Deacon's Manor

1 • beginnings

"New beginnings are often disguised as painful endings." - Lao Tzu

          Car horns blared, as the sound of tires skidding to a brisk stop neared me. The smell of burnt rubber hung in the air as the rasped curses of a male driver rang in my ears. I stared wide-eyed as the high beams of the car before me, stung my eyes. I waved my hand, signaling him off, and proceeded to cross the street. Water had soaked through the thin fabric of my runners. I really need to buy boots. Maybe with my next paycheck. I tugged my waterproof coat tighter around my waist. The hood of my coat hung low over my forehead, as I walked down the crowded sidewalk. With one hand I brushed wet strands of hair away from my face. With each day that passed, walking home from work became more and more of a chore. But, I needed the money. It was a waste for me to use my money for a cab though, especially since the traffic only made it more expensive. Cabbing home was a luxury and was only saved for special occasions. And so, most days of the year I would walk, rain or shine. Ugh, I really need to find a new umbrella too. The very thought made my eyes roll.

          Soon enough, I neared my apartment building. Reaching into the deep pocket of my coat, I clutched the cluster of keys in my hand and quickly picked through them until I found the correct match to the lock. I unlocked the glass door and stepped out from the shower of rainwater.

My nose must've been red from the cold, as I was already sniffling. Stray pieces of wet, dark hair stuck to my flushed cheeks. My hood dripped water onto the dingy brown carpet of the lobby. I hummed in delight as the warm temperature of the building enveloped me. Before walking further, I wiped my shoes on the doormat, which was honestly pointless since the rainwater had already soaked them through to the soles. I sighed and walked and made my way towards the front desk.

          "Why, hello there Miss Adelaide. Lovely weather we're havin', huh?" grinned the doorman.

          "Oh, hey Mark. Yeah, the weather is just wonderful," I replied sarcastically. "Any mail for me today?", Mark clicked his tongue and turned around looking through the mailboxes. "Ah! Yes, here it is, Gabriella Adelaide." he read aloud.

          He grabbed a hoop of keys, each the same rusted grey. The old doorman quickly unlocked the metal box and retrieved a small black envelope. He locked it back up and turned around, handing me the envelope. I stared down grazing my damp fingertips over the top of the paper. My name was scrawled across in delicate loops of white ink. I was perplexed by the peculiar style of envelope and writing. I looked up and thanked the white-haired man and smiled at his kind face.

I made my way to the elevator and entered. The number 3 lit up on the small screen above the elevator doors. The ringing of a bell signaled my arrival to the designated floor. I moved down the corridor until I reached my suite. Suite 325. I immediately entered my apartment and slipped off the wet coat, hanging it on the hook next to the door. I placed the envelope on the kitchen island and continued to take off my drenched runners. 

Picking up the black envelope, I made my way into the living area. I tore open the top and slipped out a letter. The letter was black, similar to the envelope, and was written in white ink. Well, that's a little strange. They must've spent a fortune getting this kind of stationary. I mean who writes with white ink? I squinted down at the delicate font and sat down the couch. Huh, good penmanship too. I began to read:

           Gabriella Adelaide,

          Due to unfortunate circumstances, we regret to inform you that your Aunt, Agnes Adelaide, has passed. Her passing has undergone various investigations and testing, however, no evidence has determined a cause of death. The police have done everything in their power to investigate her death, though yielding inconclusive results. Unfortunately, we could not notify you sooner, due to the fact that we had no knowledge of any other existing relatives. As soon as we discovered your name in her will, we immediately searched for contact information. According to your aunt's will, Agnes has requested that you inherit her wealth. This includes her finances and everything that is in her name, as well as her former residence Deacon's Manor. She also requested that you decide to reside in the Manor in order that you maintain the structure of the land's tenants and staff. All requests are mandatory, according to her will.