Author's comment: This story contains the supernatural and has dark themes in it. If that is not what you want to read, please close it now. It is the result of me challenging myself to approach the category. Comments regarding the content or style are appreciated.
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The house was something out of a movie. Three floors rose above the ground, an aditional tower rising on each sied. One tower was topped with a wrought iron railing for the widow's walk. It was a large hulk, in need of repair, yet it seemed to fit perfectly with the dark stratus clouds being pushed through the sky above it and the bare trees moving in the March wind surrounding it. A few patches of Colorado snow lay in the shadows of buildings or trees, waiting for the mountains to allow enough moisture to pass over to provide a new covering. It was a cold day, and it perfectly fit her state of mind.
Marie Annette Laneige stood next to her car, hoping the loud exhaust hadn't disturbed any of the other people there. She had expected a larger crowd for an estate sale, but there were only a half dozen cars nearby, and no people in sight outside the house. She turned the key in the door of her 20 year old compact car, locking it, as she imagined all the other, newer and obviously more expensive cars, were locked by remote. Pulling her coat more tightly around herself, she walked up the stairs and entered the gloomy foyer.
Dark paneling on the walls seemed to absorb more light than it reflected. Large paintings covered much of the wall showing those who lived here in years past or their relatives, and ceramics of various shapes and sized covered many of the flat surfaces. Some dust circles showed where an object had stood until a recent sale. How could anybody live in a house like this, she thought. It seemed as if the house itself was dying.
"May I help you?" The deep baritone voice, made richer by the slavic accent, made her jump and she turned to look at the man who had spoken. She immediately saw that he was well dressed, white shirt with a perfect triangle of black tie showing between the button-down collars. The tie quickly disappeared under his black double-breasted suit coat. His hair was black and combed close to his head, but the dark eyes and black Van Dyke held her attention. He could have walked out on stage to play Mephistopheles without having to change a thing. She prided herself on knowing some literature. Her older brothers had always told her how stupid she was.
"Oh, hello," she stammered. "Yes, I'm hoping to find an inexpensive dresser or bureau. It looks like everything might be well beyond my price range, though."
He smiled. For a moment she thought his teeth were filed to points, but then she blinked and they were normal. It must be the house, she thought.
"You may be surprised by the prices. As you might notice, we still have most of the furnishings, and they must be removed one way or another. The house was built in 1823, but as you may have noticed, the last owner did not keep it up very well and the engineers say it is not safe for continued use. What size of furniture were you looking for?"
She smiled but looked away as she answered. "I only have a small two room apartment. It can't be large or I'll need to remove the bed." She tried a laugh, felt self conscious, then looked at him. He was smiling, apparently appreciating her humor.
"I'm terribly sorry, but I've been rude. I should have asked your name. I'm Rubyanich, the executor for the estate."
Her shy smile returned, along with an odd warmth on her skin. "I'm Marie. Marie Annette Laneige. My grandparents came from France, and this pale skin seems to be a family curse."
He lightly touched her cheek, and it seemed to warm her a little in a strange way. "Hardly a curse, my dear. Your skin highlights your brunette hair, lovely blue eyes, and red lips. It makes you more lovely and you should appreciate that."
Warm or not, she pulled her coat more tightly around her and wished she had bought a larger coat instead of coming here to look for furniture. She had gained weight again, and the size 10 coat was getting snug on her now size 12 body. She was only a few inches over five feet tall, and the extra pounds always seemed to obvious. Even the large, meaty breasts that resulted did not seem sexy to her, though she really didn't want to look sexy.
His hand touched her again, cold fingers making her warm. "My dear, you look embarrassed. I'm sorry if I upset you with my compliment. My family tree is a long line of gypsies, travelers and nomads, and when we see beauty, we appreciate it."
"Oh, uh, gypsies. I don't think I've ever met a gypsy. I guess it explains your name though. Is it Russian?" She was trying to show again that she wasn't stupid, that she did understand and know some things about the world.
He took his hand away and motioned for her to follow him. "My family traveled through many lands, many places, and Russia was one of them. But at one time, it wasn't called Russia. A milenia ago it the slavic lands were wild and untamed, controled by those who could be strong enough to hold the loyalty of a group of people, and those who permitted certain groups unwelcome in other places to find a refuge. Always watched, of course, but still, a refuge."
He had led her up the stairs and into one of the bedrooms. Tall windows seemed to offer little light, but the bed, surface high off the floor to avoid the drafts of cold falling off the glass panes of the windows, was covered in an off-white blanket that made the room a little more inviting. She stared at the bed, thinking how inviting it looked. It seemed there was a voice, a whisper she could barely hear.
"Marie, here is a bureau that might work for your small room. It's heavy, but not large, and the mirror, of course, would come with it. Good lighting would reflect off the glass and brighten your bed." He pointed to a piece of dark furniture, beautifully carved with leaves and branches wrapping around a mirror that extended up to about six feet. She did seem brighter in it. Brighter, pink with life. Warm.
She gasped as she recognized the warmth. It had come when he touched her, and now when he had her look into the mirror. How did he do that?
"The workmanship is unmatched, as you can see. There is no other bid, and I told you everything will go by sale or by destruction, so don't worry about the price. Why don't you take a closer look?"