Dark City

"young lady, we have arrive"

when the horseman open the carriage door, she can saw the darkness upon her. she step out of the carriage when the horseman taking all her bags. she take a look at her bag. she can't believe that she brought a big bag for her a two days trip to London. well, it can't be helped since her brothers kept telling her to bring more dresses for her to wear in London. It's weird for her brothers to be this demanding. it's not like i'm staying here for years. she gave a big sigh

she look out from the dark. all she saw is a gloomy mansion with unpainted walls with it's main gate was broken. she could felt her jaws was drop to the ground. she can't believe that the business trip her brothers told her to go was a day of spending life in hell. she turn around looking for the horseman

"excuse me, are you sure this is where my brothers told you to go?"

the horseman look at her in disbelief "my lady, are doubting me?"

"errm, no but i just asking.."

"yes this is where your brothers told me to send you for your business trip. if you don't believe me check the address and ask the local people here" he walk passed through her and straight to the mansion ahead

"seriously, i was just asking" she murmur to herself and started follow him from behind. she knew that her family horseman was a little bit hot tempered, well actually a lot.

she walked pass through a garden, or a dead garden. she could saw the devil statue in the middle of the garden. the statue was very frightening. she could barely able a to see it after a few seconds of looking it. she quickly racing towards the horseman to the doors

the horseman already knocked the door before she could reached him. the door was decorated with a scary dog-like-human. she stare at the decoration for a while before she felt something on her shoulder

"ARGGGGGHHHH"

"hold there my lady, there's nothing to be scream about". a soft voice came from the back of her hairs. she took a look at her back and saw a boy who about her height was in front of her. the boy had a dark blue hair and a soft blue eyed but his right eye was closed with an eye patch. he look like a pirate.

"my lady, how long are you going to stare at my master?" she took a look at her right. there's a handsome man with all black coloured suit. He look much older and taller than his master.

"ah..ah, i'm sorry.." she look a way. She blushed

"So, you must be The Sherm guest, right?" Asked the boy. 

" ermm, I'm sorry but I don't know since my brothers send me here without telling who am I supposed to meet" She replied. She realize that she must be an idiot for not asking her brothers who was she supposed to meet and who is that person. All her brothers told her is to go there and nothing else.

"Your brother didn't tell you who are you going to meet?" This time, it was the tall man asking

Before she could reply, the door was open. She could feel the warmth as the door open. And then, she saw a woman, in a greenish-blue dress. Her hair is white but she doesn't look old. The woman smiled as she saw her

"My my. You must be Anna? I'm being waiting for you" the woman gave her hand and Anna reached it. She doesn't know what to do when the woman gave her hand to her so she just hold it and then let it go once the woman look at the guest next to her. 

" Oh my, you're The Earl. You do came here. I thought you would not come" the woman voice was kinda excited. Her eye's was full of joy. The boy smiled back at her and took off his hat

" Mrs Shern, how couldn't I resist your offer for this evening party of yours. I thought that I could drop by to your mansion and say hello. And besides, your mansion is in the street that I frequently travel " he said with a big smiled on his face

" I'm glad you came Earl. Shermain will be happy too see you. Do come in." Earl nodded and went inside with the tall man followed him. Anna watched him as his servant or butler took off his coat. As the Earl look back, his eyes met hers. He gave her a small grin and look away. Anna puzzled. what was that for? She look at her right, Mrs Shern was next to her. She look kinda unpleasant. 

Anna stared at Mrs Shern as the woman was lost in her thought. She look at Mrs Shern ring, there's a snake marking on it. The mark looked familiar to her like she had seen it before but where? Mrs Shern looked at her and suddenly held her arm and drag her inside the mansion 

" Mrs Shern, that's hurt" the woman seems to ignore her. she cried her name once more but Mrs Shern was not even listen to her cry. 

"Mrs Shern!!" she yelled and finally the woman stopped walking and let go of her hands. " I'm sorry to yell like that but what was that for.." 

"SHUT YOUR MOUTH!" Anna felt something had sting her soft-red cheek. She could felt the sense of blood running inside of her mouth. Mrs Shern had slapped her face. Her eyes went wide. 

