Chapter 2

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Mark returned back to the mansion after what happened in the woods, On his way back, he met with his mum. 

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Carol : - Where are you coming from, Mark? 

Mark : - The woods. 

Carol : - What were you doing there? 

Mark : - I go get some air. 

Carol : - Why? Because there is no air in here in the mansion ?

Mark : - Mum, i went there to go and get some air... 

Carol : - Is it because there is no air in here? 

Mark : - Nope,  i love that of the woods, the sme..... 

Carol : - Come closer, Mark! 

Mark : - What?! Why? 

Carol : - I am not asking you to come closer,  Mark,  i am ordering you to come over here! 

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When he got to his mum, she perceived the scent of the weed Mark smoked, she was angry, and she started nagging. 

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Carol : - Look at you, you are damn stupid, you being the first child, what is it you want your junior ones to learn from you, tell me, i think it the time i inform your father about you smoking.... Weed, for God's sake, Mark? 

Mark : - Mum, please! I will change. 

Carol : - Since when have you been telling me that? You will change,  you will change, when are you going to change, Mark, when? I am sick of this, i will have to report you to your father! 

Mark : - What did you prepare for dinner, mum? 

Carol : - Out of my sight. 

Mark : - (leaving) Well,  that means i am not eating tonight. 

Carol : - Come back here, your cousins are coming to spend the holiday with us, no one should see you smoking.... You better stop that thing before they come, they are coming tomorrow or next tomorrow, you understand me? 

Mark : - (left angrily) 

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Mark went to his room angrily, when he got there, he met his little brother, Jeff, imitiating him, he was angry and surprised... His brother was even telling he wanted to be like him, smoke more than him..... "I want to be like you, Mark,  i wanna smoke weed more than you can even do, it's a good thing you know, but i will do it in front of father, i won't be scared like you"..... He said.   Mark was out of words, when he speak it was question he asked the little boy, his brother of six years old, how he knew he smokes, ....."Wait Jeff, have i ever smoke in your presence? , he asked!  The little boy arrogantly responded, ....." No! But that can't stop me from knowing"... Mark continue speaking, he says ..."Okay,  i get, Mum was the one that told you about this, right?".... Jeff said, ..."No, we never speak about it! "..... Mark then asked him never to do that again, or speak to anyone about it, Mark said  ..."It is not a good thing, you know, smoking,  Mum didn't like it either, i am about to stop, i mean quit smoking because it isn't a good thing and Mum wanted me to stop, you love Mum, don't you?... Jeff responded, "Yes".  You will not do what Mum didn't want you to do, right? Said Mark. "No i will not " Jeff responded. "Good, don't ever try to do that again, now go to your room and have some sleep, said Mark. 

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Jeff : - Good night, Mark! 

Mark : - Good night,  Jeff! 

(the little boy dropped all he's using to imitate his older brother and went to his room regretting what he did) 

Mark : - Did that just happened? Damn! 

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Mark's youngest sister Roselyn, she's thirteen years old and always she criticize Mark, she never have like him for once, she always been mean to Mark, Mark heard knock on his door after his little brother left, he thought it was him that came back, he said..... "I told you to go and sleep, Jeff".... But, it was somebody else that answered, it was his youngest sister, Roselyn. He didn't believe his hearing at first, he asked again, and she answered him,..... "It is me, Roselyn ".... That night was the first time she  came to Mark's room. 

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Mark : - (opened the door) Wow! Roselyn, in my room, really? What do you want? 

Roselyn : - Have you eat? Did Mum give you food? 

Mark : - Hum! No, no, she didn't! 

Roselyn : - Why? 

Mark : - I think, i think i did something wrong. 

Roselyn : - I heard her saying she will not give you food tonight. So,  i prepared this, it was my first time of preparing dinner, please don't tell me it tastes bad. (she gave him the food) 

Mark : - (he collected the food and tasted it) Wow!  This is good, you are damn good, you should always prepare us dinner. (he wanted to rub her head) 

Roselyn : - (she slapped his hand off) Don't touch me, get your hand off me. 

Mark : - Well, thanks for the food..... I am expecting more of it. 

Roselyn : - Goodnight! 

Mark : - Yeah,  good night! 

Roselyn : - Oh!  Don't let Mum know i made dinner, she didn't want me to do that. 

Mark : - Okay!! 

(Roselyn went back to her room) 

Mark : - (eating the food with haste) Wait, what is happening tonight? First, i saw strangers in the woods, Jeff came to my room mimicking me, Roselyn that have always been mean to me prepared me a dinner? The weed is something else tonight, anyways i will finish this meal, either way. (he entered into his room, close the door with his leg and continue eating the food) 

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Two days later, Mrs Carol's sister and her children came, they were three, the woman and two kids, they joined the family.    It is on December 13th, christmas is near, Mr Hudson being a very rich man is preparing heavily well for the christmas, there are still people to come join them, which are friends and former neighbors. 

