Chapter 7
The mansion
Gothic laced quilts and a dark velvet throw entangled and welcomed me as I awoke from my eternal slumber. How was it still dark outside? Had I slept all this time? Surely, I hadn't slept from one night until the next, it wasn't possible! However, the darkness of the evening glow proved me wrong. Suddenly, flashbacks from last night forcefully thrust themselves onto me with no warning. I had murdered a person. My heart sank deep into the depths of my being. Yet again, I could not control my breathing. Refusing to believe the reality of the situation, I slowly sunk lower into the four-poster bed until I was hiding within the many layers of sheets.
The bedroom was a gothic masterpiece envisaged from a vampire's dream. Dark purple drapes and elegant tapestry hung from the large, Victorian walls. The musky smell of burning incense grimaced the entire room and a vase full of fresh crimson roses sat on the window frame. Gazing out of the gigantic, dust covered window, I attempted to take in the wonderful view. The garden never seized to end, with endless trees and countless wildlife. Gotham is all I have ever known, but from here it was a mere pin prick in the far distance. Gotham hangs under a constant spell of grey and colourless gloom, whereas here the grass spilled with lush, vibrant green. Gotham shrieks and screams fall heavy into the night, but here the house welcomed peace and resounding calmness. I picked up one of the roses and held it under my nose, the smell reminded me of when I was a child. I felt at peace.
A heavy knock on the enormous wooden door abruptly broke the deafening silence as it resounded throughout the room. 'Hello?' A soft, light voice questioned on the other side. Throwing on the silk gown that hung on the door, I gradually opened it and beheld a small, plump friendly looking woman smiling back at me. 'Oswald asks how you are, he wants you to join him for supper. Please come, I've just boiled the kettle.' Her surprisingly soft Russian accent put me immediately at ease. I returned a small smile. 'Sure, I'll change and join him.' After that, she hummed as she proceeded down the dim, stretching corridor. Oh my. Until now my thoughts had been far too clouded to let Oswald cross my mind. So, Oswald was his real name. This guy is a notorious gangster, why was he at the testing site? Why did he care so much for the animals? Why did he help me?
Dwindling down the never-ending, sombre corridors, I admired each painting and its detail along the way. Lost was not the word. These windy corridors had no end to them. An eternity passed until I eventually approached the master stairs which lead to the main rooms on the bottom floor. I eagerly followed their lead and hastily ended up in front of a grand door, which murmurs seemed to be pouring from. I was moments away from being in the presence of a criminal mastermind. Various thoughts and feelings encompassed me.