Chapter 3: The Night Begins
Holding a lit candelabra, Xehanort led the family up the foyer stairs and down the darkened right hall. On the walls hung various portraits—probably of the Lander family—and the Lander family crest was built into the wooden columns of the walls. Despite being irritable, Shelby clung to her dad's arm, swallowing nervously. She didn't know why, but she didn't like the idea of staying in a strange house like this. What if the beds were old and gross? What if the spare rooms were uninhabitable? She closely studied the old butler but couldn't decipher him. He kept his body language impassive.
He stopped at one door and opened it, the hinges squeaking. "I believe the younger children should be comfortable in this room," he said in a stuffy tone, coming across as snobby. "I shall have pajamas brought to them."
Little Marissa took Riley's hand and walked into the room, trying not to grimace. Shelby peeked into the room and noticed that it didn't look bad. The bed was a queen size and the dark red comforter was opulent and thick enough to keep out the draftiness in the house. The old dresser had a music box and an old hairbrush on it. There was also a small bathroom with an old-fashioned toilet. The room actually looked pretty comfortable to be in, like a nice old-fashioned hotel room.
"Yeah, very comfy," said Marissa in a slightly sarcastic voice.
"You'll be fine." Shelby reassured her by giving her shoulder a comforting squeeze. Then, she bent down to kiss both kids on the forehead and drew back to stand near Dad.
Dad peeked into the room and looked pretty satisfied by how nice it was. "Wow," he breathed, nodding. Before the kids stepped into the room, he tapped them both on the shoulder. "Hey, listen, when you flush the toilet, check and see how quickly it refills."
Marissa and Riley exchanged a look and rolled their eyes in exasperation. "Good night, Daddy," said Marissa, shutting the door on her dad and Shelby.
"Good night," said Dad right as the door closed.
Then, Xehanort led them to a door on the opposite wall of Marissa and Riley's makeshift room. He opened the door and Shelby peeked in to see a room that looked decidedly feminine. The bed was queen-sized. The covers were bright pink. There was a floor length mirror in the corner and there was a tall armoire against the wall facing the bed. The room also had a small bathroom.
"I hope the young miss will find this room to her liking," said Xehanort in a warmer tone, giving Shelby an unreadable look.
"Yeah, it'll be okay," said Shelby shyly, glancing into the room.
Xehanort appeared satisfied with her answer. "I shall have some pajamas brought for you, then," he remarked before turning to her dad. "Sir, your room is right here."
Shelby watched as the old man led her smiling dad to the door next to hers. Like before, Xehanort opened the door and gestured for her father to go in.
"I hope this room is to your liking, sir," said Xehanort, sounding more polite than kind.
"Yeah," replied Dad, nodding as he stepped into the room. "This is great. It's like spending the night in a nice hotel."
"I shall have some pajamas brought to your room as well, sir," remarked Xehanort with a dignified nod. "Will there be anything else that you require, then?"
"No, thanks," answered Shelby and her dad in unison.
"Have a good night then, sir." Xehanort gave her father another nod before turning to her. "Miss." He gave her a bow and then walked back down the hall.
When he left, Shelby gave her dad a scathing look and he looked almost surprised. How could he be surprised when he knew that this wasn't part of the plan at all?
"What's the matter?" he asked, sounding baffled.
Shelby stormed out of her room and into her dad's, crossing her arms over her chest. "Where should I begin?" she asked rhetorically in a loud voice, pacing.
Dad put a finger to his lips. "Shh," he whispered, closing the door behind him. "Do you want everyone to hear you?"
"In the first place," she started off, glaring at her dad, "we weren't even supposed to be here! We were supposed to be at Disneyland!"
Her dad sighed and helplessly shrugged. "What am I supposed to do, control the weather now, honey?" He was trying to sound conciliatory, but it came across as patronizing to her.
"That's not the point, Dad," she snapped coldly, folding her arms across her chest. "You couldn't resist. You just had to bring us here."
Dad looked a bit outraged at what she was saying. "Excuse me," he remarked in a harsher tone. "This is a big opportunity for us."
"Not for us," retorted Shelby, unfolding her arms to speak emphatically with her hands. "For you." She pointed a finger at him. "Ever since you and Mom divorced, the only thing you seem to care about is work."
Dad showed no signs of being outwardly affected by her bringing up the divorce, but his jaw seemed to clench. "Oh, but when I'm working hard, it doesn't matter as long as I'm bringing you home expensive gifts, right?"
The was the breaking point for Shelby. She removed her silver necklace and tossed it onto her dad's bed. Giving her dad another glare, she stormed out of his room and felt tears of anger welling up in her eyes. She went into her room and slammed the door, not caring that her dad was right behind her. When the door shut behind her, she locked it, keeping everyone out.
"Shelby," she heard her dad's muffled voice from behind the door. "I'm sorry, honey. I didn't mean to say that. Will you open up please?"
Sniffling, Shelby pulled her iPod and headphones out, and turned on music to drown her dad's voice out.
