It was just three of us, squeezed into dad's tiny Toyota. We sat just
like a sandwich. Kyle at the far left was the bread. Jessica in the middle
was the meat, and condiments. As for me on the far right, I was just
another piece of bread. It was a quiet, smooth, straight, and long ride. I
felt like a tall and dangerous killer in the shadows of the woods was
quietly stalking me at night.
I'm Pete. I was 12 at the time this story was taking place in my life. Back then, I was short. My face was barely colored. My hair was a very dirty blonde. Everyone thought I was always depressed, because of my sorrowful look under my eyes.
My sister was 16. Beautiful, but quiet, and to herself. Her name was Felicia. Her skin was a light peach, and hair that shined like sunshine it self. Her hair was always combed down like spaghetti.
My little brothers' name was Kyle. He got his name from his hyper behavior. He was like a small version of psychotic, and me, but crazier, heck, he was 5.
Dad looked nothing like any of us. He was much taller. He wore round glasses with gold trim. He had a very smooth and round face. He was 35, and was almost bald on the top of his head with small strips of brown hair covering the top. He was a bank manager at the local bank, back in Virginia.
After mom died a few years ago, we all had a chunk of our hearts buried with her, deep underground. If it wasn't coincidence enough she made her will a few months before her death. She left us her ancestral mansion that we never visited, and we were to live the rest of our lives there.
I was afraid I was going to get lost, Kyle was afraid we were going to have big parties, and Felicia was afraid of pretty much anything new to her. Dad tried to make us think positive about moving from and old life to another, but I couldn't hide my feelings. No matter how much I wanted to.
The house was in a small town called Orlando. It was a small spot in Florida. Our mansion was smack dab in the center of it. I wasn't use to all this flat land, unlike Virginia, which every 5 ft was a hill. We kept going on a flat strip of road in front of us.
It was an hour before we reached Orlando. Once we finally reached it, we were greeted by a welcoming billboard reading:
Welcome to
Orlando!
The city full of LIFE!
We passed a few hotels entering town. As we continued on, we passed more restaurants, strip malls, shops, and more motels. We drove on winding flat roads. Entering small traffic. Kyle woke from his nap as we hit a bump. He was rubbing his red tired eyes. We passed a few people looking at our car and moving van. Instead of smiles they gave us looks as if they were really pissed off about something. Straight faces and deep eyes were our greet from the people of Orlando.
"Humph! They seem like really friendly people," said Felicia sarcastically.
"Give em' time." I said. "They'll get better everyday, as long as were here." My tone was the same as Felicia. Was this the great future to look forward to?
We finally stopped in a rocky spot in front of the mansion. "Were here." Dad said. Dad turned off the Toyota, and we followed at the same time. Once I steeped out of the car, I couldn't believe my eyes!
The Mansion was unlike anything I ever saw. Its style was purely gothic. The center was a tall tower made of orange brick. The rest of the mansion to the left of the tower was tall and triangular toped with what looked like chess pieces lined on the top of the building. The Right had the same pattern except for the far right wing. It was a double toped chimney on a triangular shape. The windows on the side gave the impression of a skull. Then a half-circular glass building was the conservatory. The house was very nicely decorated, but had an uncanny impression over me of darkness.
My impression totally changed about the mansion. Only then later would I regret my change.
"Pete," said Felicia, "When you get lost in your own mansion, I'm gonna laugh hard!" she gave a teasing giggle. I didn't know what to say after that. So I just kept my mouth shut. Kyle looked in awe at the Mammoth manor.
"WOOOOW!" Kyle said." That's a big house Pete!" as we continued we came across a large wrought, Iron Gate. It was held by two, large brick pillars. They both had very gothic plaques on them that read:
Gracey Mansion
I found the engraving very deeply engraved. Dad bumped into me accidentally, while taking out one of his keys and unlocked the pad lock that kept the iron gates shut.
"Dad," I asked. "Why does this place need a padlock?"
"Well Pete," He answered, "How would you like it if someone broke into your house and messed it up, just before you got it."
I pretended that I understood Dad, and I honestly didn't. Who would want to break in to this place if no one lived there? I still kept my mouth shut and decided to leave it as a stupid answer. While dad was struggling, my head started to wander looking at the mansion. As I scanned the mansion, I noticed something staring right at me through the attic window. I didn't get a good chance to see it, because the moment I blinked the figure was gone.
I just accepted it as a hallucination. I was acting weird after mom did pass away. Now that we were getting the house she willed us, I didn't know what to expect.
Finally Dad got the padlock open and pulled the chain down. Then we slowly pushed the gate open. We went up the path that led to the front door. It was overgrowing with dead floral and weeds that stretched up to our knees.
"Once we get everything in," said dad "Were gonna' have to hire some help for this place."
"I knew I hear you!" said a faint old voice. We turned around swiftly to see the figure behind us. He was an old man. Very skinny and had Erie white hair.
"I take it that you're the Jacksons. I'm Dick. The caretaker pleased to meet you."
He gave dad a handshake. "Nice to meet you Dick" said dad. "These are my children. Pe-" "Pete, Felicia, and Kyle." "How did you know?"
"My wife and I knew your mother well as a teen and child as she grew up here. This mansion I mean. We saw her grow up fast, and well. Only until she left for Virginia, we have thought of her as a daughter. When we heard the news about your wife's passing.we were just as distressed as you were. But we still remember her as she was."
I couldn't believe how this stranger to us knew mother very well. It must have slipped out of her mind on the will.
