Chapter 4: Mansion

They had been driving for an hour.

Leaving the city behind.

There was thick forestry on both sides of the road.

Rain pattered against the car.

Cloe stared out the window, she was grateful for the rain.

It's constant droning filled out the awkward silence in the car.

She always liked the rain. Even when her mother was alive they'd go for walks in the rain. Looking for the biggest puddles to splash around in.

Then when she was gone Cloe would sit out in the rain and cry.

It comforted her.

She didn't feel lonely because it was there crying with her, masking her tears from the intrusive eyes of outsiders.

Suddenly they were turning off the main road, onto a track that lead into the forest. This bought Cloe back from her thoughts.

She was starting to panic.

"

Where are we going?" she asked again.

He glanced over at her and wordlessly looked away.

Her panic grew.

Looking down at her fist which were still clenched in her lap she tried to calm down.

"I can't afford to panic now when worse cold be ahead..."

"But if he IS a serial killer?" she thought, a shiver ran up her spine.

"Are you cold?" he asked glancing over at her.

"No I'm fi..." she trailed off.

Up ahead there was a mansion.

Cloe didn't know if it was her imagination or just as a result of the poor weather, the place just seemed down right eerie.

But it was expected. She could sensed that he had an air of authority about him. She could also tell that he didn't like when his authority was questioned.

"Getting on his nerves is the last thing I want to do right now." she thought deciding not to ask anymore questions.

"But what's a mansion doing all the way out here?" she pondered as they pulled up at the gates.

The mansion itself was in the middle of a huge clearing that stretched out on all sides with thick forestry at the far corners.

Cloe looked over to see him pushing a button on a small remote. The gates glided open silently in their tracks.

There was a long driveway leading up to the mansion.

"We're here" he announced bringing the car to a stop.

He got out.

Cloe sat still contemplating what to do next

.

"Aren't you coming?" he asked sticking his head back into the car.

Cloe unbuckled her seatbelt and got out.

She walked around to where he was standing. There was a man approaching them, from atop the stairs.

"Where are we?" she asked following him as he had begun climbing the stairs.

"

This" he said gesturing to the mansion "Is where you will by staying."

"And this is the butler Evan." he said hand his keys to the man who had come out of the mansion.

"Evan take her to the blue room in the west wing" he ordered.

"He knows damn well that doesn't answer my question." Cloe hissed internally.

" Hold you horses mister..." she called after his retreating figure.

He turned back to face her.

"Yes..." he answered waiting.

"You just hauled me out of the hospital... I could very well be bleeding internally at this very minute." she shot at him.

"You'll be fine, Evan will give you something for the pain." he said

"He can't be serious" she said turning to Evan.

"Come with me" Evan motioned to her in a courteous gesture.

She looked over her shoulder.

He was gone.

"I guess I have no choice but to follow him" she thought as she followed behind the butler.

*******

Cloe followed the butler into the house.

The inside was the polar opposite of outside. Inside was warm and welcoming with elegant light fixtures and a high ceiling.

She gasped remembering her bag. "Um excuse me..."

"You can call me Evan."

"Right...Evan I left my bag in the car."

"I'll fetch it and bring it up right after I get you to your room" he assured her.

She followed him up a flight of stairs and a series of corridors, then they came to a halt in front of a door.

"This is your room." he said opening the door for her.

She stepped inside and froze.

It was beautiful, decorated in shades of blue, white and gold with a huge canopy bed overflowing with pillows.

"I'll leave you to get settled in." Evan said leaving.

Cloe stood frozen on the spot as Evan left.

She twirled taking everything in.

"So...This is what it's like on the other side? I could get used to it." she thought out loud.

Walking over to the bed, she flopped down onto it giving it a good bounce. Then she caught a wif of something.

"GOD... Is that me??"

"No wonder he left in a hurry" she thought looking around. She spotted a door that was the only other door in the room.

"Please be a bathroom." she pleaded hopping off the bed, walking toward the door.

She turned the handle and pushed.

She froze again. Inside was the biggest bathroom she had ever seen.

It was equipped with a standing jacuzzi, hot tub a regular tub and a regular shower which in fact was not regular at all because there were dials all over the walls.

"Okay so everything is ruled out except for the tub... For now... I can't get my cast wet" she thought looking down at her right hand which was snug in it's cast.

"Good thing I'm left handed."

She set the tap running to fill the tub while she stripped, eager to get out off the hospital gown.

She paused looking at the coat, "I'll give it to Evan later to pass on to him"

She sprinkled some bath oils and flower petals she had found in the hug built in closet that a small cabinet filled with bath products.

She sunk into the tub, propping her cast hand on the edge of the tub.

"I could definitely get used to this..." she sighed sinking further into the tub.

She drifted off into her thoughts.

"But this all doesn't make any sense...this sort of thing only happens in sappy romance novels with silly female protagonists and mafia bosses."

"I have to get to the bottom of this..."

"Finding out what the hell's going on is the only way I can make my escape and guarantee that I have the upper hand over whomever is in charge"

"What are their motives..."

Her mind wondered back to her father.

"Why would anyone want to but me from him... How did they find us...Our property is so far away from civilization..."

She spiraled out of reality as questions only lead to more questions.

There was a light knock at the door.

"Miss Cloe...Are you in there?"

Cloe snapped back to reality.

"Yes..." she called.

"It's Evan. I've bought your bag up from the car."

"Thank you"

"I'll be coming back at 4:00 to bring you down to dinner." he informed her.

"

Is that necessary?" she asked groaning.

"Mr.Xavier requests it...Plus you'll probable get lost on your way down."

"Yeah right." Cloe muttered.

"What was that?"

"Nothing...Thanks again for bringing my bag up."

"You're welcome...Now if you don't mind I'll be leaving now."

"Wait...Evan?" she called.

"Yes?"

"What should I wear?"

There was a chuckle on the other side of the door.

"Why...What a question Ms. Cloe... Your clothes of course." he said still chuckling as he walked away.

Cloe's face was bright red from from embarrassment.

"But I had to ask... Because it sounds as if I'm going to a ball or something..." she said to no one.

She drifted off into her thoughts once again.