…
Jeff let out a sigh, not sure what to do right now. If her mother was here, she'd know what to do. It just seems that Shelby is shutting me out more and more. Maybe he would talk to her in the morning. Give her some time to let her temper cool. He did feel some remorse over the fact that they were all stuck in a mansion instead of being on the road to Disneyland. He did promise her and Marissa a magical adventure.
As he turned to walk back to his room, he came face to face with Xehanort, who was giving him an impassive look. He let out a shout and placed a hand to his chest to slow his suddenly racing heart down.
"Whoo…" Jeff exhaled, shaking his head in disbelief at his reaction. "You scared me. I didn't hear you coming."
To his credit, Xehanort did look a bit remorseful over scaring Jeff. "Pardon the intrusion, sir," said the old man in a respectful tone, giving him a bow. "The master was wondering if he might have a word with you in the library."
Excitement filled Jeff. That sounded promising. "A word?" he repeated with a growing smile. "Okay. I'd love to have a word with him. Let's go talk some turkey." All Jeff could see was dollar signs and publicity from renovating and selling a mansion this size.
"Yes," replied Xehanort in a stiff voice. "Turkey. Very good, sir. If you will kindly follow me." The old man turned and began walking down the hall leading to foyer.
"Hey, Shelby!" Jeff shouted over his shoulder as he followed Xehanort. "I'm gonna have a word with Mr. Lander! Be back in a minute!"
…
Shelby heard her dad over her music. He said something about having a word with Mr. Lander. Shrugging, she walked over to the bed and unfolded the pajamas that were laying there next to a pair of woolen slippers. It was a long pink cotton nightgown with long sleeves that could keep out the unseasonable chill that filled the room. The nightgown reminded her of the ones she saw on the computer when she was looking for pretty nightwear that she had wanted for Christmas but never got because the website was out of stock.
"Maybe I'll be able to keep this one," she said to herself as she pulled her headphones off to change into the nightgown.
As soon as she stripped down to her bra and panties, she shivered and winced at how cold her room was. She quickly put the nightgown on and slipped on the slippers, sighing in relief that her feet warmed up immediately. The nightgown was definitely comfortable and not scratchy like some other nightgowns. It did a good job at keeping the chill out. She was surprised that it was so cold tonight. Maybe California was experiencing a global cooling, she mused, smirking to herself because of how snarky the thought sounded.
After folding up her clothes, she decided to explore the room. Normally, she'd feel awkward for being nosy in a room that wasn't hers, but no one occupied the room, so it didn't seem like a bad thing to do. On the wall next to the door was a portrait of a couple, a man and a woman, and Shelby walked over to it to observe it further. To her, it looked like a portrait of Master Lander's parents. Both had brown hair, but the man had tanned skin and the woman had pale skin. It was obvious that Mister Lander's looks favored his father's. They had the same hairstyle, build, and eye color.
"We'll have to preserve these pictures when Mister Lander moves," she murmured out loud as if talking to the portrait.
Shrugging to herself, she walked away from the portrait and sat down on the bed. She dug through her purse and pulled out her cellphone. When she flipped open the device, the screen read "no service". Great. Now, she couldn't even call Mom.
"This can't get any worse, can it?" she sighed, laying back down on the bed.
…
"Hey, Xehanort," said Jeff, checking out the old man's deliberate gait. "I know this guy in Folsom who has a great traveling agency. I think you might really like to go to the Bahamas or Hawaii and get some sun."
As the two men passed through the great hall, a grandfather clock chimed, signifying the time. The rain and wind beat against the old exterior walls of the mansion, sounding like drumbeats on the glass of the windows. Jeff was caught a bit off guard at how loud the storm sounded against the house and wondered if the exterior would have to be reinforced. Maybe he could mention that to Mister Lander during their meeting.
Swallowing his nerves, he continued talking to Xehanort. "I bet you could meet a really nice lady in the Bahamas or Hawaii."
Xehanort didn't appear to be listening, but he responded anyways. "Yes," he said in an off-hand manner. "Sounds delightful. I'll look into it, sir."
The old man led Jeff into an eight-sided room that appeared to be a library and study. The room was absolutely stunning. A dark wooden desk sat in front of a giant portrait. Paintings and books lined the walls. One large painted window looked out on the night and the ferocious storm that seemed to bear down on the mansion. If Jeff didn't know better, it seemed that the storm was only affecting this area and wasn't traveling up north to Oregon and Washington, like all the storms in California did.
"Would you care for a drink while we wait, sir?" asked Xehanort, breaking through Jeff's thoughts.
"Sure," replied Jeff, smiling. "Don't mind if I do."
While Xehanort poured a drink at a small bar along one of the walls, Jeff decided to examine the large portrait that was perched behind the desk. The portrait was of Mister Lander dressed in an aristocratic style, like the portraits of the British kings and queens. It was a lovely painting and really captured the atmosphere of the room.
"I really should get me one of these," said Jeff, pointing to the portrait. "I think it would look really nice in my house. A big picture of me. It would add a little touch of elegance and class."
Xehanort walked over with the drink and handed it to Jeff. "Yes," he agreed, still sounding a bit off-hand. "Very elegant, sir."
