IV

My first memory of my time at Uncle Jimmy's was of his house. It was HUGE. By the standards of a six year old kid, it was GINORMOUS!!! I was full of excitement and energy as we made the fifteen minute drive up the driveway to the actual house. While he drove my uncle spoke:

 "This estate has been in my family for generations. Generations upon generations. In fact it's been in my family since the Founding Fathers first came to America. If not before that. It is a mere 750 thousand acres. 80 thousand is swampland. 60 thousand is a 'haunted forest'. 135 thousand is dedicated to farmland and other money making ventures. 55 thousand is a massive body of water of untold depth. The rest is an open field where nothing taller than knee high dead grass grows. There is a legend that surrounds that particular section of the property. It is said that a thousand years before my family came into possession of this land; a massive, bloody battle from the literal bowls of hell took place there. None survived and it was almost wiped from the existence of history.

 Only the two great nations of the two massive armies that fought here remember who they were. Only their records prove the battle was fought here. Unfortunately, however, both kings and their heirs where among the fallen. With their deaths, it was not long after that both great nations fell. Few survived the collapse. Those that did told the story of this land and the war that took place here. Decades later, rumors began to appear that the demise of the two great nations was orchestrated by an old ancient enemy. It is upon this accursed land that I decided to build my humble abode upon."

 As my uncle finished his tale of the history of his land – which I found quite interesting – the way up ahead cleared and his home was reviled. The place was MASSIVE. The front porch looked like Old Gothic Victorian. The porch had thirteen massive stone pillars that ran the length of it. The whole structure was black with a gold trim that had a blood red glow to it. 

"This place is massive Uncle!" was my only uttered response as we pulled up to the massive front porch.

Gargoyles lined the steps and surrounded each of the stone pillars.

 "Welcome to your new home nephew."