Disclaimer: No. The characters aren't mine and never will be.
Urban Legends
They pulled over to a small driveway which lead to a white garage and a brick house of the same color. Snow had covered the ground with its whiteness and for a moment the house looked like it was from a fairy tale: a place of happiness so strange to the world today. The magic was broken by a single sign peaking out of the snow. It had 'For Sale' written on it. The house had belonged to Nikolas when he was still alive. Konstantin had told her it had been his dream since his childhood. Nikolas had been little over ten years younger than Konstantin and for all the years this house had stood here he had dreamed about it's ownership. 47 years Konstantin told had been his age. He would've had a birthday four days after his death and now...he would always remain 47. In the memories of his loved ones he would never grow old and fade away.
Konstantin stood there looking at the placate as if it someone who was trespassing his property, as it wouldn't belong there. The house was magnificent: not too large but in perfect condition and on beautiful spot. His friend had been dead over two months now. What was the reason the house was left untouched? He was brought back from his thoughts by a female voice.
"Are you the couple that came to look at the house", she asked. Lara looked at her quickly when she knew the other woman wasn't watching. Blond, little taller than she was but she wasn't a looker. Of course she had sweet little nose and twinkling pair of blue eyes but those qualities didn't make one beautiful. Nearing her forties probably. Lara shrugged her shoulders and it was only then she paid attention to the words that had left the other woman's whose name was Gertrude, at least the name tag said it was, lips. The couple that came to look at the house? As far as she knew neither Konstantin or herself had called the woman and Wolfgang didn't know they were coming here. How did she know they were coming and what made her think they were in love? Gosh...Konstantin was old enough to be her father. Ten years more to his age and he could be her grandfather.
Also Konstantin was stunned. Were they meant to have an appointment here or was it just too big coincidence? He hadn't called the woman and neither had Lara. There weren't much other choices to pick from and Konstantin knew Wolfgang wouldn't do a stunt like this behind his back, not now that he was back from dead. He knew the man too well...or did he? Men had been known to change totally in shorter amount of time although it wasn't the amount of time that caused the change. It was the amount of pain and all unwanted experiences that made one careful. It was all so simple: told enough of times a child would know not to ask candy in the store. He could only nod. After doing so he turned to look at Lara who just stared at him with her mouth open.
She couldn't believe he had nodded. She had thought Konstantin was many things but boyfriend or lover wasn't written on that list. After a small shook of his head Lara understood what was going on and decided to play along. She turned to face the building as if she was looking it in a way she really thought of purchasing it.
"You want to take a look inside the house?", the blond asked in a soft voice like she was afraid that she would drive the customers away.
"That would be nice", Konstantin told the blond since Lara seemed to be unwilling or unable to answer.
They entered the house and stood for a little while in the hallway. Ebony stairs led to the second floor from the dimly lit hall. There was a door leading to right, two to left and one directly forward. They didn't stay in the hall too long but entered the living room. Lara sighed. Even though she was a rose of British upper class breeding there were times she envied other people. She knew that most of the people she had met would've thought envying someone living in a house like this was a waste of time. No. It wasn't the house she envied, it was the the atmosphere, the feeling of warmth and safety that so easily was lost in a large house. Everything was in good condition but years of use made itself known when one looked at the furniture.
Konstantin was nearing a shock state. Not a single item had been moved since the last time he visited this place. It felt like the time had stood still in this room and probably also in the rest of the house. One picture got his attention. There were four people in it, four faces he knew instantly. Three of the people in the photograph were laughing and the last one looking away like he wanted to be someplace else. Konstantin couldn't remember anymore who had taken the picture but it was clear that to one of the men in it the day had been something else than enjoyable. The blond woman was telling something about the house and the living room but it didn't interest him. There was not a single word of her lecture tore into him like the picture. When he turned around he almost bumped into Lara.
"I ain't imbecile Konstantin", she whispered when the other woman wasn't looking. "There must be something wrong with this house or otherwise it would've been sold already. Don't say it's been built over Indian burial grounds?"
This brought a small smile to Konstantin's lips.
"Miss?", he asked Gertrude and received a deathly glare. Either she was married or she had something wrong in her main computer. "Mrs?" Konstantin continued and received a sweet smile and almost a whispered 'yes' like the woman was really afraid they would leave.
"We've been wondering" ,he began and looked at Lara as if he was trying to find strength from her. "Why this house hasn't already been sold. I mean..." he never got enough time to finish the sentence.
"Guess you have a right to know. Everyone else around here knows and you would find out sooner or later." Gertrude said quietly. "It's because an urban legend that lives on these streets. A legend that claims the house to be cursed but I don't have faith in those things".
Yes. That was true. She didn't have faith in something she already knew was true. She had seen it on the faces of the dead man's relatives. Not one of them had come to get what the one passed on had left them. None of them wanted to touch his personal belongings and his next-of-kin, his cousin called Wolfgang, didn't want anything to do with the house. The cousin had ordered the house to be sold at any prize they could get. He would just be glad to get rid of it.
