Page 47
“Winston and Tania are waiting for you out front,” he says, cold eyes trained on me.
“What was that?” I ask as he reaches to pick me up. His gaze darts to the crumpled creature lying in the snow.
“The forest is off limits, stay within the boundaries of the gardens…and the shore.” His expression is grim, telling nothing of what is really happening here.
My head throbs with a familiar wave of nerve pinching aches. I pinch the bridge of my nose. “You need to give me answers.”
“I’ll see you later this evening, Marisa.” Leaving no room for questions as he passes me without a word and heads into the forest.
“You know I’m going to get answers one way or another, right?” I yell, unamused.
“I’m sure you will,” he replies, glancing back at me.
Rolling my eyes, I head toward the house. Something screeches—guttural and unlike any animal of the forest—followed by another gunshot. The silence is thick with unease. I hate that I quicken my pace.
Misty is waiting for me at the threshold when I return. “Come on, girl. Dr. Death wants us to be oh so safe in the house.” I kiss her forehead, then walk through the house and into the Great Room. I take a peek out to the drive. Misty settles onto a settee, seemingly unfazed by all the commotion of merely three minutes ago.
Outside, a lanky man leans against the vehicle’s door, a cigarette jammed between his lips. He has tight gray curls and a wise expression upon his face. He smiles politely as I approach him. “Winston?” I extend a hand toward him.
“Marisa. Nice to meet the mystery woman of the Lazarus house.” He shakes my hand vigorously. “Come on, I’m tasked with taking you and Tania into town today.” He throws his thumb toward the vehicle.
I slide into the rear of the truck to see Tania already in the passenger seat, staring ahead.
“Good morning, I haven’t seen you around,” I say.
She was at best described as a feral cat. If you caught it by surprise it would scream and make things worse for you. I tended to avoid her, unless I was looking for food. Maybe I am the feral cat.
“Marisa.” She turns to me. Her deep brown eyes radiate a familiar warmth. But her luminous brown skin is now ashen, full of dismay and hauntings.
I smile to be polite. “Thank you for accompanying me today. It would do me some good to get out of the house.”
“Yes, it should. We won’t be long though.” She clasps her hands in her lap. “This town can be fickle.”
Running my tongue over my teeth I ask, “What do you mean?”
“Oh. Just the usual small town stuff. Nothing more.” Her lips thin as she responds to me.
I wonder what truth she held between those tight frowns and moments of contemplation. I think of Daisy and the way she told so much between giggles and jokes only to leave me with more unanswered questions. She hadn’t been around much the last two days. And now I resign myself to anything but dwelling on my current situation. No matter how I look at it, there was no way out but through. Winston hops in and we drive off.
I can’t help but glance back at the entirety of the Lazarus Estate.
Don’t look behind you.
The strange words repeat over and over in my head, and I wonder where they’ve come from. Still, I look behind. The house resembles an ancient stone monster perching precariously on the cliff with its jagged stone stairs leading to the shore and lapping waves. On the right, the forest of snow covered evergreens wraps around the West Wing like a blanket protecting a child. Tinges of light peek out now and then, but the wing is dark and abandoned, much like the rest of the house. There is something haunted about the house’s exterior one couldn’t discern unless far away, yet close enough to look into the tall eyes of the windows and the sharp teeth of its spires.
The Lazarus Estate looks like it was built to consume anyone in its wake.
As we drive further away down the winding road, the house closes in behind gnarled trees, taking with it the palpable dread that pervades the air. I don’t know if I’m the only one feeling it, but a shiver wracks my frame.
A question blossoms in my mind, ignoring the other ones vying for attention. “How far is it to town?”
Winston glances at me through the rear view mirror, then slides a look to Tania. “Well, it is quite a far ride due to the remoteness of the estate…at least fifteen minutes.”
It took about half an hour when I stole the motorcycle. I hum in response, resting my hand on my chin.
“In the winter, with the icy roads and snow, it can take a lot longer. But we are fully equipped out here, don’t worry.” He gives me a tired smile. I also hadn’t noticed the slight gray pallor to his brown skin. Squinting, I take in the small details of his features; a small scar above his lips, faint freckles on his cheeks. They almost seem to blend into the pesky aura of the overcast day.
Sitting back on a sigh, I allow myself to absorb the surrounding forest and the snow attached to everything. It’s like a dream. The kind of dream where you think everything’s incredibly peaceful and then you turn around and there’s a monster who’s been following you the entire time.
