Refraction of Beauty

Walking into the Manor, we beheld luminousness that extended far out into the great hall we were ushered into. A magnificent chandelier crowned the brilliantly marbled floor with a circular pattern of several mosaics incorporated into one. There was a massive staircase that opened straight up, upon entering, and led into an almost never ending narrow hallway, carpeted, by a dark, dark shade of red. The passage was quite long, and stifling, with the smell of dust permeating the claustrophobic area. Candlelight was lit on both sides, projecting a dark, shadowy image. All of the other rooms were not in close proximity to one another, and we were specifically told to share the last room, though we were going to stay together in the first place.

  ‘All five of you, in one room.’ Aunt Nora directed with a raised eyebrow, at my observing all the closed doors. She spoke to me with the candlelight against my face. That made me look at her face more closely and for a second, thought it looked as if it wasn’t on her properly…but dismissed the ridiculous thought, as a deception of the shadowy light.

  ‘Yes, please. We’re new here and don’t want to be frightened out of our wits.’ I gave off a smile that was met with the stiffest expression ever. As I result, I stifled my own expression too.

  Aunt Nora led us into the last room on the left, with the door creaking loudly, and told us it was the ‘roomiest’ to accompany the whole lot. We made our way inside and found a large four-poster bed against the wood paneled walls, with magenta pink cushions atop a fluffed up reddish-pink quilt. The room looked very mystical, and had, characteristic to the entire theme of the Manor, candlelight on all walls and tables. Roxanne went over to the huge window that let in the silver of the round moon; but moved back seconds later, as the entire room overlooked a graveyard.

  ‘Oh yes…ancestors. This place was built 400 years ago. But you needn’t worry – they’re dead.’ Aunt Nora replied matter-of-factly.

  ‘Of course…right, dead.’ I muttered, looking down.

  ‘Victuals will be sent over shortly.’ She gave a round look at us, and then slammed the door shut.

  ‘What a welcome.’ Joe said sarcastically. ‘I couldn’t care less for this creepy mansion and the creepy things that accompany it. But what I DO care about is how in the flabberjackers Aunt Sora managed to get here before us!’

  ‘Yeah…that’s honestly perplexing…’ I admitted, scratching my head.

  ‘I mean, to heck with our creepy self absorbed relatives – who by the way, Carr, are NOT ugly – well, at the moment at least, but like seriously, the train we came on WAS the only way back and front, wasn’t it?’

  ‘It was. I want to ask her how she did it, but frankly speaking, I’m also very much interested in how she and the rest of our Aunts looked so…so…sensuous!’ I uttered the last part with both my arms dramatically punching the air, and myself propping on the bed.

  ‘Yeah…I sure as hell know that wasn’t the same Aunt Sora we met at our house today...’ Joe went on, pacing up and down the room.

  ‘Yesterday.’ I pointed towards my watch; it was 12:02 a.m.

  ‘Oh like that really matters!’ Joe narrowed her eyes at me, stopping abruptly, and wore an expression of vexation.

  Just then, here was a soft knock on the door. ‘Girls?’ Aunt Sora’s head peered through the door, ‘I’ve brought snacks.’ And she entered carrying a plate full of chocolate chip cookies.

  ‘I’m famished!’ Annie cried, and advanced forward to help herself with the delectables generously.

  ‘Oh you poor, poor darlings! I’m afraid that’s all we have for tonight. Be sure to help yourselves to anything you can find in the morning.’ She then cleaned her hand by rubbing it gently against her suede robes, upon coming into contact with Delilah’s hand that tried to take the plate from her. ‘Sleep tight…and don’t let the scary bed-bugs bite.’ She gazed menacingly at us with large protruding eyes, before exiting the room.

  Joe, contracting her mouth in a way that clearly defined her disgust, voiced amid crunching the cookie in her mouth, ‘OK, so with this place, we are definitely going to scan the…’ motioning towards the bed and uplifting its covers, ‘…God knows how old bed sheets for any bugs!’ And then went and sat down on one of the emerald green sofas.

  The night seemed long, I thought. And with any bit of luck, we were going to have to adjust ourselves to the Manor. The Aunts seemed very interested in us post mom and dad’s demise, no doubt, but we had to keep our heads together. They were the only relatives we could rely on and we had to make the most of the secluded setting…there was no sign of the gypsy tonight, and it was 1:16 a.m. by then. Roxy, Del, and Annie slept on the bed, while Joe and I managed some slumber on the couch. Of course Joe began to snore away due to her unfathomable exhaustion soon enough, despite reassuring, ‘Hey, I’ll stay awake with you’…but I, just couldn’t shut my eyes. However, despite my active mind…my body switched off, and eventually, I too, fell fast asleep.