An Uncle I never knew Essay Example

a tray carrying a teapot and an assortment of delicate sandwiches.

Before departing, my uncle cautioned me against entering the West Wing, an area that had been closed off for many years. Although I was eager to have a fortnight all to myself to investigate both the estate and the grounds, my curiosity about the restricted zone persisted. Nonetheless, I relished every minute of my adventures throughout the rural area.

The author encountered many interesting characters to chat with during their visit. George, the head gardener, had plenty of tales to tell about life in the olden days. He reminisced on the abundance of gardeners when he was young, but now only he and another remain. Despite his chattiness, when the author brought up the West Wing, George became quiet and serious. The author's curiosity about this mysterious place grew after hearing about it from the taxi driver who dropped them off and their Uncle who warned them to stay away. Eager to learn more, they decided to investigate during lunchtime.

Despite the shuttered windows, there were accessible cellars beneath the ground level, and one with a broken shutter caught my attention. After jumping down, I was surprised to find that I could easily lift the sash window and nudge the shutter open. Though I stumbled into the cellar, it was void of light and warmth. Thankfully, my mobile phone provided a torch feature which gave me a small circle of light as I bravely ventured forward into the shadows beyond the open window.

While walking through the corridor, I observed some tiny storage areas on one side until I encountered a set of stairs ascending upwards. Despite

considering turning back, my inquisitiveness urged me to continue. Eventually, I arrived at a secured door.

Upon approaching the West Wing, I realized that my intended destination was its ground floor. My heart started racing as the enormous bolt let out a deafening clunk, sending shivers down my spine. As I cautiously stepped inside the room, the door emitted an eerie creak. Using my trusty torch for light, I surveyed the small windowless space and found only a solitary table, chair, and dog bowl resting on the floor.

Examining the solitary pewter plate on the table reminded me of those exhibited at the nearby museum, causing a chilling sensation to run down my back and an unsettling impression of something fleeting by.

My fear became overwhelming and I froze as the plate suddenly shifted towards the center of the table, shattering the silence with a high-pitched scream that left me paralyzed with terror. Despite my fear, I managed to quickly run down the stairs, sprint through the hallway, and jump out of the window. I didn't stop running until I reached my room where I hid under my blankets and shook uncontrollably until dinnertime. At dinner, my uncle revealed that he never got married or had any children because Barton Manor was inherited from his father who told him about the West Wing before passing away.

Inheriting the property was an astonishing revelation for me, as it belonged solely to me as my uncle's only male nephew. I was dumbfounded by this unforeseen turn of events. My uncle went on to disclose that he was following in his father's footsteps by sharing a secret. During the sixteenth century, our

ancestor affronted the king and was subsequently expelled from the kingdom.

After leaving, he returned covertly and resided in an enclosed, undisclosed chamber situated in the West Wing with his beloved canine. A loyal attendant conveyed meals and beverages to him daily via a small opening concealed within the wall. Solely the attendant was aware of this occurrence. The passage of multiple years ensued, until the fateful day when the attendant passed away.

Unnoticed, my relative and their dog perished from starvation. Eventually, their remains were found and given a proper burial. However, the West Wing remained permanently closed as no one was courageous enough to occupy it after such a tragic event.