The house was dark and gloomy and its old walls had lost their colours
years ago. The windows were covered with cobweb and dust. What once had
been an inviting porch had now become a rotting death trap. The whole
house had lost its legendary pride and glory.
The garden had also once been beautiful, but was now filled with dead trees and flowers. You could also find over grown tombstones here and there, which had surely been left behind by owners who had refused to sell their lifelong home.
I walked inside. A huge staircase dominated the whole room, only outshined by the even bigger chandelier that was hanging above it. As expected everything was covered by cobweb here too and I sighed as I wished that I could have seen the house when it was clean, polished and shining with pride while servants ran around to prepare glorious balls or breathtaking dinners.
I walked into the room that most likely was the old ballroom. The walls were covered with mirrors and as far as I could see there were no windows. In the ceiling however I saw what could have been the lasting parts of an old chandelier. The floor had been very colourful in its days with a star in the middle, but as everywhere else the colours were faded to a sad greyish colour.
A chill wind brushed trough my hair. It came from the open doors that lead to a balcony that was over viewing the garden. The curtains looked like someone had ripped them to pieces.
I continue my walk through the house and arrive in the dining room. The chairs are made of ebony and the seats are covered with velvet and it looks like someone at any moment could walk in and have a meal, because on the table are silver plates and goblets. If the person wouldn't mind the dust that is.
Suddenly thunder and lightning from the outside scares me. The portrait of a nobleman with a grim look seems to be following me with his eyes. I quickly walk back to the hall with the staircase.
As I walk through the door to the hall I see a black cat disappearing up the stairs. I ignore the impulse of following it and continue towards what seems to be the kitchen door. To my disappointment it's locked. I sigh as I turn around and walk up the stairs as my curiosity about the cat takes over.
I walk through the first door on my right and find the room which must have belonged to a small child, a small girl to be precise, since the shelves are overflowing with all kinds of dolls. The room is big and airy, so finding room to play surely wasn't a problem.
Under the window is a small table with a small musical box on it. I open it and a soft, beautiful melody rings from it. After a few minutes the music stops and I close the box and as I turn around to leave the room I see the black cat sitting in the doorway. The cat looks at me for a few seconds and then disappears as quickly as it appeared.
I continue to the next room down the corridor. It's a bed chamber which belonged to the lady of the house, since the wardrobe is filled almost to the breaking point with old magnificent dresses, which, now after time has had its way, are fragile, moth-eaten and covered with cobwebs. In the room is a big mirror that's chattered in pieces. I can barely make out my looks from the bits that have like by a miracle clinging on to the wooden frame. The bed in the room is large and would surely have room for a whole family in it, but now the only one on it is the black cat.
It looks at me with its tail swinging. It doesn't want me here. I can somehow understand that, I'm a stranger to it after all. I smile at it and say that I'll leave. The cats tail stops swinging and it jumps of the bed. It stops in the doorway like it's waiting for me.
I take one last look around the room and then follow the cat to the front door. The cat sits down on the porch with what seems to be a faint smile as I walk down the few steps to the street. I turn around to take a last look at the cat, but it's gone.
I shiver as I start to make my way home.
The garden had also once been beautiful, but was now filled with dead trees and flowers. You could also find over grown tombstones here and there, which had surely been left behind by owners who had refused to sell their lifelong home.
I walked inside. A huge staircase dominated the whole room, only outshined by the even bigger chandelier that was hanging above it. As expected everything was covered by cobweb here too and I sighed as I wished that I could have seen the house when it was clean, polished and shining with pride while servants ran around to prepare glorious balls or breathtaking dinners.
I walked into the room that most likely was the old ballroom. The walls were covered with mirrors and as far as I could see there were no windows. In the ceiling however I saw what could have been the lasting parts of an old chandelier. The floor had been very colourful in its days with a star in the middle, but as everywhere else the colours were faded to a sad greyish colour.
A chill wind brushed trough my hair. It came from the open doors that lead to a balcony that was over viewing the garden. The curtains looked like someone had ripped them to pieces.
I continue my walk through the house and arrive in the dining room. The chairs are made of ebony and the seats are covered with velvet and it looks like someone at any moment could walk in and have a meal, because on the table are silver plates and goblets. If the person wouldn't mind the dust that is.
Suddenly thunder and lightning from the outside scares me. The portrait of a nobleman with a grim look seems to be following me with his eyes. I quickly walk back to the hall with the staircase.
As I walk through the door to the hall I see a black cat disappearing up the stairs. I ignore the impulse of following it and continue towards what seems to be the kitchen door. To my disappointment it's locked. I sigh as I turn around and walk up the stairs as my curiosity about the cat takes over.
I walk through the first door on my right and find the room which must have belonged to a small child, a small girl to be precise, since the shelves are overflowing with all kinds of dolls. The room is big and airy, so finding room to play surely wasn't a problem.
Under the window is a small table with a small musical box on it. I open it and a soft, beautiful melody rings from it. After a few minutes the music stops and I close the box and as I turn around to leave the room I see the black cat sitting in the doorway. The cat looks at me for a few seconds and then disappears as quickly as it appeared.
I continue to the next room down the corridor. It's a bed chamber which belonged to the lady of the house, since the wardrobe is filled almost to the breaking point with old magnificent dresses, which, now after time has had its way, are fragile, moth-eaten and covered with cobwebs. In the room is a big mirror that's chattered in pieces. I can barely make out my looks from the bits that have like by a miracle clinging on to the wooden frame. The bed in the room is large and would surely have room for a whole family in it, but now the only one on it is the black cat.
It looks at me with its tail swinging. It doesn't want me here. I can somehow understand that, I'm a stranger to it after all. I smile at it and say that I'll leave. The cats tail stops swinging and it jumps of the bed. It stops in the doorway like it's waiting for me.
I take one last look around the room and then follow the cat to the front door. The cat sits down on the porch with what seems to be a faint smile as I walk down the few steps to the street. I turn around to take a last look at the cat, but it's gone.
I shiver as I start to make my way home.
