Chapter 5

Chapter Five
Her brown leather knee high boots tapped on the marble steps. The sunglight caused her long straight hair to shine and the black hair band held back the bangs from her eyes. Around her short petite torso was a green sweater that sat losely around her frame, underneath was a solid black turtle neck shirt. Standing right above her knees was a grey skirt and just beneath the skirt was a pair of black tights that covered her knees. Her eyes were a strong deep green and covering them was a pair of thick framed glasses painted a dark green. Her eyes were large and wide, full of life. On her lips was a deep red shade of lipstick and on each ear was a small stud earring designed to look like a leaf. In her hands was a tablet that was covered in a red sleeve.

She walked up to the double doors of Taylor Manor and pressed down on the door bell button. The young woman, who looked to be in her later teens, adjusted her sweater and waited.

The left door opened and gypsy like Ezra opened the door. Her full black curly hair was pulled back into a pony tail and around her waist was a black painter's coat, which was stained with fresh oil based paint in many different colors. Just under the coat was a pair of jeans, which were also stained with paint. On her right cheek was a small smear of bright red paint. Her eyes lit up at the sight at the young woman and a gentle smile came onto her face. "Yes?"

The young woman smiled and nodded. "Hi, Ezra right?"

Ezra nodded with a confused smile. "Yes."

"I am Chloe, Chloe Reynolds." She held out her right hand to shake Ezra's.

Ezra took the hand and shook it. "Oh yes, the sherrif's daughter. Are you looking for Zachary?"

Chloe shook her head and held up the tablet. "Well no, I am looking for Richard Thomas actually. I was told he lived here with you guys."

Ezra's smile faded to worry as she released her grip. "Oh ... Well, I need to check with Zachary. I am uncertain if Richard can receive visitors."

Chloe's face fell into a worried look as well. "Oh, I was wondering why he wasn't in school yesterday and today. Is he ill?"

Ezra looked around for a moment and then forced a smile on her face. "Yes he is, but let me go check. Come inside." She held the door wider and stepped aside for Chloe to enter.

Chloe bowed her head and a smile and stepped into the manor hallway. Her eyes darted up and around the hallway in amazment. "Wow."

Ezra gave a chuckle as she closed the door. "What is it?"

Chloe turned to Ezra with a half grin. "I remember coming here when I was a little girl. It was big back then and it is still big to me now."

Ezra nodded. "We haven't had a Reynolds in the manor for quite sometime now."

Chloe gave a frown. "My Dad won't let me come up here, even though I have been wanting to come here for a long time."

Ezra nodded again with a smile of understanding. "I have great respect for your father, but some men just do not understand ... Well, let's say he just is very protective of his family." She glanced to the stairs on the right and then back to Chloe. "We really shouldn't have you in here, but I'll keep it a secret if you will."

Chloe gave a giggle and ran an index finger over her chest in the form of an X. "I promise."

Ezra bowed. "I'll get Zachary." She raised her head and started up the stairs. "Wait here."

Chloe nodded and watched Ezra go up the red wood covered stairs. As Ezra left her sight through the door on the balcony, the amazed teen girl turned her attention to the black coffin that sat behind the I.D card stand. She slowly walked on the hardwood floor, her boots tapped as she did. Once approaching the coffin, Chloe smiled at the billions of red glow sticks that sat in the black coffin. She gently picked one of the top ones up and gave a little giggle. From the glow stick in her hand, Chloe's eyes turned to the double doors at the other end of the hall. She stared at the silver coated handles in the shape of the logo for Club Red. She slowly walked to the doors with the glow stick in hand, which started to give off a bright glow as she neared the doors.

"Chloe?!" Called Zachary's voice at the middle of the stair case on the left. "Chloe Reynolds!" He said again with cheer.

Chloe turned in a daze to Zachary, dressed in a long red silk robe that was tied at his waist with a black sash. Over his eyes were thick oval sunglasses, almost like a weilder would wear. His blond hair was messy and his steps tapped with expensive brown leather boots.

Chloe's face filled with cheer as she saw Zachary head toward her. "Mr. Taylor? You haven't aged a day."

Zachary approached with an outstretched hand. "I cannot say the same about you."

The two shook hands. Chloe looked down at Zachary's hand in confusion for a moment, but returned her gentle eyes to his red ones.

"You were doll sized when I first saw you." He said with a grin. "How long has it been?"

Chloe shrugged as she removed her hand. "Seven years." She smiled. "Are you feeling okay?"

Zachary folded his arms behind his chest. "Why do you ask?"

Chloe shrugged. "Your hands are cold."

Zachary smiled, exposing his pearly white teeth and pale gums. "That is something I have always adored about you Chloe, your honesty. I have always wondered when someone was going to ask about my cold handshake, but most treat it as though it were nothing. I still see the wonder in their eyes." He chuckled. "Like mother always said, colds hands have a warm heart."

Chloe smiled. "You haven't changed."

Zachary bowed and then raised his head. "I take it your father doesn't know you are out here?"

