Forgotten Memories - Jennifer Newman (fiction book recommendations txt) 📗

Chapter One: Wednesday 7:30pm
Everything on the outside of the bricked house leads me to believe it was in every sense of the word abandoned. The steep looking pieces of wood falling over each other. Surrounded the over grown garden. Each piece making its own mark on the so called garden in front of the house. Oranging grass crossing the border line made by the slacking wood. Crossing the few feet it took to get to the vertical gate as it lay scattered and pitiful on the path winding its way up to the house itself.
Pausing there to oversee the front garden. Well what was left of the once glamorous carefully sculptured garden. Where there had once been thousands upon thousands of red roses lined up one after the other. Swaying back and forth each taking its own place in the dance. Now lay withered and decaying on the bottomless background. Breathing in the imprinted sweet smell of flowers and excitement at all the old fabulous parties that the rich owners must have thrown. Although long gone, the thoughts and memories would stick around.
Gathering weeds blooming out of the damp soil. The only thing besides myself that is still living. Alive and healthy in this garden. Taking those necessary steps forwards making my way well into the pining garden. All that is needed is some good care. With someone to take care of it.
The huge figure of the house stood before me. Dearing me to enter. Much like a play ground bully playing with his pray. Keeping them at a safe distance for his plan to be put into order. The body of the house looming way above my head as I came nearer and nearer. The chill of the unknown started to play at my skin bringing goose bumps to its surface. I continued to make my way along the cobbled path. The stones jutting up heavily in random places under my feet creating many obstacles for my heeled shoes. I walk the walk hundreds before me have taken. Under different circumstances than mine; with joy and excitement for a soon to start party or banquet. Young lady’s sneaking off to find their soul mates in places their parents would never approve. Each telling their particular story. Own point; own thoughts; own wonders. Stopping in front of the paint peeling door. The grand structure standing around the double doors.
Stone pillars holding their own against a huge slab of stone applying its whole weight on two stone pillars. I could almost hear the sound of groaning at the pressure of the slabs weight was forced to carry. The job it has been obliged to do from the start of this building to the end. The only thing still keeping its duty in this disastrous disgrace of a once popular monument. As you can see I’ve done my homework.
My attention turning back to the door. Playing an even different part of the story I must find. I raised my hand to the door. Feeling the ruff surface crumble under my hand; paint flying to the ground as I gave a large push. The door didn’t move. Again and again I tried; the creaking of the door drowned out any other sound.
I could just picture when this house had once been at its best, embedded with laughter and class. People coming from all over to visit, while the maids hurriedly rushed to the door and back again to their assigned duties. The door swinging open effortlessly with each push. No effort needed then.
Using the balls of my feet I leaned up determined not to be undermined by a door that had out lived me by hundreds of years. When it became apparent that the door really was not going to open. Sealed with age. I took a few steps backwards making my way back onto the path I had taken to make my way up to the house. Each step taking me there me further and further away from finding out the really reason for my departure here. What was it I had to know?
I turned to face the way I had just come at the exact moment my foot came in contact with the paved ground. After taking a few feet back into the garden of choice I court a glimpse of something green. In any other circumstance I wouldn’t have thought anything of it; in this garden however everything was deceased and no longer being taken care of like it would have back when the house was at its best. Savants running wild around the garden taking any sign of the deadly weeds from their masters pots. Feeding each plant its own feed no longer allowing the slightest sight of death anywhere near their beloved garden. There was a job to be done then. Not anymore.
The breeze steadily picked up making strands of bright red fly crazily round my head. Pulling my coat tighter around my petite frame as I stopped looking back up at the house. Grabbing hold of my hair and yanking it out of my face as the wind blew on. Specs of frozen water started to plummet down leaving the plants glistening around me. All thoughts of whatever the green thing had been flew out of my mind as I rushed back to the cover of the heavily slab of stone hovering above the double doors. Of course this now meant I was stuck here but really I didn’t think hanging around here till the rain eased off would hurt.
