Translucent

Chapter 7: The Ill-Fated Visit

"Wow, this isn't as bad as I thought." Phoebe beamed. "We should come over more often, Lori."

Lorelai nodded. I was glad their presence really enlivened this gigantic premise like we were on a field trip, especially when Nathan and mum were not at home.

The two kept complimenting every angle and corner of the house. The Haywood House was indeed a beautiful residence, if not a historical building. I only wished I could be here in some other scenario, not being dragged by some family drama unwillingly. I could appreciate this building without it.

All of a sudden, Phoebe's light squeal pierced through the halls.

"What's th' matter, Phoebs?" Lorelai asked.

"S-something just blew past me." Phoebe's eyes widened. "Oh my God, are the rumours true?"

"Relax, It's an old house. Happens often. Besides, this house is a little too big for three people, that if you exclude a housekeeper that doesn't stay in and sometimes gardeners with changing shifts." I answered.

"What about your parents?" Lorelai chirped.

"They're out very often." I rolled my eyes. "And Nathan isn't my parent."

"Geez, Lis, I don't think I'll survive being here all by myself even in daytime," Phoebe commented. "I might as well throw parties every day with a house this big."

As soon as we made our way to my bedroom, Phoebe set her laptop on and plopped on the floor to start the research, while Lorelai was making rounds around the room, admiring each side of it before stopping at the desk.

"Who's this, Lisa?" Lorelai asked.

As I turned, Lorelai was holding a photograph–the worn one of the young man in my dreams–it made my heart jump to my throat. I quickly snatched the photo off her hand.

"W-where did you find this?" I asked, observing the photo upclose.

"It's on th' desk, of course." Lorelai said.

No, it wasn't. The picture was last tucked in the window seat compartment, and even now I remember putting the journal inside my side table drawers. I couldn't have had a century-old treasure exposed just like that. Something was not right.

"Can I see?" Phoebe came over swiftly I barely had time to tuck it in my hand. "Hmm, he's hot."

"Yeah he certainly is." Lorelai approached and looked at the photo closely. "So let's see what you've been keepin' as a hobby: collecting auld photaes, eh, Lis? Well, it's quite a findin' you got 'ere."

"Hey!" I poked both of them and they broke into laughter. However, Phoebe slipped her hand through and retrieved the photo from me. I let her this time as she appeared to be careful, gripping her fingers on the photo's edges firm.

Phoebe's expression shifted. Lorelai, who followed her face, frowned.

"But out of curiosity, who is–" Phoebe began.

"My great-grandfather." I snapped. It was as if my mouth moved on its own. "I-I've been collecting photos of my family. And the photo you just saw, it's...it's my great grandfather, when he was young."

There was a short pause, before Lorelai and Phoebe bit their lips, regretting what they just said.

"Your stoatin grandfather?" Lorelai asked awkwardly. "Oh, sorry. Well yeah, Phoebe's right. He was...handsome though."

"Wake up, you two." I poked them and walked over to the drawers to store the photograph.

After an hour of resuming our studies, Lorelai wanted to have a walk around the manor to stretch some muscles. Phoebe was up for a little adventure with her.

"You're not comin', Lis?" Lorelai asked. "It seems we need a guide."

"You go. I need to look up on Mauna Loa info." I said to keep them busy. "Just don't break anything."

Or do. Everything here belonged to Nathan, for all I cared.

When they left, I sprinted to the drawer and produced the photograph again, along with the photograph, I pulled out the journal right underneath it. I sat on the window seat and spent a good few minutes observing the features of Cornelius' faded appearance. Lorelai was right. He looked extremely handsome–hot, as she would put it. His full lips clenched tight, forming a stiff smile.

"What do you want?" I murmured as I stroked his face.

All of a sudden, a gust of strong wind blew, throwing the picture out of my hand and knocking the book over. It book landed on the lower roof in an upside down position, with the picture lying on top of it. I grumbled, cursing myself for being reckless at some century-old antiquity. I calculated the height between the window and the lower, slanted roof and decided it might be worth the shot to retrieve. My hands clutched the window rims, shifting my upper body weight to allow me descend into the lower roof. I snatched the book swiftly with my other hand. My feet rested on the tilted roof surface, but my balance tipped–

I could have died if it were not for something cold clutching my arm.

And time stood still. I was registering his face before my very sight and his ice-cold grip holding firm onto my hand.

No, it had to be a dream, yet it felt so real. His features couldn't be clearer this time than brief glances of his in my previous dreams.

"Y-you..." I stuttered.

His face showed no expressions and he pulled me up effortlessly in silence from the window with ease, as if he was pulling in a blanket. Why was he even solid?

I grabbed his hand to climb up back to my room, but just as I barely reached my room, he lost his grip on mine and I stumbled into the floor. There he stood frozen, his eyes scanning me from head to toe. His mouth opened slightly like he was trying to form words; alas, no words slipped out. The young man looked too real for a hallucination, and even I could still feel the cold, tight grasp spot on my hand...except he was flickering like a broken lightbulb. I could see the walls of the room right through him.

"Lisa!"

At the voice that called me, he vanished. Before my eyes were the shocking expressions of Phoebe, Lorelai, and Diane.

"What happened to you? Are you hurt? We heard you screaming, we thought something terrible has happened to you." Phoebe grabbed me by the shoulders. Lorelai and Diane hurried to check on me too, like I just rose from the dead.

"No, I'm just fine. Don't worry. I'm not hurt." I convinced her. "I was at the window to have some fresh air and I almost slipped."

"You sure? It sounds like you already fell." Phoebe said.

"No, I'm perfectly fine." I hinted firmness through my tone. "Let's get back to work."

Lorelai and Phoebe shrugged and in a matter of minutes, we were back to volcano businesses, matching pictures on papers and jotting down descriptions of each volcano's types before arranging the sheets into one clipping.

"Are you sure you're alright?" Diane asked, not realising she still stood by the ajar door.

"Yes I'm alright," I said. "What's the matter?"

"Nothing. Excuse me." she slipped away.

Taking one last look through the window at where I could have landed I was struck by an immediate observation: the journal and the photograph were gone.