If Sophia had known she would be wandering around the large and deserted mansion that morning, she would have chosen to sleep in. But, hearing that they were going to America for a short holiday had been a good offer. A very good offer. But of course, good offers from the Doctor are never to be taken seriously.
While she had been sleeping he had read about this myth, and then sneakily woke her up saying we had arrived. Arrived, yeah. Arrived to be left with only an envelope in her bag.
An envelope with instructions and information on the mansion, while he was in investigating the town bellow. Trust him, she thought to herself.
She turned a full circle on her heels of the worn converse, and studied the room. Large, dusty and full of machines she had never seen before. Moments after been left, she had poked the machine before walking to the bookcase. On the spine of the thick novels was a trail of where she had run her finger across them, removing a thick layer of dust.
"Well, this is fun."
Sophia stared at the large door in front of her, face blank of emotions except a small frown. Throwing the backpack to the floor, Sophia walked to the door and pulled it open slightly. The frown and blank expression faded from her face to surprise at what was on the other side of the door.
Neatly trimmed, a luscious green garden stared at her, the bushes trimmed into different but creative shapes, the biggest and nearest been a hand curved to reach out for something. Not wanting to leave the safety of the darkness, Sophia studied each bush and its shape before looking at the sky. It was a contrast against the dark mansion.
She closed the door slowly, letting her eyes adjust the dull light and mono tone of the room before walking towards the winding stairs. Someone clearly had a hobby, that didn't include cleaning.
Stepping onto the first step, she looked turned again, studying from this small raise. It didn't help when you were only 4foot 5. The place looked the same - abandoned, dirty, and full of inventions.
She sighed, and turned to look up the winding stairs, and quickly saw a shadow casted on the wall disappear from sight. Sophia blinked once, twice, and then a third time - already running up the concrete stairs to investigate.
Now, if Sophia had chosen to read the letter she had been given instead of stare at the envelope in despair she would have read about a myth to do with the mansion. A myth involving a man with scissors for hands. A fairy tale of events starting in love and ending in death.
But, then again, this is Sophia we're talking about.
Sophia reached the top of the stairs, finding herself in a small corridor leading off in different directions. To her right, stairs raising up to something like an attic that was allowing cold air to seep in, while her left lead to another corridor. Straight forward lead to another room, the door closed but the state of the wood proved that there must have been reason.
Carved into the ash coloured door were long marks, made from blades. Either something had struggled to close the door or something struggled to be put in.
Shaking her head, fear raising slightly, Sophia walked up the small set of stairs to where the chilled air was seeping from, keeping her eyes alert to any sudden changes. The further up the stairs she went, the more her eyes adjusted to the dark and her vision went to minimal colours.
Her feet finally touched the wooden floor of the attic, and she looked around for any signs of life. First of all, she noticed two holes in the old roof, one larger and created by someone while the other was smaller and created with a gun powder item.
The next thing she noticed was that along the wall, inside a fireplace, was a small bed of straw. News paper cuttings lined the floor and wall. In the light seeping through the two holes, Sophia could see how old the paper was indicating whoever had used this as a bed had been here for a long time.
Walking over, she inspected the bed and cuttings. Tracing her hand over the straw, she could feel heat seep gently through from a past person sitting on the bed. It wasn't too long ago since they had been here, but long enough for the heat to almost have disappeared. Long ago to mean when she first arrived.
Sophia stood up straight, turning around to get a full look at the room. In the distant shadows, she saw a small glint in the darkness, and light trail up blades. She blinked at them, walking forwards - lowering herself slightly to the floor, arms becoming another pair of legs as her wolfish actions took over.
Ears flat against her head, she continued to keep low to the ground and stayed out of the shadows, eyes focused on the small glint. "Hello?"
Sophia sat knelt down, pausing her advance and watched as the person hiding in the shadows went further into them. "I'm not going to hurt you."
Digging her claws lightly into the wooden floor for secondary support Sophia waited for a reply, hoping to get one. But instead she got a constant snipping noise and light shuffling. Sophia watched until finally, she could faintly see the shape of someone shaking their head.
Shaking her head also, Sophia stood up, and said, "If you're scared of me just say. I won't hurt you... or I'll just leave you alone for now until you're ready to talk."
The shaking head stopped, and turned to a swift nod. Sophia smiled and nodded back at them, "alright. If you want me then, I'll be in the main room downstairs."
Sophia turned, keeping the person in the corner of her eye until she had walked to the stairs. She decided to do just as she had said, go wait downstairs and sort herself out for the night before the gloomy mansion got any gloomier.