Chapter 12

Mirai's POV:

I'd be lying if I say I didn't hear Jasmine screaming at the maids, that would be equivalent to blasphemy but even in the midst of that I still manage to hear vague sounds.Like as though someone or something is scratching something.

The walls maybe?

However it's vagueness makes me question if I'm actually hearing anything or my mind is just simply playing tricks on me.

But though however,even with the vagueness it's still just as annoying.The scratching sound however seems like it's traveling.

I place my ear on the floor and try to trace the sound but i don't hear it,I get up and place my ear on the wall for any sounds but in a flash it's gone.I'm instantly confused as I just stand there with my ear pressed against the wall…. waiting to hear anything to prove to myself that I'm not going crazy.

"What are you doing?"comes a voice that makes me almost jump out of my skin

I turn around only to face Jasmine just a few meters from me.I look at my closed door then look at her in shock.I quickly pull the hoodie more so it can properly cover my head once I've gotten out of the shock.

I snap my head at the direction of where my bedroom door and find that it's locked.

"How did you get in here?"I ask glancing at the door that is still obviously closed

"The window wasn't locked and I wanted to see you"she says plainly like as though it's something she does everyday

I leave the wall and walk passed her to the window.She was right,it wasn't locked.I take this opportunity to check just how far the window is from the ground.The view alone makes me dizzy from looking down.The window is so high up and the walls so tightly built that one slip could make anyone foolish enough to climb it- or at least try to climb it-fall to their instant death.

"You don't like your life do you?"I ask

"Never did"she replies

I shift my gaze to her slowly with suspicious eyes before closing the window.

"What?"she asks

"How did you climb the walls?"I ask not bothering to hide my suspicion in my voice

"I have my ways"she says sitting on my bed

"What is it you want to see me for?"I ask

"We never really got to talk about our escape plan"she says

"Escape plan?we haven't even been able to get rid off that thing in your body so don't get ahead of yourself"I reply

She groans but doesn't say anything.

It's only then that I hear the scratching sound again but this time it's a little more louder than the first time.

"Do you hear that?"I ask

"Uh yes...it's probably rats or something,Onyx will get rid of it in no time"she says waving her hand

Probably?

"So I was thinking of using that new maid as bait she's very naive so she'll easily fall for whatever we plan"she continues

"And what will we plan exactly?"

"Um I don't know yet but whatever it is we have to do it fast"

"And what makes you think I'm actually going to plan anything with you,you can hardly plan anything to save your life"

"That's exactly why we need each other"she replies

I hear the scratching sound again but I ignore it thinking it's a rat like Jasmine said it was.Soon after it stops and I now concentrate on the girl in front of me.

"__are you in or not?"she asks

"No"I say blankly

"What?I'm your only hope of escape and you'd have to be an idiot not to know that"she retorts

"Yet here you are sitting on my bed pleading for me to help you escape"

"I've escaped before,the only reason I'm here is because of that pea brain Onyx"

"Hmm"

The truth is even if all she's saying were true I still couldn't trust her, I just don't want to trust her-not with the experiences I've had- and I'm scared that this might all just be a set up or maybe she might even sell me out at the end.I can't risk that.I just cant trust her.Especially with the way she speaks of Ashanti.And besides she's still creepy.

Just then I hear glass shatter then something falls on the bathroom floor.

I walk out of the conversation and into the bathroom and see that the cabinets are open and almost all the contents are on the floor.Shampoo and soaps of different kinds and shattered glass become one on the walls and on the floor.

What?

I begin to hear the scratching sound on the walls again and now they are louder than before but somehow not loud enough to be heard outside the bathroom.

I come out of the bathroom only to be greeted by my empty room

"Jasmine?"

Where did she go?

I'm about to go to my window to see if she's climbing down when my door opens revealing Onyx.

"I heard noise"he says

He steps into the room and looks around till his gaze lands at the bathroom.His look turns from calm and unfazed to confused as he turns to me.

"Miss Mirai what is the meaning of this?"he asks

"It wasn't me"I retort

"Really, so the heavy gallons of shampoo that were placed on the highest shelves of the bathroom cabinet pushed themselves?"

Soon after Ada and her stout husband also appear at the door.

