Chapter 9: Invader (1)
When the carriage finally brought us to Whitmore Gardens after about a twenty-minute ride, it was nearly 4 PM. The place was filled with three or four-story flats, most of which had ‘For Rent’ signs, giving the area an eerie feeling. A few lit homes had tightly drawn curtains, with people moving busily inside.
‘A large family?’ I thought, but Liam’s expression suggested he noticed something different. He gently brushed a nameplate and mumbled something I couldn’t hear. Then, he boldly knocked on the door.
A curt voice snapped from inside, “Who is it?”
“It’s me.”
With that, the door opened just enough for a foot to enter. The house inside was dark, filled with continuous, sinister whispers. A skeletal hand gripped the doorknob, hidden in the shadows.
“The master does not receive unannounced visitors,” came the voice, crackling like dried wood.
“Would he say the same if he knew his benefactor was here? Tell him Liam Moore has come to see the ‘One who has not yet fallen.'”
The servant’s hollow, skull-like eyes widened, and the door slammed shut. Footsteps receded as he went to deliver the message.
During this time, Liam advised me to keep my head down and focus on the floor, probably to avoid exposing my disguise. I nodded and kept my lips sealed, eyes cast down.