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"Guys I have a mission!" I said, slamming my hands on the table at lunch.
"Ooooohh! Do tell!" perked up Nudge.
"So I have all the dirt on the Mansion family!"
"Oh, the vampires?" asked Ari, picking at his salad.
"You know?"
"It's all over town. Some say it's the way they dress. Some say they're just weird. Mr. Mitchell told my father they must be inhuman since they ate at Georgio's and held the garlic." explained Nudge.
"But that's the Mitchells. Still, I may have to keep that in mind. Every bit of info is crucial!" I said.
"So dramatic," mumbled Iggy. I picked up a french fry from Sam's plate and threw it at Iggy's face.
"I want you guys to help me out on my mission. Every Saturday night Creepy Butler Man goes to Wexley's for an hour of grocery shopping. I drove by the Mansion, and they don't seem to have a security system. And if I play my cards right, Roadkill will be keeping to himself in his attic room of blaring music. He'll never hear me."
"He'll never hear you doing what?" asked Gaz.
"Explore around the mansion, to see what they've done with the place, and to get my phone" I said. Part of it was true. I actually wanted to see Roadkill but I also wanted for info. on the family and my precious phone.
"Do I have to go?" asked Nudge. She's always been an innocent person.
"Not if you want to...you too Sam" I said. He sighed in relief. I laughed. Sam's also sort of been innocent.
"I'm in," said Ari.
"Same," said Iggy.
"Yeah," laughed Gaz. Like I said, these guys are the best.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++Time Skip +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
"What's the plan?" asked Gazzer. We stood over a block away from the mansion.
"Well, if I can find an open window, I'll go in and you guys will be my lookout. Ari will be lookout on the corner of the street, Iggy you'll be guarding the window I go through and Gaz you'll be hiding in one of the bushes, making sure creepy man doesnt get past Ari, just in case," I explained. They all nodded.
We walked until I told Ari where to be, then Gaz and Ig followed me. We arrived in time too. Creepy man had just started to drive off to the store, and we hid behind a bush in front of the mansion.
"Gasman you stay here alright?" I patted Gaz in the back. He nodded and took out a bomb from his backpack. I gasped and Iggy high fived him.
"What the hell is that?!" I whispered at him.
"This? Oh it's a smoke bomb. You know just in case creepy man comes back. I'll throw it front of the road for a distraction," explain Gaz. I rolled my eyes and got out of my hiding spot, Iggy following. I climbed up the rusty iron gate, and jumped down landing in the front yard. Iggy dropped beside me. We ran towards the side of the house and looked for an entrance. The only light came from the curtained attic window. I could hear the faint wailing of an electric guitar, as we tiptoed around the side of the house. Fortunately, I didn't hear the sound of barking dogs. I found my favorite window.
There were no boards or bricks, and the broken window had been replaced. If they fixed one thing in this Mansion, why did it have to be this particular window?
I scrambled around and checked the other windows. They were all locked. Suddenly I noticed something catching the moonlight.
I crouched over and lying by a bush was a hammer, and next to the hammer was the most beautiful thing I'd ever seen. It was a window, propped open with a brick. A caulking gun and putty were still sitting on the ledge. Someone had been working here and left their mess to dry. I kissed my new friend the helpful brick with my hand. Iggy snickered behind me and flipped him off. Thank you, brick, thank you!
It was a much tighter squeeze through the window this time. I'd eaten a lot of candy since I was twelve. Iggy pushed me and pulled and grunted and heaved. I was through. I was in! I air high-fived him. The dark musty dusty basement air that filled the Mansion dungeon.
My flashlight guided me around crates and oldfurniture. I saw three rectangular objects leaning against the wall, covered with blankets. Paintings? My flesh tingled with anticipation as I grabbed the corner of the blanket and slowly pulled it back. I gasped. A face with two frozen eyes stared back at me. It was a mirror! I clutched my racing heart. A covered mirror? I pulled the blankets off one after the other. They were all mirrors! Gold framed, wood framed, rectangular and oval. Who would cover their mirrors?
