Shining Hill

Chapter 5

"Want to talk about it?" Zander asked, knowing that it must have been worse than Annette made it seem.

Annette felt a chill go across her shoulders and her hairs on her arms stood up. She shivered and shook her head, refusing to look at her brother.

Zander sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose, his chest tightening in frustration as he tried not to hit the doorframe.

"Look, you don't need to go back to sleep, but I want to. If you want to talk about it later, then okay, but next time please don't fucking wake me up at five o'clock in the morning," he sent a glare at her.

Annette glanced, gave him a short nod, and he closed the door, leaving Annette alone in the hallway.

Annette stood there a few seconds before walking down the hall and down the stairs. Zander could hear the creaking of the wooden floor as his sister walked away and, now that he was awake, he was very aware of every sound that the old house made. The sounds let his mind wandering and his heart racing. Zander laid on his back and glared at the ceiling, being able to hear people downstairs and the house settling above him.

"Fuck," he growled in frustration.

Annette could not hear the sounds the Zander could hear. She just heard her soft breath and the slight creaking of the floorboards beneath her. Annette was still not used to the layout of the house. Most houses were easy, but this house reminded Annette of a maze. There were twists and turns and hallways that led to no-where.

After going down another hallway that lead to a dead end with only a closet, Annette began to wonder if this was structurally feasible and whether or not she will ever be able to find down stairs. Frustration seeped through her and she started down the way she had come again until she was at a split in the hallway. Annette looked both ways before she felt another cold draft waft across her shoulders. Her head snapped in the direction of the draft, startled by the cold, and she blink. It came again, the chill coming from the same direction, and Annette had a feeling that was the direction she should take. By following this hallway and she eventually found one of the stairways that led downstairs, since there were three ways to get to the ground floor, and she ended up right in the kitchen.

Annette was mildly surprised to see that the kitchen lights were on and Nona was moving around the kitchen. The kettle on the stove began to whistle and something smelt good, but Annette didn't know where it was coming from.

When Annette had come into the kitchen, Nona looked at her and smiled before taking the steaming kettle off the stove. Nona then began to pour the hot water into two cups that had already been sitting on the counter.

"Good morning, Annette. What tea do you like? I have all sorts," Nona said cheerfully as she set the kettle back onto the stove and moved the cups to the island that Annette had found a seat at.

"Good morning," Annette murmured, accepting the cup of hot water as Nona set her mug on the island before going to a cabinet and taking out a variety of teas. "How did you know?"

Nona smiled brightly at her niece as she set the teas down on the island.

"Lucky guess."

Nona grabbed an earl grey tea bag and seeped it in her hot water. Annette hesitantly grabbed a plain black tea bag and placed it into her cup. Annette watched as the tea colored the water, and Nona didn't try to start up a conversation as she handed Annette a spoon.

"Sugar or honey?" Nona said.

Annette considered this, and then she rubbed her throat that she had just realized was sore.