pljohnson

“How desolate is the night, how mournful the wind.” she whispered softly. Theo reached out and gently squeezed her hand, a smile curling his lip, almost a sneer.

Removing his hand and rearranging her full skirt she looked back out towards the glen. “I still can't understand why you would make me come here, to leave my island, and for what? I shouldn't have come.”

Lila stood up abruptly, turned and stormed out of the room. Theo watched as she disappeared around the corner and listened as her footsteps faded. He looked around the room, trying to see what she saw. What was it that turned her so cold over the past few months?

His eye caught a glimpse of the huge grandfather clock near the desk, its ancient hands frozen at midnight. The dark maroon drapes, once bright and beautiful, now faded with age, an antique settee pushed close to hide the uneven hem. It wasn't gloomy to him at all. This had been his childhood, days of laughter and light, of sliding down the huge oak balustrade in the hallway of the Foyer.

His parents had been dead this past twenty years, but something always called him back, as if some unknown force dwelt inside him.

He thought back again of his Lila, she was so beautiful then. Dark hair and eyes, lips as red as any fruit he had seen. She seemed not to care about their age difference, she loved him. Again a half smile, a sneer crossed his wrinkled face. “Seemed to love me.” he whispered aloud.

Theo lit a cigar and walked over to the huge windows, sliding the curtain out of the way. The moon peeked through the clouds, silver shards of light washing the yard in eerie glow. The huge stone lion guarding the gate seemed to stare back at him. He remembered the day that lion had arrived. His mother was excited as the team of horses pulled up to the gate. Inside the huge wooden crate was the statue, it had traveled all the way from Egypt, spoils of war, its red granitite surface bright as new though centuries old.

***

Lila hurried up the stairs and into her room. She had long since demanded separate bedchambers since arriving. Quietly she slid her suitcase from under the bed, checked it's contents and tiptoed back down the stairs. She paused and looked into the study where she had left Theo. His back was to her as he stared out into the long dead garden. Turning quickly she headed towards the kitchen, there on the sink lay Theo's wallet.

Opening the wallet she quickly snatched the bills, then using the servants door, walked out into the chilly night air, the fog begin to roll in across the fields. Finally she made it to the iron gate at the rear of the house. Lila pushed, the gate remained closed. She ran her fingers up the cold iron bars she froze in fear as her mind made out the chain before her eyes did, a padlock securing both ends. Her heart began to race, she knew there was only one way out, past the front window, and Theo.

***

A sudden strange feeling crept once again into Theo's mind. Biting the end of his cigar he turned from the window. A shadow crossed the hallway . Theo looked towards the top of the stairs, no lights beckoned him to the top. “She must be asleep.” his voice trailing off. Slowly he climbed the staircase, each heavy step echoing throughout the empty house.

He reached for the doorknob and turned, he pushed slowly on her door, the room was empty.
Theo reached over and switched her lamp on.

***

Lila moved quietly around the outer edge of the garden, towards the massive front gate. She looked up at her bedroom window, the light was on. Lila knew Theo was in there, watching. She stopped, seeing the huge Granite lion, sitting near her escape route, looking down she marveled at the hieroglyphics still visible after all the centuries.

Lila fumbled with the latch on the gate, her fingers felt the same fear, chains and padlocks. Steadying herself on the stone guardian, she jerked back. She could feel a fear well up in herself, some unknown force, a darkness so over whelming she turned to run. Lila darted, her heart pumping with all it‘s might to keep her moving. She looked back, catching a glimpse of something huge moving through the shadows. She could see it now. Eyes red, glowing.

***

Theo looked down from Lila's window. The moon disappearing once again behind the clouds. Darkness enveloped the garden. Then he heard it. A scream, a terrifying scream. Like an animal being torn to shreds. Then silence.

With all his strength he forced him self to run down the stairs to the front door. Quickly he moved down the steps and towards the front gate.

He reached for the iron gate and checked the chain and lock. He felt safe, whatever was out there could not make it through. Theo reached out and steadied his body of the head of the huge Egyptian lion, he pulled his hands back. Holding them out in front of him, he moved once again to the safety of the house. He knew what it was, he refused to look. Without a thought he locked the door and walked into his cold dark study, his hands still clenched. Theo held them out to the light. Blood. Fresh, dark warm blood covered his fingers. His hands began to shake, Running towards the window he threw back the curtain and looked outside. Red eyes, glowing, the statue now within inches of the steps. Theo closed the window, he knew now what it was. He could hear the scraping of stone on wood, the splintering sound of the front door. He knew the truth and it was to late..