I continued to search the basement. I uncovered china dishes and crystal goblets, not the kind of glasses I was used to drinking from. Then I found a box that was labeled FANG'S WATERCOLORS, filled with drawings of an estate just like the one I was standing in. There were other paintings, too: Spider-Man, Batman, and Superman. I smiled. They were amazing.
I found a dusty rolled parchment with a faded family tree. There were long unpronounceable names of duchesses and barons going back centuries. And then at the bottom "Nicholas Fang Walker". But no dates of births or deaths! Finally I uncovered three crates marked, SOIL. They had Romanian customs stamps on them. As I made my way toward the stairs, I tripped over something covered with a white sheet.
I ripped the sheet off and saw a coffee table. I replaced the dusty sheet and carefully walked up the creaky stairs. I twisted the glass door handle and pushed, but to no avail. I pushed again with all my might, and the door suddenly burst open.
I went flying into the hallway. Portraits of a silver-haired man and woman lined the hallway, along with some wild paintings that could have been van Goghs or Picassos. I'd have known for sure if I had ever paid attention in art. I felt like I was in a museum, except there were candles and not fluorescent lights. I tiptoed into the living room. The furniture was art deco. Very stylish. And on a table I saw it. My phone! I squealed inside and tip toed to it.
I pressed the home button and noticed it was off. I put it in my jacket's pocket. I could hear the Smiths pulsing through the ceiling. I looked at my watch. It was already eight-thirty. Time to leave. But I paused at the bottom of the grand staircase.
I couldn't go upstairs. It would be ultra-risky. But I had to see everything. When would I ever get a chance like this again? The first room I entered was a grand study, books upon books, the Sterlings very own library. But no librarian, thank goodness.
"Just came to check out Crime and Punishment" would not go over very well with Creepy Man. I peeked quickly into the other rooms. I had never seen so many bathrooms on one floor. Not even a football stadium had so many.
A small guest bedroom was surprisingly spartan with a single bed. The master bedroom had a canopy bed with black lace curtains dripping around the columns. I was about to look into the closet when the music suddenly stopped. I heard footsteps overhead. I slipped down the stairs fast. I didn't look back and made sure not to lose my footing and stumble or fall like those girls do in Friday the 13th movies.
Fiddling with the door locks, my fingers shook uncontrollably, like those foolish horror-flick girls. I was making way too much noise. As I tried to unlock the top bolt, I saw the bottom bolt turning from the other side. I ran down the hallway, but hearing footsteps coming from that direction, I doubled back and headed into the living room. There wasn't time to open the windows, so I threw myself behind the red velvet curtains.
"I'm back, " I heard Creepy Man call in his thick Romanian accent. "Wexley's will be delivering tomorrow as usual.I'm going to retire now. " No one responded. "You can't get them to shut up when they're three, but when they're seventeen they won't even open their mouths, " I heard him mumbling to himself as he walked slowly past the grand staircase. What happened to Ari? And Gazzy? And Iggy? And the fucking bomb? I am going to kill them.
"Always leaving doors opened, " I heard Creepy say and shut what must have been the door to the basement. Fuck my life. I peeled myself out of the curtain, ran, and unbolted all the front door locks in record time. I was ready to make my escape when I felt something-a presence. I turned around and there he was standing in front of me. Roadkill. Suddenly, I saw arms wrapping around my waist for a second. How does this relate to my dream?!
His jet black shaggy hair covered his forehead and brushed his eyes. His eyes...they were breath taking. They matched his hair, jet black. They seemed to stare into my soul. I could get lost in them. I've never seen eyes like that before. He was absolutely handsome. Roadkill stood motionless, like he was breathing in his uninvited guest. He extended his olive toned hand to me, to show I didn't have to be afraid. Reality hit me. I had been caught.
I bolted out of the door.
"Max!" Iggy ran after me.
"You're so dead you little fuck!" I growled as I climbed up the gate. And as I threw my foot over the top, I looked back and could see a distant figure standing in the doorway, watching me. I hesitated, feeling drawn back to the Mansion. I stared at him for a moment before sliding down to the other side.
"Gasman let's go!" I saw Gazzy and Ari jump from the bushes and run behind us. My heart was racing, and not from running.