So,  Mr Hudson has bought a lot of things to celebrate the christmas,  that day, they had fun together, however, when the night approaches Mrs Carol's sister's mind never be at peace because of the things that have been talked about the mansion. She immediately called her sister to notice.

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Stella : - Sister, ever since i step foot into this big mansion of yours, see, no had feelings on you acquired this big thing but, my feelings, my mind never been at peace, a lot has been said concerning this mansion. 

Carol : - I want you to know something, You see people, they carries rumors around up and down like it is their own story,  Yes, I also have heard stories about this place, but no way i am going to get concerned..... Do you know why? 

Stella : - No,  until you tell me. 

Carol : - Things have happened in this vicinity, this surroundings, but then it was all forest here, it been years.... Look around now, there are houses within three to five kilometers away now.

Stella : - The nearest house is still kilometers away. 

Carol : - Yes,  that is one of the many reasons i am in love with this place, unlike the former place of ours, where everything and everyone was cramped together... Look at that place, we don't have space there, there was no space. Try to understand those things..... And also there is police now, if anything was about to go wrong, we can easily dial 911.

Stella : - Just be careful! 

Carol : - Thanks  Stella, nothing bad will happen. 

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Mark never had the chance to go and smoke that very day for his cousins were mostly with him, he manages to go that day without smoking, however,  the second day, he can no longer hold it, he made himself unavailable for the kids, by night fall, he left the mansion as usual and went to the woods to again smoke his weed. 

When he got to the woods, he was scared at first because of the people he thinks he saw the last time he was there, he wanted to go back to the mansion to go and find somewhere he can smoke it, but he summoned courage and light up his weed. 

After some minutes, he was about to finish the weed when he saw movements, he saw an animal, but the more it moves close to him, the more he realizes it's a human, a beautiful white skin young woman with red eyes balls and pale skin, the woman he saw the last time he was there, only that now the other man is not with her.

Mark wiped his face with his hand and check again, He sees clearly now that it's the woman he saw the last time.

The young woman standing two meters in front of him, she advices him to quit smoking  the weed....  "I wanted to sit with you but the weed would not permit me, i will be glad if you quenched the fire and throw that thing away please"..... She said.   Her lips were in smile in her beautiful tempting face. Mark did her bidding, who would dare not do what a beauty like that asks. After Mark have thrown the weed away, the young woman sits beside him and they had some discussion. 

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: - My name's Shirley, I live around here with my brother, the one you saw with me the other day. 

Mark : - I am called Mark, Live around here, you mean this woods? 

Shirley : - No,  not really, but around.... Maybe Yes! 

Mark : - In the woods? No,  you can't live in the woods, you can come and live with us in the mansion, the mansion have enough room for at least a thousand people, i will talk to my Mum about that. 

Shirley : - No,  no,  i wouldn't tell anyone if i were you! 

Mark : - But why? 

Shirley : - For now, let it be like that, let know more about each other first..... Okay? 

Mark : - Okay! 

Shirley : - Thanks! 

Mark : - Hum!  What you are wearing, i mean, it kind of your body is opened to the cold temperature, the snow, you know..... Are you not feeling the cold? 

Shirley : - Nope, My blood is always warm. 

Mark : - Warm? 

Shirley : - Forget it,  it kind of run in the family... You are a good guy, no wonder i am really into you.

Mark : - Into me? We have only seen each other for only twice now. 

Shirley : - Twice? You think? 

Mark : - Yah,  twice, the other day and today. 

Shirley : - You,  have only seen me twice, have been looking at you since you have moved here.....and i am really into you! 

Mark : - Into me, you mean..... 

Shirley : - (she speaks into his ear) I want you,  Mark. 

Mark : - Come on, you are making me lose my mind with that, i am a lover boy, you will have to stop that if you don't want me to fall in love with you. 

Shirley : - Try me. 

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Both of them were starring at each others eyes and lips, Mark in his mind was asking himself, ...."Is this love, lust or the weed, a stranger, Mark,  are you with your senses "... He was about to kiss the girl when a whistle was heard, they stopped and the girl pushed him away, she told him she stopped because Mark has just smoked. 

...."Go home Mark, the weather is cold for you, i will wait for you here tomorrow and remember don't tell anyone"... She said.  

Mark responded saying ..." I will be here tomorrow morning, i promise"...

No need to, i won't come until night fall, take care of yourself, Mark, Shirley answered. 

And they both went their way. 

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Shirley : - What happened? why did you blow the whistle, you were spying on me! 

Agar : - Spying on you? I saved you. 

Shirley : - Saved who, you didn't safe me, you were jealous I was with him.

Agar : - The weed remember, he just smoked a weed.

Shirley : - I was going to try.

Agar : - You should learn how to be patient. He can't know what we are.

@the mansion.

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Mark got back to the mansion and go search for the invitation letter given to him the other day, he search and search, he did found the letter but when he opened it, nothing was written on it, it was only blood washed on the paper. Mark didn't count it because he's already in love.

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