Episode 11

The farmhouse, if you’d choose to call it that, was on the edge of a huge estate, and overlooked the sea from two sides. There were not much people around and all that greenary did seem like a good change from the noisy, grey world of the city.
Honestly, noise wasn’t a factor that had changed much since we had Vinnie with us, but still.

Vinnie quickly opened the lock that looked like it was a hundred years old. The place, though on the outside looked like a mutation of a ship wreck that had turned itself into a house, yet retaining its damp wooden walls, but on the inside it was surprisingly warm.
The living room led into a large yard located in the middle and around which all the rooms stood. The roof of the yard was open and it definitely was overgrown.
“Is that a fireplace?” Millie asked as surprised as the rest of us.
“Yeah it was just created to suite the interior designing I guess. I don’t remember anybody having to use it, or why was it ever built in the first place.” Vinnie replied.
“What’d you mean? You’ve been here before? I thought you said you’d just bought it.” Nathan enquired.
“Yeah, from my grandfather. This place belonged to him. I and Manu used to come here often during the  holidays. They shifted to the city to stay close to the hospital a few years ago.”
Manvith was her brother, and about four years older.
They were the text book definition of polar opposites. Where Vinnie was high, Manvith was the most calm and level headed person that I’d come across.

Back during our school days, Nathan and I would learn chess from him whilst Vinnie would throw pieces she tore out of that day’s newspaper on our head. Later on her mum would chase her around with a stick for having destroyed the newspaper before anyone could read it and would only calm down when Manvith would stop her.

“It doesn’t work that way, Vinnie. You can’t buy the house from your grandparents. I mean, wasn’t it handed down-“
“Nope. Bought it. Let’s move on.” She snapped.
That felt a bit weird but in order to diffuse the situation I changed the topic.
“Hey, so how’s Manvith? It’s been so long hearing from him.”
“Oh Manu is all good!” The shine in her eyes was back. “He’s been working on some project he likes and he’s never been so happy.”
“Well that’s good to hear.”
“Yup. Anyway let’s head to our rooms. There’s separate rooms for all of us so no need to worry about Nathan’s snoring, unless it is loud enough to cross these thick walls.”
Nathan hit her on the head lightly and gave a laugh. He seemed to be easing out on this whole trip idea which sounded better than having to deal with a grumpy baby all day long.
I turned around to see Millie fidgeting with her luggage handle and then standing up to pick it up.
“Want some help?” I asked.
“No thanks. I can manage.” She said nonchalantly as she walked past me carrying her travel bag.
I couldn’t help imagining if I had creeped her out too much in the cab. I hope not.
When I looked away, I saw Nathan giving a smirk, questioning the whole interaction in an angle I didn’t want him to take. And before he could address it, I rolled my eyes and walked off while he stood behind me giving a stupid, goofy grin.

The room, just like the interior of the living room, was in good shape. There were two sliding glass windows and one of them had a view of the sea while the other one of overgrown weeds and bushes leading into wilderness. I decided I’m going to keep the curtains closed for the latter throughout the night.
Vinnie had said all her furnitures and other items would be brought by a truck, early tomorrow morning so there was pretty much nothing to do as of now. I’d sneaked in my laptop despite Vinnie clearly having said a big no to it so I decided I’ll get some work done.
I’d just finished clearing away my luggage and putting my clothes in the free standing wardrobe when I heard a knock and someone slipped an envelope from the gap below.
I bent down and picked it up and opening it, I saw Vinnie’s scrawling handwriting asking all of us to assemble outside the house.

To be continued–>

-stelliferous21