Strings

Chapter 12

Avery

I have officially given up on sleep, something just doesn't feel right.
I resign with a cozy book by the huge balcony, because if there's nothing you can do, then you read!

Well immersed in the novel, I hear noises from downstairs, I tense up for a little while and then shrug it off, it's been really rainy and stormy lately so it's probably just that.

But the noises don't stop after that, keeps getting more intense and heavy. And this place was so big I could barely make out what was causing the ruckus.

Maybe Julia accidentally left the doors or the windows open?

As I step out from the blanket, I was previously curled up in, I shiver. I should really start wearing warmer clothes. Dressed in the deep gray cotton shorts and light blue tee, I tiptoe towards the door and whip my head out of my room, wondering whether or not I should leave the comfort and safety of my room.

Deciding against my better judgement, I make my way down the hall, and walk slowly down the staircase.

"Julia?"
"Julia, is that you?" I call out.
No response. I continue walking down, the icky resemblance with a staple horror movie scene making me want to run right up to my room, and stay there.

What if it's actually a ghost?
Nah that's silly, ghosts don't really exist, right?
Right?

Come on Aves, nows not the time to be wondering if the entire sequence of The Conjuring will happen to me or not.

I reach the hall right across the main entrance and my mouth gapes open at the sight before me.
All fancy and expensive vases and glass decor had been thrown, glass shards and sharp edges cluttering the previously clean marble floor.
The dainty little show table had been turned upside down and basically everything that could be broken was shattered to pieces.

Holy shit, there was a robber in here and I had brought zero protection. I was in my fuzzy cotton shorts for crying out loud!

Oh boy, this is bad. This is very very bad.

In retrospect, it would have been smarter worrying about actual real-life robbers than spirits of the underworld but don't blame me, it's 3 am and anyone who's watched a handful of horror movies knows that 3 am is when the spirits come out for some unholy banter!

Except it wasn't a spirit, nor was it some robber.
Nope nuh uh, it was Hayden Knight standing there, bare chested might I add, in all his glory looking furious beyond belief.

I didn't want to have any more interaction with him. The ones I have had already were enough to keep me out of his way.

He hasn't seen me yet so the wisest thing to do now would be to slowly tiptoe back. Yes! That's it. I will silently walk away leaving this angry beast alone and then I'll help Julia clean it up in the morning.
Yes, so we have a game plan and we have an escape route. All I have to do is to follow it. I can do this.

I am backing away ever so slowly, not taking my eyes off him and his heaving back as he chugs away at the drink he's holding.

Thud!

And that's the sound of me falling straight on my ass. You see, I don't know this place as well as I thought I did and now I have stumbled at the first step and now I am on my ass.

Hayden freezes. His whole body shifting to the side ever so slowly as he turns to look at me.
It's crazy how one can look this breathtakingly beautiful when they're this angry.
If Olivia were here she would have snapped a picture already.
Except I am not Olivia. I am just terrified.