Chapter Text
You remember the sea breeze against the rocks. It used to be your favourite spot, overlooking it all from that hill. Or going down more towards the sea, the beautiful white sands always looking gray in the gloomy and rainy weather. You remember the sounds of seagulls screaming as they fly out towards the water, just flying endlessly. You had always wished you could do that too.
At one time, the sea held these secrets only you knew. Secrets that stayed in your bed with you, secrets that followed you into your dreams, ones that once held you in their arms.
Until you had to move. It’s been months now and isolation finally got the best of you so you decided to take a walk. The area you live now is much more quiet than your old house. Fields and forests cover the area and there isn’t a neighbor in sight. It’s almost 30 minutes to the closest little town.
You walk along the old trails in the woods. Ones that seem to not have been used in years. As you walk more on a trail you have never been down, the forest suddenly quiets. It gets so silent you can hear your own heart beat. It’s so loud like drums in your ear. You remember hearing that that means a predator is nearby. Probably a wolf or a bear.
You stand there for a moment. Usually being around any form of nature makes you feel at peace, but now you feel an uncomfortableness creeping into your bones. You feel invisible eyes watching your every move.
You swallow harshly and turn to head back but you are stopped by a wall of flesh. Someone blocks you, and you stumble a few feet back but you don’t fall down. You finally meet the eyes of whoever stopped you. Mismatched eyes stare at you and he isn’t as tall as you expected.
“Oh hello. Sorry if I frightened you!” He says. You stare at the stranger. He has one blue and one white eye, a mustache, salt and pepper hair that’s neatly brushed back and a red suit. He smiles politely at you.
“Sorry I was just taking a walk.” You say. The man just keeps smiling at you and nods. “Perhaps I walked too far?” You questioned him. Why is he wearing a suit in the woods?
“My name is Copia. This is where our property starts. We live up this trail.” He says.
“I just moved a few months ago so that makes sense. I thought I didn’t have neighbors. I live down the road that way.” You point south east.
“In the little cottage? Looks like a fairy lives there.” He says with that same polite smile.
You nod. Copia holds out a gloved hand to you. “Would you like to see where I live?”
“Sure.” You nod. Good thing you carry a pocket knife just in case….
Copia leads you up the trail which ends up taking you to a beautiful gothic style mansion. It looks like something you could find in an amusement park that has a haunted house attraction to walk through. There’s a giant weeping willow tree in the little side yard with a pretty swing set underneath. The seats look very comfortable and there’s string lights wrapped around the swing set. No wonder this guy mentioned fairies. It looks beautiful in the dusk lightening.
Which dusk approaching just dawned on you. You can’t wait home alone in the dark. It was kind of a long walk. Copia noticed your change in feelings.
“I can take you back home, no matter the hour, dear.” He offered. You gave him an only slightly nervous smile and nodded. He accepted it. “Good. Come, I want you to meet my family and friends.” He said and led you inside. After walking up a gorgeous wrap around porch, of course.
The main walk in was also beautiful, as expected. A large almost grand staircase sat in the middle. Of course a simple shoe closet and then an archway opening up to a kitchen. Copia set you peek into the kitchen as he slipped off his shoes, then you took off yours too. You wore a hoodie outside instead of a jacket so you just kept the hoodie on.
The theme colors of the house seem to be black, white, darker reds and some gold accents. It was absolutely stunning. You almost wished you lived here. Copia smiled as he watched your expression. There’s something different about you. Something special. He could tell from the moment he saw you.
Copia leads you into the living room. It has two large couches and a big tv on the wall. The tv playing Shrek and some people watching it.
Wait.
Not human people.
Now things are getting weird again
Eyes that glow in the dark turn to stare at you. Chirping and hissing sound in the air and the beings have tails and horns.
Perhaps this house is the seven layers of hell and this is the first test.
You look at Copia, wondering what is happening but he just smiles as one of the beings runs from the couch to fly at you.