Chapter 2: A House of Secrets
Manhattan, New York – six months later
Lisa Trevor was bored out of her mind...
The rain relentlessly pelted her families upscale town-house, sending sheets of wind and water crashing against the window panes. Overhead, the kitchenette light flickered on and off after every thunder clap, threatening to go out once and for all.
Can't go outside, can't spend time with friends...this blows.
Lisa aimlessly adjusted the dial of her radio, occasionally stopping to listen in for a few seconds.
"...You don't realize how much I need you, love you all the time and never le..."
Yuck, The Beatles.
"...Fications from the assassination of Malcolm X has been immense. Our young brothers and sisters are..."
Blah, blah, blah, politics.
"...Umbrella Corporation has already garnered millions of dollars in operations. President and CEO Ozwell Spencer denotes this as the next step in medical history..."
Lisa switched off of the radio, not finding anything of particular interest. The last story had somewhat piqued her curiosity, mainly because her father was working for that CEO guy. Lisa though of her fathers job as a dream. Designing beautiful homes for people, laying your own personal touch on cities across the world, it was great, but took its toll on their family lives.
Her father was always traveling, detailing inspections, meeting with people, and whatever other excuses he always seemed to come up with to explain his absence. Now, he was in Raccoon City, a real hick town in the mid-west, designing the so-called "Spencer Estate."
Building a mansion out in the middle of no where? Whatever...
Lisa got up from the kitchen table and stretched. She brushed her brunette hair away from her face and slowly headed down the hallway. Her mother was napping in the master bedroom, quietly sleeping alone for the fifth time this month.
That was what bothered Lisa the most out of her fathers absence, her mother always being alone. Lisa came across her fathers study, and was surprised to find the door slightly ajar.
Wow, dad never leaves this door open.
Lisa glanced cautiously down the hallway, making sure her mother was still asleep.
He would kill me if he knew what I was doing. Oh well, he's hundreds of miles away, getting cozy with rednecks.
She opened the door and peered into the darkness. Still silhouettes greeted her from inside the room as she fumbled along the wall for a light switch. After nearly knocking a painting off of the wall she finally came across a switch. Lisa adjusted her eyes to the light and took in her surroundings.
The place was a mess. Various papers and blueprints were strewn haphazardly around the room, so much that Lisa had to nudge them aside with her toe to avoid stepping on them.
And they complain about my room being junky? Jeez.
There was a study situated in the rear of the room, its surface cluttered with all manners of books and strange photographs. Lisa examined the study, her curiosity turning to confusion as she waded through the myriad of pictures and papers.
What is all of this stuff?
Many of the papers contained drawings of the mansions layout that her father had showed them thousands of times before, but others were of strange decorations and designs she had never seen, including a Polaroid shot of a large black and white tiger. It appeared to be stuffed, but there was no denying the brutality etched on its still face. There was some writing on the back of the photo, crudely displayed as if the writer was in a rush.
Two eyes...
One blue
One yellow
Another picture was of a very old book. Again, there was more writing on its back in the same hurried manner as the first one.
The four mask
a mask that speaks no evil...
a mask that smells no evil...
a mask that sees no evil...
a mask that cannot speak, smell, or see evil
When all four fall into place
evil will awaken.
Creepy...
Lisa placed the photo back on the desk, careful not to reorganize anything the way it wasn't before. All these things about tigers and evil mask were just weird, especially for a mansions design...
"LISA!!"
Lisa almost jumped out of her skin at the sound of the sharp female voice. She turned around and came face to face with her mother, anger evident in her soft brown eyes.
"What are you doing in here young lady!? You know your father doesn't like people in his study!"
Oh no...
"I know mom, but I've just been so interested in his work lately. Please don't tell dad." Lisa said, trying her best to sound as sorry as possible.
Her mother bought it, as the anger in her eyes quickly gave way to understanding.
"I know sweetheart, but these are very important materials your father keeps in here. You didn't mess with anything, did you?" Her mother asked, surveying the desk for any unusual disturbances.
"Actually, I did take a look at a couple of those pictures. They're kind of creepy." Lisa said, indicating the tiger and evil mask pictures.
Her mother examined the photos, her face scrunching into a mask of confusion at the cryptic writing.
"Well, you father did mention that Spencer had all types of puzzles planned for his manor."
"Puzzles?"
"All types of strange gadgetry and secrets. Very peculiar things for a mansion."
Lisa's curiosity began to rise at learning of the mansions mystery.
"Cool, Sounds like something out of the Bond movies!"
"Oh Lisa, those Bond movies are just silly. I honestly don't know what you and your father see in them!"
Lisa's mother replaced the photographs and beckoned her daughter towards the door. "Come along Lisa I think you've seen enough."
Before they could leave another photograph caught Lisa's eye. "Wait mom!"
It was a picture of a grand piano, the same one that they had in their living room. Lisa recalled spending hours practicing on that piano, restlessly perfecting the classical chords and notes of its beauty. The wood paneling of the sleek ebony and ivory surface dully gleamed under the glossy surface of the photo. Like the other ones this one also had writing on the back, but not in the same enigmatic prose as the other two. No, Lisa understood the writing as clear as day.
For my dearest Lisa...
"The Moonlight Sonata."
Lisa replaced the photo, a sense of pride welling up inside of her.
Ah...I inspired daddy to use me in a puzzle!
Lisa and Jessica turned off of the light to George's study, leaving the secrets once more in the darkness embrace.