"Well let us not be always in grief. Your wife is gone, but we should still go on with life. Maybe you probaly want to see your new house eh? Well just follow me."
With those final words we followed Dick.
I'm Pete. I was 12 at the time this story was taking place in my life. Back then, I was short. My face was barely colored. My hair was a very dirty blonde. Everyone thought I was always depressed, because of my sorrowful look under my eyes.
My sister was 16. Beautiful, but quiet, and to herself. Her name was Felicia. Her skin was a light peach, and hair that shined like sunshine it self. Her hair was always combed down like spaghetti.
My little brothers' name was Kyle. He got his name from his hyper behavior. He was like a small version of psychotic, and me, but crazier, heck, he was 5.
Dad looked nothing like any of us. He was much taller. He wore round glasses with gold trim. He had a very smooth and round face. He was 35, and was almost bald on the top of his head with small strips of brown hair covering the top. He was a bank manager at the local bank, back in Virginia.
After mom died a few years ago, we all had a chunk of our hearts buried with her, deep underground. If it wasn't coincidence enough she made her will a few months before her death. She left us her ancestral mansion that we never visited, and we were to live the rest of our lives there.
I was afraid I was going to get lost, Kyle was afraid we were going to have big parties, and Felicia was afraid of pretty much anything new to her. Dad tried to make us think positive about moving from and old life to another, but I couldn't hide my feelings. No matter how much I wanted to.
The house was in a small town called Orlando. It was a small spot in Florida. Our mansion was smack dab in the center of it. I wasn't use to all this flat land, unlike Virginia, which every 5 ft was a hill. We kept going on a flat strip of road in front of us.
It was an hour before we reached Orlando. Once we finally reached it, we were greeted by a welcoming billboard reading:
Welcome to
Orlando!
The city full of LIFE!
We passed a few hotels entering town. As we continued on, we passed more restaurants, strip malls, shops, and more motels. We drove on winding flat roads. Entering small traffic. Kyle woke from his nap as we hit a bump. He was rubbing his red tired eyes. We passed a few people looking at our car and moving van. Instead of smiles they gave us looks as if they were really pissed off about something. Straight faces and deep eyes were our greet from the people of Orlando.
"Humph! They seem like really friendly people," said Felicia sarcastically.
"Give em' time." I said. "They'll get better everyday, as long as were here." My tone was the same as Felicia. Was this the great future to look forward to?
We finally stopped in a rocky spot in front of the mansion. "Were here." Dad said. Dad turned off the Toyota, and we followed at the same time. Once I steeped out of the car, I couldn't believe my eyes!
The Mansion was unlike anything I ever saw. Its style was purely gothic. The center was a tall tower made of orange brick. The rest of the mansion to the left of the tower was tall and triangular toped with what looked like chess pieces lined on the top of the building. The Right had the same pattern except for the far right wing. It was a double toped chimney on a triangular shape. The windows on the side gave the impression of a skull. Then a half-circular glass building was the conservatory. The house was very nicely decorated, but had an uncanny impression over me of darkness.
My impression totally changed about the mansion. Only then later would I regret my change.
"Pete," said Felicia, "When you get lost in your own mansion, I'm gonna laugh hard!" she gave a teasing giggle. I didn't know what to say after that. So I just kept my mouth shut. Kyle looked in awe at the Mammoth manor.
"WOOOOW!" Kyle said." That's a big house Pete!" as we continued we came across a large wrought, Iron Gate. It was held by two, large brick pillars. They both had very gothic plaques on them that read:
Gracey Mansion
I found the engraving very deeply engraved. Dad bumped into me accidentally, while taking out one of his keys and unlocked the pad lock that kept the iron gates shut.
"Dad," I asked. "Why does this place need a padlock?"
"Well Pete," He answered, "How would you like it if someone broke into your house and messed it up, just before you got it."
I pretended that I understood Dad, and I honestly didn't. Who would want to break in to this place if no one lived there? I still kept my mouth shut and decided to leave it as a stupid answer. While dad was struggling, my head started to wander looking at the mansion. As I scanned the mansion, I noticed something staring right at me through the attic window. I didn't get a good chance to see it, because the moment I blinked the figure was gone.
I just accepted it as a hallucination. I was acting weird after mom did pass away. Now that we were getting the house she willed us, I didn't know what to expect.
Finally Dad got the padlock open and pulled the chain down. Then we slowly pushed the gate open. We went up the path that led to the front door. It was overgrowing with dead floral and weeds that stretched up to our knees.
"Once we get everything in," said dad "Were gonna' have to hire some help for this place."
"I knew I hear you!" said a faint old voice. We turned around swiftly to see the figure behind us. He was an old man. Very skinny and had Erie white hair.
"I take it that you're the Jacksons. I'm Dick. The caretaker pleased to meet you."
He gave dad a handshake. "Nice to meet you Dick" said dad. "These are my children. Pe-" "Pete, Felicia, and Kyle." "How did you know?"
"My wife and I knew your mother well as a teen and child as she grew up here. This mansion I mean. We saw her grow up fast, and well. Only until she left for Virginia, we have thought of her as a daughter. When we heard the news about your wife's passing.we were just as distressed as you were. But we still remember her as she was."
I couldn't believe how this stranger to us knew mother very well. It must have slipped out of her mind on the will.
"Well let us not be always in grief. Your wife is gone, but we should still go on with life. Maybe you probaly want to see your new house eh? Well just follow me."
With those final words we followed Dick.