Crazy House

Chapter 5: Welcome to Hell...Uh, I Mean Arrington Manor

Chapter 5

I take a hesitant step through the threshold, suddenly very aware that I am barefoot. The beautiful rug under my feet tickles my toes and for a desperate second I fear I may be tracking mud on to what must be a hundred year old rug. A quick look down relieves my panic, but seriously though, I would be the person to ruin a priceless antique. The butler gives me a look that somehow manages to be mildly amused and utterly uninterested at the same time.

"Follow me madam" says the jaded butler. He takes off down the hall at a surprising rate for an old man and I scramble to keep up. As we fast walk through the house, I take in the impressive décor. Gorgeous stain glass windows cast colorful shapes on the floor and breathtaking mahogany panels cover the walls, interrupted only by red damask wallpaper and portraits of dour looking families.

We reach a set of gigantic doors and the butler opens them to reveal an impressive parlor filled with people. Everyone goes quiet as they take me in, and based on my appearance in the mirror across the room, I can't blame them. I still wear my hospital gown and the paper wristband around my wrist; my feet are bare and dirty and my ratty tangled hair hangs around my sallow face. Honestly, can I be more of stereotypical mental patient?

"Master Elias," The butler says, breaking the silence. "Miss Juliette Rivers has arrived." And with that he leaves the room, shutting the doors behind him and leaving me to face the curious, if not frightened, eyes alone. As soon as the doors shut, the whispering begins; and I don't mean the psychotic whispers of the voices in my head, I would gladly take that over the judgment I am most definitely receiving.

Having spent any and all time a normal girl would have had to learn what to do in this situation in a mental hospital; I resort to the tactic I use when I like to freak out the nurses. Ever so slowly, I sway back and forth with the slightest grin on my face. The whispering begins to die down as they stare at me with fascinated horror, but when I begin to hum "Ring Around the Rosie" the quiet is instantaneous. Just as I am getting to the end, someone walks behind and whispers in my ear.

"And we all fall down," he says it just loud enough for everyone to hear; a few people laugh nervously, but most are unsure how to respond so the silence remains. I turn around to face a young man with lightly tanned skin and slightly messy chestnut hair. I can't help but notice how his t-shirt stretches against his broad shoulders and shows off the Celtic tattoo on his massive bicep.

"You stole the ending." I say with innocent eyes.

He smirks, amusement twinkling in his green eyes. "I couldn't help it; the ending is the best part." I struggle not to laugh and he winks at me which of course causes my cheeks to automatically turn pink. "So you must be Juliette. I'm Elias; you met my grandfather Professor Arrington this afternoon. My cousin Ryder and I will be helping out the prospective interns."

I give Elias a big smile and shake his hand, "It's nice to meet you Elias." Once everyone realizes I was not actually a psycho killer, the tension in the room evaporates quite quickly.

"Hey Juliette, where's Romeo?" asks a smug girl sitting about five feet away. Everyone starts laughing and she tosses her bleach blond over her shoulder.

"I don't know why don't you find him yourself Blondie?" I respond, incredibly confused and annoyed by the laughter. How the hell am I supposed to know where Romeo is, much less who this Romeo person even is. I just got here for crap's sake.

Blondie gives me a withering look before turning back to the small screen in her hand that I am pretty sure is a phone, although it looks nothing like the phones I remember.
I roll my eyes and look back at Elias, who gives me an amused smile.