To Live is to dance. To Dance is to Forget. (Open)

[Erik Lenoir]

"I would be happy to meet anyone who would be able to show us the way out, human or ghost. It doesn't matter. Come then, there is much to be discovered. I have been walking about for quite some time," here Erik looked puzzled, for he didn't know if it were hours or days that he had been wandering the mansion, "and I have not been back over the same ground twice. Time moves oddly here..."

"I am not used to being in the company of anyone really, but your company is pleasant dear lady, and if you can bear with me, perhaps we shall discover something of value. If we are to find out information from as unlikely source as a ghost, we shall have to hunt one down."

Erik continued. "Where did Christine Ellen say that she saw said spectre?" He opened the door and held it for Lydia. He gestured with his hands as he first pointed down the hall with his left hand, then the other direction with his right. "I came from this way, but I see no sense in going that way, there wasn't anything in the hall and I doubt that I could have missed anything. I say, it's on to the unknown territory, is that amenable to you, Señorita?" He smiled at Lydia and tipped his hat in preparation for her passing through the doorway.

[lyddietalise]

Her head nodded in agreement to his statement on the time as she thought about if anyone could possibly show them out. She hadn't really noticed the whole time concept until he had mentioned such a thing. Now as she thought about it, she realized he was right. How long had they been there? How long had she been wandering about? She could not really put a time on this. Nor could she figure out how to handle this problem. Either way Lydia did not wish to spend the remainder of her "time" in this place trying to figure that out.

Unable to control the slight smile that was stretching across her cheeks, Lydia let the smile show. "I'm quite sure I can bear with you. Perhaps the task will be easier than truly believed, monsieur Erik." Her Spanish accent made the french word sound odd. Deep down inside her organs turned and she grew rather nervous. What if there was no ghost? No one to give them information? Answers were needed to know how to survive and someone had to have them.

"She mentioned seeing a figure while she wandered about. She never did tell me an exact location." Lydia sighed heavily in frustrated before pressing her fingers to her temple. "I suppose-" She began just before looking in the directions he had pointed to. "That would be the most plausible idea, señor." Her voice threatened to shake with the fear she was beginning to feel as she realized they were heading into the unknown parts of the manor. But his smile slightly calmed her. He seemed confident and thus the fear she was not used to feeling went away. "Gracias." She thanked him while she stepped through the doorway with a slight caution in her step. She thought of him to be rather gentlemanly like. Something she had not seen in that Alexander fellow. Neither was it something she saw in Paris. Not often.

[Erik Lenoir]

Erik sensed that Lydia was frightened and although he put on a confident front, he was unsure of what lay ahead. But he had gone through so many unpleasant things in his life that this was just one more. Of course he had never been in a situation where he didn't know where he was and didn't even know when it was. But he liked Lydia's company; she seemed to accept him for who he was, no questions asked.

Erik held the door open for Lydia and then followed her out into the corridor. He thought her Spanish accented French to be rather lovely and exotic. He sensed a bit of hesitation in her, perhaps not completely trusting him and fear of the unknown. Erik wasn't really afraid of the unknown, he was more likely to be irritated that he couldn't figure out this puzzle. Who or what brought them here and was confining them in this mansion? Why would someone want to do that? He had considered earlier that it could be a game on someone's part. A game to see who would be the first to escape. Would he or any of them escape with their lives? He didn't care to verbalize these sentiments to Lydia though, as he was certain they would frighten her.

"Well, I suppose a ghost would not stay in one place, would it, Señorita," said Erik. "So we could possibly meet one in any place, any time. That is, if there is such a thing. I am still somewhat skeptical. But I do not doubt anyone's word that that have seen something. I just want answers and I don't care where they come from."

Erik started to walk down the corridor, turning to make sure Lydia was following him. There was not much in the corridors, just the same as before, and there was very little in the corridor. Erik had picked up the oil lamp that he had found when he first arrived. He hoped he could find more oil before it ran out. It was still fairly full though.

Erik turned a corner and saw another door. "Look, Señorita, here is a place I haven't been...would you care to look with me?"