"What's happening?"asks Ada

"See for yourself"gestures Onyx to the bathroom

She walks to the bathroom then almost jumps at the sight.I shift my gaze from her to her husband who seems like he is trying to hide his fear of whatever might happen next, however Onyx seems to still have his calm aura no doubt but even at that the air in the room stiffens.

I turn my gaze back at Ada's back solely in anticipation of just what happen.

However to everyone's surprise she laughs heartily.

"It's ok, accidents happen.I'll just get the maid to clean up"she says

"It's on a few shampoo, they're almost worthless.No harm done"she continues.

Onyx and Nicodemus share quick glances before they look at Ada.

"Of course ma'am I'll call the maids right away"says Onyx leaving the room.

Ada also leaves the room with her husband trailing behind her.

"Carry on"he says before shutting the door.

What just happened?

I rush to the window to see if Jasmine is still climbing down but of course I see nothing.

Typical isn't it?

Someone knocks at the door and then a feminine voice follows suit.

"We're here to clean up"

That was fast...

"Come in"

Two women who look like they are in their mid thirties walk in and head straight into the bathroom.

Both acting as though I'm invisible, neither of them even look at my direction.At this point in time I don't even know what to do with myself.But even at that hunger seemed to find me so I decide to make my way to the kitchen.On my way down I spot Ashanti walking towards me.Ashanti being who she is,I expected her to want to talk to me and blabber about something to me and that alone created knots in my stomach since I haven't gotten over our first ever actual conversation.But however she walks passed me into a different hallway that I presume leads to her room.

That's wierd…..well at least that helped to save me from any kind awkward conversation.

But even at that the feeling in the pit of my stomach doesn't go away.

I feel horrible.

It's then I feel something poke my foot lightly with something cold and blunt.

I jump a little from the position and I hastily check my foot to see if it's injured,I don't see any injury but I do see a black gooey substance under my shoe, barely penetrating on to my skin.

"What in the world?"I mutter to myself

However to my surprise the substance begins to shrink and evaporate till it totally disappears in minutes

I rush to the spot that I got poked and find that there are also some weird substance there that is evaporating as well.Once the substance has totally evaporated,I discover that there's a tiny hole on the floor now.

I bend down to get a good look at it.There's not much to see since everything on the other side is pitch black.

"Ready to change your mind?"asks Jasmine out of nowhere

I ignore her and try to look through the hole.

"Stop looking at holes and listen to me"she says

"Have you ever seen this before?"

"Who cares if I have,the rats probably did it"she retorts

"Now listen to me,I found a route in the garden that may lead to a tunnel to the outside"she whispers

Although her good news is too good to be true I still feel bothered by this acid thing.

But then again I'd like to see the tunnel,it could be worth seeing after all.

"Ok.."

"Great follow me" she whispers as she almost runs outside.

"Down here"comes a hoarse voice

I look down at the small hole created on the floorboard squinting my eyes at the squeezed and dark looking image of a creature like thing.I kneel down next to the crack trying to get a better glimpse of what I know I might regret looking at later in the near future.

"What are you?"I whisper still not seeing anything

"Hahahaha they thought they got rid of me hahahah rid of us"cackles the thing

"What are you talking about?"I ask a little annoyed that he avoided my first question

"I saw you when you first came into the house hehehehe I even gave you a little greeting"

"Wh-"

"Mirai where are you?I don't have time for this"I hear Jasmine whisper after me

I snap my head to the direction of Jasmine's voice and immediately spot the silhouette of her shadow coming closer

"Uh" I mutter and whip my head back at the floor board only to be greeted by the steely eyes of the creature

"Go"it says with it's icy voice

"Hehehehe, we'll meet again won't we?"it says before leaving the spot

"Come on let's go"she says pulling me away

After allowing myself to be dragged by her to the very spot that she claims to be the tunnel we reach at a dead end of nothing but sand and flowers.

"But it was right here"she says almost shouting

"I swear I saw it,it was this big"she says gesturing the length with her hands

I don't even know what to say at this point as I watch her kick the sand.Suddenly I feel like we're being watched.I look up at the house and spot Onyx looking at us from a window.

I this point in time Jasmine is already on the ground digging on the soil with her bear hands franctically.

"Jasmine"I whisper not breaking eye contact with him but she doesn't hear me.