Mrs Shern drag Anna close to her. She hissed and Anna could smelt something dead from the woman's breath. Smells that she never smell before and never she imagined before. 

" You ought to be quiet dear " Mrs Shern said, her fingers running into Anna's soft brown hair." You stayed inside there and be quiet. If I heard a noise from you, I would have dare to slice up your reddish cheek"

Anna can feel something crawling in her back of her neck. She felt the coldness in Mrs Shern fingers. Her legs are trembling. She felt like want to collapse but she tried not to. Mrs Shern push her inside a dark room and somewhere out of nowhere, she threw her bag at her as well. Anna saw the look of Mrs Shern face. She can see the lines in Mrs Shern face. Mrs Shern did not smiled. She gave her a horrible look. And once Mrs Shern reached the door knob, Anna manage to get on her knees but it was too late. The door was close. She also heard the sound of a key. 

It's Lock. Anna fell to the ground. She could see nothing inside except the colour of black. The room was dark. She felt something drop from her eyes ; it was her tears. 

*********************

"Young Master, here's your drink" 

The Earl took the drink from his butler but his eyes wandered around the room. All the guests in the Evening party wore a dark clothing. Her take a look at each and every guests. Non of them he had seen them before except for Shermain, the owner and the host of this evening party

" Found something suspicious, Sebastian?" He whisper to his butler, who was next to him but his eyes was watching Shermain

"For now, there seems nothing suspicious" The butler replied. His eyes also watching some of the guest who are laughing very hard.

"You're not doing your job that seriously. Have you search all of this mansion?"

" I was just about to do it, Young Master" 

" You're just about to do it? Why don't you stop fooling around and end this job fast. I'm getting sick of this party. If it weren't because of Her task, I wont coming here."

" But you're enjoying the meal here, so there's no need to rush" 

" This is an order. Do it now!"

"yes, yes Young Master. I do it now " Sebastian walked smoothly towards the crowd of guests and leaving Earl behind. And during that time Shermain moved towards Earl and greeted him. Sebastian smiles as he leaves the ball room. The first thing he does was to make sure nobody saw him. Well, it was an easy task for him anyway.

He inspected all the room and every corner of the walls. He moved to the first floor and there he smells the scent of human blood. He look down and saw a red spot. He bent his knees and and smell it. It's a human blood. He smiled and walked towards a room where he suspect the owner of the blood was in the room. He suddenly stop. He left a big grin before heading back to the Ball Room.

Once he arrive at the ball room. Earl was still talking to Shermain. He moved towards them as quickly as possible and before he reached him, Earl was already noticed him and called out his name.

"Mr Shermain, let me introduce you to my faithful Butler, Sebastian" upon calling his name, Sebastian quickly gave a small bow.

"oh so he's too handsome to be your butler" said Shermain

"Is he? He always thought that he's the most ugly in the world" Earl replied with a smirk on his face. 

"Oh no, he's not." Shermain patted Sebastian back. " It seems like he has something for you. I should get going now. We talked again" Shermain leave and left Earl alone with Sebastian.

"So Sebastian, any news" it was the first thing that he asked. He took a slip of a juice before gave it back to the waiters. "the drink is the worst that i have" he complained

" Young Master do you remember the young Lady we met before?" He took a slip of the Juice that his master had tasted before and put it back to the table next to him.

" That scared young Lady? what does this have to do with her?" His eyes when wide. 

" I think we should stay here a little bit longer, don't you think Young Master?"

" You're not answering my question" 

" Perhaps, I will tell you once the party ends. We should make a move by now"

" You're right. Let's get out from here" Earl put his hat back and walked towards the exit

" You're not saying good bye to the host,Young Master"

" There's no need to bit farewell to those who are going to visit the grave soon" Earl smiled when he said the word 'grave' as Sebastian manage to catch up with him.

" Young Master, about the juice before" Earl look back and faced Sebastian, waiting for him to finished his sentence " You're too young to drink that, Mi-lord" 

Earl face went dark. He stomped his feet and moved forward the door. Sebastian smiled as he manage to tease him for tonight.

Tonight, things are getting much more interesting than you think, Young Master