ACT 5 - My Brother and I

chapter 5

I didn't expect to wake up so early. When I went down the stairs, nobody was around. What time is it anyways?

I glanced at the grandfather clock at the end of the hall and saw that it was just 5:00. Geez, what a nightmare.

Walking slowly and quietly around the main hall, I looked at every slightly opened door from left to right, searching for something I don't even know myself. When I got close to the entrance door, I heard whispers on the right room - the lounge.

"I'm so happy to see you, my dear!" I'm sure this voice belonged to my grandma. Who is she talking to? Could it be...?

"We hope this would be a fruitful contest, mother." Another woman's voice I don't know replied.

"Your SISTER is very talented, you know, dear? She's really good at shooting long guns and handles her skills well. I hope you can also show me your real talent, my dear." LONG GUNS?! THEY ARE SPECIFICALLY CALLED RIFLES!!! GET IT! JUST GET!!! D:<

I snuck up the door, trying to hide on the side as best as I could. I hope they don't see the skirt of my long nightgown... (=u=) I tried to look inside to see who were in the room. And I can see that my grandma's there, a woman in a long blue dress together with a young man with blonde hair was also there. Is that guy my brother?

Apparently being a little bit curious, I stared at them for a while, until I sensed that one of them was gonna look out here and find me, so I pulled myself back together and silently walked away. Whoever they were, it's not gonna make me ponder any less. My guess is that they were my enemies. And I could feel it.

+---000---+



Going back to my room, I changed my clothes and wore the best dress that I brought -  my light-pink ruffled dress layered with frills and laces. (^_^) I fixed my kinda long black hair into a bun and pinned a rose hair clip to it.

"What the hell?" I sighed as I looked at the mirror. I fixed my 3/4 puffed-up sleeves and tied the laces of my high-heeled brown boots. No one might notice this, but there's a small gun hidden in my right boot. Hah. In case anyone starts a fight, they won't know what's coming to them. (*u*)

"VERA, time for breakfast!" My dad called me from his room just across mine.

"Yeah, I got it!" I went down with my dad and we headed to the dining room, where we met the new visitors, my brother, and his mom. It was just as I thought they were.

My grandma was at the head of the table, like yesterday; my dad sat beside that OTHER woman on the right side; while I sat beside this guy who seems to be very good-looking. IS THIS GUY REALLY MY BROTHER?!

"Vera, dearest, meet your older brother, Edgar." She pointed at him - the guy on my right.

He looked at me with his beautiful brown eyes. I also looked at him, but after 3 seconds, I looked away, somehow blushing. Oh my gothic.

GWAAH!!! XD He's so handsome!!!

"I'm 25 years old. It's nice to meet you, Vera," he said and smiled at me. Oh gob, I can't look at him straight to the eye!!! What the heck is wrong with me?! (>///<)

"It's a pleasure to meet you too, umm... Big bro...?" I wonder, would it be odd if I called him "big bro" 'cuz I'm kind of weirded out by our fist meeting. I haven't seen him since the day I was born, and I think I shouldn't call him my brother yet since we don't really know much about each other... So... What now? "Ah- is it okay to call you that?" Take away all the haste.

He chuckled. "Call me Edgar, Vera," he said.

Ah, was that tone...? "O-alright." (^_^) He may be my blood-related brother, but I don't and can't feel that way about him... He's got this different energy that makes me feel so... Confused? Ugh, my dad is seriously gonna get it.

THEREFORE, TO SUM SOME THINGS UP, EDGAR IS MY 3 YEARS OLDER BROTHER, HEIR TO MY GRANDMA'S LANDS & MONEY; A PROFESSIONAL ?

Hmm, I'm not yet so sure about his job descriptions yet. I'm gonna ask some time in the future...



+---000---+


The maids served us our food, and thank heavens it wasn't the traditional Russian cuisine again. They made tea - Earl Grey, my favorite - but it seems that Edgar asked for a cup of espresso... They cooked crab and mango salads with Oriental dressings; Asian style spaghetti; and eggplant in miso sauce. How wonderful.

After the meal, I went out to the front yard and strolled around the path of the statues again, where I found a small cottage at the near end before the wide and thick bricked wall.

"Woah..." I wandered around the cottage. It's very beautiful, actually. Flowers were arranged on each side of its roof; vines were hanging on its walls; a mini-garden was built around it. Since I built up curiosity of whatever was inside it, I decided to go in.

