Chapter 3

I woke up from my sleep when I felt someone gently comb my hair. I'm familiar with this feeling; what time is it? How did Grandma bring me here?

"I know you're awake, Claret." I heard grandma's hoarse voice as she continued to comb my hair. Is she crying?

Where am I now? In the big bathroom where grandma used to bathe me with pure milk. Currently, my whole body is soaked in pure milk in a bathtub made from good-quality wood.

I just glanced at the full moon from the window. Beautiful to look at, the beautiful moon never fails to attract me.

I suddenly closed my eyes when I remembered the strange people who came to our house earlier. Did it really happen? Or a long dream while grandma soaks me?

"Grandma, did we have any visitors earlier?" I asked Grandma, who was currently raising my hair.

"Guest? We don't have any guests," she told me seriously.

"That said! So I'm really just dreaming? Who's your majesty? There's a second prince. Oh damn, maybe I'm just really tired today," I laughed. Grandma remained speechless about what I was saying; if later she had preached to me because I mentioned a man, weird.

"Grandma.." I frowned when I noticed an unfamiliar, huge mirror right in front of me.

"Grandma, why did I just see this mirror now?" My reflection in the mirror is very clear, and it has a unique design on the top.

"Spade?" The 'majesty' in my dream entered my mind again. especially when he said these words: 'I may not have a spade birthmark." What does my dream mean? Why does every detail of my dream seem so clear? Is it possible that Grandma is not telling the truth? It is possible that this is not a dream. There are really people who want to draw my blood.

I was just surprised when our antique grandfather's clock rang loudly, signaling that it was twelve o'clock.

"Happy birthday, Claret." I felt Grandma kiss my cheek.

"Thank you," I smiled at grandma.

"Look in the mirror; I'm going to give you my present." I just smiled when grandma put me on a necklace with a black stone.

"It's beautiful, grandma." I didn't think that she would give me a necklace.

"Promise that you will never remove that from your body, no matter what happens." She asked me in front of the mirror.

"Why should I remove it? "You give it to me, grandma; I will never take it off my body," I said happily while looking at the beautiful necklace. Where did Grandma buy it? It looks like it will be loved.

"Can I go out, grandma?" I said.

"You can," she answered me coldly, while I just stared.

"Are you serious, grandma?" I asked her in disbelief.

"Do what you want; you're an adult." I just grinned at what she said. I will not rush. I just glanced at the round moon again.

I couldn't help but scream when I saw that the moon was red.

"Grandma! Grandma! The moon!" I tried to pull Grandma, who had her back turned and was busy with the clothes I was going to wear,

"Red?" Grandma and I turned to the moon together, and my forehead frowned without any hint of red on it.

"Claret." Grandma called my name seriously.

"Grandma, I saw it. The moon turned red! Like the eyes of the woman in my dream." My eyes widened when I saw that my body was no longer soaked in milk. I violently stood up in the bathtub, and I didn't care about my entire nakedness just to get out of it.

"Grandma! The milk is colored with blood." I screamed, turning my back on the tub I came from. Why is the milk I pour red? What's happening to me?

"Grandma, I'm scared of what I see." That tub, grandma... I kept my back turned.

"What is happening to you, Blood? All I see is pure milk. Come and I'll wash you; you're just tired." I forced myself to look at the milk again.

My forehead was stained with blood, and I frowned even more when I saw that there was no blood on it.

What the hell is happening to me?

Grandma quickly rinsed me while she waited for me to get the towel I needed.

"Come, and I'll dry you in front of the mirror." I was speechless at what Grandma said. Grandma always bathes me, and seeing me naked is not new to me. In fact, she is even more familiar with the curves of my body and some angles that can be intimidating to me.

I'm now sitting in front of the mirror while she wipes my hair.

"Grandma, are my breasts small?" I suddenly asked. She barely glanced at me before she answered me.

"That's right." I just nodded to what Grandma said. If that's the case, and my chest isn't really small, what's the problem with my dream and the size of my chest being included?

"You can continue with your body, Claret; I'll just change your clothes." I slightly nodded to Grandma, and I started to wipe myself.

When I felt a cold wind caress my neck, I immediately left the mirror. I wrapped myself in a towel and hurried out of the bathroom. I don't really feel good here.

Grandma handed me my black Victorian dress that I wear when I sleep.

"I don't have school later, grandma; let's go for a walk when I wake up," I said happily to grandma, who was still lethargic.

"Alright." I was just surprised when she suddenly hugged me.

"Grandma loves you very much; always take care of yourself. Follow my instructions for you," she suddenly said.

"Grandma, will you leave me?" I asked.