"Jasmine"I say more loudly

"What"she says with gritted teeth.

I feel her gaze on me for a few seconds untill I look at her but at this time she is no longer looking at me but at him.

"You"she shouts pointing at him

"You this didn't you,you little piece of shit"she screams.

In no time her parents are at the window

"Jasmine what the hell are you doing there?"her mother scolds

However Jasmine doesn't say anything but just glares at them before she marches into the house slamming the door

Even though I don't follow her inside I still hear hear voice yelling at everyone

"I hate you all,don't touch me!!!"

In a few minutes I hear slam her bedroom door shut.

I look up and still spot Onyx there looking down at me with an unreadable look on his face but then even he leaves the window and I'm left alone.

Never the less I hear my stomach grumble and finally remeber why I'm outside in the first place.

But I don't want to go inside.

I don't want to have to bump into them.

Sigh…..

I now understand why Jasmine has a few loose screws,any one would go crazy after seeing whatever she's seen in this house.Its a shame though, anyone would kill live in this house.

I know I would….

"Mirai dear please come inside"comes Ada's voice from the front porch

Oh no

My legs seems to move on it's own till I reach the front porch

"Please don't mind my daughter,she's just having one of her days again"she says as she leads me inside

"Are you hungry?"she asks

"um litt-"

"Of course you are,I'll get you something to eat"she says

"Um I'll just go to my room"I say freeing myself from her grip

"Of course,I'll have the servants bring your food to you"she says smiling

I feel my stomach turn and I immediately feel uneasy.

"Ok"

I walk to my room in hopes that she doesn't follow me.Once I get inside I find that the bathroom is cleaned up but the cabinet is still broken.

Well at least I didn't have to do anything.

I step on something gooey and immediately raise my leg to reveal the same black gooey substance from earlier slowly evaporating.

Once everything is gone I find that there is a residue of a small piece of brown paper that slowly rolls down my shoe.I pick it up and straighten it out to find a note written on it.

Meet me at the darkest room

On the mansion

12 midnight

Not a minute late.

Who sent this?

******

Time skip….

12 midnight

Hours has passed since I got that note.I haven't told Jasmine about it or any one else but I have a feeling that this person doesn't want to be seen by anyone else.

Nevertheless I decided against it to go.It could be a trap.

Just then I hear light scratching sound above me.

It's here again.

I try to ignore it.

But it doesn't go away

It's been bothering me for hours like it knows I won't listen to it's silent commands.

I'm simply frustrated,the sounds is getting to my head and it won't go away.I throw my comforter off me ready to see just what this thing is and what it wants from me,I head for my door and step out of my room.But now the big question is.

Where is the darkest room on the mansion?

The scratching sound re-appears,the creature scratches vaguely on the walls then goes further to a direction as if telling me to follow.I follow up quickly making sure not make a sound as I look back multiple times to make sure no one is behind me.

The sounds leads me deeper into the mansion,the side where no one lives in.Its dusty and filled with cobwebs.Makes me wonder what all the maids are doing.It gets to a point where I have to walk down a few stairs through an ancient looking staircase.This part of the house looks degraded and old,some of the wallpaper are peeling off already.I slow down a little to look around properly.But the scratching speeds up making have to run to catch up and also leaves me with zero room to look around.The scratching sound leads me through multiple hallways that seems like it's at the very bottom of the house till we stop at one with a door right in the middle.I walk to the door and I try to open it but of course it's locked.

I should have known.

However I conveniently spot a piece of iron on the floor and I pick it up.I stab a little corner of the weak wooden door frame.Once it finally falls off I stretch my hand inside and reach for the door handle and try to open it but that only proves to be a waste of time.

I stab the portion of the door handle off for some time till it finally falls off and the door swings open.

I walk into a room that welcomes me with thick cobwebs and darkness.Whoever sent me the note wasn't joking about the 'darkest room in the mansion' part.

"Friend,you're back hehehehe,welcome"it's cold icy voice welcomes me giving me chills

"Now we can finish where we left off"

"I am not your friend...who are you?"

"Don't be like that... friend.Aren't you curious to know just what I may be?"It's says urging me.

