The Mansion On Drachmian Border

Past Event: The Old Lady

Maes had no idea when he gave up. It felt like forever, since they locked him in the tiny room. He had no way to tell time. The room was always dark aside from the line of light falling through the door. He fell asleep, when he was tired or if he stayed in the same position for too long.

Sleep was an escape from the state of constant fear and growing apathy. It didn't matter if he dreamed, had nightmares, or had no dreams at all. At least his mind was away from the room, that reeked of his own unbathed body. The last time he showered was back in his hotel room in Central but it felt like ages ago. He couldn't stop himself from scratching himself everywhere. He felt dirty, sweaty, and disgusting.

Lately, he couldn't find the motivation to get up, aside from moving to the bucket.

He found the perfect position for laying down facing the small bars in the door. He spend hours observing the corridor hoping to see someone walking.

He was going insane. His closest friend these days was the blanket always wrapped around him. It too felt sweaty and disgusting but Maes didn't have an alternative. He sometimes talked to it out of the pure need to just talk.

He stopped yelling some time ago. His throat didn't want to allow more. No matter what he tried it ached. Talking hurt too but not as much as yelling.

He didn't know what prompted the door to open but he moved back in surprise and fear. He blinked his eyes trying to accustom them to the sudden brightness.

„Envy, what is that?” a voice of an elderly woman asked.

„A human as you can see.” Envy answered in a snarky tone.

„You were supposed to feed him!”

„I did. Humans love bread, don't they?”

„You gave him only bread?”

„Hey, I'm not a monster. I threw in something extra sometimes! And I put butter on it!”

„Aww, poor thing,” the old woman crouched and smiled at Maes, who pressed himself into the corner „Envy was really mean to you, wasn't he? Why don't we make it better? Can you come here?”

Maes hid his face. It was so sudden, why were they here? Who the old lady was? What did they want with him? Had they finally came to kill him?

„It's alright, sweety, take your time. Just breath in and out. It's alright. I came to take you out of this terrible room. Just come here.”

Outside? Maes really did want to go outside.

He tried to stand up but his legs did want to let him. Why? Why now? He was so close to getting out of this cell. He forced himself to move towards the door. He somehow made it to the old woman, who held out her hand towards him.

He took it and suddenly he was helped to stand up by both the old lady and Envy.