"No, go ahead and get dressed and sleep." I kissed her on the cheek before I hurried up the stairs.

When I got dressed, I immediately lay down on the bed. I don't know why I feel so tired. But I only know what I need most: a long sleep.

***

I was distracted again, not because I was soaked in milk again but because of the man's voice calling me. Damn, I don't want anymore. I just want to sleep.

I forced myself to go back to sleep, but every time he called my name, it got louder. I mustered up the courage to leave my room. I quickly turned on the light and hurried downstairs to follow the man's voice.

"Where are you? What do you need from me?" I asked nervously.

"Claret.." I immediately looked behind me, but no one was there. I'm just holding my chest; I'm nervous.

"Claret." My eyes automatically went in the direction where the bathroom was.

I took a deep breath and bravely stepped to my feet. If I don't recognize the man calling me, sure.

I'll just keep getting distracted.

As soon as I opened the door of the huge bathroom, a very clear mirror showed me my reflection. I don't know what force pushed me to get closer to it, but as soon as I reached the huge mirror, I just cursed when my reflection suddenly disappeared and my eyes saw a chained man with a bowed head.

"You're hallucinating, Claret." I shook myself, and when I looked at it again, what I was seeing was my reflection.

I just sighed and turned away from the mirror. but I was pulled back again when I was greeted by two familiar faces who both smiled at me. They are the strange people in my dreams.

"Happy Birthday!" A beautiful woman and a man with gray hair greeted me at the same time.

I was just surprised when they pushed both of my shoulders at the same time. And I just closed my eyes when I started to fall into some place that I didn't understand. Am I falling? Can I say something in our bathroom?

Where did they push me? Is it possible that I fell into the mirror? I tried to raise my right hand as if to reach something, but I still fell into a void that I did not understand. Am I dreaming again?

Why are my dreams like this?

My body fell into something soft that I couldn't explain. What did I drop? I can't see well, especially since I don't have glasses.

Shit.

The environment is so dark, I can barely see anything. I forced myself to stand up and walk to see if my fall was bad. I am so thankful that my whole body feels good. Suddenly, I just finished myself off with the wind. It's too cold. The hairs on my body were also starting to stand up when I heard the gentle dripping of water from some direction.

"Where am I?" I asked myself. I'm like the hero of a horror film who doesn't know where she is. And at any time, there may be a soul that suddenly appears before me. I shook my head at my bad thoughts. I shouldn't have scared myself in this situation.

I felt something strange. I noticed that my feet were wet because they were submerged in water. Why is there water here? I was once again in a state of gratitude when my house slippers did not come off my feet.

When I barely saw a light, I quickly followed it. My eyes need light; my eyes are no longer clear, and it is not good for me to stay in the dark. When I noticed that there was a small lamp hanging on the wall, I immediately took it off to serve as a light for my walk, but when I took it off, I could see more clearly what I was stepping on. I just felt the warm liquid running from my eyes. I'm crying. Why am I in this place?

"Blood." My feet were covered in blood. Not in water, which submerged my feet, but in the river of blood.

What kind of dream is this? I tried to step on my feet, but it looked like they had turned to stone. What's going on? Why haven't I woken up yet? I can't take this dream anymore. Please, grandma, wake me up.

I got even colder when I noticed something in the river of blood I could see. There's a bubble. It's bubbling. I don't know if I will continue to watch this bubble. I do not know what to do.

I want to run, but why do my feet seem to be stuck? Its foaming is getting faster. Even my heart is beating fast.

And I just screamed when something suddenly pulled my legs. All of a sudden, I fell down and was almost on my own when I was completely drenched in red blood.

"Shit! No no! Wake me up." I felt the constant pull on me. What is happening? I tried to understand what was pulling me, but I regretted it.

"Ahhhh!  Let me go!" What kind of animal is that?

Big red eyes with black, hairy skin, and the mouth is full of saliva. What's happening to me? Why am I seeing things like this?

I stomped my feet, but it did nothing, and he just kept pulling me. I'm getting weak. Is this what they call a nightmare?

Blood has entered my ears; even my nose is the same. I can even taste the blood in my mouth. Am I going to die here? I tried to hold the necklace that Grandma gave me.

"Grandma, Help me wake up. I don't want to." I kissed the necklace that Grandma gave me, and I closed my eyes. It seems like it's still a nightmare that's going to kill me. I didn't even finish school.

I let the furry creature continue to pull me. There's nothing I can do if I'm going to die again in a nightmare; I should just stop torturing myself.

I thought it would take some time for the animal I can't name to pull me when my feet suddenly felt hot. and when I woke up, I just saw the animal without a name being consumed by fire. What just happened? I tried to pull my feet together because if I didn't move, I would burn myself.