Chloe's smile faded and her shoulders shrugged. She held out the tablet she brought with her. "Wally asked me to return Richard's tablet, I knew Dad wouldn't hear of me coming down here."

Zachary placed his right hand on Chloe's shoulder. "Well, we will keep it a secret for the time being. However, I know your father well and we have a promise to keep between one another." He glanced to the double doors that led to the outside and then he turned his mirror like sunglasses to Chloe. "But our promise said nothing about you to walk freely on the Manor's grounds during the daylight." He glanced to the stair way that he once stood. "Richard is on his way down."

On the stairs to the right, the sound of sneakers coming down the stairs was heard. Both Chloe and Zachary turned their attention to Martha walking down the stairs. The young red headed woman was dressed in a yellow sundress, covered in flowers. Her feet were covered in white sneakers and her hair sat on her shoulders with a heavy curl.

"Oh hello." Martha said in a proper British tone.

Chloe smiled. "Hi."

Zachary folded his arms behind his back. "This is Chloe Reynolds, a friend of the Manor."

Martha nodded as she slid her hand down the stairway rail. "I am Martha Thomas. Pleasent to meet you."

As Martha neared Chloe for a handshake. Chloe's eyes widened. "Thomas? You must be Richard's cousin."

Martha nodded with a confused smile. "I am."

Chloe giggled. "I go to school with Richard. Has he mentioned me?"

Martha looked at Zachary.

Zachary chuckled. "Our Martha has been very busy at the University. She is serving classes and an internship as a chemist there." He walked around Chloe to Martha's side. "To avoid embrassing Richard, he talks none stop about you and Wally. We are very grateful for the two of you taking him under you wings."

Chloe shrugged with a large smile. "I try my best."

Behind Zachary and Martha, Richard came running down the stairs, his white button up shirt half way tucked and his hair in a mess. He jumped off the last stair and stopped with a heavy breath to adjust his glasses. "Hey ... Chloe."

Chloe looked at Richard in amazment. "Feeling better?"

Richard looked at Zachary and Martha, who only looked at him in confusion. Martha looked at him with wide eyes.

Zachary turned to Chloe with a grin. "He has been going on and off here and there, my dear." He glanced to Richard. "Chloe here hasn't visited our Manor in quite some time now, would you be a gentleman and escort her around the grounds?"

Richard gave one nod and started over to the double doors. "Of course." He opened the left door.

Zachary smiled. "And Richard, tuck in your shirt good lad."

Richard glanced to the half untucked side of his shirt. "Oh yes." He said as he quickly shoved the cloth into his jeans.

Chloe gave a giggle and walked to the doors. She turned to Zachary and Martha. "It was good to see you again and it was nice to meet you, Martha."

Martha nodded. "Likewise."

With a nervous smiling Richard and a bashful Chloe, the two exit the Manor and closed the door behind them.

Zachary sighed. "Ah, to be young again."

Martha stared at the door. "I have never seen Richard like that before. He seemed so happy and excited." She glanced to Zachary. "Almost like a normal teenager."

Zachary chuckled. "Because he is a normal teenager."

Martha gave a grin to Zachary. "I just thought she was ... Well, I thought she was here for you."

Zachary gave a grin to Martha. "Do I detect a hint of jealousy in your voice, dearest Martha?"

Martha folded her arms over her chest. "Not in the slightest. That is just your imagination talking."

Zachary chuckled. "Between you and myself, I'd rather listen to the reality Martha than the one in my imagination." He turned to walk up the left handed staircase. "She is far much more beautiful than my fantasy."

_____________________________________________________________________

Chloe walked right beside Richard, just a mere few inches away from his left side. She held the tablet in her hands over her stomach and he shoved his hands into his jean pockets with a heavy shrug. The two walked off the marble stairs and started to round the right corner of the manor. Every so often the two would look at each other and opened their mouths as though words were about to come out, but then a blush of red would appear on both of their cheeks along with a nervous smile; the cycle would repeat until they reached the wall on the backside of the manor that held in the exotic garden.

"Wally wanted to see you, but he is scared of the place." Chloe finally said.

Richard gave a fake chuckle, a bit too loud for a normal one. "I do not blame him ... It is a kind of spoky at times."

"I love it here." Chloe said, looking around herself.

Richard smiled, but as quickly as the smile slid onto his face, it left and only a frown of worry appeared. "Did Wally mention anything about me? Like something weird or anything?"

Chloe shook her head and adjusted her glasses. "Not that I know of. Why?"

Richard shook his head. "It's nothing."

Chloe gave a scoff with a smile. "What is it with you? You act like you have something important to say but then change the subject. You leave me in suspense all the time, Rich."

Richard gave a shrug with a nervous grin. "I guess ... I mean ... Well ... Somethings are better not ... Said." He stammered.

Chloe stopped and grabbed Richard's left arm. "Wait ... Seriously, what did happen yesterday? Wally was freaked out and the guy sees ghosts on a daily basis."

Richard tried to avoid looking into Chloe's eyes. "Nothing ... I just left, that's all."

Chloe kept her gaze at him. "I don't want to pry it out of you, Richard, but something is up. I know we haven't known each other for a long time, but you can trust me."

