He opens the front gate of the yard and steps up to the front door, reaching for the doorknocker. The ring is styled with a snake wrapped around the metal knocker, and the candles hanging on either side of the door have the same design. A small flame flickers in each of the candleholders, along with one just inside the windowsill beside the door, and I catch motion within the house casting shadows along the walls.
Trey doesn’t appear worried, so why should I? The darkness is broken when our call is answered by a tall, heavily built woman dressed in a slim nightgown. Her eyes lighten at the sight of us as she ties a robe around her body. “What brings you two to my household?” She asks.
“We are looking for a place to stay tonight, mind if we rest here until morn'?” Trey asks politely.
“Of course, come in,” she opens the doors wider and motions for us to enter. I’m truly astounded by how large the house is inside as we enter after her. “I apologize for the mess; my children have forgotten to clean up their mess,” she explains, voice bright and cheerful. I expect her to act sleepy and grumpy after we just woke her, but instead she seems actually happy to have us visit.
Honestly, I find her house neat and tidy. Nothing is out of place, and instead it seems that she only occupies the house until we reach the second floor. As she motions to each of the doors, telling us which room is for who, children’s names are carved into the wood of each door. “May I ask what are your names?” She asks.
“I am Trey, a messenger,” he bows slightly to her. “And this is-”
“Let the girl speak for herself,” she waves him away and turns her wrinkly skinned face to me, looking down at me with her sparkling green eyes.
“N-Nicole,” I stammer as she shakes my hand.
“How nice to meet you. I am Mrs. Morde, but you may call me mother.”
“Oh, no, I’d much rather call you Mrs.-”
“Please, call me mother,” she puts more emphasis on the word this time, actually scaring me with it. Trey and I exchange a quick glance before she clears her throat and straightens up. “Dear me, look at the time, I must be getting to bed. Come, I will show you your rooms,” she ushers us down the hall toward the very end where she assigns us separate bedrooms, starting with Trey’s, first.
She unlocks his door, and just before I start in after him, she stops me. “Oh, no, you will not sleep in there with him. My daughter has been feeling quite lonely lately and wishes to have a sister to sleep with. Come along,” she scurries down the hall after closing Trey’s door with him inside and locking it.
Locking it?
I suddenly feel uncomfortable with it being just me and her. The house seems much larger without Trey beside me, and the shadows seem to follow me everywhere down every hall. They cast themselves across Mrs. Morde’s face, sending shivers down my spine as she opens her daughter’s door labeled ‘Wilsa’.
The door creaks open as the lady enters the room with me following close behind. “Piper, dear, I have brought you a friend…” she coos, sitting on the edge of the bed, which is large enough to fit three people with enough room for all.
“What does she call herself, mother?” A voice comes from beneath the covers, sounding much older than I expected.
“Nicole.” The covers come off and I find a grown woman under them, nearly ten or so years older than myself. Mrs. Morde turns to my surprised face, thinking nothing of it. “You will be fine here tonight, won’t you?” Her voice hardens near the end, as though daring me to say no. Unable to say anything, I nod numbly. “Good, sleep well, Nicole. I will wake you in the morning,” she pats my head as she exits.
