I checked my watch and was surprised to see it had stopped at almost the same time I went to sleep. Just coincidence I was sure. I looked around, took stock of everything and was happy to see nothing amiss, just my stopped watch. I could tell from the sun, it was still early. The inside of the truck was slightly damp from condensation and the sun was still lying in the East. I figured it to be about 7am. I crawled out of the truck and stretched, feeling much more rested than I thought I would. I took a few minutes to stretch before I set off to the ladies room to dress for the day.
I was happy to find shower stalls when I got to the restroom. They were just on the other side of the toilets. I must have been too tired to notice them the night before. Happy to be able to take a shower, I ran back to the truck to grab a towel and my toiletries. I took my time in the shower, enjoying the warm water. I scrubbed yesterday’s worries and fears off and stepped out feeling rejuvenated and relieved to not feel like I was being watched. I dressed quickly and headed back to camp. Within fifteen minutes I was loaded up and driving out of Deception Creek. For the first time since my mom left, I felt all right.
I headed back to Oakridge to grab some coffee and breakfast and I topped off the tank in the truck. With coffee in my cup holder and my belly full, I was off and heading north. I figured if I drove straight through today I should be there in a few hours. I popped in my 80’s greatest hits CD and drove. I stayed a steady 60mph and sang song after song. By the end of the CD, I was on the other side of Eugene, heading closer to my destination. I tried to take in all the surroundings. I had never seen much outside of Klamath Falls. This was all so new and fascinating, although it’s hard to take in too much while driving on the freeway. I was used to back country roads and small highways, not four lane death traps. People raced by my 60mph truck like I was standing still. The first forty five minutes my knees shook as I drove, and I was white knuckled. After a little while, I relaxed enough to stop shaking. I stayed in the right lane and cruised. I ejected my CD and found a local radio station. The music was OK. Good enough to sing along with. An hour and a half later, I saw my exit.
~Chapter Four~
There it was, the big green Aurora sign. I merged off the freeway and turned left. My directions told me I would be on this road for another ten minutes or so. Having grown up in the country, I found comfort on the back road. I slowed down enough to enjoy nature’s art work. Farm lands hugged the road and stretched as far as my eyes could see. The expansive green land was a lovely contrast to the pale blue sky. Sun rays bathed the land and farmers were seen tending their farms. Horses roamed, cows grazed and a cluster of pigs pillaged the land. I drove for miles before the farm land gave way to dense forest. Trees grew tall and bore hundreds of deep green leaves. Their branches reached across the narrow road creating an umbrella. The sun that had beat down on the naked farm land was now struggling to cut through the thick vegetation. The road curved and dipped alternating farm and forest. I rolled down my window and inhaled deeply. The smell of damp leaves mixed with the scent of sweet wildflowers and the cool breeze allowed me to relax a little. There was even an orchard or two thrown in the mix. When I got to the end, I didn’t need to check my directions, the sign was there ‘NEWBERG 5 MILES’ with an arrow pointing right.
I came upon the town faster than I wanted. My stomach was nervous, and the anxiety was kicking in. I was almost there. Closer to finding out what the hell was going on, closer to learning some unknown truth. I drove into the town and pulled into a gas station. My truck was running dangerously low. While my truck was filling, I pulled out my directions. I had figured out the road in front of me was HWY 99. That’s where I needed to be. I asked the attendant to point me in the direction of College St. “Take a left out of here and head down about half a mile. The road will turn into a one way through town. College will be the third light.”
“Thanks,” I replied. I paid her and drove out following her directions.
I knew by my directions I had to turn right on College and drive up to the mountain. I was a good five miles out of town and up the hill before I saw my turn. The sign said ‘Crystal Way’ Only one way to turn: left! The street was almost hidden from the view of the main road. If you weren’t looking for it, you would pass it by. I drove down the street for another mile before it turned to dirt.
“Good grief mom, where are you leading me?” I muttered. About three miles in, just to the right, was a tiny weed covered driveway. I never would have seen it had I not known what to look for. My directions said to watch for a driveway three miles after the road turns to dirt. Then look for a break in the bushes that lined the road and a stream that traveled north. Well, there was the break in the bushes and sure enough a tiny stream that was moving north. Highly unusual, I thought, since gravity usually pulls things south.
I turned onto the driveway and was frustrated when it actually took me another five minutes to make it to the house. I slammed on my brakes about fifty yards away when I looked up and realized it was the house from my dream. It had a few differences. It was surrounded by trees and nature, and was not in such disrepair as the house in my dream, but it was the same. I sat frozen waiting for panic to settle in, but it didn’t. I felt calm and curious and after a moment drove right to the front steps of the house.
