Fallen Chapter Seven

 

                           Chapter Seven

 

 The transporter, a very old and decrepit old man with sun tanned skin that hung off of his face, led us to a very old manor on the east side of Jackson. The humidity in Jackson was like breathing water. I could not drag in a good enough breathe so I was wheezing in the back seat of the white Ford Econoline van. Derik was in the front seat with the old man, he had insisted on driving but the old man was very insistent that he drives and no one else. Derik now sat in stony silence uncomfortable with doing nothing. Sitting on the seat next to me Cooper had his arm around my shoulders, smirking as I wheezed in my breaths.

 “Don’t you like the humidity?” He asked.

 “Yeah if I liked to drink my air, how come you aren’t wheezing?”

   “This is my home town; I’ve lived here my whole life, well until I was assigned to you. What I can’t stand is all that rain.” He made a face, probably remembering how wet this year had been. 

 “You’re from Jackson? I did not know that.”

 “Yep, lived over on the west side; far from the nice houses and businesses of the East end.”

  I was feeling more than a little anxious about meeting the other Falling Stars, what if they were disappointed. What if I am not what they expected?

    “They know who you are Kennley. They have seen many photos of you, including video. You are exactly what they are looking for, me included.” His smile was almost painful it was so beautiful and I could not help but believe him. I was a little taken aback at the thought of these strangers watching video of me but I was more shocked that Cooper hadn’t told me sooner that he had taped me doing god knows what.

    “Okay, if you say so,” I kissed him on the cheek and took in another wheezing breath to calm my nerves.

   “We have…arrived.” The old man paused in the middle of his sentence to take in a shaky breath. I guessed I was not the only one who could not breathe in this weather.

   “Damn humidity…..I can’t stand Jackson.” The old man was climbing out of the van, standing on knobby, stick think legs, as he hurried to help me out. Why he would think I needed help was beyond me but he gave me a serious expression so I allowed him to help.

   The old manor was beautiful, with veins of ivy covering every inch of the ground floor, the paned glass windows glowing in the late afternoon sun. The old columns were a startling white, the same green veins crawling up towards the sky.

 We walked up the stone front steps towards the antique oak double doors. The old man reached the doorknocker before Derik and knocked twice, the sound echoing through the entire house.

   It was several minutes later when an even older looking woman answered the door.

   “Albert, your home!” The old woman crowed at the old man. She hobbled forward and embraced Albert in a gentle but secure hug, her knuckle going white with the effort of holding him to her.

 “Of course….I’m back you crazy old bird. I will always come home to you.” The old woman had released Albert and was leading the way in to the old manor.

   Derik wished us good-bye with a promise to see us at dinner and headed up the grand staircase that dominated to center of the room.

   The inside of the manor was even more astonishing than the outside. Besides the grand staircase, there were huge hangings over the paned windows, gold and red curtains that hung to the floor, the room to the right of the staircase had large black couches in an ‘L’ shape with a large flat screen TV mounted to the wall. There was only one window in the room but it dominated to center of the wall, the same gold and red curtains over the paned glass. The room to the left was a dining room, it had a huge ten-person table in the center, the black wood gleamed in the dim light.

 Cooper could see my bewildered expression and chuckled. I snapped my mouth shut in embarrassment and looked down.

   “Sylvia will show you to your room. Cooper…you already know where yours is.” Albert was heading to a hallway behind the grand stairs that I had not noticed was there, waving his hands in the air and mumbling something about the humidity.

 I made a face at the knowledge that Cooper and I would not be able to share a room; Sylvia noticed the face and gave me a pointed look. I quickly rearranged my expression remembering that Cooper and I were not supposed to be together. Rules.

 “I will see what I can do about the sleeping arrangements but for now just go unpack and rest until the meeting tonight with the others.” Cooper leaned in and kissed me softly on the lips before walking away down the same hall as Albert. I could feel my face blush a deep red as I followed Sylvia up the grand-staircase.

 Sylvia had showed me to the fourth floor landing and then pointed down the hall, telling me that my room would be the third door on the right.

   “I must get back to the kitchen and finish the dinner. You would not believe how much food everyone eats. Especially Cooper, he out eats us all.” Sylvia said chuckling as she started to descend the stairs.

   I timidly walked to the third door, suddenly scared about what I would find in the room. I reminded myself that these people were supposed to be like family and forced my hand to open the antique looking door. What I found inside was not what I expected. The room was beautiful, a four-poster bed stood in the center of the room, a black comforter hanging off the end with red satin sheets covering the mattress, a large vanity made of what looked like black oak wood stood across from the bed with an assortment of silver brushes arranged on the left hand side of the top. A paned glass window on the far wall, the same gold and red curtains hanging to the floor, stood open to allow in a late afternoon breeze. I did not know what to do in the immaculate room, I did not want to disturb the order of things but glancing again at the queen-sized bed my need for a good nap in a real bed over ruled all other emotions. I hurried over to the side of the bed and jumped, allowing my body to mold to the contours of the pillow topped mattress.

 I was trailing my hands over the smooth texture of the satin sheets when a male’s bass voice sounded from the door.

    “Nice aren’t they? The Falling Stars sure do know how to live it up.”

 

         

Reviews

[Ron B]

You go girl.

[ShadowWolf]

Very nice way to end this chapter!

[Xfaerie corpseX]

DAng it!

What the heck?!


how could you do that lol?


no im j/k, but i wanna know who that guy is. OH! I KNOW


ITS THE MAN WITH THE TEETH!!!!


IT IS ISN'T IT!!!

AWESOME!


I LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE YOUR STORY!!!!




:D