Chemical Poison . Howard Stark

Chapter 36, Part 2

Behind a polished glass window, Anneliese Lorenz said goodbye to her parents. Neither smiled at her. Both spotting a rather grim expression as they waved goodbye to their only daughter. And as the strange car her Uncle provided them, she watched them disappear from view.

For another few seconds she stared. Unable to stop her eyes from looking at the now empty road. All she could see was the gravel, a bunch of red and white flowers, and the maids and security walking up and down the courtyard. It was a luxurious lifestyle if the danger didn't make itself so known.

As for the thing with teeth was always nearby.

It consumed her, destroyed her and was always present. It wasn't seen but always listened too. The thing with teeth made darkness its own - night had never looked so bright in comparison. And it followed her everywhere... even to her Uncles estate. A place even monsters feared.

Turning around silently, Anneliese searched for it. The looming dark room completely filled with grand portraits and bright red curtains held no such monster. For once, and maybe for the first time, Anneliese was the biggest monster in the room.

With the click-click-click of her polished shoes, Anneliese made pace towards the sitting room for afternoon tea. Her mood was gone, absent, and completely missing. She was a shell to be cracked; yoke-less for the baker. Tougher stuff have been made but Anneliese sure strived to be the best.

So she continued walking. Past the servants that lowered their head as she passed. Never glancing at the framed knifes on the wall, knowing very well she would not want to read whoever's name was engraved in gold on the metal frames. She walked at the same pace even as she past her other uncles - the ones she didn't know the names of nor were of any importance to the Lorenz heir. Her head did not drop as conversation stopped as she entered the sitting room.

Much like most of Schmidt estate, the room was cold to the bone. Colour was only found in the red curtains and golden engravings on frames. Knives were decorations and teacup designs were the foundations of power. Within one small room she could feel it all: anger, betrayal and lies.

Trailing her eyes to the man of the moment, the monster of the house, she bowed her head. Raising her eyebrow to ask silently if she could sit down... she waited until he smiled with his toothy smile. The whole act of entering a room was over the top and dramatic.

But her Uncle wasn't known for his dramatics for nothing.

Sitting down on the red velvet ottoman because all other seats were all taken up by strange men she didn't recognise. She sat silently. Not touching the tea she was served until her Uncle took a sip. Conversation flowed as it always did; a meretriciously planned waltz of business, politics and the gossip on the street.

It would be another hour before her name is mentioned, well technically her parents, but her name nonetheless.

"My sister and her husband are on a trip to Berlin," Johann mused as he took a sip of his tea. He didn't continue until he placed the red and black teacup onto the small glass table in front of him. "I sent Josef to the Universities to source out the best of the next generation."

The room grew silent, Anneliese stayed neutral.

Now, she was addressed. "I believed Josef to be incompetent, but he's done the impossible with their little daughter." He smiled.

The man smiled with his teeth.

"Anneliese, tell the men what you learnt last week in your lessons."

Sighing, Anneliese brushed her skirt before she spoke clearly. The same way her mother had been teaching her ever since she could speak. She over pronounced letters, accentuated certain words and always in a higher pitch when surrounded by men. It was a skill of life and death; her mother said it was what made luxury and danger equal to one another.