CASTLE KILLINSLY

A flash of lightning illuminates the night around a foreboding silhouette. She stared up at the bulk of the castle, standing, among a ring of trees, at its only entry...and exit.

The stories flashed through her mind. The castle was brought here, to the Ozarks, in 1898, brick by brick from the original 1552 site by its eccentric owner, Malk Antitribu Daranth Killinsly. Whispered tales of strange happenings within the house every half-century followed the move, frightening instances that changed every time always left one horrible memento...three dead bodies, no more, no less.

Shaking her head to dismiss them, Mystyc started toward the building. At her first glance, it looked rather worn and old. But her frown disappeared as she got closer and truly saw the pristine care that had been given it.

Her hand came up, clenching a large bronze key in it...her key now. She?d bought it - and the house it opened - only last July, for a price that had seemed too good to resist.

Inserting it into the massive brass revolving doors, she opened her new castle, pushing on the glass to enter.

Her first glance goes to the spiral staircase about 15 feet before her. Its first 30 steps wind up to the east & west wings, each home to 15 classic bedroom/baths. Beyond those steps, at the top of the stair, is one lone door that refuses to open. No key, lockpick, or crowbar seems to work on it.

Disregarding the upper rooms, she walks back into the main ballroom. A slight tinkle of crystal draws her attention to the ornate crystalline chandelier hanging from the ceiling right above the crest of the stairs. Oddly enough, its teardrop hangings seem to be blowing in a breeze that is not there...

The crunch of the richly colored rug beneath her feet brought her back to reality. Casting her glance about the circular room, she again took stock of the silk drapes and soft pastel colors decorating the windows and walls. One huge circular table stood in the exact center of the room, about 150 seats arranged neatly around it. Made of the darkest ebony, its gold trim provided an excellent contrast to its dull, forbidding glow. Each chair matched its table precisely, looking for all intents & purposes like they'd been chipped off the table's block. On both the chairs and the table, great weaving patterns crisscross the wood, ancient runes bleached in by the sun over long periods of time.

Looking up, Mystyc appraised the high-arched ceiling, its delicate whorls and ivory reflected in the gold leafing. An identical chandelier to the one above the stairs hangs from its exact center...its own crystal shards also moving slightly.

Moving away from the ballroom, she enters a long hallway, herringbone contrasts of light and dark wood at her feet. One simple, long rug seems to connect two parallel rooms.

On her left was the lounging area, so noted by its boxlike architecture, scattered tables, and large, L-shaped bar. Dark tapestries covered the walls, complementing the blood-red chandelier glinting from above. The long bar is made of cherry-stained oak, old and glossy. Behind the bar is, of course, dozens of bottles containing various wines, combinations and other drinks for everyone's enjoyment. Two doors are partially obscured from view by the bottles, leading respectively to the back storage areas and the kitchen.

The far wall held a collection of booths, maroon velour adorning the benches and plush inner walls. All across the room, various-sized sofas, from small to excessively large, are scattered around the tables, seeming at first a very chaotic mess instead of a carefully aligned structure.

Mystyc smiled to herself. She had indeed bought a very unique and complex castle...perfect for gatherings of good friends of the night. Remembering that, she dimmed the lights to a cozy glow, enough to cast a comforting and laid-back atmosphere about the rooms. Sinking slowly into one of the plush couches, she relaxed and allowed herself some time to breathe, to not fuss over the million little things she'll need to do tomorrow, when the Castle of Killinsly opens for business...