Inside The Manor

Chapter Nine

After getting comfortable in my bedroom, and connecting my phone to my laptop, I slowly sipped my iced coffee as I clicked on the play button.

"I just wanted to see if there had ever been a similar problem like this, before calling a professional." I justified my actions.

"And..."

"Apparently not. The house seems to have been kept in perfect condition. It's weird actually, cause the nephew was really pressed to get rid of the house. I just don't understand why."

"Maybe some things are better left unknown" Cam replied as casually she pressed herself against the door.

"Yeah, I just feel bad for the old lady, you know. She must have put a lot of effort in keeping the house to herself"

Cam's placid expression had slowly started shifting. Her eyes had turned calculating with a head tilt she was looked like a predator ready to attack if the need called. I could feel her intentions through the screen and my skin crawled.

"What kind of ungrateful nephew would discard something that clearly mattered so much to Anne?"

I mentally clapped myself for the nonchalant tone I had managed at the time.

Cam stilled and her eyes turned menacing. Her whole body tensed, her hand going close to her waist and her fingers flexing, as if readying to grab something. I moved my face closer to the screen just to watch her retract her hands back to her hair. She looked at me up and down and seemed to be in thought. And then she took a decision and stepped closer to the camera.

"How do you know her name?"

The tension was still undeniable in her voice.

"I think her nephew told me, after all can you believe their names? Billy and Anne? Please, some parents really need to start getting more creative."

My response had clearly eased off whatever worries she might have had.

Later that night, I was staring into space in my backyard while munching on the pizza I had ordered. The moon was shining and I had lighted up the porch light. I was trying to be the perfect bait for that weird guy so he could visit again.

But, after waiting for what felt like hours, I got bored and decided to head inside. Maybe I would try again after a couple hours if I hadn't already fallen asleep. I closed the lights and got upstairs, waiting. Keeping my pace light and trying not to make any noise.

Yeah, right. As if I could scare him. He was the ghost here, not me.

While recalling my experience as a ghost and my last meeting with him, there definitely a couple things that didn't add up.

Like for example, neither the old lady nor Claudia could hear or see me. Or when I tried to touch the old lady, she passed right through me, but he could touch me and I could feel the low temperature his body emitted.

I rubbed my forehead, as if trying to erase his cold kiss.

After rummaging around my room for my phone charger I decided to just sleep it off. A mistake I shouldn't have made.

This time, the dream started differently.

The cold whisper of the wind, barely lifted the edges of my simple white dress. I was standing in front of a white field, filled with snow. I should have been freezing by now, but somehow I could feel a weird warmth all around me. Like I was wrapped up in a blanket, and yet the dress was sleeveless and it ended at my knees. I was barefoot yet again, but I was beginning to understand these was going to be somewhat normal for me from now on.

"Getting comfortable already?" a familiar voice said.

I turned my head around but didn't see anyone, when after another gush of wind in front of me, Anne appeared in front me.

She was still wearing the old dress in which I had seen her die. Her eyes were watching my every movement with so much intensity for a second I was scared to breathe.

She came closer to me, her eyes narrowing slightly and her mouth twitching in what I assumed to be disgust.

But, then again, isn't that how the best friendships always start?

I opened my mouth to talk, ready to present myself, when Anne scoffed.

"Oh shut it. You have done enough damage already." She stated and began walking away from me.

I must have looked perplexed for a second or two, because my brain was refusing to function normally. After shaking my head a couple times and blinking rapidly like a broken doll, I started walking Anne, quickly walking behind her.

I cleared my throat, readying to talk again. But, she had other plans.

"Didn't I tell you to shut it already?" She almost screamed and scoffed to herself.

So, terrified, I closed my mouth and let her lead me to wherever she had planned.

We kept on walking with the same rhythm for what seemed like half an hour, but shouldn't have been, because dreams in real life only lasted for a matter of seconds.

After she stopped, in front of a beautiful purple lake, Anne sighted and looked at me again. She started studying me anew and unintentionally, I found myself straightening my shoulders and sucking in my stomach.