I would find some way of getting inside the house another time. When more information on what had drawn me here comes to light. Until then I was stuck here. Late for my first dinner at Aunt Tess’s. Well they say first impressions always count..... No use brooding about something unfixable it’s not like I want to be here. Okay harsh it’s not her fault I would make it up to her later....
Resting my back on the cold crumbling but solid door I close my eyes. Only a month ago I had been in London planning a holiday to Greece with my two best friends from photographic club. Well I say club but really it is more like my life! Even the thought made my hands itch to pull out my camera; taking photo after photo of the new scenery. Scenery I had not yet seen through the lens of a camera. Everything looks so different and magical through the eye of a lense. I sighed remembering I had left my camera in the car when I had dramatically exited the vehicle after the crazy feeling I got and needed to follow. The feeling was rare and something that usually leads to answers; leading me to follow my gut to this grand house with its desolate appearance and untold story hidden within. Okay how did I even know that? It’s like any other house that has been abandoned for a long period of time. Well someone’s letting their imagination run away with them today.
Reopening my eyes to find a shadowed figure standing only feet away from me was the biggest fright I have had in a long time. I muffled my scream as my aunt came nearer soaked to the skin; hair plastered to her sculpt with a worried; turning annoyed expression on her face. Okay I deserved that big time.
As Aunt Tess ushered me out of my cover and into the still pouring rain. Dripping down on my hair as it hang limp on my shoulders as it instantly soaked up the wet substance falling heavily from the sky. I followed my Aunt out of the garden with all its fresh soil and droplet covered grass and onto the pavement I had rushed down only minutes before. On a spare of the moment feeling that had turned out leading to a dead end.
I would love to be in Greece right now. Where the ‘telling off’ from my Aunt for ‘running off’ on my second day here. Would only be a distant memory, one that I myself would not actually have to live. As we made our way round the winding streets I noticed more and more of the scenery I had missed on my dash from the car to the house. The beautiful gardens on either side each with its own history leading back to when it was still a hole in the ground. Family’s moving in and out of town making their own mark on the place.
My heeled shoes made loud clacking noises as I made the walk of shame back round the corner; where Aunt Tess had hurriedly parked the car. I had better apologize the feeling of stupidity was finally pushing its full weight onto me as I walked taking the slow march back to the car. Well I say car it is more like a van. Okay a land rover to be exact but I was used to small fancy cars driven by spoiled money laden teens with dogs the size of small bags. To be fair the dogs them self were amazingly cute, not like I’d say anything to them though.....
“Sorry Aunt Tess. That was stupid. Won’t happen again.” I spoke clearly holding my head up in a way I had seen millions of other proud girls my age do only with no pride in my posture. Only shame trying to show threw my poker face.
“That’s okay Honey. Just get in the car before you catch your death!” my Aunts expression had softened as soon as I had started saying sorry well amazingly badly I had the annoying blessing of a sarcastic tone with whatever I said. Thankfully my Aunt had not picked up on it so it would not much of a problem.
I put one foot on the open door frame making sure the heel of my shoes didn’t touch the neat paint job; pulling myself up with my hands and landing heavily on the leather seats. In all I think that was pretty elegant for someone who is wearing four inch stilettos getting into a van/car that is two feet off the ground. Who am I kidding, an elephant could have done it better!
“All righty. Let’s get back to the warmth ay.” Aunt Tess grinned as she heaved herself much more easily into the front driver’s seat of the land rover; grinning over at me while turning the key in the ignition and pulling us into reverse.
I hated driving. Especially on bumpy roads in a huge car that jumped at the slighted dump in the road. I lost count of the times my head hit the roof of the beast making my heart beat like crazy. I squeezed my eyes closed willing the ride to be over as soon as possible.
The brown covered beast came to an abrupt stop. Slamming me forwards then plummeting back again as my Aunt stomped on the brakes. My hands had balled into fists as the journey took to its full extent. I prized my fingers away from the door handle stretching them gingerly before replacing them back to open the door and scramble my way back out backwards using only the balls of my feet to stumble my way down and onto the pebbled path. I learnt yesterday that taking the left path that looked less likely to be the place I was supposed to be heading, turns out it wasn’t. The summer house had come into view looking new and modern which was the exact