Chapter 3. A Plan

“Don’t go out too often. The Caretakers might catch on,” complained Dino. His voice echoed faintly through the quiet hallway, bouncing off the pale walls like a tired warning he’d repeated far too many times.

“Oh, come on! Just today. I’ll miss dinner, but could you please help me out?” Zee complained. “The boiled potatoes are just for you. Dealing with patients all day must tire you out.”

Dino groaned softly. “Where are you even going?”

“Today is my mother’s birthday,” she said. Her voice softened, drifting away from its usual playful tone. Something old and unspoken lingered in her eyes.

Dino’s eyes lit up. His sympathy faded beneath a sudden twinge of remorse.

“Even though I never saw my mother’s face, I still…” Zee said.

“Miss her. Yes, you say that every year, and I’m sorry I forgot,” Dino replied, regret filling his voice.

“Don’t apologize for being senile. It’s natural,” she giggled.

“No, I am not!” Dino snapped, sitting up straighter, as if proving his youthful vigor would undo her teasing.

With a laugh, Zee replied to Dino’s warning, promising to wake him up earlier than the senior officers.

“I promise!” Zee said, waving her slender fingers gracefully. “Now it’s time for you to get sleep.”

Anthony Dino fell asleep during a daydream induced by Zee. His posture slumped immediately, the spell tugging him into a gentle haze. However, Dino felt slightly content in this situation. Tonight, Zee allowed him to wander through the meadow’s weeds in his dream. This is a risky move because Dino desires freedom but is held back by his job. He rarely admitted it aloud, but Zee knew it—she always knew.

“Sorry, my charming fairy,” said Zee as she patted Dino’s back and headed toward the front door. His breathing deepened, and she assumed he was lost in some peaceful illusion. Perhaps Dino was startled in his dream because of the witch girl; he twitched once, as though chasing something he could never quite touch.

The security camera started blinking red at Zee. The tiny red light flickered like an accusation. Zee snapped her fingers, and the light turned off, the mechanical hum fading instantly.

“My dad should have picked a better hospital,” Zee complains under her breath. “The elves in charge aren’t doing their job.”

Zee walked through the patient rooms, occasionally peering through glass windows. Goblins, vampires, fox demons, water ghouls, and countless other creatures made loud noises in the empty white space. Some banged on the reinforced glass. Others whispered eerie chants. A few stared back with glowing, resentful eyes. Most of these creatures were mischievous and enjoyed causing trouble for Paramour and other creatures.

The Paramour government does not immediately send them to Tartarus hell, but they are instead “healed” by having half of their power taken away. The process was brutal, leaving the facility echoing with emotional backlash. The Mental Health Facility houses individuals experiencing intense emotional distress due to the treatment. More than once, Zee had heard someone crying behind the walls long after the healers left.

The entryway leading to the lobby was within view. Azeeva adopted a serious demeanor and stood with her back against the wall. She assessed the situation, which seemed calm, with only Mr. Jonas working on a crossword puzzle. The scratch of his pencil was oddly soothing in the heavy silence.

Nevertheless, she remained vigilant and did not lower her guard. Azeeva would always remember the last time Empusa, a crazy girl who stole apples, tried to pin the blame on her. Unfortunately, it happened while Zee ran away to see the New Year’s Eve lanterns. Empusa, almost caught by the guardian fairy, suddenly acted like she fell from a tree. Zee, who was unaware, quickly lent a hand. Empusa kicked Azeeva in the stomach with her bronze feet, then ran away.

As a result, the guardian elf only discovered Azeeva and a rotten apple. Living with seven dwarfs who bite, stink, and barely shower in the Valley of the Dwarves was Zee’s most detested punishment. She trembled at the recollection of those gloomy days. The tale of Snow White originates from human lore—but the truth was far more rotten.

“Got it. Secure the lobby. I’ll alter Mr. Jonas’s vision,” Azeeva stated. She reached out her arms, but electric shocks shot through her bones in a moment, as if the air itself rejected her spell.

“Ah…” Zee groaned and rubbed her painful shoulder.

The fortress must have been reinforced. The lobby is the only exit from the three-story building. Don’t count on an emergency staircase leading to the evacuation door. All crazy animals are considered potential dead bodies. The irony that made Azeeva hate her father. Azeeva drank quickly. The saliva in her throat felt rough whenever she thought of her father. She slapped herself to regain focus.

Zee put together a sentence: “Can I have a uniform?”

Jonas’ eyes sparkled as he looked at the object in his hand. When it caught the light completely, Zee hurried to the lobby desk.

“Hi, Mr. Jonas? Can you hear me?” Azeeva said with a gummy smile.

The fat man with a big mustache stood up, dropping his puzzle book. Rows of Zee’s gums were cut as soon as his smile broke. Mr. Jonas looked straight ahead and picked up a set of clothes from under the table. Then he handed Azeeva the milk-white uniform with a long collar.

“Hey!” Zee exclaimed, but the noise outside drowned her out.

She turned to see two guardian fairies struggling to pull a wolf through the glass door. Their faces showed signs of being overwhelmed. Unlike most wolves, this wolf had fur that was entirely a beautiful red color. It looked like real gold in the darkness of night—radiant, wild, shimmering like a creature touched by fire.

Zee panicked and bit her lip, saying, “Oh, please don’t—ah damn it! They’re here!”

She looked around in an attempt to hide, but instead turned to Mr. Jonas. The hypnotic effect can’t fade quickly. If it did, people would become suspicious, and Mr. Jonas might face consequences such as being fired for negligence.

They’re almost here.

Azeeva glanced down. This was the only uniform available to wear. So Zee unzipped it and wrapped it around their body. She put on pants and tied their hair, then grabbed Mr. Jonas’s hat and linked it to their outfit. They completed these tasks while the frantic wolf distracted the guardian elf. Her pulse raced. Every second felt like a pebble thrown at a glass window—one hit away from shattering.

Eventually, the wolf stepped onto the building and transformed into a human.

Carl Justin, shirtless, was pulled through an automatic glass door. His hair was damp with sweat, chest rising with rapid breaths. Azeeva was surprised as the elf guard tossed the boy toward her. Zee quickly caught him, and Justin’s forehead accidentally hit her shoulder in the process, almost like a hug. She gasped for breath. Thinking back to his unusual sensation during his first close encounter with someone of the opposite sex, Zee blinked rapidly as the long-haired guard approached him.