourly. The manor, the brown sick flowers lining the side of the building trying to thrive in this hard times, to defy the Decay; the leafless woods surrounding everything, and the fancy fountain. "Why was I summoned?"

"Summoned?" Dad laughed. "That's a good way of putting it. Come on, your grandma is inside, we can't keep her waiting." I didn't move even when he did and he had to turn back in confusion. "What's up?"

I looked at the Mansion's entrance, the beautiful red door seeming like a giant beat's maw ready to swallow me. I hesitated. "Dad," I said. "Is there something I should know?"

Dad stared at me blankly for a moment then burst into laugher. A great roar of amusement. I glared at him. "Had enough laugh?"

"Not yet," he laughed some more. After some time he stopped and wiped his eyes with a finger and looked at me with unrestrained amusement. He's so childish, I thought in irritation. "You are wondering if you are in trouble?" He coughed as if he noticed my disdain. "Of course you are if your grandma summons you, don't know what you did though, but I am not gonna ask."

"Was it Sid?" I asked before I thought about it.

"Sid? Is there something I should know? But no, I doubt it has anything to do with your sister. Come on Sam, whatever will happen, will happen. At least I can guarantee you come out of this alive,"

"Full limbs?"

"I believe so, but I can't make any promises,"

"How comforting," I huffed blowing air from my mouth. But somehow dad's annoying behavior helped me calm my nerves. Yes, whatever happens, happens. Might as well get this over with. I clenched my fist then nodded.

The 'Foyer' was as grand as one would expect from seeing the exterior of the mansion. It was huge and gothic, with high vaulted ceiling and grand chandeliers above; the architecture leaned towards European, glaringly old fashioned at that. An example was the drab red carpets___ if red couldn't be drab, they somehow made it___ that spanned the middle section of the room from door to far wall, and walls flanked by full set armors, and straight rectangular couches.

One of said couches of which Grace___ Sid's mom___ and her guest; a middle aged Asian woman, sat having a conversation. I studied her as I followed dad up the stairs. Grace looked like Sidney, in a distant way. Blond hair, blue eyes, but she was not as tall as her daughter nor did her daughter inherit many of her facial details. Grace was cold and indifferent though, something her daughter succeeded in inheriting.

Cold. But she spared me a smile___ when our eyes met__ which I pointedly ignored. Huffed, and looked away.

Dad saw, he said nothing.

He led me upstairs quietly, through the giant sprawling stair case, not unlike ones you'd find in castles; my dad used to take me and Sid to famous castles when we were younger.

Now that I think of it, the mansion did have similarities to a castle.

On another note, Paintings hung on the walls appeared occasionally. Paintings of long dead Ravens. They were all old, all prideful, all cruel looking men. Like the mansion itself.

More paintings lined the hallways too, this ones more recent___ maybe the last centuries or so as it had women too___ but it's not like I haven't seen them a thousand times and more, and so much more than that, that I was sick of them. The only use they ever had was a source of nightmare when I was a child.

My destination was at the third floor. Grandma's room was tucked at the end of the long hallway, a half dozen doors away from any used room. That means the only used room in the west wing of the mansion was occupied by her. I don't know the details but grandma's isolation from the rest of the house was entirely her wish.

Dad knocked at the door, or grand double doors to be precise.

"Come," an elegant voice said.

He looked at me, grinned, then tapped my arm reassuredly. "Good luck,"

I frowned as I stared at the door. Grandma knows I had fought Sid, I have no doubt about it. Okay, almost no doubt, but I can't afford to be optimistic here. Grandma is not one to show herself for no reason. In fact she usually wouldn't show her face if not when to keep the family in line.

But I have to go in, I have to take my sentence boldly.

I took a deep breath then pushed the door open with shaky hands. The double doors parting before me. This is me stepping into one of the most secretive places in the mansion.

I entered, the door swinging close behind me.

This was a different world from what I imagined altogether, grandma's room. Or rather, an unexpected chamber.

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