Should I go in or not?

This place is private property. Massive farmland of 100 hectares. As far as I can remember, the mansion is in the middle, and the employee's homes are at the borders at the back of this hacienda. This is a remote place and no common people can come in and out freely. There are even hearsays spreading around the city that the guards have shot an intruder here.

Then, what if there are still people alive in here? What if they just shot me when I come in? How am I supposed to get help?

Welp.

Sighs.

I'm well-trained. Why should I be afraid? I'm the daughter of a military officer. I shouldn't be afraid of anything, right?

I start driving slowly to the entrance post. There's no one in there. The acacia trees are so tall and the sugarcane fields are already good to harvest but left untouched. Well, who's going to harvest that, anyway?

Next to the sugarcane fields are the mango plantation. There are many fruits there already. Some had fallen into the ground and are rotten. The smell of those sweet mangoes is spread into the air. I'm surely going to pick some later.

The acacia trees end right there also. Next is the line of Kalachuchi with its blooming pink flowers planted on the roadside. I open the windows of my truck so I can smell more of it. It smells like sweet honey and citrus. I can't put it into words well but it's kind of addicting. Maybe, this is why it is made into perfumes.

Next to the mango plantations are the ranch where there were once cows and horses. For as long as I can remember, this ranch is the source of fresh milk in the city but it seems like there are no single cows and horses left now, not even a single goat. This left side is a wide but empty meadow now with inhabited stables. On the right side of the road are the plantations of Pili nuts and other fruit-bearing trees, on the farther side of that are the plains of ricefields which are near the river in the borders.

Following these Kalachuchi plants means I'm already near the mansion. I remember that's there's a park in front of its high walls. Then, there is a pineapple plantation at the back of the mansion and the rest are coconut trees and sugarcanes again.

How nice it would be if I could live here?

Nice scenery, nice flowers with sweet scents, fresh vegetables, and fresh air. It's totally different from the city which still has a foul smell of decays and bones all over the roads. I can't even see a single piece of clothing blown away by the wind here.

I can see the park from afar now and the high walls surrounding the mansion. That was once a beautiful mansion. I wonder what the greenhouse that is full of red roses looks like now.

Are there still roses there or just full of wild shrubs and vines from being unmaintained for many years?

I reached the gates of the mansion, then I pull over. The park is full of dried leaves and twigs now. The swings, seesaws, and benches are all dusty. Even this high iron gate has rust all over and its green paint has already faded with brownish watermarks.

I get off the car and walk through the front of the gate. I just hope that this isn't locked inside. There's no way I can climb these high walls if it's locked. I gently push the smaller door at the right of the gate.

Great! It's open.

I get back to my truck and grab my shotgun, just for safety purposes. Who knows what's in there?

I wear on a sling and get in the compound. The dried leaves and twigs are all over the place. The water on the fountain and mini pond is all green from the growth of algae. There are no fish left there, just soaked dried leaves. I decided to roam the greenhouse first so I turn left to where it's located.

Wow!

It's literally a greenhouse because it's full of unknown green shrubs and vines now. Luckily, there are still roses left. I'll pick some later. I walk back to the fountain in the front of this once gorgeous mansion.

The paints have faded and the watermarks on the roof and walls from the rain had dried to black already. There's a file of garbage outside the mansion. The plastic bags look new. Gosh, it's so smelly. I covered my nose from the strong smell.

Is there someone living here right now or this was still from a few years back then?

I walk through the main door. I take a deep breath first and tighten my grip on the sling of my shotgun, then exhaled through my mouth.

Here we go...

I open the door gently to avoid creaking. I need to be cautious. I still don't know if there's someone here.

Welp, there's no one here.

I walk through the kitchen. Well, if there's someone here, they must be cooking at this hour, right? It's almost noon now.

I'm not even inside yet but I can smell the disgusting smell from there. Probably, rotten meat and vegetables. Also, a stinking sink.

I walk into the kitchen. There is indeed a stinking sink. The pantries are open and there are still supplies in it and above the refrigerator. The floor tiles are dirty, there are even rotten vegetable peels still sticking to the floor. I suddenly hear something squeaking. I listen to it carefully.

Where is it?

Ugh. There are even rats here. If I live here, I have to do a general cleaning first before moving in. This will be a huge job and I think it will take a month or so to fully clean this huge mansion.

It's squeaking again. I remain vigilant. Where are you, huh?

"Hump! There you are!"

I swing my shotgun above the refrigerator and the stuff above it have all fall down, creating weird noises. I heard it again somewhere on the pantry. I immediately swing my shotgun through it. What a naughty rat, trying to play with me, huh?

I suddenly hear footsteps rushing through here. Damn. There is indeed someone living in here. I panicked and quickly hide in the small room of cleaning supplies. It's just enough for me to stand, it's loaded. I peep through the gaps of these wooden pull-ups, which look similar to window pull-up blinds but just cover half of this door.

Oh, it's a lady.

Sh*t! She's looking around. Please, don't come here.

She seemed to calm down and seems like talking to herself. I can't hear it, though. I'm here on the very edge of her kitchen. She starts to walk away from the kitchen. It seems that she's convinced that no one's here. That's good. It almost freaks me out.

I listen carefully to the footsteps. It seems farther now so I got out. Damn. This small wooden door is cracking and this damn mop falls as I take a step. I quickly run out of the kitchen without caring for anything. I can hear her coming back, so I run much faster out the door, and continuously runs out of the gate. I quickly hop in my car and drive away.

Phew.

That was close.

Wait.

Didn't I say I want to make friends if I meet another human alive? Then, why did I freaking run away? Ugh, how stupid I was there.

Maybe, she mistook me as a thief there now. Whatever at least I know that there's still a human alive aside from me.

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Hey there!!!

To @meitanteikudo and @Ellehcim,

this is my continuation for my first entry at Earth after Dark Community. I hope you can like this also.

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Thank you as always for reading my articles until this end. If you want to fully understand this story, please see Earth After Dark Community and read other linking stories. You can also read the first one I wrote.

Earth After Dark: Setting Out

I hope you had a great day everyone. Stay safe, be healthy, be strong, and pray always. God bless us all!