[lyddietalise]

Though frightened and somewhat uncertain of what was to come, Lydia tried to keep her sense of calm. After all, this man..Erik, he seemed as though he were a rather level headed and kind gentleman. Who was she to frightened in the company of someone who seemed as though he could handle any situation? There was also the fact that Lydia had murdered. She wasn't this sweet, easily frightened girl. Oh no. She was a hard worker and a strong independent woman who knew how to defend herself in most situations. Still, since she had found herself here all of that changed.

Her breathing was heavy from her own fear as they walked through the corridor. Every once in a while, she found herself looking over toward Erik. He seemed like the quiet type. Someone who enjoyed their solitude, as she did. But that mask added to his silent mystery. What was he hiding? Lydia was too polite to ask, nor did she truly care but she was, as to be expected, very curious. "Might I ask you a question, serñor Erik?" Her eyes though fierce and confident held questions in them. Thus, she continued with the question she wished to ask him. "I, myself, have theories as to why were brought here. Might I inquire on what you believe?" Perhaps they could combine their theories and find a more probable answer. The possibilities were endless, after all and without any reasonable answers being given there was not much that they could do.

"No. I suppose not." She sighed softly and looked down at the floors which they walked upon. He was very polite with the "señorita" moments and those times created a need for Lydia to laugh. She found it to be quite kind, yet too formal. After all, they now knew each other's name. Though she felt skeptical when trusting Erik, she did not mind breaking away from their formality. "I agree with you. If we are to, indeed, find a ghost...they could be anywhere..."

Lydia followed him without anymore hesitation. She wanted answers more than she feared what could have come up. Looking about the corridors she realized this may become one of the most difficult tasks to handle. How were they meant to find a ghost when there was not much around. Would any of those rooms be host to an "entity" of sorts? Or was Christine Ellen just as she believed; a mad woman on the brink of breaking down?

When Erik turned the corner she nearly missed that turn, spacing out in her own mind. But when he called out to her she walked behind him and noticed the door. She questioned the idea of going into the room, but her mind was set. This had to happen. "Oui, señor." She was slightly unnerved but knew she could do this. She had to.

[Erik Lenoir]

As soon as Erik opened the door and stepped into the dark room that he and Lydia had just discovered, the lights went on with a soft glow. The chandelier was lit and the wall sconces were also. Erik stopped in extreme surprise. His first thought was that there was someone in the room, perhaps a ghost? Of course not, not a ghost, because such things weren't real. Or were they?

Erik glanced at Lydia to see if she were still there and what her reaction was. "Who's there?" he called. There was no answer. Erik turned to Lydia again. " Señorita, it would appear that we are alone. I don't know why the lights suddenly came on...but I intend to find out."

Erik glanced around the room. It looked like a Victorian sitting room. But unlike some of the rooms in the mansion, it was clean and cosy. There was no hint of dust anywhere. It looked as if the maid had thoroughly cleaned the room and it had passed the butler's white glove inspection just before their entrance. "It seems safe enough to enter, Señorita. There's obviously no one here. "

A carpet in green and black with pink flowers in a small pattern covered most of the floor. At the edges of the carpet, one could see the slats of the dark wooden floor. There was a beautiful green marble fireplace in the room with elegant carved wood overstuffed chairs in matching green and blue fabric. Atop the chairs were crocheted antimacassars and doilies on the arms. Ottomans sat in front of each chair. On the mantle was a vase of fresh flowers and some small Greek statuettes. There were various fancy picture frames with solemn looking people in them. In the corner stood a long case clock which had obviously been wound. The wallpaper was a light blue with a darker wreath pattern. In another corner sat a small spinet piano with lacy-edged white scarves hanging over the top and covered with more small pictures in fancy frames. In a corner near the door hung a heavy framed oval beveled mirror, which Erik determined to avoid. A small writing desk stood primly in another corner. A small dark wooden bookcase held a few books and a pile of magazines. A three shelf cabinet and a rounded glass door and sides held trinkets of all sorts.

The room looked cosy enough and almost made one want to build a fire in the fireplace and read a book in front of it. Erik was charmed by the room, which looked like a lady's sitting room. However, he was still rather stunned by the lights suddenly turning on by themselves. He noticed a window near the long case clock with thick lace curtains and a green and pink curtain behind them. "A window," exclaimed Erik. "Perhaps a way out..."