After the children unpacked their belongings, putting them into the various draws and wardrobes stationed in their rooms, they came down for lunch in the kitchen. Professor James was right, ham sandwiches and tea with an apple on the side. It was luxury compared to what the children ate at the orphanage and as they munch away on their lunch, professor James proceeded to talk about his life.
He was an English professor, working at London university for a period of his life before turning to private tutoring for students that were struggling. Before he became a professor, he worked at a blacksmith as an apprentice. He wasn't very good at the job he mentioned but he had many memories he was fond off. After his tutoring stopped, he worked for a newspaper company, helping edit the columns and print out the papers, distributing them to local shops and houses. He enjoyed I thoroughly and he mentioned he wished he could have stayed longer but he found the task to become gruelling and soon mourned for a quiet life in the countryside.
Professor James was an interesting man. For his age, he looked fit and well and despite the glances from Mary, he seemed to be wise and full of knowledge. The children instantly warmed to him, Genya asking various questions, Fedyor cracking jokes with him. It seemed they would be settling in nicely at their new home. Professor James assured them that anything they needed they shouldn't hesitate to ask, and he hoped their stay would be as enjoyable as they hoped.
After lunch, Mal, Genya and Fedyor followed Professor James to his study to look at some of his work, intrigued by the various stories he had bestowed upon them, but Alina took a different route. She was interested in exploring the house some more.
Alina crept up the stairs, each step creaking and squeaking. The house was very old and with the sound that the stairs made, it sounded like the building could collapse at the slightest knock to it. But she wasn't one to worry. The voices of her 'brothers and sister' were quietening as she ascended to her new room. It was quite a large room with two single beds separated by a bedside table. A chest of oak draws was stationed on the wall beside the door and a wardrobe opposite the bed. A lamp was perched on the bedside table, giving the room an orange glow and the burgundy carpet was rich and hard. It wasn't like anything she had stayed in at the orphanage but at the same time it wasn't home… yet.
Alina finished putting her belongings away, smiling to herself as she took the lumps of coal she stole before she left and placing them on her side of the room. Genya had taken the bed nearest the window and Alina was by the door. She pulled out a piece of rolled up parchment and set it down with the coal. Alina hoped she could get more art supplies to add to her growing collection and perhaps Professor James had some she could borrow. She was excited to start drawing the new sights around her, the beautiful house, the pristine garden, the tweeting birds nesting in the trees. Alina was often found drawing in the corner while Mal, Genya and Fedyor were either arguing or having a debate about something.
The quietness of the house was a strange change to the hustle and bustle of the London roads. It was almost daunting, and Alina knew it would take time for her to get used to it. A chill went down her spine and she shivered, rubbing her arms from the cold draft. Having grown up in the orphanage, she hadn't many clothes and luckily for her, Ana Kuya always had a fire burning.
Alina stepped out her room, still rubbing her shoulders. She vaguely remembered the professor telling them about a cloak room on the second floor that would surely have something inside to keep her warm and she was sure Professor James wouldn't mind if she borrowed something for a little while. He was very friendly and showed no hostility or anger towards the children so far. Alina creaked down to the next floor, spotting the door leading to this mysterious cloak room.
A burst of laughter came from the study, but Alina ignored it, arriving at the door. The door was old looking and the wood was chipping from the side, the door handle rusting and she wrapped her fingers around it, twisting it hard, a loud squeak echoing in the quiet hallway. The door was stiff and with a hard push of Alina's shoulder, she broke the seal and entered in. It was freezing inside, the chill instantly freezing her cheeks and Alina shivered even more. It was obvious no one had been inside this room for a while because of the stuck door and the fact that the room looked like it hadn't been cleaned in years.
There was dust everywhere, coating the walls, window seal, the lamp shade on the hanging bulb. The room was empty except for the massive wardrobe at the far end. It was mahogany, deep and rick with black handles. It looked ancient and Alina stepped froward, the floorboards creaking although she wasn't surprised. Suddenly the door slammed behind her, probably due to a draft and she jumped, turning to see if anyone had followed her in but it was just her.
Alina walked to the wardrobe, gripping the handles and she yanked them open. Hanging inside were enormous coats of furs and long jackets of swede and tweed. Alina flicked through them, turning her nose up. The fur coats were too much for indoors and the tweed ones would make her look like she was trying to be a professor who would be embarrassing in front of Professor James.
Alina stood on her tippy toes, trying to see at the back. She pulled the coats back and stepped on the edge of the wardrobe, squinting through the darkness. Something was there but she couldn't make out what. Alina pushed through the coats, her hands out in front feeling for anything else she might be able to use to keep her warm and as she walked forward, the darkness enveloped her. She patted out for her bearings and suddenly an even colder draft hit her, the air around her freezing her cheeks and fingers, turning them to blush pink. Alina pushed her hand out more but pulled back suddenly.
"Oww" she hissed as something stabbed her, but she couldn't see what. She narrowed her eyes wearily, slowly inching closer and closer. It was strange. There seemed to be no back to this wardrobe and instead there were… branches and leaves. Alina pushed back the branches of the pine trees, careful not to poke herself on the needles. She shielded her face as she walked further, and a bright light was there at the end. Alina felt her stomach roll with nervous but excitement as well. As she took another step forward, a loud crunch was beneath her feet, and she froze. It was as if she was stepping on… snow.
The branches rustled and the more Alina walked forward, the brighter the light became. The branches grew more and more, and she whacked them to the side, snow falling onto the floor. with one final step, Alina fell forward, her feet crunching the snow on the ground and as she looked up, her eyes went wide, and her mouth dropped open in complete shock.
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