Chapter one

Ellen scrunch up her nose in disgust as she struggles to clean the room.

"This is outrageous!" She exclaimed angrily.

She might be a maid here but she is still human.

If she had known working here would have been this tedious she would have turned down the offer.

Ellen, a nineteen years old girl struggling to make some money for college, had asked for some help from her best friend's brother. And he told her she won't have to do much being a maid here and he was positive she would be paid well.

But this boss of hers seems to be after her life as he always manages to get his bedroom in an unbelievably messy state every time she wants to clean it.

Maybe she should quit.

She continues to clear the room of the items that don't belong there.

Empty bottles of liquor, and empty packs of cigarettes on the night table and floor.

And even a lady's undergarment?

She stared wide-eyed at the tiny piece of clothing that hung on the index finger of her left hand which she had thankfully gloved before she started.

She is not supposed to be surprised by the undergarment because she is aware of her boss's promiscuous ways but it had caught her unguarded.

She prays she won't have to see any surprise items today again.

She continued to clean the room, she had the windows opened to allow more ventilation and to rid of the pungent smell in the room.

Feeling a weird sensation under her feet as she stepped on something.

Ellen picked up a pack of unused condoms and held it with a shaky hand after reading what was written on it.

"This is too much for a single day" she murmurs under her breath contemplating between quitting or continuing.

After a debate with herself, she rushes around the room tidying it, scared another thing will pop out of thin air.

***

"How was work today?" Skye asked as they waited for the food being prepared by Skye's mom to be ready.

They were in her house like they normally do since high school days, they grew up together eating in each other's houses.

"It was not pleasant, I saw a lot of surprises," Ellen said with a grim expression.

"I don't think something that was not pleasant should have surprises, what happened?" Skye's curiosity peaked.

"Not all surprises are good"

"Hey I heard a carnival will happen tonight, do you want to check it out?"

Ellen skillfully switched the conversation.

"Where and when?"

" Not far, we can ask your brother to drive us there" Ellen suggested but Skye has a different plan.

"No, I will drive us there".

" Okay".

"Girls dinner is ready"

Skye's Mom's voice cut through their conversation.

~

"Don't you think you have kept her hidden long enough!"

"That child is going through enough on her own and the knowledge that she has no relatives or any other family aside from me is depressing.

There is a limit to what she can tell me or how she can rely on me but if she has other people she would be able to sleep well at night knowing she is properly loved and taken care of" Mrs Stefan said on top of her voice.

People won't believe their eyes if they see her this way; she rarely raises her voice when talking.

She seldom showed any sign of anger and here she was spitting words angrily.

"I have told you times without numbers that it is not time yet, it is that time of the year again. Make sure she doesn't leave the house."

The man dressed in an all-black outfit with a black trenchcoat said with finality.

He had remained unfazed while being yelled at, he was used to it. His aim never changes, to make sure his stubborn sister agrees to his command again.

"What if I don't?" She asked daringly.

"You won't want to know what I'm capable of, " he replied, chuckling before vanishing into the air.

Mrs Stefan sat down immediately feeling tired suddenly, all the guts she had a second ago all depreciated.

She lost the argument again.

She thought sadly.

The carnival would be starting by ten pm, Ellen would definitely be back by then.

~

It was a short drive and Skye was ecstatic when they pulled up at the venue, a lot of activity was going on.

Some people are selling stuff to little children.

But what caught Ellen's attention was the man performing some magic tricks.

People gather around him giving him their rapt attention.

"Wow! There is a magician!" Skye exclaimed excitedly like a little kid.

"Let's get closer," she said, dragging Ellen along.

Ellen allows her to pull her through the crowd to get closer to the Man.

She does not believe in magic, she would agree the man was performing some tricks but definitely not magical.

"He is so good" Ellen felt Skye was more weirdly drawn to the performance than necessary.

"Let's go and buy cotton candy," Ellen said, dragging her out of the crowd.

"Why can we not go later, I don't want to miss any of that" Skye grumbled unhappily.

"No, we are not going back to that.

Can we go home?" Mrs Stefan must be worried about me. I did not inform her I would be attending this carnival".

"She won't be worried, this is not the first time you are spending the night with me. She would understand" Skye's reply took words out of Ellen's mouth.

What Skye said was true, Mrs Stefan might not be worried about her.

While they both let their worries out in the air and have fun among the crowd that also came to witness the carnival.

Ellen was unaware of the pairs of eyes that were following her every movement.

Unknown to her she had subconsciously entered a territory she had been secretly protected from all her life.