Hi, my darlings!
Sorry for the hiatus, I've had a lot of personal stuff going on, and that's kept me away longer than I would have liked from this account. But I am back, and with a bout of inspiration for some different MW2 series! This will be the first horror series I've been thinking of introducing after getting inspired by @ghouljams.
So welcome to the first little drabble of a larger series on the new Souls!AU. And I promise to introduce some fan-favourites people have begged for. ;)
Enjoy!
Moving into a new home wasn't the most stressful thing at this point in your life; in fact, it meant good news. Having gone through a recent divorce and being relocated by your job has definitely not helped in the relaxation department, but when this abandoned manor came up on the market, it seemed the closest thing you could find to fate. It was remote, nearly an hour away from the city and your new job, and a whole day's drive from where you were currently living. Still, it was lodged in a particular part of the wilderness, usually in the opposite direction of traffic, and the view from where it was, beautifully hidden away by a mountain, made it too irresistible to pass up. Then again, with everything going on in life, you were just glad you didn't have to worry about having a roof over your head anymore.
The drive over was long when following the straight and narrow on the highway, but the scenery made up for the dull drive. It was a stunning display of nature, with mountains, forests and riversides as far as the eye could see. Nothing but green, blue or white for miles, and to say you were happy to be out of city smog was an understatement.
After pulling off the highway into the more secluded roads that shifted from tarmac to gravel roads, you finally managed to find the mansion-like home that the realtor had convinced you was one of the best properties on the lot. As you pulled into the massive parking lot, you had to take a moment to pause. It was exactly as advertised!
Old, gigantic, imposing, but still swallowed up by nature in a welcoming way. The courtyard was massive, and the greenhouse on the far end of the property, next to the small man-made pond that surrounded it, made it all the more inviting. You still couldn't believe your agent had said the house was for sale at half the price most of the other properties around were going for; it was double the size, too! Boasting three floors, a basement that serves as a wine cellar, and five bedrooms and six bathrooms (not counting the latrine in the basement), it was finally hitting you that it was a lot to take in at once.
The closer you looked, the more a few things started standing out, though. The vines that had grown over the red brick sides of the house had almost completely taken over the view of certain windows, and the roof tiles looked brown with moss. Tilting your head, you also noticed that, despite the mansion itself being set on the highest point of a hill, the earth at the base of the foundation looked uneven in certain areas, as if the building itself was sinking to one side. You sucked in a breath and made a mental note to bring that up to the landscaper who was supposed to pass by to check the property. While all of this was going on, you finally glanced over the clock on your dashboard, noticing it was getting late pretty fast. With renewed excitement, you decided that instead of gawking at the outside, you'd take a look on the inside of your new home. Stepping out of the car felt like a feat after a five-hour drive, but it wasn't anything a good lumbar stretch couldn't soothe. Twisting towards the backseat, you pulled your purse and the one box you'd managed to grab of immediate valuables you didn't want being thrashed around in the moving van and made your way down the paved path towards the entrance. Past the lot designed for vehicles and onto the limestone tiles through the rose bushes that lined the entrance of the mansion, the closer you got, the darker the facade appeared. Like the building itself was bending forward to engulf your vision of it. Making sure it was the only thing you could focus on, invading even your peripheral vision. You shook your head at the notion. The house wasn't moving. Everyone knows houses can't move.
Without even noticing, you'd sauntered over the path, past the four-step stairs and ended up face-to-face with the door, almost like a daze had taken over you without noticing. You paused to look down at the door handle. Suddenly, your body resisted the urge to pull open that birchwood door. Your body refused to move, a whisper running deep through your mind to just... leave! But you steeled your nerves and pushed through the mental haze and gripped the golden knob with that same strong resolve that had gotten you through the nauseating drive. Pushing through the main entrance, a gust of mildew and dust sprang up to your nostrils as the door swung open. You coughed, your eyes watering. You could finally catch your breath enough to admire the gorgeous white marble flooring and dark wood banisters that surrounded you. You guessed this was just the mudroom, moving forward as the door stood open behind you (a final chance to escape). A step or two later, you found a small table against a wall to place your box onto, freeing your hands enough to step forward into the main entrance of the home. You noticed something etched on the awning right above the main entrance behind you. Squinting, you could faintly make out the writing covered in cobwebs.
"Riley Manor & Estate since 1875"
Ta-da!
Sorry if there isn't much to this yet; it's still the intro to a series I'm working on, but stay tuned for more.
𐔌՞. .՞𐦯