I quickly got up and ran.

"I need to go back." I know there is a way out. I should find the mirror, just in case I wake up." While I was running, I noticed another light.

I chose to follow the light again. I need to run. I need to get out of here. I sped up my running when I heard a loud growl. The creature that pulled me grunted. Shit! Is he still alive?

While I was running, my eyes saw something. Someone..

I stopped running because of what I saw now. Could he not be the man I saw in the mirror? I couldn't see his face properly because he was bent over. But the big thing I wonder is why he is chained and has no top clothes in this place. Who is he? Even though my eyes are blurry, I couldn't help but admire his muscular body.

But what's with his bruises? Why would someone want to destroy his beautiful body? Did the creature chasing me catch him too? Should I help him?

I chose to step closer to him to see his face better. I bent slightly and bit my lip when I finally saw his very bossy face. His eyelashes are very long, and his nose is the right shape. and his red lips—who is this perfect man? And his skin—why do I see this? His skin seemed to flash as the light of the lamp hit it.

He is like a chained angel.

"Hi?" I said it softly as I started to bring my hands closer to him.

But I just fell down in shock and quickly crawled backwards when he opened his strange eyes. What's wrong with him? It's like he wants to kill me with the way he's looking at me.

"Why so scared?" He was trying to get rid of his chain to reach me. He wanted to reach me. I retreated even more because of his actions.

He's so different; suddenly he's different. He was different from the person who was sleeping earlier. He's so scary.

"What is happening to you? Have you been bitten by a furry creature?" I nervously asked him. In that case, I really need to get out of here before I can imitate the man in front of me.

"Cut the crap! Are you the one they sent me? You can't entertain me. Like that, come near me." I didn't understand what he said. What was sent? Entertain?

"You seem to be going crazy," I just told him. Maybe it was the effect of being bitten by a furry creature.

He looked at me evilly for what I said. He looked so dangerous. I really need to leave.

"Fuck! What nonsense are you talking about?" I backed away again when he tried to reach me. He is really scary. And he called me a fool?

"Please, I need to wake up. I don't like this nightmare anymore. Please wake me up, grandma; I don't want to go crazy like him," I whispered one after the other. I closed my eyes again to wake up from the nightmare, but when I opened them again, I saw the man still chained. Damn.

"Then they sent me an actress. Good! You've got my attention. You can now strip." I was insulted by what the chained man said. Did I hear correctly? Is he undressing me?

"Or what else are you acting like? You're my prostitute, right? Now strip! Undress even if your chest is small. It's okay, you look smooth." I just hugged myself.

"You! mother fucker!" I quickly got close to him and slapped him hard on the cheek. but I quickly moved away in case he caught me.

He was stunned by what I did, and he stared at me even harder.

"What's your problem, girl?

"Don't you recognize me?" He yelled at me. I really don't recognize him!

"It's so thick on your face to call me a prostitute! You're stupid! You're crazy!" I shouted at him.

"Insult! You don't recognize me! What empire are you from? You don't recognize me?" I frowned as I noticed his vein sticking out of his forehead, as if it was a huge insult that I didn't recognize him.

I was about to answer this crazy man when I was chilled by the presence of the furry creature behind me. He caught up with me.

"Fuck! I think I'm going to die." I was nervous. Which direction do I go, towards the furry creature or the man who looks like he's going to eat me alive?

"Come on, pick your best choice. Reminder, we both bite," the man said to me, bored. What the fuck?

"I don't want to. If I'm going to die here, then go." I just closed my eyes while waiting for the furry creature to attack me.

"Oh crap! Just feed me before you die." feed him? I turned to the man who was trying to pull his right hand off the chain that was currently covering his skin. What's wrong with the chain tied to him?

I was just surprised when he completely removed one of his hands and quickly pulled me to my position, where the hairy creature had already visited. If he was caught pulling me, I would probably have been eaten by the monster in front of us.

"She's mine." He was currently behind me, while I was locked in his right arm. I struggled to get away, but he was very strong.

"What are you doing?" I asked hoarsely when I felt their tongues gently trailing down my neck.

"Hey. Stop!" I tried to hit his hard arm wrapped around me.

I couldn't do anything but moan while tightly holding his arm when I felt the pain that pierced my neck. What is he doing to me?

I started to feel weak. My eyes are getting blurry.

"Your blood." His voice was surprised. I just felt what he did to me.

I raised my hand with all my might to reach his face. I want to slap him. What did he do to me? And all of a sudden I'm weak? I probably just patted him lightly on the cheek. I can't see anything.

"I've been waiting for you, Cordelia Amor."