Opening the door, I discovered an abandoned home: dusty tables and chairs, cobwebs and dirty floors, and picture frames on the table at the left. I looked closer at those pictures, but it was just too messy to see what's in them.

"Hahh... This place needs peace. I can't believe grandma would leave this shabby cottage. It's really beautiful if only..." I noticed something awful, and hell it stunk. I looked at the far away backdoor and saw a- YUCK! GROSS! WHAT THE HECK?!

"A DECAYING... BODY?!" Traumatized, I ran outside, and breathed for air. I couldn't stand the stench. It's the first time I have seen something like that IN MY WHOLE LIFE!

I think I have just discovered something so awful - what was grandma doing with that body? Oh my gothic.

Panting, I left the whole thing away, and strolled again in the path of statues, observing what maze I might be able to create in them. Statues of different people from the Wolff family(I think), different royal people of Russia(like the statue of Tsar Nicolas I saw on the day I arrived here) here and there, left, right, back, front - there were even trees and bushes and shaped shrubs. The ground was covered in grass and pebbles in some sides, but most of it was left plain.

I kept on thinking of a way to end my boredom, and this idea popped out of my mind: TALK TO EDGAR.

"Ugh, no way, dude! He's too handsome!" I shouted at myself. HOPE NO ONE HEARD ME.

I sat on the bench at the covered front porch and waited for another idea to come by. I shook my head. Nope. Nothing's coming into me. Just EDGAR, EDGAR, EDGAR. I've got a feeling that I should get to know him better, and to know what his past was like without a father. I'm sure he knows the reason why dad would leave his family for another woman, and I wish to ask him that. But... Considering the situation, he might decline.

He's too handsome by the way... Did I say "too handsome"? No I think I didn't say "too handsome"... It's just that HE'S TOO HANDSOME!

I know I'm beautiful and a lot of guys tried to steal my heart in the past, but... I found my one true man, I guess...And I am hell sure that I'll see him once again! Just as soon as I finish this business... I'll start searching for my true love, and definitely happiness will come!!!

I leapt and fell on the floor when the front door suddenly opened and scared the hell out of me. Oh my gothic, what a pleasant surprise... I thought I wouldn't get an opportunity to speak with him, that EDGAR.

He stared at me, surprised. I think I'm in a funny position with my rock n' roll sign and my leg up high. "Are you okay?" He asked me.

Of course red horse! "Ah- yes, I am..." I arranged myself and sat back on the bench. Why is he here, anyways? Get away from here, or else I'll tear your guts out.

"Did I startle you?" He came near me.

I shook my head. "N-no, you didn't... It's fine now, really..." I smiled. With that "no, you didn't" part, it was a lie. Why else would I jump with my rock n' roll?

"What are you doing here alone? Grandma's talking about our contest, just so you know," he said and sat beside me.

"Oh really? Well, I wouldn't really care since I'm good at what I do..." Show him a bit of pride, Vera... Show him!

"I see." He smiled and offered me his hand. "It's a pleasure to meet you again, Vera."

GAH! GET OUT OF MY FACE! GET IT! JUST GET!!! (=A=)

Ignoring my crazy inner soul, I took his hand, and it was like he gave me an electric shock! My heart is pounding, my heart is pounding!!! (O///O) I can't take it anymore! He's just so handsome!!!

"I wish we'd get along well, okay, Edgar?" We shook hands.

"The pleasure's all mine." He smirked. GRAAH!!! (>///<)

+---000---+

The next day, at lunch, I showed Edgar my sniping skills using my favorite rifle and did a shooting at the statues. He just stood there watching beside me, speechless and very amazed at what I - a girl - can do.

"So what're your special skills, Edgar?" I asked him after doing a perfect headshot at Princess Diana's statue.

 He took a while to answer me, but he simply said: "Business," and smiled. What the heck, man? Is that it? What kind of animal is he?

I was offering him to shoot with my gun 'cuz I wanted to see him do it, even just once, but since he just wouldn't accept, I asked him out of annoyance, "Just how manly are you?" He first let out a snicker and told me that he's at least 50% man. Geez, does that mean he's- ugh.

The day ended with my brother and I strolling the labyrinth, and I also showed him what was hidden inside the cottage. I didn't get to say anything about my dad, but oh well... It doesn't matter. I hope I can beat him. Bwahahaha. :)