CHAPTER 2- AN ANGEL IN DISGUISE.

ELENA'S POV.......

The moment the gate flung open, my heart skipped, I was scared of the fact that he might ask me to leave the premises. I had no way of knowing the exact time, but I could tell it was late. At that moment, I began to consider if I should go back home but remembering how much abuse I would have to face both physically, mentally, and emotionally, I became reluctant to even consider the thought.

“ Why are you still here?” He ask the moment the gate opened, he was wearing a night robe, water still dripping from his head down to his shoulder.

“ Please, sir! Once it is morning, I will leave, I promise!!”

“ You mean you intend to spend the whole night here, are you not feeling cold?”

“It's okay sir, is used to it”

He looks at me from head to toe like he was considering what to do with me, he heaved a sigh and spoke

“ Come inside! ”

“ What?!!” I ask not sure of what I heard

“ Come inside, it's too cold out here!”

I quickly followed him before he gets a second thought, entering the mansion, A big house, the kind in which most American kids dreamed of growing up. Secluded among trees on one of New York's most exclusive streets, it had turrets, gables, dormers, balconies, a screened-in front porch, a free-standing garage, a gazebo, a pool, formal gradients, and calm but I could also feel its loneliness ranging from the trees, hi flowers and even the rocks design on the wall all seems lonely.

“ You live alone?” I ask but he was silent.

Walking inside the kitchen with him stood a middle age woman probably in her fifties, her hands crossed together, she was waiting for us.

“ What would you like to have Miss?” She ask and I was surprised by the warm gesture.

“ Anything at all” I obviously would appreciate anything at that moment cause I was extremely famished.

Within a few minutes, I was served a plate of steak with a mouth-watering sauce, this woman must be a magician, how on Earth did she know my favorite was steak?

Without thinking twice, I began to prey upon the innocent steak.

“ Am Mrs. Lucy, but you can call me Lucy, what's your name?” The middle age woman who has been watching me eat asks. Her look was domineering, and her aura was an intimidating one.

“ Am Elena”

“You are welcome Elena, once you are done here, I will take you upstairs to the guest room, where you take a warm bath before you can finally rest”

“ Okay, thank you, ma'am”.

The moment I was done with the meal, I followed her away from the kitchen into the main hallway to the right, which is a large sitting room. The fireplace, situated on the wall facing east, has a tall mantel of Birchwood with turned spindles flanking a rectangular mirror supporting a tapered good. The hearth is set with dark patterned tiles designed with light blue and white floral tiles surrounding the firebox. The cushions are made with rare leather and fiber materials. The ceiling is painted pressed metal with curved crown molding. Walking down the hallway to the stairs, there is a center arch columns and molding with ornamental keystone designs. The haunch of the arch is angular rather than curved. She halt at the second floor right before a door by the left and gradually turn to face me.

“ This is the guest room, if you need anything, do not hesitate to contact me, or any of the maids, there is a landline inside, you can always make use of it”

“ Okay. Thank you, ma'am!” I spoke and without another word, she walks away, I fling open the door and as I walked in, I was greeted by the sweet fragrance that spread through the entire room, the sweet design of the walls was beauty to behold, as I walked in, I jumped on the sofa, it was so soft and inviting, rushing into the bathroom, I couldn’t be more excited, I dive into the bathroom, the fragrance of the bubble smells fresh and nice, it was strawberry.

I lay there for hours in the bathroom, it was nearly two weeks since I took a real bath, and I couldn’t be more grateful for this.

After I finally came out of the bathroom, I hung a bath rope around my shoulder and fell on the bed.

I was fast asleep when I heard sounds coming from the next room, I got up, and gaze at the clock on the wall, it was 2: was whimperingpering and it sounded fake in the gentle man’s voice. I got up, got out of the room, and walk towards the room where the sound was coming from, the door was open, and I gradually walked in, he was having a nightmare.

“ Sir! Are you okay!!” I spoke not expecting an answer, he was sweating restlessly, I could see a trace of tears dripping from his eyes and I knew instantly that he had a traumatic past. I took his left arm, place it on top of mine, gently stroke it, and quietly began to sing him a song. Slowly his temperature began to cool down and in a few minutes, he fell asleep.

AUSTIN'S POV………

As I open my eyes, it was morning already, I couldn’t believe that after two years of sleeplessness, I finally had a night of rest. Unable to grasp the mystery behind my new development, I got up from the bed and was so surprised beyond my imagination to see the strange girl sleeping beside my bed.

“ Hey!! Get up!! Why are you here?!!”

“ Sorry, sir!” She spoke as she struggles to stand up, I got to take a close look at her, she seems weak, but despite it all, she was the true definition of beauty.

“ Why are you in my room?” I ask her again the moment she was fully awake.

“ Sorry, sir! I haven’t slept for days, I needed a good sleep but you crying in your sleep…….”

“ So? How is that any of your business?” I ask

“ I taught I needed to calm you down before I can get a good sleep…….so I was trying to calm you down, I didn’t know when I fell asleep”

“ I see…. You can leave now, as you promised just for the night”

“ Sure! I will just take a shower and be out of your skin before you know it” She spoke and was about to walk out of my room but then I realize I don’t even know the name of this angel who helped me through the night.

“ Hey! What's your name?” I ask her.

“ Elena!”

“ Nice to meet you Elena, am Austin”

“ Thanks a lot, Austin for letting me spend the night here, I will leave you to rest now” her smile reminded me so much of Maya, I felt like that was Maya standing before me.

After I dressed up and was heading downstairs, I could hear the maids whispering to themself.

“ It was a huge shock to me when I walked past Mr. Austin's room and I couldn’t hear any sound, so I taught to myself, is he dead……”

“ Why would you even think such!!” Amira exclaim

“ You can’t blame me, since two years ago I started working here, there hasn’t been a single day Mr. Austin slept peacefully without making strange sounds but yesterday was a miracle, I had to peep in other to be sure he was alive and to my greatest amusement, it was miss Elena, lying beside him singing him a song”

“ A SONG?!!” Amira and Margret ask in chorus.

“ Why would she sing him a song, is she a mermaid?” Margret asks and they all laugh together.

I walked into the kitchen and immediately there was total silence.

“ Is breakfast ready?” I ask, sitting down at the dining table facing the kitchen.

“ Yes sir”

As Lucy dished out the meal, I was constantly looking at the hallway, I couldn’t hold it any longer and decided to ask.

“ Where is Elena? Go tell her breakfast is ready”

“ Am sorry sir but she left”

“ She left? Why didn’t you inform me that she was leaving?”

“ Sorry sir….. we taught you were aware”

“ How long has it been?” I ask, stood up and without Waiting for a reply, I ran towards the gate.

I ran for a few miles through the street of Pennsylvania but there wasn’t any trace of her, why am I suddenly angry, why am I feeling this way towards a stranger I know nothing about, I was the one that asked her to leave but here am I foolishly searching for shadows.