Court of Ambrose

House Guests

{Celeste’s POV}

I woke up to the sound of yelling downstairs, I listened quietly in the doorway. “I woke up and you were gone, so I came looking for you, then I smelled the smoke! You can’t blame me for freaking out jacka**!” A voice snapped.

I began walking out towards the stairs carefully. “Fine, just go back before you..” The floor creaked under my feet. “Sh**!” Another voice hissed, as I heard footsteps running away.

“Hello? Who’s there?” I began frantically calling out. I made my way down the stairs and stood in the middle of the living room. “Hello?” I whimpered, beginning to fear that someone was going to jump out at me. I turned on my heel and ran to the front door, it was locked. I checked the other doors and windows, all locked. I sighed, maybe I was just imagining things.. or maybe it happened in my dream and I thought it was real. I made my way back up the staircase before I heard another sound that stopped me in my tracks.

“f**k! Did you bite me again?” Someone groaned. I turned looking to see where it was coming from. I walked to the fireplace in the living room, and grabbed one of the fire pokers. I held it up and kept listening for another sound.

“Serves you right! Stop grabbing me, what’s going on anyways? Who is that?” I could hear someone talking, I followed the sound silently sliding my feet across the floor.

“It’s Marnie’s granddaughter, now shhh, before she hears us!” The other voice said. I followed the sound to a bookshelf, and began studying the shelf. Inside, behind a fake book, was a doorknob. I twisted it slowly, and opened it as quietly as I could.

“She’s not going to find us! Marnie built that bookshelf door for this reason, to keep people from finding us down here. She even told them that she had the basement filled in, relax Dayus, we’re fine down here!” I tiptoed down the stairs in front of me, and silently reached the bottom. Once there I saw an entire other house layout. There was a living room, a dining room, and in the back I could see a kitchen through a doorway. On a couch I could see two men talking to one another. One had long, black hair, it hung halfway down his back, and was pulled into a low ponytail. The other had shaggy, silver hair that hung right below his ears. Both of them had pale skin, and they were both huge. The silver haired one had to be at least 6’6, the one with black hair looked like he was 6’8. They both towered over my 5’0 frame, I slid back carefully against the wall trying to stay hidden.

I closed my eyes and gulped, my heart beginning to race. “Scratch that, she found us..” a voice erupted from right in front of me. I gasped, opening my eyes to see two very red eyes staring at me. The silver haired man was in front of me, leaning against the wall, his face mere inches from mine.

I head butted him, before turning and running up the stairs. “Owe, sh**!” I heard him say as I closed the bookshelf back and ran up to Nana’s room closing the door and locking it.

Soon I heard knocking on the door, and voice of the other man. “Celeste.. it’s okay, we’re not going to hurt you!” He said.

“W-Who are you? What are you doing here? What do you want?” I began frantically asking question after question.

“Well, it would be easier to answer your questions if you’d come out, and maybe ask them one at a time..” he answered.

“Come out there, with two strange men that are living in a secret house under my Nana’s house? Hmm, no, I’m good here, thanks.” I said, walking back to the fireplace.

He chuckled. “Yeah, I can understand you not wanting to come out here, maybe at least ask one question at a time then?” He asked.

“Fine.. who are you?” I asked.

“I’m Dayus, the man that you head butted is my brother Veryn. We’ve lived here for as long as we can remember, we met your grandmother years ago, she woke us up. She told us that we could stay, as long as we help out with the chores around the house.” He answered.

“H-How come I’ve never met you then?” I blurted out.

“We’re not supposed to come out of the basement until nighttime, that’s when she allowed us freedom to roam. It was usually until everyone was asleep, then we could come out.” He answered once again.

I sighed, pacing back and forth. “This doesn’t make any sense.. why would Nana keep you all in the basement? Why would she not tell me?”

“She left you a letter.. it’s on her bed, do you not see it?” He asked.

I looked to the bed, and sure enough, on her pillows lay an envelope with my name on it. “I-I see it.. hang on..” I said, walking over and grabbing it. I opened it carefully, and pulled out a letter.

The letter was definitely Nana’s, it was on her stationary, with her perfume, and in her handwriting. I stopped, holding it closer and breathing in her scent. Tears began to stream down my face, as I pulled the letter back and began to read it. “My dear Celeste, by now you’ve begun moving into the house. I had hoped that you’d come home before the end, but, I understand why you didn’t. I never wanted you to be alone, I always wanted you to be strong, and independent. I feel as though I caused a rift coming between you and Mason. Though, I still don’t like the boy, I understand now that you love him. I should have never come between that. I miss you my beautiful girl, and I’m sorry that we won’t be able to see each other again before I’m gone. I just want you to know how much I love you, and cherish you. When we lost your parents in that awful fire.. I lost a part of myself, and I was so afraid of losing you too. So instead, I kept you here, teaching you to be strong, and independent, but not really allowing you to be. I’m sorry for everything my girl, I hope that you can forgive me…” I stopped reading, tears pouring down my face.

“Nana.. I’m so sorry..” I cried out, pulling the letter to my chest. I cried, my body shaking, as I fell to the floor on my knees. “I’m so sorry..” I whimpered.