I grabbed the key from the envelope, assuming it would open the door to the house. I walked up the wide staircase leading to the front and knocked on the massive door, afraid to let myself in. I waited a few seconds. When I didn’t hear footsteps approaching the door, I decided to try the key. The skeleton key fit perfectly in the lock. I turned the knob and gently pushed the door open. It creaked loudly as if I had just woken it up. I stepped in offering a loud, “Hello, anybody here?” No answer, so I slowly walked inside.
The house felt familiar to me, even though there was no way I had ever been there. The entry way was wide with a staircase to the right leading up to the second floor. To the left of me was a fully furnished sitting room. I wandered in. I felt too small in this gigantic room. The ceilings were high and the walls painted a stark white. The furniture looked antique, but inviting. I shoved the key in my front pocket and went to explore the rest of the house.
I found the kitchen and was surprised at the modern updates. There was even a microwave tucked neatly above the stove. The kitchen was done in candy apple red and felt full of warmth. The main floor also held a bathroom and formal dining room. The dining room opened to the most beautiful room I had ever seen. The floor was made of dark wood. The molding that framed the room matched the floor and the walls were painted a rich gold. The ceiling above was rounded with a lovely painting of cherubs and fairies. From the middle of the ceiling hung a brass chandelier that must have housed a million glimmering lights. On the far wall was a fireplace with a brass framed mirror hung above it. In the corner sat the most breathtaking grand piano. There were benches along the wall covered in plush fabrics of gold and purple.
I stood in the center of the room, in awe of its beauty. I was tempted to sit at the piano and play, but thought better of it. After all, I still was not sure whose house I was standing in. It appeared I had completed my tour of the downstairs and decided to head upstairs.
Upstairs I found it to be just as wonderful as the main floor. I wandered from one bedroom to the next, there were four in total. The master bedroom was home to a giant four poster bed that was covered in silver and blue fabrics. The walls were painted a pale blue and the ceiling silver. Against one wall sat a fireplace with a mantle of white and a chaise lounge the same colors as the bed, which was nestled against one of the windows. The other window had a seat cuddled into it and was covered with a dozen pillows. There was a door to the left that lead to the master bath. Inside I found an old fashioned claw foot tub situated right in the center. In the corner was a stand up shower large enough to fit a football team. I glanced inside and was amazed by all the faucets poking out of the rock wall. “Wow!” I said to myself. I headed out of the maste
r sleeping room and wandered through the other three bedrooms before noticing another set of stairs leading up.
The top of the stairs opened up into a circular room that was overflowing with books. The walls were nothing more than mahogany shelves reaching from ceiling to floor. In the few moments that I explored the cases I saw every kind of book imaginable. Some appeared hundreds of years old and were covered in dust, while others appeared as if they were brand new and been recently placed in their home on the shelves. There were multiple chairs and sitting areas covered in pillows. An enormous window interrupted the shelved walls offering a panoramic view of the grounds. You could see the little town of Newberg below and the many vineyards that surround it.
The center of the room boasted a monstrous mahogany desk littered with paper and books. I roamed around the room, touching books before coming to stand in front of the desk. Lying in the middle was rather large, thick book. I stepped forward to take a closer look. That’s when I saw it, laying there flat on top of the book cover. Another note, addressed to me.
Dearest Lilly,
If you are reading this, you have made it to our home. Yes, this is our home. This place has been in our family for hundreds of years and holds all of our family secrets. There are many things for you to discover here, and in time you will learn all the secrets. Many of them will seem extremely hard to believe, but you must trust what you see and what you learn. Good luck my daughter.
Love,
Mom
Our house I thought. How could this be our house? No, my house was in southern Oregon. A trailer house in the woods, with Shep down the road, not this place nestled on top of a hill above Newberg. This was not my home, but I had to learn its secrets and that is what I intended to do. I folded the note and tucked it in my pocket, before heading down the stairs, and out to the truck.
I spent the next hour unloading the truck and unpacking. I decided to settle into the room with the giant four poster bed. It was getting late, and I needed to go into town for some groceries. I drove back into Newberg and shopped at the local Thriftway buying enough food to last me at least a week. I drove through the old downtown of Newberg and thought what a nice town it was. Under different circumstances, I might even like it here. As things stood now, I was not fond of this place and really just wanted to go home to Shep. It’s safe to say I was feeling a little resentment toward my mother and all her damn cryptic notes. Why not just spit it out? Why not just tell me the damn secrets? I drove back up the hill muttering to myself.
I unloaded the groceries and put them away while still muttering. After I shoved the last yogurt in, I took a deep breath to calm myself down. I decided I wouldn’t try to figure it all out my first night. Nope, that first night I would settle in, relax, and enjoy the wonderful house. I poured myself a glass of Diet Coke and headed up to the library.
