THREE

Her head felt like exploding. When she opened her eyes, she did not see the familiar ceiling she used to see inside her bedroom.

Where am I?

It took her a while to realize she wasn't in her bedroom and took her to get up to remember everything that had happened before she lost her consciousness.

There was a man in front of her house. Someone she doesn't know---

Panic rose inside her as she looked around. She could remember her aunt and then her aunt's boyfriend who harassed her. Then someone came and her aunt's boyfriend was dead. Someone killed him and she couldn't remember anything else aside from that. She couldn't even remember the stranger's face.

She was quick to run to the corner of a huge room when the door opened. Seeing the lamp, she picked it up and held it in front of her. Remembering what the man did to her aunt's boyfriend, she knew a piece of lamp would be a futile weapon against him for whatever he is. But it was better than nothing.

Her heart thundered when someone stepped inside the room. She swallowed hard, anticipating her visitor but she was relieved when a woman entered.

She watched as the woman did not even spare her a glance. The woman was quietly walking towards a table inside the room and laid down a tray of food. Her stomach grumbled at the sight of food but as hungry as she was, she had to find a way to get out of the place.

So she walked towards the woman and held her hand. The woman gasped and pulled her hand away from her grasp. Confused, she tried to catch the woman's eye. But the woman doesn't seem to want to meet her gaze as she kept staring at the floor.

"Please," she said. She had no idea how scared she was until she heard her shaking voice. "Please tell me how to get out of here."

The woman was still staring at the floor and for a split second, she cheated a glance in her direction.

But the answer did not come. The woman scurried towards the door and before she could even talk to her again, the door slammed in her face.

She was close to crying but she knew it would be no use. She had to think fast and find a way to get out of the place wherever it is.

The room was huge but save for the bed and the table where the tray of food is placed, there was nothing else. There wasn't a window or even a closet. The room was practically a prison. She ran towards the door and soon realized the door was locked from the outside.

She couldn't believe what was happening. It was her birthday and talking to Reid felt like it happened ages ago. It was supposed to be a happy day but she was harassed, kidnapped by an unknown man, and now she's imprisoned in an unknown place. 

I know I am unfortunate but I wasn't this unfortunate.

Her hand slammed on the door. But she doesn't care anymore. She continued to slam her hand on the door, screaming for help. Her hand started to sting and no one came. She sat on the floor, hope vanishing, and realized she was already crying. She screamed her lungs out but of course, it did nothing to help her. 

Minutes or hours passed by and she heard the door being opened from the outside. She was quickly on her feet and picked up the piece of the broken lamp she threw across the door earlier.

Another woman entered her room. She could tell this one was different. For one, her clothes were different from the first one and second, she was looking at her and not on the floor. The woman smiled but instead of getting comforted by it, it seemed to implicitly tell her to run in another direction.

The woman took her time to scan from head to toe before her gaze went back to her face. The smile on her face disappeared and she held the piece of wood tighter. If the woman comes closer, she will not hesitate to drive the wood straight to her gut. She's had a crappy day and she could use an outlet to divert her frustrations.

"Who are you?" she asked but the woman took her time looking around as though she was in some kind of exhibit in a museum. Then the woman turned to look at her.

"You're pretty," said the woman. If it was a normal situation, she would have taken it as a compliment. But the way the woman said it tells her it's bad news. 

How could a compliment sound like bad news?

"I said who are you? And where am I?" she asked again. This time, the woman looked at her and then faced her fully.

"My name is Henrieta. And as to who I am and where you are, I think it is easier to show you." The woman walked out the door and left it open for her. She swallowed hard. As far as she could remember, she could run fast when she was still a kid. Maybe if she ran fast enough—

"Running would be futile. If you wish to stay alive, then I suggest you follow me and not wander anywhere else," said the woman.

She had no choice but to walk out of the door and followed Henrieta. The hallway was dark and for some reason, it made her skin crawl. Like something will jump out of the wall and take her. She walked faster and followed the woman. That's when she had the time to observe her.

Henrieta looked like she was older than her by a few years. She was wearing a silk dress that barely covered her backside. She couldn't help but wonder more what kind of place this is where women wearing these kinds of clothes that leave nothing for the imagination.

Then she stopped walking. Henrieta must have noticed he stop walking because she turned and looked at her.

"Is this...is this a—"

She was not able to continue what she was about to say when Henrieta barked a laugh. "This is not a pleasure house. Don't ever compare that meager place to this."

Henrieta continued walking and even though she was hesitant, she doesn't have any choice but to follow the woman. Something tells her that she'd do well if she doesn't wander too far. 

They turned to a corner and she made herself busy with looking at the paintings plastered on the wall. Aside from their gruesome themes, it also made her want to get out of there as soon as she can. She couldn't shake the feeling that something is off in this place. It was then she decided to ask Henrieta about it. 

"There was a man who took me here," she started. Henrieta continued walking but she knew the woman was listening. "He...I think he killed my aunt's boyfriend but I don't know how he did it. He did not even move from where he was standing but I...I don't understand how it happened." She knew it was pointless to talk to the woman who doesn't seem to care about her confusion but she couldn't see anyone else she could talk to about it. Everything seemed like a dream. A very bad one. 

So she walked faster and took Henrieta's hand. The woman faced her. "You don't need to understand now. You will see soon enough who he is." 

Henrieta pulled her hand away from her grasp and then turned her back on her. It was then that the woman opened a door and she followed inside. 

The room was enormous. The columns were obsidian black and the floor was ivory colored. Statues of hideous monsters lined the corners of the room and the tall windows were enough to tell her that it was nighttime. 

She looked ahead and saw a dais. Atop a dais was a chair--something that looked like a throne. Henrieta walked towards the dais and she followed. Just when they were about to reach it, Henrieta stopped and she did the same. The woman turned to her and gestured for her to follow what she was about to do and she did. 

When Henrieta bent her knees and dropped them to the floor, she did the same. She doesn't know what it was for but she doesn't want to risk her life by disobeying someone who doesn't tolerate disobedience. So she dropped her knees to the ground and bowed her head. 

They stayed like that for a little while until she heard footsteps coming in their direction. She was tempted to raise her head and see who it was but Henrieta kept her head down and she kept hers down too. 

She could see the man's shoes as he walked past them and walked toward the dais. The man sat down on the chair and she heard him let out a sigh. 

"I thought I told you I need her taken care of, Henrieta?" 

She froze as she heard the man's voice. It was awfully familiar and it only took her seconds to realize who he was. 

She did not stop herself and raised her head to see his face and when she did, she was met by the man's cold gaze.

His face seemed to be sculpted from the darkness. His hair was so black she could have sworn it could suck up the remaining light in the enormous hall. And yet his eyes were of the very bright shade of blue bordered by thick, black lashes. She knows she's not in a position to marvel at a man's beauty but she couldn't help herself. The man was sinfully beautiful and she felt like the more she stares at him, the more she will sin.

The man rested his chin on the back of his hand as he continued to stare at him.  She couldn't move and as much as she wanted to talk, she couldn't talk. 

"Well, seems like our new guest still doesn't know the rules of this place," he said. 

She furrowed her brows in confusion but before she could even think of something else, she felt something pushing her head to the floor, forcing her to bow down. And then in an instant, she felt the man's presence beside her, caressing her hair gently. 

"The first rule you should remember, my dear Guinevere..." he said. His hand went to her chin and tipped her head up so she could meet his gaze. 

"...is that you don't look at me unless I tell you to."