Our Perfect Holidays

Chapter 1 - The yellow's car

We were driving since 2 hours. My father, who drove, took us to his brother's home for Autumn's holidays. I had never seen him. But I think that our stay will break our slow routine.

Our little yellow car - it was my brother who had chosen the color. He finds that yellow makes happier the people- made suddenly a funny noise so we stopped and came down of the car. We were in a forest. Everything was strange. I looked everywhere around me, something didn't right. But the moon was on the sky, hidden by long and old trees... The dead leaves were on the ground... The rustling of the branches because of the wind was present... The hooting of owls or other animals of the forest unidentified...

 As soon as I turned my head towards the car, I had the feeling that a shadow had moved. And more, it began to rain.

A voice surprised me.

- Don't worry, honey, said my father to my mother. The house of my brother is just here.

He had right. Behind the slender silhouette of the trunks, I saw a giant castle with towers, gargoyles, and windows dirty. When we opened the wrought iron gate, it made squeak like an ogre yawning - but, of course, I have never seen an ogre... for yet. We were in front of an old door in wood, very old I think, like all the castle. My mother brought her hand to the door and it opened before she could hit. Surprising.
And eyes were standing here. Blues. With glitter of black. And glassy. Two eyes through the dark of the home. Then, I saw an arm, shoulders, knees, feet. And the man. My uncle. It was a person, a wrinkled person, old and twisted like the trees in the forest around. His drooling lips stretched into a grin that made his yellow teeth stand out.

- Hellooo, he whispered.

Yes, he said "hello" with three "o". Very strange. It was like he needed to catch his breath. He welcomed us with a sigh and finally let us in. Candles were hanging on the walls and lit the stone. There was a large window hidden by thick red curtains. The tiles, blackened by the weather, were frozen. We crossed the huge dining room to go in a double stone spiral staircase. I believed that he wanted to show us his "house".  Bloody carpet carpeted walls, floor and ceiling in a corridor where I couldn't see the end because of the darkness. 

The 5 floors were all connected by spiral staircases, with blood-red carpet on the floors, wood on the walls, stones on the ceiling. I realized that there wasn't any electric lighting. We were still in the twentieth century! Everything was lit with the candle, the chimney lights and the sunny-cloudy of the day. All the floors were alike: the same landing, the same rooms, the same decoration shadow and neutral, the same heavy wooden doors... Except one. Located at the end of the longest corridor on the 5th floor. Wooden too, but much bigger than the others. And more damaged too. A strange symbol was engraved in its center. And above the handle, it was like a small hole with an engraving, which I didn't see very good. When I approached to see a little closer, a flabby arm stopped me suddenly. When I looked up, I saw my uncle's bulging eyes staring at me insistently. His lips began to move.

- I have been here for 77 years. This manor has belonged to my family for centuries. At my death, it will be yours, maybe. That's why you are free to go wherever you want in this house.

I didn't like the way he had to express himself. He pressed every word. And he was addressing everyone but just looking at me, something that I found very intimidating.

- On one condition, he continued. I strictly forbid you to open this room.

He jerked the door with the weird symbol. He spoke again, murmuring this time, his eyes still hooking on mine.

- A lot of things happened in this place... After the events, this room is kept in safety thanks to a medallion who I've always on me. For my well-being, for my sanity. To protect you, too. If unfortunately, you have the madness to open this door, in any way, it will be at your own RISK AND PERILS.

A flash of light crossed the window behind him, glaringly illuminating his crumpled face as he was threatening us screaming. I jumped. Shivers ran through my body as I took a few steps in the back. I wanted to leave, to be as far as possible from this man and his face of terror.