Urban Legends
They pulled over to a small driveway which lead to a white garage and a brick house of the same color. Snow had covered the ground with its whiteness and for a moment the house looked like it was from a fairy tale: a place of happiness so strange to the world today. The magic was broken by a single sign peaking out of the snow. It had 'For Sale' written on it. The house had belonged to Nikolas when he was still alive. Konstantin had told her it had been his dream since his childhood. Nikolas had been little over ten years younger than Konstantin and for all the years this house had stood here he had dreamed about it's ownership. 47 years Konstantin told had been his age. He would've had a birthday four days after his death and now...he would always remain 47. In the memories of his loved ones he would never grow old and fade away.
Konstantin stood there looking at the placate as if it someone who was trespassing his property, as it wouldn't belong there. The house was magnificent: not too large but in perfect condition and on beautiful spot. His friend had been dead over two months now. What was the reason the house was left untouched? He was brought back from his thoughts by a female voice.
"Are you the couple that came to look at the house", she asked. Lara looked at her quickly when she knew the other woman wasn't watching. Blond, little taller than she was but she wasn't a looker. Of course she had sweet little nose and twinkling pair of blue eyes but those qualities didn't make one beautiful. Nearing her forties probably. Lara shrugged her shoulders and it was only then she paid attention to the words that had left the other woman's whose name was Gertrude, at least the name tag said it was, lips. The couple that came to look at the house? As far as she knew neither Konstantin or herself had called the woman and Wolfgang didn't know they were coming here. How did she know they were coming and what made her think they were in love? Gosh...Konstantin was old enough to be her father. Ten years more to his age and he could be her grandfather.
Also Konstantin was stunned. Were they meant to have an appointment here or was it just too big coincidence? He hadn't called the woman and neither had Lara. There weren't much other choices to pick from and Konstantin knew Wolfgang wouldn't do a stunt like this behind his back, not now that he was back from dead. He knew the man too well...or did he? Men had been known to change totally in shorter amount of time although it wasn't the amount of time that caused the change. It was the amount of pain and all unwanted experiences that made one careful. It was all so simple: told enough of times a child would know not to ask candy in the store. He could only nod. After doing so he turned to look at Lara who just stared at him with her mouth open.
She couldn't believe he had nodded. She had thought Konstantin was many things but boyfriend or lover wasn't written on that list. After a small shook of his head Lara understood what was going on and decided to play along. She turned to face the building as if she was looking it in a way she really thought of purchasing it.
"You want to take a look inside the house?", the blond asked in a soft voice like she was afraid that she would drive the customers away.
"That would be nice", Konstantin told the blond since Lara seemed to be unwilling or unable to answer.
They entered the house and stood for a little while in the hallway. Ebony stairs led to the second floor from the dimly lit hall. There was a door leading to right, two to left and one directly forward. They didn't stay in the hall too long but entered the living room. Lara sighed. Even though she was a rose of British upper class breeding there were times she envied other people. She knew that most of the people she had met would've thought envying someone living in a house like this was a waste of time. No. It wasn't the house she envied, it was the the atmosphere, the feeling of warmth and safety that so easily was lost in a large house. Everything was in good condition but years of use made itself known when one looked at the furniture.
Konstantin was nearing a shock state. Not a single item had been moved since the last time he visited this place. It felt like the time had stood still in this room and probably also in the rest of the house. One picture got his attention. There were four people in it, four faces he knew instantly. Three of the people in the photograph were laughing and the last one looking away like he wanted to be someplace else. Konstantin couldn't remember anymore who had taken the picture but it was clear that to one of the men in it the day had been something else than enjoyable. The blond woman was telling something about the house and the living room but it didn't interest him. There was not a single word of her lecture tore into him like the picture. When he turned around he almost bumped into Lara.
"I ain't imbecile Konstantin", she whispered when the other woman wasn't looking. "There must be something wrong with this house or otherwise it would've been sold already. Don't say it's been built over Indian burial grounds?"
This brought a small smile to Konstantin's lips.
"Miss?", he asked Gertrude and received a deathly glare. Either she was married or she had something wrong in her main computer. "Mrs?" Konstantin continued and received a sweet smile and almost a whispered 'yes' like the woman was really afraid they would leave.
"We've been wondering" ,he began and looked at Lara as if he was trying to find strength from her. "Why this house hasn't already been sold. I mean..." he never got enough time to finish the sentence.
"Guess you have a right to know. Everyone else around here knows and you would find out sooner or later." Gertrude said quietly. "It's because an urban legend that lives on these streets. A legend that claims the house to be cursed but I don't have faith in those things".
Yes. That was true. She didn't have faith in something she already knew was true. She had seen it on the faces of the dead man's relatives. Not one of them had come to get what the one passed on had left them. None of them wanted to touch his personal belongings and his next-of-kin, his cousin called Wolfgang, didn't want anything to do with the house. The cousin had ordered the house to be sold at any prize they could get. He would just be glad to get rid of it.