Stuck On Here
Chapter 8: don't know

"Tapha?" Athana sits on a chair in Wynie's butler's room, opposite two young girls in knee-length dresses with long sleeves and white aprons.

Tafa looked up, looked at his new employer's face, then looked down again. Athana's gaze felt so cold and gripping. Makes Tafa a little goosebumps, scared. But He had no other choice, He did not want to be haunted by strange sounds from the reading room of the ancient house.

"Tafa, your name?"

Tafa nodded, slightly glancing at Wynie who looked relaxed with the tail of his eyes.

"Would you like to work here?" Ask Athana again.

Tafa nodded, "Yes, Lady Athana," she replied in a delicate voice.

Athana smiled, slightly improving her uncomfortable sitting position. Her lentic fingers flank the cup of tea lobe on the tray, brought the cup's lips closer to her mouth and sipped the warm taste of the tea.

"Alright," he said again, putting a cup on the table. He watched Tafa for a moment and then stood up.

"You'll work here, work well. You're gonna room with Wynie, you're good friends, aren't you?" Athana noticed the contents of Wynie's room, a frame containing abstract paintings hanging on the wall near the window. Two beds lined up together. Clean glass windows, covered in thin curtains. Nothing is different, everything corresponds to what was in the beginning.

Athana turned towards the door, followed by Wynie.

"Valerie said, she's leaving today, where?" Athana asked before stepping out.

"It seems to be down to Lake Almaty again, "

"Lucas de Felman," muttered Athana meaninglessly, then immediately stepped his foot out. Wynie closed the door of the room making sure it was in a meeting, then followed Tafa who was tidying up her clothes in the wooden closet.

"Do you know what those voices are?" Wynie asked while helping Tafa put her clothes in the closet.

Tafa paused for a moment staring at the horror towards Wynie, "Lacking to know, but the voice had appeared ever since the pale man had come,"

Wynie's forehead shriveled, helping to stop the movement of her hand by still grasping a piece of clothing, "Pale man? Who do you mean, isn't Miss Katherine unmarried?" Ask while continuing to compose Tafa's clothes.

Tafa let out a rough sigh, staring at the glass window blandly.

"Yes, the guy always takes a nap during the day, his face ashen as it is covered in powder. And Miss Floren, also doesn't seem so happy about the person's presence"

"really?" Ask the wine again without changing the view towards Tafa.

"Yes. And I don't know now,"

"Well, your language is like, Easterner well," said Wynie.

***

"What's next, Luke?" Andreas asked as he flipped through the archive sheet, containing newspaper clippings with a clear blue cover. His eyes watched the exit that was clearly visible from where they had gathered.

Lucas was silent, twitching his temple, "I don't know yet. Clearly," Lucas stopped staring in turn, at his two friends who were busy tricking the librarian with book sheets and archives, "Obviously, we don't know what's clear here yet. The city of Lourch did look a little restless these last few days, not knowing since when exactly. If we relate to the arrival of Miss Katherine, it could be. He came two months ago, occupying an ancient house that he said once belonged to the Katana family, Miss Floren's parents. But what does he want from Lourch, West?"

Both Andreas and Kendrick were silent. A moment of silence, until Andreas pointed towards the door of the Hall. Lucas and Kendrick turned their heads, a man with a tall posture and a pale face, dressed in a black tuxedo suit walked into the bookshelves.

"That's the pale guy, isn't it?" Lucas ensured.

"Yes, it was him. Let's see what's next" Kendrick replied.

***

"Oh, here Miss Katana is apparently,"

Floren turned his head, his eyes narrowing to see a pale man at the end of the corridor bounded by high bookshelves. He did not answer, but took just any book that was there and walked the other way, towards the place where, Lucas and his friend were.

Ray stared coldly, making Floren a little scared.

"Excuse me, may I sit here" said Floren, sliding a chair near Andreas.

They just shut up. Floren whispered, "There's a ghost man here,"

Understanding what Floren meant they were silent. Continue the lying activities of each. The annoyed Floren just flipped through the book looking at the picture pasted on the white paper.

