The Manor

He walked towards the manor apprehensively, kicking himself repeatedly for getting involved in this mess. He pushed the gate open gingerly and tiptoed in, careful not to tread on thorns that infested the overgrown garden. How can a place bursting with trees and bushes feel so utterly lifeless, he wondered. He shuddered as an insect buzzed in his ear. Waving it away, he quickened his steps towards the main door.

It creaked open as he gave it a push. He walked in with an increasing sense of foreboding, and the eerie lull in the air did nothing to calm his nerves. Looking up at the faint stream of light trickling into the hall through an opening in the wall, he followed it with his eyes until he saw it illuminating a dusty table with a book on it. He went up to the table and started flipping through the pages of the book. His curiosity was aroused when he saw that the pages were completely empty, and some were torn out partially. There was something in this book that was not meant for people to see. He had to tell the others about this. He was about to toss the seemingly empty book onto the table again, when the last page caught his eye. He opened it. There was a drawing of a girl sitting on a horse. For some reason it sent a chill down his spine. He shuddered again and fought the urge to go running back home. It’s in the bedroom. I just need to get to the bedroom, take it, and then I can get the hell outta here. He reminded himself about why he was there, and proceeded towards the staircase.

He reached the top and looked from side to side. Three bedrooms. I have to find out which one. He walked into the nearest bedroom, and opened the window to let some light in. It was a dingy little place with a musty smell about it. The room was quite empty but for a single bed and a night stand next to it. On the floor, there were half a dozen cardboard boxes with something written on them in red. Three letters, in a language he didn’t recognize. Heh. As long as it doesn’t say "TNT", I don’t care what’s in them. He stared at them for a few moments, and was suddenly gripped by fear. He hurried out of the room and went into the next one.

As he walked in, he saw that it was already well lit by a large window facing the sun. This seems more like a study than a bedroom. The room, apart from the tiny bed by the window, was full of nothing but shelves with books stacked upon them. He picked up a huge leather-bound book from a nearby shelf and blew at it. He coughed as the cloud of dust lifted from the copy, and read the name on the cover. The other side. He grimaced. The other side of what? He could feel that familiar urge to read and find out and lose himself in the book. He stared hungrily at the scores of books on the shelves for a moment, and looked at the cozy little bed, wishing he could curl up in it and read everything in sight. He shook himself, and returned the book in his hand to the shelf he had taken it from. Enough. Let’s go.

The next bedroom was clearly the master bedroom. There was a massive double bed with an ornate headrest, and multiple cupboards with intricate carvings on them. The room had an ancient glamour to it, and it stood oddly apart from the rest of the dilapidated house. It also had a warm and welcoming appeal, unlike the frostiness of the other rooms. There was a small balcony that overlooked the garden. He went and peeked over the railing to see a little clearing among the bushes which, he mused, would probably look very nice once tended to. This place might have been really nice to play in, as a kid. His gaze wandered to the other end of the garden – the one he had entered through - and he drew a sharp intake of breath. The dark side. His fears came rushing back and he set about to find what he had come for. He scanned the room, thinking about where it could be kept. He had been told that it would not be hard to find. Then, he spotted the cupboard door, slightly open. He pulled it open and looked inside. And there it was.