I spent over an hour browsing the books. I felt the covers of the ancient ones. I could almost feel their history come to life under my touch. After much deliberation, I decided on the autobiography of Mötley Crüe. Yes, that should be just trashy enough. I couldn’t bring myself to read a love story and still felt too ill at ease for a thriller. Yeah, the Mötley Crüe book was perfect. I shuffled out of the room, turning the light off behind me. I did a once over, checking that all the doors and windows were locked. I couldn’t help but feel a little frightened sleeping in this place. Once the place was secure I made my way back to that wonderful bathroom, the bathtub standing in the middle of the room beckoning me. Who was I to refuse?
After my bath, my body was completely exhausted. I fell into the bed and was asleep, lights on, within minutes. I woke the next morning to birds chirping at my window. They were literally hovering outside my window singing, amazing! After I dressed and had my cup of caffeine I decided to take some photos of the house to send to Shep. I only had four left on the roll and used three of them up on the house. For the last photo I propped my camera on the porch banister and set the timer. I quickly moved in front of the lens and managed to smile and wave before it clicked. I went inside and sat at the little table in the kitchen to write Shep.
Dear Shep,
I made the trip safely, though I stopped along the way making me a day late. I spent the afternoon at a place called Salt Creek Falls. It was spectacular Shep. I promise once I get back to you we are making the trip there together. The house is far beyond anything I imagined. It is huge and magnificent. There was another letter waiting here for me announcing the house belongs to me. Can you believe that? No other clues or direction for me to go on yet. No word on where my mom is or why she forced me to come to this place. I am sending you photos of the waterfall and the house. I want you to be a part of this, even if you’re not here. I love you my Chocolate Muffin and will see you soon.
Love you always,
Lilly
I folded the letter and stuck it neatly in my purse. I made a mental note to buy envelopes and stamps in town. I developed the film at a local drug store. Two copies, one for me and one for Shep. I also bought two picture frames and a map of the area. I mailed the letter and photos to Shep, and headed back to the house on Crystal Way.
~Chapter Five~
The next day I decided to do some exploring. I grabbed my backpack and loaded it with hiking essentials and trotted off into the surrounding forest. I was surprised to find a small creek that wound through the property and an array of animals that were not in the least bit frightened of me. Rabbits bounced right next to me and little chipmunks seemed to be walking with me. At one point a fawn trotted right beside me, like a dog would do. The entire feeling was surreal. Who has wild animals following them? I searched for clues and explored for a little over an hour before I decided to take my search inside. The animals I had collected along the way followed me to the door before turning back to the forest. “Thanks for the company,” I called out and was startled when the fawn turned her head and looked almost like she was smiling. Like she understood me! I shook my head, pinched myself to make sure I was awake and wrote it off to stress. Of course, animals can’t understand you.
I wandered through each room looking for anything that would serve as a clue to the “secrets” I needed to learn. My search ended in the library where I was drawn to the book on the desk. The book was open now. Curious, I thought it was closed the day before. Again, I dismissed the thought, sat in the leather chair that enveloped me in softness and reached for the book titled “The Land of Neveah.” I opened the book and was interested to find a drawing of the house I was currently sitting in. I turned the first page and found a beautiful illustration of the land called Neveah.
Beautiful colors, thick trees, rivers and lakes. Before I could turn the page and begin to read I heard a noise coming from behind me. I sat frozen, too terrified to turn and find the culprit behind the noise. I thought the situation over in my mind. Whoever, or whatever, was behind me must not be dangerous or I wouldn’t have time to think those thoughts. Maybe it was some kind of animal, I thought. Like a mouse that was more afraid of me. These thoughts were coming fast and lasted only about 30 seconds before I talked myself into turning the chair and facing my intruder.
I was shocked to come face to face with a little girl. Her eyes were large and green while her nose was tiny and her lips the shape of a bow. Her hair flowed to the floor and was the brightest shade of purple I had ever seen. I inched closer to her, studying her face. I realized this was not a little girl, but a little grown up. Her bow like lips shaped into a smile and my trance was broken. My mind snapped back to reality, and I shook my head thinking she might disappear. She didn’t. She spoke before I could ask who she was.
“Hello Lilly, my name is Serephina. I come from Neveah and was sent to retrieve you and bring you there.” Her voice was soft and tinkling like bells and her face seemed to have a never ending glow of happiness. I shook my head again.
“I am sorry, uhhh, Serephina? I don’t know you and I am not going with you anywhere. As a matter of fac
t this place is starting to freak me out!” I was stumbling on my words and contemplating making a mad dash out of here and home to Shep. Then she spoke again, “I know your mother and your grandparents and they sent me for you.”
Her voice was soft this time as she spoke, still smooth as bells but more hushed. Her words rang in my ears. She knows my mother. She was coming closer to me, her hand extended to me in a gesture for me to take hers. I didn’t. Shock was rocking my body, brain and heart. She rested her hands on my shoulders, and gave a gentle squeeze of reassurance. I felt my heart slow, my brains unravel, and my body stopped shaking. My breathing was coming more even, and I was feeling sane again.
Neveah Box Series (Neveah Box Set Book 5) Page 4