The sunlight coming through the open windows dappled on the floor. But it was never warm when a lingering soul passed through Arnold’s body, as though something strange about its essence refused to fully settle. He froze as his eyes widened in disbelief. 

“Hey, Anton, are you okay?” Liam asked in puzzlement. Anton held his chest. It felt like an inexplicable sensation that lingered within him. He swallowed tensely as his left hand trembled. A gentle breeze from the orchard drifted through the estate. 

Anton closed and opened his eyes as he blinked thrice. Deeply breathing, he said, “I think I’m fine,” his tone sounded a little strained. Liam put the photo back in between the pages of the Hawthornes’ ancestry book. He approached Anton steadily, who was still looking confused. 

“Let’s leave, Anton. We can come back here some other time,” Liam said, and Anton dipped his head as they walked out of the library. But Liam looked back as if he felt someone was still watching them, leaving as though it was asking them to stay. 

What a strange library, he thought, gazing nonchalantly at the center of the sofa. He didn’t feel scared, but he felt someone right there had some unfinished business with the Hawthornes. Well, he couldn’t see which ancestry the unseen person was. Not that he didn’t care. He just didn’t want to meddle with whatever dark secrets were lingering in this estate. 

The door shut behind them. Their footsteps echoed faintly in the hallway. Anton felt better after that soul transference. Honestly, he felt utterly scared while walking beside Liam, who was staring at the hanging bundles of rowan on most of the doors of the third floor. 

“Anton,” Liam said softly. Anton looked at him while walking. “Yes, Liam?” he spoke, wondering. “Don’t you think this mansion looked peculiar? I mean…out of all floors, this floor had the most rowan hanging in it, except the library.” He added. The sunlight from the wide window on their left did not seem to reach the room doors either, as Anton observed while listening to Liam. 

“Anton?” Liam said, glancing back at him. But Anton seemed to be lost in thought for a moment. “Anton,” he called his name again. This time, Anton came back to his senses. “Ah,” he replied, feeling unusual. “Are you okay? I’ve been calling your name. Is something bothering you?” he asked. He knew something was troubling Anton. 

“Ah, earlier… I suddenly felt this pressure in my chest, and my head started ringing, like something crawled inside me,” he said quietly. The steady flow of air held them in quiet for a few seconds. 

Realizing how strange it sounded, he awkwardly waved his hands. “Ah, I’m not trying to scare you, Liam. I just…” He scratched the back of his head, smiling sheepishly. “I just feel really strange… that’s all.”

His gaze lowered to the floor on his left, where their shadows stretched across the floor. 

Hands inside his pockets, Liam said, “Don’t worry, I don’t really believe in such superstitious beliefs. But this house…” His eyes moved side to side. “There’s just something…about this house, like it―” 

Anton cut in, “Like it’s tied to old secrets, right?” he said calmly, his gaze drifted around the hallway, from the ceiling down to its far end, where an extended wing lay in the shadow, untouched by sunlight. 

The hallway fell into dead silence for a moment. 

“Yeah…like it’s holding onto something it shouldn’t,” Liam said, looking serious. Anton swallowed, a flicker of nervousness crossing his face. But Anton tried to change the subject. The more they talked about it, the more it felt as if something unusual would happen to the two of them.

“Ahm, what do you want to do now, Liam? We still have three hours before dinner time. Do you want to stroll around the orchard?” Arnold said politely. They continued their walk until they reached the stairs. 

The same large painting hung on the wall between the second and third floor, one they had seen ever since they arrived at the Hawthorn estate. 

“Yeah, we should.” Liam said, eyes cast down before meeting Anton’s gaze. “We still haven’t seen much outside. It would be good to get some fresh air after this uneasy feeling we’ve been having, don’t you think?” He added, smiling. A ray of sunlight brushed across Liam’s face and across the back of Anton’s.

Anton nodded with a grin. “Sure,” he said. As they walked down the stairs, Liam glanced at the old man’s portrait―its piercing eyes, its knitted brows, seemed to cut through them, as if it were alive and waiting. 

Liam didn’t want to overthink. But Anton noticed that Liam seemed to be interested in finding what lies behind the Hawthorns mansion. 

Anton just looked ahead. Yet his thoughts crept back to that lingering sense of unease from before. I should not think too much, he told himself.