"You must have a lot of questions, right?" she asked softly before switching up in a heartbeat. "Of course you had to just as stupid as the rest."

First of all, ouch.

Second, what have I ever done to this bitchy old hag?

Thirdly, who's the rest?

Before I could even think about speaking, she had to interfere with my train of thoughts.

"Cat got your tongue? Wouldn't expect it by yo..."

"Would you just shut the f**k up for two seconds?" I asked furiously as I put my hands in a praying position in front of me. Taking a deep breath, just as I was about to start asking she opened her mouth. "If your hypocritical ass interrupts me again I swear I will never tell the cops you were murdered and you can kiss your revenge goodbye, you cranky old bitch."

She shut her mouth immediately, but her eyes that sparkled at the mention of revenge, spoke loads.

"I think you know who I am, so we're just gonna skip that part and I have a vague idea of who you are so we're also gonna skip that as well. Now, regarding those questions, who is the rest you mentioned before?"

Anne rolled her eyes. She crossed her arms over her chest, looked at me up and down and scoffed again.

Bitch, I swear to God...

"Who do you think I was talking about? You of course. The rest of you."

I could feel a headache forming just at those words and the show had just began.

"More specifically please" I added when I saw that she was waiting for a reaction from my side.

She looked at me as if she couldn't believe my attitude. Anne rolled her eyes again and clacked her fingers.

"Of course, you're from outside the Ulani realm. Damn, your knowledge must be really limited." She laughed mockingly.

Ok, I wasn't the best student in high school, but that's just plain offensive.

I opened my mouth to tell her just that, but she interrupted me.

"It's my turn to talk now so zip it." No wonder Claudia couldn't stand her. "I won't tell you everything, but I'll try my best to manage the time that's left. Earth isn't the only realm, you know? No matter what your society tells you, your dimension isn't all that special. There are other dimension who are further advanced then you are. The main one being Ulani. That's where Claudia is from. That's where everyone who is someone is from." She paused and gauged my reaction.

I wasn't even looking at her, I was staring at the lake behind her back, because my mind was a mess at the moment.

In between all the disoriented thoughts and unnecessary rapid blinking, one question kept resurfacing.

Was this s**t even real?

"Imagine as the dimension as if they were a solar system. In this case Ulani would be in the center, holding all the other dimension around it, just not by gravity, but by orders and magic. The Council of Ulani is somewhat similar to your government. They take decisions for the other dimensions, decide for the fate of wars and take responsibly for their leader." She stopped again. "There are in total six dimensions, all different yet similar in their own way, but never the same. Despite the differences they all answer to the Council of Ulani."

I moved my hand in a circular motion as I sat down on the grass. Anne sat down as well and rubbed her forehead before continuing.

"Thing is, sometimes the Council is a little bit overbearing. Especially when it comes to their leader. Even though Ulani is more or less ran in a democratic manner, that's not how it works inside the Council. The upcoming leader is always the heir of the previous one."

"Doesn't really sound like much of problem" I commented das I bit my nails, a habit I didn't usually have unless I was really stressed.

Was this even real?

"The problem doesn't stand in political manners as complicated as they may be. The problem is the immortality."

I stopped mid-biting.

Of course. I mean, why not? Multiple dimensions, cruel rulers and now immortality.

"Huh?!" was my only verbal response, to which Anne looked distressed and shook her head frantically.

"The leaders, their bloodline was blessed with immortality, long before the existence of the other dimensions. The real problem, stands with the current leader, Queen Willa."

"Let me guess, she doesn't wanna give up her throne" I said as I nodded my head in a matter-of-factly manner.

"Yes, according to her, the upcoming heir, Prince Drexel isn't fit for the throne and the power that comes with it."

"So she is refusing to give up the power. What's her plan, kill the prince?" I asked.

Anne looked at me again, but for once she didn't scoff. She looked at me with pity and straightened her hand to pet my hair softly.

"Her plan is to kill you."