Righto people...is there anybody left out there? *tumbleweed*
I finally got the next part up...only because it's Christmas and I don't actually have work to do. Thank You to those who reviewed.
Happy Molecule...What a great name...
I apologise for the length, but I'm nearly done teasing you all.
Desert Storm 19
Sam stared at the address on the piece of paper and at the house name tapped out in aged copper on the massive wrought iron gates. She checked again, this was definitely it. The house itself was set back from the gates by a long driveway covered in shale. It was bordered by trees in an array of glorious golden colours under the smoky English autumn sky. The house was made of grey stone and had numerous windows, some of stained glass. It was surrounded by acres of land, stretching off into the distance. She stepped up to the intercom and pressed a shaking finger onto the button.
"O'Connell residence."
"I'd like to see Alex O'Connell. It's Samantha Carter."
"Just a minute." After a moment or so of standing in the frosty morning air the buzz of a mechanism sounded and the gate began to swing open smoothly despite its rusty appearance. She made her way up the shale path to the great doors and found them already open. A wiry middle-aged woman in black trousers and shirt greeted her, a yellow dusting cloth hooked through one of her belt loop. She smiled kindly and neatened her greying, short hair.
"I'm Cecile, Mr. O'Connell seemed anxious to meet with you. He requested that you meet with him in the drawing room." She said with a twinkle in her eye. Sam followed her through the winding corridors of the O'Connell mansion. The long passageways were lined with relics - suits of armour, framed papyrus strips and antique bureaus. The walls were panelled in a dark mahogany, Cecile stopped in front of one that was indistinguishable from the rest apart from the small porcelain handle. "I'll be back in a minute." She said with a smile before leaving Sam to herself in the drawing room.
Sam carefully surveyed her surroundings as she settled herself into an overstuffed, red velvet armchair with bald patches. A nervous twist of anxiety breathed itself to life inside her. She filed it away, as she always did in order to appear calm and collected. The faded red tones of the carpet flickered brilliant oranges and ruby in the firelight. Lurking in the deep shadows behind her were numerous pieces of furniture adorned with photographs and sketches. This room appeared to be free of the ancient artefacts that populated the rest of the house. She twisted round as the door creaked open and her mouth hung open in shock.
"Alex?" A chuckle escaped the pale, thin lips and his eyes danced with mirth. His hair, once lush and blonde had thinned phenomenally and turned a bleached colour. He was painfully thin in a way that made his already wrinkled skin hang from his bones. His frail, skeletal hands were marred with liver spots and clutched an ebony, gold topped cane. Tears sprang to her eyes.
"The years have been a lot kinder to you." He said dropping into a chair next to her. "Don't worry about me...I have had a life time to learn to accept my present form. However, I take it that you are not here to see me..." She opened her mouth to say something polite but he cut her off with a dry chuckle. "Lily?"
"I...I didn't know if she was..." She trailed off not daring to voice her question, Alex's world-weary eyes grew damp and he dabbed at them with a handkerchief. "Is she?" Sam could hear her own voice crack and frowned, concentrating on keeping the lump in her throat from turning into a sob. She felt something stir within her, there was nothing that could describe that feeling but she knew that it was self hatred.
Thank you for reading...hope y'all had a great Christmas and New Year. Please review.
Coffee Bean
xXx