Richard shrugged and pulled his arm away. "It isn't that I can't trust you, Chloe. In fact, I feel like I can do more with you than just trust you." Richard paused for a moment and blinked twice.

Chloe widened her eyes and laughed. "I'm sure you didn't mean what you just said."

A flush of red came to Richard's cheeks. He rubbed the back of his neck and gave a half grin. "Yeah ... I didn't." He lowered his hand and shoved it into his pocket. As his hand reached the bottom of the cloth in his jean pocket, Richard's eyes became confused and his hand started to search his pocket.

Chloe shrugged. "It's okay if you don't want to tell me. I really shouldn't pry into your business like that, but you can imagine how people feel about you. You move here a month ago, no past history and no family other than your cousin. Mr. Taylor takes you into his home that also has all kinds of stories surrounding it and then you don't tell me anything that is really going on." She placed a hand on her right hip and cocked her head to one side. "Really Richard, for a guy that is silent and mysterious, you can be a little goofy at times."

Richard smiled and pulled out the skeleton necklace that Zachary gave him the day before. He turned his eyes to Chloe and then became confused. "What were you saying? I am sorry, I forgot to give you this."

Chloe looked down at the necklace and her eyes lit up. "Oh my God! How did you know I love these?"

Richard shrugged and handed her the gift. "I don't want to lie, but Zachary told me to give you this."

Chloe examined the necklace with a large grin. "It looks authentic! I have only seen replicas, but never the real thing."

Richard gave a confused chuckle. "Zachary did say that it was a good conversation starter. What is it?"

Chloe looked up to Richard and adjusted her glasses. "It is made from the bones of an extinct cat, a rare one. You can tell it is real because the bones give off a purple glare in the sunlight." Chloe shifted the bones in her hands.

As Richard stared at the ivory bones, he noticed a purple sheen of them. "Wow."

Chloe gave a chuckle. "I don't know how he got this because you would have to own a museum in order to have one ... Or gathered the bones from the cat itself, but that would be impossible."

"How so?" Richard asked staring at Chloe more than the bones.

"Acient tribes would use these bones as jewlery, most have been lost to time and so have the species of cat." She giggled. "Did he tell you what they mainly used the jewelery for?"

Richard shrugged. "To be honest, Zachary doesn't tell me much unless he has too."

Chloe nodded. "Well, the tribe would pass these necklaces to the one they admired or ... Loved."

Richard's eyes widened and his cheeks flushed. "Well ... Uh ... He ... He didn't tell me that."

Chloe smiled. "Well ... Let's go with you just admire me. We can avoid the awkward walk back to the house."

Richard nodded quickly. "That would be nice." He glanced to the bones and gently took them out of Chloe's hands, then he held the bones up. "If you want, I can put them on you."

Chloe nodded and twirled around. She held her long hair up.

Richard placed the necklace around her neck and fasted the leather strand. "There."

Chloe turned around and smiled to Richard with a pose. "How do I look?"

Richard gave a half grin, his eyes glazed. "I think you make the necklace look beautiful."

Chloe smiled. She ran up and gave Richard a kiss on his left cheek. Both leaned back with shock and then laughed.

"As ... As ... As they say ... I won't wash this cheek ever again." Richard stammered with excitement.

Chloe giggled and glanced to her wrist watch. "Oh man, I've got to go. Dad is going to kill me if I don't report in." She returned her eyes to Richard. "Report in. I sound like a cop."

Richard gave a short chuckle. "I don't think you would make a good cop, Chloe ... You ... Everyone will fall in love with you too much and ... Uh ... You wouldn't be able to intimidate them."

Chloe gave a giggle and gave a gentle slap on Richard's arm. "Stop it. Walk me back."

The two walked side by side, closer than before. Every so often, Chloe would look down at the necklace around her neck.

As the two reached the marble steps, Chloe quickly turned around with excitement in her eyes, she grabbed Richard's arm again and leaned inward to him. "I almost forgot! Do you have plans tonight?"

Richard had to think for a long moment and then shook his head. "Nothing tonight, Zachary doesn't have any plans for me."

Chloe gave a large smile. "There is a carnival coming to town tonight. Carnival Rouge. It is more like a haunted house kind of thing. They are making a stop here tonight."

Richard's face became confused. "Haunted house so early in October? It is only the thirteenth."

Chloe nodded. "Yeah, but it will be fun. It is going to take place in the Bridgewood Asylum. The place shut down years ago, but it is a perfect place for a haunt.A couple of my friends are coming along. Everyone will be there ... Except for Wally; he doesn't go to three places: asylums, graveyards and hospitals. He is afraid he will see the ghosts there." She looked into Richard's eyes. "Please say you will come. Even though they are my friends, I don't have as much fun with them as I do with you."

Richard glanced to the manor's doors and then back to Chloe. "I will have to get cleared with Martha, but count me in."

Chloe kissed Richard's cheek again and handed him his tablet before running to her little black car. "Okay! I'll pick you up at ten tonight! Bye!"

Richard rubbed his cheek and smiled. "Okay."