It was the summer before college and I was forced to stay at my grandfather’s house. Talk about a nightmare. Mom and dad were going on their third cruise for their anniversary. This time they weren’t taking me. Instead, I was forced to stay at the old man’s house that I hadn’t seen since I was seven. Our only connection was on holidays; either over the phone or through Christmas and birthday cards filled with fifty dollars. Don’t get me wrong, I was more than happy to accept fifty bucks from my grandfather but after awhile it seemed pointless to even think I had a grandfather. He seemed more like a banker, if that.
My dad placed our entire luggage in the car where we would be stuck together for several hours. Lucky for them, their cruise ship was closer to my grandfather’s house than our own. Somehow, I figured that was all part of the plan to get rid of me. That was another connection I had or lack of. My parents and I never usually talked. When we did, it was either about school or getting a job to pay for things I didn’t have. Usually, being an only child meant you would have all the attention from your parents. In my family it was quite the opposite.
The drive to my grandfather’s house was not so bad until my ipod was confiscated about an hour in. My mother's excuse was so that we could have parent/child bonding time.She had been reading book after book on raising your teenage daughter, even if I was no longer a teenager. Thus, I was stuck with listening to my parents converse about their work or other things I didn't really care about. They were the best doctors in town and probably the best in the country. Sometimes they would talk about books, or movies, or even the news but today, of all days, they discussed work. Exciting, I know.
The hours dragged on but we finally reached grandfather’s house. Dad got my luggage while mom said her goodbye. She looked at the house and then looked at me. “Are you sure you’re going to be alright?” She wondered aloud. Like I had a choice but she got points for caring. Sending me to grandpa’s was their idea to begin with even though I offered to stay at home by myself and watch the house. Unfortunately, one simple party from the previous summer changed all that.
“I’ll be fine, mom.” It was a lie, I’m sure but it was what she wanted to hear. “Go have fun on your cruise and don’t worry about me and grandpa.” I gave her a smile and she hugged me before getting back in the car. My dad closed the trunk and said his own goodbye to me.
“See ya around, kiddo. Say hi to dad for me.” He said into the hug. I had just turned nineteen and the man was still calling me “kiddo.” I refrained from correcting him. It would have upset him anyway. I stood there in the driveway until the car turned the corner out of sight. Even after they were gone, I stood there wishing they would turn around and take me back to my calm, peaceful life of doing nothing but work. That was how I liked it. However, they never did turn back so I was forced to do the only thing I could do. I turned around, grabbed my luggage and headed to the front door of the giant mansion ahead of me. But when I approached the door, a note greeted me instead of the old man.
Dear Deanna,
I have gone out to a business meeting and should be back for dinner. Make yourself at home.
Harold Mitchell.
P.s. Just knock on the door. Philip will let you in.
I grabbed the note and crinkled it up. I hated the name Deanna, even on paper. It didn’t seem surprising he wasn’t there to greet me. I didn’t expect it, really. But before I could knock, the door swung open to reveal a very tall man. Unmistakably, he was the spitting image of Lurch from the Adam’s Family. Though, I had a feeling this one wasn’t going to be as friendly. I swallowed my fear and took a deep breath before speaking.
“I’m De-“ I began but Lurch stopped me.
“Yes, Miss Mitchell. Come right in.” The deep voice instructed. Quickly, I grabbed my bag and walked past him. Though, one minute he was by the door and the next he was right beside me taking my luggage. I didn’t want to give it to him because I felt safer with it by my side. “This way,” Lurch instructed again as he walked upstairs. The house was bigger than any home I had ever seen. Even Oprah would be impressed.
Walking up the giant staircase made me feel like royalty, if that. I knew my grandfather was loaded but this was insane. Portraits of old people hung everywhere. I almost didn’t want to ask Lurch who they were; expecting him to say they were my ancestors. They all had one thing in common. They were creepy. This had to be the spookiest house all of all times. I was hardly looking where I was going because I just couldn’t take my eyes off the wall. However, Lurch stopped me with his body as he opened the door to my new room. He hardly even noticed I had bumped into him. The giant butler set my luggage on my bed and turned to with blank eyes.
“Dinner is at seven. If you need anything, just call.” And with that, he walked off to tend to some other chores. Friendly guy. The room itself was bigger than our living room. It seemed strange why we didn’t have a house like grandpa’s. Surely, we could afford it. I looked down the hallway and noticed, what seemed to be, an endless row of rooms. I just had to explore.
There was only one down side. They were all boring. If it wasn’t a bedroom, it was another study with different decorations. One room was filled with dead animals where another was filled with more paintings of creepy people. I was about to turn back and try and find my room but something seemed to be calling me on to the last door. It wasn’t a voice but more like a feeling. What else could I do in a creepy, empty house? I moved forward and opened the door.
The room was nothing like the others. It was almost as if the house had been built around the room. The walls and floor were ancient stone. Cobwebs filled the corner as well as the book shelves. Again, something was calling me to it. It was weird. Normally, I would have been scared out of my wits to keep going. I always closed my eyes at this part in the movie but, oddly enough, I kept looking around. Some of the books were written in an old language where as others didn’t seem to have any writing on them at all as if the words had just faded off.
In the center of the room, sat an old table with a worn out candle and a giant book just sitting there, waiting for me. My curiosity seemed to get the better of me because I just walked toward the book. The binding was old, brown and reeked of old age. I knew museums would love to get their hands on something as old as this but there had to be more to it. I opened the book, careful not to rip anything as if the book would fall apart any minute. Considering how old it seemed, it fairly would have. I kept turning the pages slowly. The words were written in an old language but the pages seemed to shimmer in a gold color. I flipped another page, this time I noticed something. On every page near the bottom had the same words in plain English.
“Upon this day, the past is near, To change the time from daunting fear.” I read aloud, not even realizing it. Suddenly, the pages glowed brighter and brighter until I was forced to shield my eyes. Out of nowhere, sounds began to appear; ones that you wouldn’t find in my grandfather’s home. I heard sheep and dogs. I even felt a small breeze which didn’t make sense since I was in a small room. At least, I thought I was.
I lowered my hands and nearly fainted. No longer was I in the small room in my grandfather’s house. But instead, I was standing in the middle of a field of sheep with people holding staffs just staring at me. So I did the only thing my brain would think of. I ran in the first direction my legs would take me.
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