Eko

The road before me shows no sign of being used anytime recently. The trees tower above me as I walk, brooding over the road and blocking the sunlight. This road is a dead end. There’s no use for it anymore. Yet I walk down it, my destination prowling at the end of the driveway, past the twisting iron of the fence, past the hollow eyes of the groundskeepers, past the trickling water set on meandering out of the raised trumpet of the fountain. I watch as the beige grass turns to a vibrant green, the wilting flowers stand taller with every step. A breeze begins to blow, shaking the trees; they almost look as if they are waving, saying ‘hello, welcome.’ The sudden change in atmosphere is almost like walking through a veil that clouded your vision at first, but once released everything was clearer, sharper, more colorful. I do not let my senses deceive me though. As I walk, I place my hand on the hilt of my sword. I know this natural beauty is simply a guise, a lure to bring wandering souls to the infernal house. As I approach the mansion the gardeners and housekeepers watch me with sorrow, one of them looks to be about my age. Maybe 17 or 18. They all know what lies in store for me. I’ve heard rumors about the haunted house that's located at the end of a forgotten drive. What it does to its visitors. What it will try to do to me. I ignore the warning looks from the windows and walk up to the door. With one hand on my hilt, I use the other to pick up the large knocker on the door. I raise it. I drop it. A loud thud sounds through the door and reverberates through the gardens. I raise it again. I drop it again. The same loud thud sounds, alarming the inhabitants of my arrival. I go to raise it again, but just before my hand can reach the knocker, the door creaks open. A small head peeks out from the crack, long black hair cascading over the childish features of the girl. She looks at me with emerald eyes and I smile. A taller person steps out of the door from behind her. His lanky build and pale skin covered in a black and white butlers suit. He looks me up and down, as I stand there waiting.