His eyes caught someone walking towards the door of the Hall, the cold aura that was slowly disappearing making Floren sure that Ray had already come out. He breathed a sigh of relief and rested his back on the wooden chair he was sitting on.

Floren straightened his back, squinting at Kendrick.

"Eh, I mean, Miss Floren,"

"Nothing, just cold,"

Lucas and Andreas narrowed, trying to sense the temperature of the air around them. The air is warm enough as it is nearing mid-summer. Andreas stared at the horror towards Floren who responded with a wave.

"I'm sorry, I mispronounced. I mean not the temperature but the aura of the pale man" Floren asserted.

"really? Lucas asked to make sure he didn't feel anything when Ray went in there. He would not have known the man's arrival except for Andreas who told from his sharp eyes.

"Yes, right. Why would I lie? It's cold, you guys don't mind?" Floren looked at the faces of the nobles before him. They themselves saw Floren in a strange way, making Floren understand.

"I'm sorry, but I'm used to the East,"

"Ah, not that. Language problem we understand, but a cold aura? We didn't feel anything" Lucas responded.

Floren raised next to his brows, "Really? I think the air around him is always cold,"

"We don't feel anything" Lucas once again insisted.

Floren was speechless, his pale blue bead of eyes peeked into the lace-woven fabric of the light purple dress, his legs covered in shiny black pantofles were swung in tune. Taking a deep breath and looking at each face before him, he just opened his mouth to speak the voice of the girl breaking the silence. Valerie walked in with her white dress. Take a seat near Lucas.

"Sorry, I'm late, Wynie was busy no one was accompanying me, my mom hasn't let me out on my own lately,"

"It's okay. Oh yeah, Flo, you want to say something?" Lucas replied.

Valerie looked towards Floren who was sitting beside Andreas, She gave her sweet smile which was replied with a smile as well.

"That guy, his name is Ray, Ray Stuart. I'm not being disrespectful, but I've seen her data on the desk in the study. He was not from East Lourch, but from outside Lourch, from Donsten. He came to my house, about two weeks ago" Floren said.

Lucas shook his head, not feeling strange but asking for further explanation, "Then, why did you tell us?"

Floren sighed harshly, "I just wanted to tell you because you're a Felman. But I don't think it's ethical that we just talk to each other, and you don't know me yet,"

Lucas raised his eyebrows, "Because I'm a Felman? Wh why? If you want to ask for help don't go to me, I'm just the son to——"

"Lucas, listen to him first, you impolite!" Dengus Valerie was annoyed.

"It's not a matter of you son how much, what's the difference anyway? Here, I see your name there," said Floren with a heart at the beginning and a tweet at the end, "I mean, there's a paper that says your name, you know? Or maybe you've known?"

Lucas thought for a moment. Then he hesitates, "No, nothing. My uncle never knew Ray's name. My mom or dad too. Do you know, or have you ever known why?"

Floren looked at Lucas with an unreadable look, there was a hint of fear and doubt there. Her hand squeezed the cloth of the dress she was wearing.

"Ray, he. Me, him, the pale, the man. Him,"

"Patience, calm your mind, just talk so we understand clearly," Valerie took over.

Floren nodded in a deep breath and then let out a rude. Her hand was still squeezing the dress fabric, she bit her lower lip. Then looked again at those who were waiting with impatient faces.

"Ray Stuart's. I feel like I've seen him before, when—" Floren paused for a bit his sentence, a clear hill slightly wetting the end of his eyes. Making those who were there stare confusedly.

"I saw him when, I went with my father, just once but, he's not a good guy. He's not a good guy, he is," Paused again by taking a breath, "He's a killer," his great-grandson.

Both Lucas and the others put on a confused look. Waiting for Floren to continue his story.

Floren raised his face, rubbing his cheeks that were beginning to fall by tears.

"He made my father die and my mother disappear, he!" Strictly speaking at the end, "I was astonished too, and more astonished when the man came again and stayed in my house. "

"Auntie doesn't know anything, she doesn't know who Mr. Stuart is, only I know,"

***

For those who like not to be a silent reader, if you do not like to leave this novel. I don't make you guys like it. Ok happy reading.