We're out of supplies

Rubbing his head where his mother had smacked on, he answered while looking up, recalling what had happened to her as he recalls.

“Oh! I was about to start my work when I saw a human head lying down on the foot exit of the labyrinth, madam” he proudly claims. “But it was you, madam, unconscious on the ground so I called Mama and Papa to get you inside” he added.

“Have you seen your ball?”

“Erm…Madam?”

“I found it though, have you not seen it with me?”

“No, madam” the boy looked puzzled by Lilith.

“Come, rest now, madam” Ada interrupted. “It is getting late too, we are glad you are well, madam” sweeping the boy’s head away, harshly.

Lilith smiled, “Thank you, Ada. I will be in my room after a while”

After the two’s footfalls faded out from her hearing, Lilith began to fill her mind with the oddity of the dream or the reality. She was uncertain of everything.

What was that? Another weird dream, huh? She looked to her hand which was tainted by the black soot.

“It couldn’t be from the soil. This-“ She looked askance to the speck of dark soot on her hand “-is too dark than the ground of the maze.” Remembering the chilling grin of the shadow from her ‘dream’ “Who-what was it?”

The moon is high. Deep of the night, Lilith, in her bedroom, wide awake. Her thought is consumed by another oddity. However, since Lilith was convinced it was a mere dream, she shrugged it off and closed her eyes, trying to sleep.

Perhaps she had rested well already, she seems to struggle to fall asleep. Then a small thumping sound on the wooden floor just right out of her room, began to consume Lilith’s ear.

It was the same noise, the same pace of the same tapping sound she had heard last night.

She listened quietly and suspiciously. Covering herself under a thin blanket but left her sight open.

Lilith’s heart pounded crazily and closed her eyes fiercely. The noise stopped before her door.

It slowly creaked open.

The tapping noise continues.

Closer.

And closer.

And closer to Lilith’s bed.

She opened her eyes and sat upright to finally confront ‘the pervert’ or ‘the intruder’ she thought.

A loud gasp escaped from her chest to her mouth. “Stewt?!” covering her lips.

“Shhh, madam, you’re awake.”

“What are you doing here in the middle of the night?” Lilith pressed her chest to calm her crazy heart.

Snuffing the candle light beside Lilith’s bed. “Well since I cannot do much around the house, mama made me snuff the candles when unused, to save the melting of candles. Well of course so I can continue living in the mansion” retreating his snuffer.

“Ah, yes right. Sorry, I’ll do it myself next time. Have a goodnight rest now” she smiled to the boy.

The boy giggled, “Madam, I work at night, I sleep by morning”

“Is that so? Well, I’m terribly sorry for taking your rest and played ball earlier morning” Lilith chuckled while shuffling her blanket and readied herself back to sleep.

“But madam, I was snoring loudly earlier morning’”

She paused and her eyes widen, “Excuse me,” Lilith turned to him, “You were what?”

“Sleeping, madam?”

Lilith was speechless. Her mouth left opened. Snapping out of it, Lilith asked one more question.

“Were you here too, last night?”

“Yes, madam? You look pale. Have a rest madam, I better get going now. Please spare telling mama I disturbed your sleep” he plead before shutting the door on his way out.

A realization struck Lilith.

It was Stewt from last night, but not Stewt who played with me earlier? But I’m pretty sure it was him; I saw his face in the daylight, in the daylight! It is Stewt, but what could be the reason denying playing a game with me? It doesn’t make sense. Oh, was he not allowed to play with me? But no, he said he was sleeping earlier. Hmm, if it is not Stewt then who could it be? A twin? No, less likely. An impostor?

Her mind exhausted by these strange thoughts.

After Lilith braided her hair and pinned up into a swirl, a knock to her open door was heard. Lilith turned around and looked at Ada holding a tray on her hands, in it were plates of food, a tea cup and beverage, just enough for Lilith. “Oh, come on in”

Placing the trey on the table near Lilith’s bed, “Madam, we will need to purchase supply and stocks from the near town. We will soon run out of candles—”

Lilith interrupted, “But I thought it is miles and miles away for the near town? And not a car too, how will you be able to get back?”

“Well, we will need to walk for a day and another day walking back” she added “It will only be a day of us gone, if we are fortunate to have a passerby with carriage” Helping Lilith putting on her corset and petticoat.

"Be careful. Also, if its is needed for mansion, do not hesitate to ask money from me. It is uncomfortable that you use your pay for the mansion and not for yourself"

“Is that so, well I hope I had my husband’s poor Toyota so I could help you out, but I guess if it is urgent then…Come get those supplies and oh, have you all got a- “

Ada showed a stock pile of money under her dress garment. The dollars fell off like crusted leaves from a tree.

Catching the falling money with her hands “Oh my, where did you get all of these?” terrified and shocked, she looked at Ada.

“Our payment”

Why would they use their salary for shopping the needs of the mansion? “Well, okay, then” They could have asked money from me since I am the owner of the mansion now, why didn’t they?

Ada helped Lilith putting on her gown and swifts her hand plain on the gown ruffles.

“We’ll head tomorrow morning and be back a day, hopefully” Continuing with the bed, she fluffed the feathered pillows and flapped the blanket clean.

After much of her cleaning around Lilith’s room and their conversation, she bowed before going to the door and out.

"Be careful. Also, if it is needed for the mansion, do not hesitate to ask for money from me. It is uncomfortable that you use your pay for the mansion and not for yourself" she shouted.