HUNTING ADELINE ( BOOK - 1 )
chapter 1 ( part - 2 )
The house has begun to decay, but it can be fixed up to look like new again with a bit of TLC. Hundreds of vines crawl up all sides of the structure, climbing towards the gargoyles stationed on the roof on either
side of the manor.
The black siding is fading to a gray and starting to peel away, and the black paint around the windows is chipping like cheap nail polish .
I’ll have to hire someone to give the large front porch a facelift since it’s starting to sag on one side.
The lawn is long overdue for a haircut, the blades of grass nearly as tall as me, and the three acres of clearing bursting with weeds.
I bet plenty of snakes have settled in nicely since it’s last been mowed.
Nana used to offset the manor’s dark shade with blooms of colorful flowers during the spring season. Hyacinths, primroses, violas, and rhododendron. And in autumn, sunflowers would be crawling up the sides of the house, the bright yellows and oranges in the petals a beautiful contrast against the
black siding.
ADELINE REILLY/FL
( I can plant a garden around the front of the house again when the
season calls for it. This time, I’ll plant strawberries, lettuce, and herbs as
well. )
ADELINE REILLY/FL
( I’m deep in my musings when my eyes snag on movement from above.
Curtains flutter in the lone window at the very top of the house. )
ADELINE REILLY/FL
( Last time I checked, there’s no central air up there. Nothing should be
able to move those curtains, but yet I don’t doubt what I saw. )
Coupled with the looming storm in the background, Parsons Manor
looks like a scene out of a horror film.
I suck my bottom lip between my teeth, unable to stop the smile from forming on my face.
ADELINE REILLY/FL
( I love that )
ADELINE REILLY/FL
( I Can’t explain why, but I do.
Fuck what my mother says. I’m living here. I’m a successful writer and
have the freedom to live anywhere. So, what if I decide to live in a place
that means a lot to me? That doesn’t make me a lowlife for staying in my
hometown.)
ADELINE REILLY/FL
( I Travel enough with book tours and conferences; settling down
in a house won’t change that. I know what the fuck I want, and I don’t give
a shit what anyone else thinks about it.
Especially mommy dearest. )
The clouds yawn, and rain spills from their mouths. I grab my purse and step out of my car, inhaling the scent of fresh rain.
It turns from a light sprinkle to a torrential downpour in a matter of seconds.
I bolt up the front porch steps, flinging drops of water off my arms and shaking my body out like a wet dog.
ADELINE REILLY/FL
( I Love storms—I just don’t like to be in them. I’d prefer to cuddle up
under the blankets with a mug of tea and a book while listening to the rain
fall. )
Slide the key into the lock and turn it. But it’s stuck, refusing to give me
even a millimeter. I jimmy the key, wrestling with it until the mechanism
finally turns and I’m able to unlock the door.
Guess I’m gonna have to fix that soon, too.
A chilling draft welcomes me as I open the door. I shiver from the
mixture of freezing rain still wet on my skin and the cold, stale air.
The interior of the house is cast in shadows. Dim light shines through the windows, gradually fading as the sun disappears behind gray storm clouds.
I Feel as if I should start my story with “it was a dark stormy night...”
I Look up and smile when I see the black ribbed ceiling, made up of hundreds of thin, long pieces of wood.
A grand chandelier is hanging over my head, golden steel warped in an intricate design with crystals dangling from the tips. It’s always been Nana’s most prized possession.
The black and white checkered floors lead directly to the black grand staircase—large enough to fit a piano through sideways—and flow off into the living room., My boots squeak against the tiles as I venture further inside.
This floor is primarily an open concept, making it feel like the monstrosity of the home could swallow you whole.
The living area is to the left of the staircase
I Purse my lips and look
around, nostalgia hitting me straight in the gut. Dust coats every surface,
and the smell of mothballs is overpowering, but it looks exactly how I last
saw it, right before Nana died last year.
A large black stone fireplace is in the center of the living room on the far
left wall, with red velvet couches squared around it.
An ornate wooden
coffee table sits in the middle, an empty vase atop the dark wood. Nana
used to fill it with lilies, but now it only collects dust and bug carcasses.
The walls are covered in black paisley wallpaper, offset by heavy golden
curtains.
One of my favorite parts is the large bay window at the front of the house, providing a beautiful view of the forest beyond Parsons Manor .
Placed right in front of it is a red velvet rocking chair with a matching stool .
Nana used to sit there and watch the rain, and she said her mother would
always do the same.
The checkered tiling extends into the kitchen with beautiful black stained cabinets and marble countertops.
A massive island sits in the middle with
black barstools lining one side. Grandpa and I used to sit there and watch Nana cook, enjoying her humming to herself as she whipped up delicious
meals.
ADELINE REILLY/FL
( Shaking away the memories, I rush over to a tall lamp by the rocking
chair and flick on the light. I release a sigh of relief when a buttery soft
glow emits from the bulb. )
ADELINE REILLY/FL
( A Few days ago, I had called to get the utilities
turned on in my name, but you can never be too sure when dealing with an
old house. )
ADELINE REILLY/FL
( Then I walk over to the thermostat, the number causing another shiver
to wrack my body.
Sixty-two goddamn degrees. )
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