Chapter 4

**Acacia Point of View**

The castle was much larger from inside than outside.

The roof was adorned by a large chandelier hanging down in the middle of the gigantic main hall. Smaller chandeliers were hung around the large one with few meters of space like a bud surrounded by petals.

Unlike the normal setup with electrical lightings, this was more like a medieval systems with place allotted for candles and surprisingly, there are well shaped crystal chips around the candle stand to illuminate the light well.

From the limited yet the better lighting, I noticed that the cold stone walls are decorated with several painting which one could only find in museum nowadays because these painting cannot be from this era.

I walked to take a closer look at the paintings and sighed as the warmth of soft and rich carpets soothed my feet. I almost groaned in pleasure when my achingly cold feet are now treated by warm carpets. The whole floor, stairs are covered with carpets made of some rich animal skin and one look at them, I can say each of them can cost thousands of dollars.

As a student of Architecture, the design and the layout of this palatial mansion is like a treat to me. On closer look, I realized that the paintings were that of sceneries that I have never seen anywhere.

Not even in internet.

They were like landmarks of some fictional place with a pinch of fantasy in it and it felt so real as if the painter has seen it with his own eyes.

The places in those paintings felt... alive.

But that wasn't much of a surprise because what stunned me most and terrified me out of my skin was how squeaky clean the place was kept.

It was almost like the place is maintained by hundreds of people, cleaning and managing every day.

Somebody definitely lives here.

"Whoever lives here, may I please have a word with you? Hello?" As usual, my call was met with only silence. It was too quite that other than the sounds of storm and my own breathing, there is nothing I heard.

Even the sound of my breathing felt loud that I swear I could hear the echo of it.

"Please." This time my voice trembled in plea.

At that point, I suddenly couldn't comprehend if being alone here was better or supposedly having a creepy companion that is not seen yet.

Cold, wet and shivering, I waited for a few minutes to see if someone would make an appearance claiming to be the owner but nothing of such happened. When I understood that perhaps I was the only one there, at least for tonight, I hesitantly walked to the stairs.

I stairs spiraled in one length all way to the last story, only having a small interval on each story. From below, one could not see the intervals at all making it look like the whole building is leaning on the staircase in a very beautiful way.

It was amazingly done almost giving the whole thing an optical illusion.

The first story itself has five hallways including three wings and the whole floor nearly has fourteen rooms and none of them are bedrooms. Most of them are study rooms, more like office rooms from Middle Ages only; these rooms are well equipped and maintained with sophistication.

I did not bother to checkout every room giving my freezing condition, I hastily moved to the second floor and thankfully, the first room I opened is a bedroom.

"Thank God." I sighed in relief and walked into the large bedroom. The room was so big with one king sized bed in the middle of the room with nightstands on either side of it. Two candles on each table are readily available and I wasted no time in lilting them.

Carrying the candle with me around the room, I noticed three doors other than the entrance door. One opened to another room connecting with the present one. The second which was beside the extravagant vanity was a bathroom and the third one was a walk-in closet that contains female dresses, more like long gowns.

There are like hundreds of gowns, simple ones, moderate ones, lavish evening gowns, soft and comfortable night gowns and warm cloaks. You name it and you can find it here. But the fashion itself looks like a few eras past although every dress seems very much new and fresh.

"Let's change first before worrying about other things." I told myself as picked what looked like a warm nice night gown and a fluffy towel.

"To whomever these belong to, excuse me for using them without permission." I said loudly to no one in particular and walked into the bathroom to change.

My idea was to just wipe my body and change given the rain has already showered me enough. But what I saw in front of me faltered my steps and I had to take the support of wall to stand still.

In the huge bathroom, in the stone-made bathtub that was sitting in the far end, was steaming water which I would like to think waiting for me. The steam were coming out warming the bathroom and the hot vapors was masking everything around the bathtub.

To say I nearly peed in my pants was definitely an understatement. If this isn't creepy as hell, then I don't know what is.

I was the only one in the room from the past few minutes and when I checkout the bathroom earlier, everything was just normal. Now I see that the tub was filled with hot water with a bathing sponge and bathing aid beside it.

My breath hitched at the mere sight of it. It was not possible. For hot water to appear out of nowhere is not possible. For the possibility that it might be for me is not possible.

Without waiting, I raced down the stairs to get of the damned mansion. At that moment, I don't even want to think if it was the work of a possible living companion or even more, dead.

My steps were fast enough to take me to the main door in mere seconds. Reaching the main door, The large heavy goodness has nothing to hold to open from inside. No bolt, no knob or nothing. The door which I left open was now closed and I don't even want to know how it happened.

For one, I know that no matter how strong the winds are, they are not strong enough to close a door such heavy.

"Oh no no no." I tried to wiggle my finger in the small space between the close door but even I know I'm trying something impossible. The large windows were shut and when I tried to push and pull, they did not even budge. Either they are locked from out or the windows are just for show.

"I know I'm not alone here. Who are you? What do you want from me?" I cried out as tears poured down my eyes.

Spasm of rush took over me as the need to get the hell out of this place sat on my mind and heart so heavily that I started to hyperventilate.

"Please. If there is someone please show yourself." I fell on my knees and called out as the tears rushed out of me like a stream.

"No, no, I should get out of here. I should get out now." I raced to all the room on the first floor to see if there is any possible exit but as expected, the windows were closed shut with no possible locks I could see.

The entranced hall is attached to several rooms and none of them had another exit door.

"The kitchen. If there is a kitchen in this place, it would definitely have a back door." I mumbled to myself and ran to back of entrance hall where a possible dining room and kitchen might be situated. Lucky enough I did find a kitchen with a back door which was closed and possibly locked from outside.

Although the back door was small, it was made of some kind of hard metal that no matter with what I tried to break it, it wouldn't budge at the least.

Stuck and afraid, I leaned over the back door and slid down. Wrapping my hands around my legs, I hugged myself as I cried.

What is happening to me? Why is it happening to me?

First the accident and then this. I don't even know if my friends are alright or not.

If they are found, if someone found me missing, one day would they come here to search for me?

Will I ever be able to escape from this place? What if I couldn't?

If only this was just a very long nightmare.

If only -

My body finally gave in and with the last prayer to the heaven to help me escape, I was finally enveloped by the darkness.

My eyes felt heavy and body light. I didn't even know if I fainted or merely dozed off from exhaustion but there was only one thing I was wishing for before I was completely swallowed by sleep.

If only this was just a nightmare!

**~*~*~*~*~*~

Hello Sweeties,

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