"Maybe"

"Hehehehe good"it replies

"But in order to see me you'll have to free me first…..you won't be so cruel to live me like this now would you...old friend"

"I am not your old friend….where are you?"I reply irritated by his constant nature to call me his friend

"But we are friends,we're more alike than you think….just set me free and you'll see"

"Hmm,I highly doubt that but….I will set you free if I know where you are"I say stepping in more into the room

….only cause I'm curious.

"That's the spirit,you'll seee very soon"it says sounding more lively

"There's a little lever under one of the floor boards to your left... could you help me find it?"

I hesitate at first knowing that I might end up regretting this later on but then again I do want to know just what he or she is so I thought why not.

I stumble on something and I fall down on the hard floor.The door closes shut leaving me in pitch darkness.I kneel trying to figure out what I can hold on to in order for me to stand up as I reach for what ever may be in front of me.

I stand up from my kneeling position and reach out to the walls so I can turn on the lights.However just as I am about to reach out for the wall in front of me a hand grips my right leg tightly.I'm about to let out a scream but suppress it in fear of waking up the rest of the household.

"What are you doing?"comes the icy voice

"Let go of me"I say, yanking my leg away, fortunately for me it's grip wasn't as tight as I thought and it immediately let's go of my leg freeing me from it's cold hand.

It groans lowly as it retracts it's arm

"I'm sorry friend,I didn't mean to scare you….just don't turn on the lights"

"Why?"

"Trust me,you don't want to do that"it says cleverly avoiding the question

"Then how am I supposed to see?"I retort

"I'll guide you,I know where it is hehehehe"

I feel a very bad feeling in the pit of my stomach,the feeling that shouldn't be avoided but here I am in a dark room on the far side of the mansion looking for a lever for an unknown thing.

"And how do I know if you wont pounce on me in the darkness and eat me alive?"I ask

"Hehehehe I wouldn't do that, I'm your friend"

"I am not your friend"

"Hehehehe friend but you are,you can trust me"it continues

"And how do I know that?"

"Hehehehe well because the people in this house are bad people,they want to kill you for their own selfish reasons and hehehe my friend I can save you,help you get away"it says

"How do you know that?"

"I know a lot of things"It pauses

"Still don't believe me right?"

Actually I kind of do to be honest especially with Ada and Nicodemus being who they are but it was the saving part that I wasn't sure of.

"Just let me out and I'll sure you something really…. interesting hehehehe"

At this point in time I'm getting very curious,I want to know what he knows.

"Ok"

"Good choice my friend"he says

"Can I at least open the windows"

"No...Just follow my lead"

This is stupid

"Ok"

"Good now turn around slowly"

I turn slowly just as he asks without hesitation

"Take two steps to your right"

"Now take another step,move more to your left"

I move but along the line I get confused about which is my right from my left

"I said your left"it says more agitated

After a few more guidance and nearly tripping over things,I finally reach a spot and it tells me to stop.

"Is it here?"I ask

"Not really,I need you to kneel"he says

I do that slowly since I can't exactly see anything.

"Good job"it cheers

"Now what?"

"I want you to lightly tap on the floor boards in front of you"

I do just that tapping lightly on the board that even I can't see haphazardly praying silently that no one can hear me.

"Did any one of them make a hollow sound?"it asks with eagerness in it's voice

"No"I reply

"What?... but.. that's not right,move forward just a little bit more"it says failing to hide the anxiousness in it's voice.

I move forward nevertheless tapping the floor boards as I do so till I hear a hollow sound come out of a small portion of it.

"That's it"it says with joy, it's voice seemingly more animated

"Look for an opening and pull it"

"Look for an opening? I can hardly see"I retort

"Do it"It says sharply more eagerly than before.

I ignore that and scratch around it hoping my fingernails can get a hold of a piece of the floor board so I can pull it.In no time I successfully get a good piece of it in my nails and I pull it then use the rest of my hand to get it out of its position.

"Bravo"it says

"Now stick your hand into the hole that's been created on the floor,you'll find that there's a little lever there,once you find it pull the lever towards yourself"

I do just as it asks me and begin to pull it,it's quite hard to pull but I successfully pull it.Once I do that I hear something opening

"Ahh freedom at last"

Although I can't see clearly I can still free the aura as it exits the wall as it opens up.

"Hello friend"