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Just an idea I've had for a while, unsure of what to do with it, could use some advice. |
| [Introduction] Chapter 1: Death The funeral ended at sunset. The few, freakishly quiet friends of Celeste Allen had already begun to disband. Elise hugged her remaining aunt and wiped her eyes for her, together, they drove to Celeste's lawyer's office. He was a pale, skinny man in a gray suit and black tie. His eyes were dead in a way that made Elise wonder if he was a corpse, but moved and breathed on occasion, leaving her slightly disappointed. At least a talking corpse would have been interesting. They sat in the two low-backed chairs that faced the dark, mahogany desk. The lawyer regarded them with feigned interest. Elise kept her eyes on the ground, taking in the details of the outdated carpet and the lawyers dull yet mismatched socks. Her aunt, Samantha, dabbed her eyes and blew her nose, then waved her hand to signal the lawyer to go on. "To her elder sister, Celeste Sybil Allen leaves her leather bound dictionary, her dog, and her box of "treasures". He said the word "treasures" with thinly veiled annoyance, then he slid the four inch thick dictionary upon which sat a small metal (locked) box, but Elise saw no sign of a key. He gave her directions to the kennel Aunt Celeste's French Bulldog, William, was staying. Aunt Samantha, always the sensitive soul, choked back sobs as she explained how she couldn't stand to leave the poor creature locked up any longer, and how she was so so sorry and how she hoped Elise would be alright on her own. Elise resisted the urge to remind her that not only was she an adult but she had lived on her own for many years now, but instead she only faked a careful, empathetic smile and told her that it was fine. Samantha fled from the room in a flood of tears. Elise, now forced to look up, was all but ignored by the lawyer as he read over the remaining part of the will. Some money would be nice, she hadn't had the best month. First her mom died, then her boyfriend abandoned her, and now her aunt had died. Samantha, a single, childless, 40-something-year-old was all she had as family, and she barely new her. On the other hand, Elise didn't know Celeste well at all. She knew she was in her late 30's when she died, which seemed young to Elise. She had seen Celeste for the first and last time (at least while she was alive) at Christmas when she was 10. Celeste had shown up, bright and fast and overwhelming, and handed out candy and gifts. As far as she new, Celeste had branched off from the family, burning out as fast as she did bright, and slipped into her large home as a recluse. Not a bad idea, she thought. She had given Elise her very first camera, something she grew to cherish. She new she should have been sad by her aunt's passing, but instead she felt nothing. Nothing was what she usually felt lately, anyway. She had long since given up on trying with other people, as it got you know where. Her aunt Samantha was all the proof she needed; kind and generous and friendly, she had been walked over and taken advantage of all her life. The lessons learned this year only reinforced this idea. The lawyer, whose face Elise still hadn't bothered to put a name to, cleared his throat, sounding as if he rather be anywhere else. She didn't blame him. "To her niece, Ms. Allen leaves the remainder of her estate along with sole custody of her only son, Nathaniel." |
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