Chapter 91Closing Circle

The streets were quiet. This late Sunday evening was like a center of peace in the busy days of late. I walked streets I dared not walk for such a long time. In a way I was surprised the house hadn't been sold already, but I'm sure my parents had a reason. They didn't need the money and perhaps they wanted to keep it for themselves for later.

Even if they sometimes gave the impression they didn't like grandmother. Like the bracelet, but somehow they also kept everything they had from her kind of hidden away. Maybe it hurt them too much to think of her. Did they love her so much?

I looked at the keys I had never held in my hand before. Keys to my past, keys to my present and maybe even keys to my future. Such poetic thinking lately. I should get an empty book and fill it with my writings. Hmmm... Yes. Sitting on the roof or hidden somewhere. Writing in a dark corner, telling the story of my strange life.

A grim smile. Yes, an idea for later.

First my grandmother's house. It loomed in the darkness but still felt welcome. Such a beautiful old house, large tall windows and wooden window sills. A high roof that made for a large and roomy attic and a rain-pipe that had been some of the practice for climbing. Not that I ever had to escape from that house, but it was too much fun to resist.

The garden was a bit overgrown but not as much as one would expect. So someone did maintain it, if not too often. The path made a slight double curve toward the front door, lit only by the street and the moon. But it was more then enough for me to navigate my way to the thick wooden door. A sticker reminded me the house was guarded by an alarm system. But something told me it was disabled.

Was I expected?

I unlocked the door, opened it and went in. Noiselessly. Something told me to lock it behind me again. Giving in to that instinct I locked it silently behind me and went in. For some strange reason the house actually looked smaller inside. The rooms were all well-divided and there was no center hall or anything. Just a simple corridor ending up in a stairway going up and a door toward the cellar.

Where to go?

I remembered there was a library downstairs so I looked that up, next to the living room. Divided with the corridor with a glass-paned door. Glass in lead. Very beautiful, even in this near-darkness. Opening the door soundlessly, kind of surprised it didn't creak ominously, I stepped into the library.

The curtains were open, allowing light from outside to shine in. Dark wood, many books, even a small ladder to help you get the higher ones. As a child I had read some of the books here. Most of them fantasy, legends or myths. Now that I thought on it, she had quite an extensive library within certain subjects. All of them had kind of dark side to them. Myths of the underworld, monsters, dark legends. But all so fascinating to a little girl.

For a moment I could see myself reading in the corner on the large sofa, book on my lap in the sunlight. Reading and feeling the adventures and stories that were within. The oceans, mountains and flats I traveled, the people I met. So much more real sometimes, than those outside. I felt so safe back then. A tear rolled down my cheek, not one of pain but just a memory so warm that it deserved that extra touch. It helped me smile.

Noise upstairs.

Up one floor, bedroom, guestroom, bathroom and more. Wait... Lights on in the study-room. I remember grandmother sitting there, knitting or sewing. Making stuff for herself with a gentle pleasure if she wasn't reading. So many memories. But I couldn't see in. These doors were simple, wooden doors. No glass. Someone walking in the room. Did he only turn the light on a minute ago?

To the attic.

Soundlessly I sneaked upstairs, the final flight of stairs up to the attic and let myself in. Thankfully the hatch didn't creak at all when I pushed it open. Ah, the attic. The place of adventures and dreams. Hide and seek, costumes, old closets and lots of other little things that I played with. Dresses, wigs, stuffed animals, old toys. I had a half-mind to keep the key to this place and return here another time.

Not a bad idea.

As I looked around I noticed some light coming from the floor below. There was a knothole big enough to look through into the upstairs study room.

I shuffled closer, taking care not to make any noise. I heard noise as if someone had opened a window and someone stepped in. Two people now. Both men. Their breathing was calm and relaxed. Familiar somehow.

"Thanks for coming so soon." That was Janus, but there was something different about his voice. He must be standing near the window, just out of my sight. But now that had to focus on his voice alone I could swear I had heard it somewhere before. But where...

"I'm sure it was important. The last time you called on me was years ago." That voice...

That deep voice.

Afentis.