NIGHTMARE

3 days later...

Velvet drapes framed the windows, the lace inner curtains remained drawn, allowing daylight to enter while rendering the heart-stopping view over the city a blur. A red scarf hung on her neck, Sumire looked around the small apartment where she lived and was waiting for Bjorn to arrive. It is today she will move out to the Aslanov's manor so she can focus on teaching the young master of the family.

"I'm going to miss this place." Gaze perused the place, Sumire uttered and heaved a deep sigh. The apartment was small and spacious with few modern amenities. The place oozes a hint of old vintage yet cozy. She only has a few things placed inside. It doesn't even have a room. There is only one portrait hanging on its wall, a painting of Death that Father Judas gave to her when she was only 2 years old. A small dead fireplace can be seen in the place which Sumire does not light up even in the winter season. Sumire picked up the black stray cat she found on the street roaming outside the high gate near her rented home and decided to bring it with her to the manor. Even if it rarely interacts with her only once, the cat knows when she needs her presence. It will leap and sit on her lap or lie on her stomach every night when she feels down. Most of the time, the cat will stay seated in the window or on the rooftop of her apartment as if just observing the surroundings. Sometimes it even goes with her randomly when she departs to the school. This little feline was hostile to the other and snobbish, especially with Stavros and Amayah, it suddenly became aggressive when it saw the siblings when they visited her place. It is one reason Sumire never lets other people into her apartment but today is different. The sound of the engine can be heard and stopped outside her apartment. "It must be him." Sumire heard Bjorn's car parked outside her place. Her eyes darted on the cat and slightly stunned to see its behavior. Usually when there are delivery trucks stopped in front of her apartment this feline doesn't care, nor even bothers to look at the delivery driver, but now the cat stands up and looks out the window.

"Hmm, strange." Sumire said as she continued observing the cat. A series of knock on the outside made the feline run quickly going to the door and waiting for her to open it. She abruptly opened the door and Bjorn appeared with a wide smile on his face.

"Good morning, Sumire." He greeted that his eyes shifted to the cat which caught his attention. The feline moved around, encircling him, and rubbed his body and snout on Bjorn's feet adorably. Bjorn felt delighted with what the cat did. He attempted to touch it but before he could lay his hand on its charcoal-black fur, the feline avoided and ran back to Sumire which vanished his smile.

"Wow, what a brat." He just commented and turned his attention to Sumire who was now petting the cat on its head.

"Is everything ready?" Bjorn asked and Sumire nodded slightly in response. She took her only luggage which quite surprised him.

"I thought it was natural for a woman to have a lot of luggage but surprisingly you only have one luggage. This is new to me." Slightly chortled, Bjorn said jokingly. Sumire was silent in her place and didn't know how to react. The man in front of him was a very warm and chatty person. She wasn't close to him and she found it hard to play along with his liveliness. Sumire is one of those people who only speaks when necessary and when there is something important.

"I only have a few things." She answered sparingly. Bjorn throws her a long stare for a few seconds as if reading what is on her mind.

"My apologies if I made you move out in a hurry. I didn't even give you time to mourn the death of your family in the orphanage. But I can't just leave you alone and in pain." Bjorn said in sincere and a gentle tone. Sumire responded with a nod and lowered her gaze on the luggage.

"Condolences." He added making her flash a short, forced smile in response. Bjorn didn't speak anymore and took Sumire's luggage which made her stop. She was about to complain when her unheard words were left in the air as Bjorn was holding it and now headed to the car with big strides. She had no choice but to follow him with her cat in her hands.

"Just tell me if there are things you left from your apartment, and I'll order Klauss to get it." Bjorn said when they got into his car. The chauffeur glances at them from the front mirror and turns on the engine to depart the place.

"You can sleep on the trip, the car will drive for another four hours before we arrive at the manor. Rest." He added and the car left the place. While on the trip, Sumire recalls what happened the past few days. Her last call with Mother Heres played repeatedly in her mind and the horrifying scene at the orphanage which she could smell the scent of blood and burning flesh in the place in her nose. All those memories kept haunting her until she unknowingly fell asleep on the trip.

"Let's play a game..."

"Sumire, let's eat..."

"Sumi, can I have this..."

"Sumire, don't you want to?"

"Sumire, did you see the dark figure in the window?"

"Sumire, there is someone outside the door."

"Sumire, you're not coming with us?"

"Sumire, there's only the two of us left in here..."

"Sumire, what are we going to do?"

"Sumire, what about you?"

"Sumire, are you leaving?"

"Sumire, why?" Sumire finds herself in a dark room and doesn't know what to do. It was all pitch black. Even though she opened her eyes wide, she couldn't see anyone inside. She could feel her late family's presence in the orphanage but failed to see them. Their voices and cries echoed in the hollow of darkness while she was trying to find the exit of that room. When Sumire found the switch button, she turned it on and saw the horror inside the room. A group of 43 people in the orphanage including herself with the candle lights slowly spread through the walls and ceilings, revealed to her sight. Sumire saw herself in the middle of the crowd, headless with her family in the orphanage. Their clothes were soaked in the rustic smell of blood and she could see the bruises on their paled skin. She was surrounded by the stench of death and many will bellow and thrash around in terror. Instead of being afraid of what she saw, Sumire put up all the courage and dared to ask them.

"Who did this to you and why?" She asked as the necks of the headless corpses in the room tilted creepily at the same time. Breathing unsteadily, Sumire gulped hard as the perspiration formed on her forehead.

"Sumire." They all called her name together and stride forward to her as if they wanted to burn her with candles. Sumire ran looking for a way out while the headless corpse chased after her. Springing in the hallway, she saw an open door ahead. Tears streamed down her cheeks, she opened it and her cat "meowed" at her which made her awake.

"Haaa...haa...ha..." Panting heavily and sweating profusely as if she were in a breakneck marathon, Sumire rose from the bed. She placed her hand where her heart was beating rapidly like it was to come off her chest as her eyes perused the place. The room was large and expansive. The walls were painted in white with golden amenities placed artistically which gives a sense of grandeur. Portraits were hanging, and marble and precious gems served to embellish the place. The visual appeal of the room she is in symbolizes the wealth and opulence of this family. Sumire found herself in an unfamiliar chamber in a manor. On the right side of the bed, a young boy sitting with grace: prim and proper while playing and petting with her cat now acting like an obedient puppy with its tail wagging at him.

And without throwing a single glance at her, the young Mort asked in a cold tone. "Do you want me to end your pain?"

To be continued...