Jeff gave the drink an appraising look. "This looks very smooth," he remarked. "Is it rum? A brand of whiskey?"
"It's the house special, sir," replied Xehanort dryly, his facial expression deadpan.
"Well, salut," said Jeff, raising the drink in cheers before sipping it.
As the younger man was drinking, Xehanort was closing the drapes of the windows and that made the room look brighter. Jeff glanced at the books on the walls and smiled to himself, thinking that Shelby would love to a room like this. His daughter had more books than most people he knew.
It looks like she and Mister Lander would be good friends. The thought made him chuckle lightly. He would have to mention that to Mister Lander during the meeting, too.
"How long have you been a butler, Xehanort?" asked Jeff, placing his empty cup on the desk.
"A very long time, sir," answered the old man with a small smile of amusement growing on his face. "Longer than you might expect."
That sounded very cryptic, but Jeff let it go. He was more curious about Mister Lander. "And what about your master?" asked Jeff once more, leaning against the desk. "What floats his boat?"
Xehanort stared at Jeff for a long time, as if x-raying him, before answering. "The master has a great appreciation for art, literature, and beauty."
Jeff nodded in consideration. "And what about the ghost stuff? Is he into the occult or something?" While Jeff didn't believe in ghosts, he did hear of things going wrong at houses where occultists used to live. He didn't want that to be the case for this house.
"You don't believe in ghosts, sir?" Xehanort sounded a bit surprised at Jeff's skepticism. He was acting like every person should believe in ghosts.
"Absolutely not," replied Jeff with a snort. "The way I see it, Xehanort, you can only go around the track once, so go full out all the way."
Xehanort seemed a bit uncomfortable, and he shifted his weight from one side to the other. "Mr. Carr," he finally said in a hushed tone as if he was afraid to be overheard, "may I confide in you?"
"Please do," replied Jeff, thinking he was going to get the whole story on Mister Lander and the mansion.
"The master is not well," said Xehanort, looking and sounding a bit deflated. "He has not been well for a long, long time. This house—it consumes him. He must move on. It is of the gravest importance, I assure you. Or, I fear the worst will come to pass."
Jeff was bit surprised at the urgency in the old man's voice, but he could tell Xehanort seemed a bit worried about his young charge. He could understand being worried about getting consumed by one's work, especially when the person was so young. Mister Lander was too young to be sucked into work. He should have been out there living life and having fun.
"We're on the same page, then," said Jeff with an amiable smile. "Just let me renovate and sell this house, and you and your boss can vacation in Boca or some other tropical location. How does that sound?"
Xehanort took a deep breath and straightened his posture, looking as though something important was about to happen. Smoothing his vest, he said in a curt tone, "The master will be with you shortly."
Then, the old man bowed and left the room, closing the doors behind him. That left Jeff alone in the large library. He wandered the room and decided to check out the books. He was shocked to find out that they all had to do with black magic—voodoo, spells, and witchcraft. The discovery left Jeff a little bit uneasy.
"Art and literature, huh?" murmured Jeff, trying not to sound as creeped out as he felt. "He should have added voodoo on that list as well. What the hell kind of shit is this guy into?"
Grabbing a random book, Jeff sat down at the desk and began flipping through the pages. The book seemed pretty old. The words on it weren't printed like most books were now. It looked like someone had written in it. He couldn't really decipher the author's handwriting, but he felt very important as he pretended to read it.
As he reached over to look at the fountain pen, his hand bumped into a small statue that was perched near the end of the desk, snapping its head forward.
"Oh, shit," he whispered, scrambling to fix it. "I just busted the bust." He didn't seem to see that one of the bookcases had slid open, revealing a secret passageway.
When he gently slid the head back into place, the bookcase slid back into place as well. It only took him a few seconds to realize the head was on a hinge. He slid the statue's head forward and the passage was revealed once again. This time, he noticed it. It gave him a schoolboy thrill, like he had found the treasure in The Goonies.
"Look at that," he marveled, walking towards the passage. "A secret room."
When he walked in, he was struck by how cold it was. The air in the passage seemed damp, making the stone walls wet. He glanced around and saw that there was a staircase. He wondered where the stairs led to. Maybe it led to the attic or something. As he was examining the passageway, the panel slid closed and everything went black.
"Hey! Let me out!" shouted Jeff, pounding his fists on the panel. "Xehanort!? Master Lander!? Push on the head! Push on the head and let me out!"
Nothing.
Jeff was trying not to panic. He had to think this through rationally. Freaking out would achieve nothing. "Where is that old man when I need him?" he grumbled to himself.
Like a blind man, he felt through the dark and tried to find a lever or a knob to open the panel back up. There was nothing. Not even a seam where he could pry the panel open. Great. Now he was trapped.
"Fucking perfect," he hissed when he found nothing.
He reached into his pocket to see if he had a pack of matches. Yes, he thought victoriously as his fingers closed around a matchbox. He pulled out a match and lit it, revealing the ancient stone staircase that led up.
"Well, guess there's only one way to go," he remarked to himself.
Yup. He was going to have to go up. Where that would lead, he didn't know. He only hoped it led to somewhere better than this damp, dark passageway.