When The Clock Strikes Twelve - Chapter 1

by DarkAlias (Jack D) in the dark side of the moon, rockin out with Pink Floyd

Hi! This is my first story ever to post on KidPub so please comment and tell me what you think!

Chapter 1

    Everything was a blur outside the car window, just never-ending green and countryside. Tall jagged mountains rose up on the horizon, like claws reaching up into the heavens. The evening sky was orange like a fire burning in a grate. Wispy white clouds dotted here and there, like puffy angel wings.

      Mom and Dad sat in the front of the car, listening to the ancient symphonies and concertos playing on the radio. The dusty old seats were starting to make my butt itchy and I was starting to feel woozy from the stench of the dead flies caught on the windows. 

     I had always hated the long trip to Uncle Edward's manor. It always took what seemed like forever; sometimes even longer! We had only just hit two hours and weren't even halfway yet!

      The silky moon was high in the sky by the time that we finally reached those rusty wrought iron gates. They stood and tall and intimidating in front of the car and I winced once I saw that horrible hissing snake design welded into it: Edward's signature logo. They creakerd open shortly after Mom muttered something into a microphone next to it.

       We drove down the long narrow driveway, huge pine trees rising up on either side. We broke into a large yard a few seconds later. Cobbled stones sent us bumping up and down until we came to a harsh stop. Water gurgled out of a big stone fountain in the centre of the yard and then finally I looked up at the huge manor.

      It rose up three storeys high, fancy stone walls all 'round. A tiny turret was protruding out of the wall on the left side and a big stone tower rose up on the right, rising up four storeys. Dark slates slanted downwards on the roof, giving the house a threatening effect.

      We slowly got out of the car, staring with awe at the huge manor before us. Suddenly the front door came swinging open and there stood Uncle Edward. His short black hair was swaying gently in the breeze and his soft goldenb eyes looked kindly at us.

      "Well don't just stand there gawking!" he said in his usual booming voice. "Come in!" He gestured for us to follow him as he turned and walked back into thew manor. I slowly took one step, then another and then another. I had been hearing about Edward's grand home in the south of England ever since I was five but never once had I imagined it to be this grand! 

      I climbed up the first few steps, hurried through the front door and gasped. I stood in an enormous entrance hall the size of a football pitch. Shiny marble floors glistened beneath my feet, reflecting the light of the golden chandelier dangling above my head. Two gigantic staircases led up to the second storey on the other side of the hall and a little, dainty balcony over-looking the everything. 

      Uncle Edward stood high up on the balcony, and began grinning from ear to ear once he saw the astonished looks on our faces. He clapped his hands together and said," Welcome to my home!"