New family(2)

"He fainted. This kid is too weak."

I muttered. This world was shrouded in darkness again, but it doesn't matter because I finally found an opportunity to get out of this place. I just need to wait a little bit longer, that's it.

For now, I can conclude that when darkness disperses, I can see what that kid can see and hear what that kid hears. It was almost like watching a movie.

Although the language they speak isn't familiar, I can understand it and even talk in it. And that kid can hear me. Was his name Ethan? I should remember it.

The darkness started to tremble and began to disperse.

Maybe this kid isn't that weak.

***

Ethan woke up. Judging by the position of the sun outside the window, he was unconscious, but not for long.

"Was it a dream again?"

He asked slowly, not expecting an answer.

[It wasn't.]

It was that strange voice again. In intense fright, Ethan hid himself under the blanket.

[Are you sure the blanket can hide you from me?]

The voice sounded like it was mocking Ethan's stupidity.

"Who are you?! What do you want from me?!"

Ethan threw off the blanket and shouted in fright.

[First, stop shouting. Are you trying to make your aunt more worried about you?]

Understanding that shouting can't help him and can even cause problems for his aunt, Ethan decided to keep his voice down.

"W-who a-are you?"

[You can call me "nobody".]

This word sounded unfamiliar to Ethan.

""Nobody", is that your name?"

[You can consider it as a name.]

As the conversation continued, Ethan found out that he had started to calm down.

"So, mister "Nobody", what do you want from me?"

[Nothing much. Just help me get out of this place.]

Help him get out of this place, but where is that place? Is it in the wardrobe or behind the other door? But the sound wasn't from those places. It was near. Maybe that mister 'Nobody', was under his bed.

"Um, mister "Nobody" where are you?"

[Just call me a mister. "Nobody" does not sound very fun.]

'Not very fun? What's he talking about?' Ethan can't comprehend those words of that person.

"So, mister, where are you?"

[If my assumption is correct, it should be inside your mind's world.]

"Inside of my mind's world? I don't understand."

[I say it in a simpler way so that you can understand. I am inside your dumb head. Is that more understandable?]

The voice sounded annoyed.

'Inside his head, how can another person be inside of someone else's head? The head is too small to fit a whole person.' Even though Ethan can comprehend the meaning of each word, he can't comprehend the meaning of the whole sentence. But Ethan decided against asking that person further about that place. He doesn't want to annoy that voice owner even further. So Ethan decided to help that mister without understanding what words mean.

"How can I help you then?"

[It's simple. For now, you just need to close your eyes.]

Ethan closed his eyes as the voice said.

[Now concentrate on the cage. No, I don't think you can understand what it means to concentrate. Try to imagine a golden cage.]

He didn't understand what the voice wanted from him. Nonetheless, Ethan did as he was told. And he saw it, but the cage was far too far away, and it looked like a shining golden dot.

"I see it, but this thing is too tiny, like a dot."

[Don't pay attention to the little details. Just look at the dot and wish to open it.]

Ethan looked at the dot and wished to open it. But nothing happened.

"Um, nothing happened."

[I know. I wasn't sure it would work anyway.]

"Then why did we do all that?"

[It was the easiest way. But it didn't work. I need to find another way out then.]

The voice became silent after saying this, and Ethan didn't know how to react. Many things happened in one day. It wasn't even a day, just one morning. And now he was stuck with the strange voice from nowhere. It was too much for him, so Ethan just lied down in his bed, dumbfounded. Eventually his eyes closed, and he fell asleep.

***

It didn't work. I didn't believe it would work anyway, but regardless, the outcome is not pleasant. Maybe this kid knows something but doesn't remember it. But seeing his reaction, I doubt it. This kid was attacked by a shadow and then lost consciousness. After that, something must have happened to him, and my soul was placed inside his mind's world in this cage.

To get out of this place, I must find out what happened that night after this kid lost consciousness. Or decipher the meaning of these strange symbols. But I'm in this cage. I can't go out to investigate, and deciphering these symbols can take years without the necessary knowledge or might even be impossible.

At least I can communicate with this kid and see the world through his eyes. I can use him to find the necessary knowledge or investigate what happened that night. I need to motivate this kid somehow. Maybe I should make a deal with him. Help him with something. I think he, too, might be curious about what happened that night.

I don't know much about the world outside, but I am pretty sure about my brain power. I'm not sure that anyone in this world can be as smart as I am. Let's start with the deal, then.

As I made my decision, I noticed that the world became dark again.

I guess the deal must wait.

***

Ethan woke up to a sudden knock at the door. The light coming into the room through the window became dimmer. It was evening. The knocking repeated.

"Who's there?"

The voice behind the door responded cheerfully.

"It's me, Lena, the maidservant."

"You may come in."

Lena came in with the tray in her hands. She moved slowly and carefully at this time and placed the tray on the table, took the chair near it, and placed it near the bed. After that, she retrieved the tray and sat down on the chair.

On the tray was a bowl with the soup and a spoon. Lena took the spoon, scooped up the soup, and brought it to Ethan's face.

"What are you doing?"

Ethan's face was bewildered.

"I'm trying to feed you."

She looks like she's enjoying it.

"I can do it myself!"

"Really? But you can't even hold the spoon. You are so weak that my mistress needs to feed you. But she isn't here, so Ethan, say Ah..."

She smiled mischievously.

"No! I can do it myself!"

It was fine if it was his mom or his aunt. But it was too embarrassing to be fed by another person.

And Lena reluctantly placed the tray in front of Ethan. He took the spoon. At first, his hand moved uncertainly, but it became better with each try. The soup was made from chicken bouillon and mashed vegetables.

Seeing how Ethan managed to eat without her help, Lena stood up. It wasn't very fun to just watch, so she tried to do other things, like bring fresh clothes to change for Ethan. She tried to run at first, but remembering how she had tripped many times, Lena stopped. She straightened her back, raised her head up, and walked out dignifiedly from the room. It was a comical sight, but Ethan didn't see it. All his attention was on the eating process.

The food was delicious, and at the end of the meal, Lena returned with a bundle of clothes in her hands. She placed it at the edge of the bed, near Ethan's legs.

"What's it?"

"A fresh clothes to change. But first, you need to wash yourself... And I can help you with it..."

Lena's voice became quieter at the end. And her ears became redder.

Ethan didn't hear what she said at the end.

"What?"

"I said, I'll help you wash yourself!"

Lena answered with a louder voice and turned her face away. Her cheeks became rosy.

At first, Ethan didn't understand what Lena's words meant, but seeing her reaction, it finally dawned on him.

"N-no n-need, I can do it myself..."

His voice stuttered and his face became red, he couldn't even look at Lena's face from embarrassment. He just looked down at his legs and stayed quiet. The awkward silence continued for some time and was shattered by Lena's quiet voice.

"O-okay, then I just take the tray away..."

After saying that, she grabbed the tray and ran out of the room. But returned shortly afterward.

"I forgot to fill the bathtub."

Her face was deep red. She placed the tray on the table and walked to the second door. There was a bathroom. She walked in and left the door open. Shortly after, there was the sound of a faucet opening and running water. It stopped after some time, and Lena walked out.

She took the clothes from the bed and moved them into the bathroom, retrieved the tray, and hurriedly left the room. All the time, she didn't dare look at Ethan out of embarrassment.