A Monster Was Born ✔️

The Twist of a Knife (Part II)

When Luoji eventually made it to the mansion, it felt like hours had been drained out of him. Even the buildings on either side of him were more of a dream than reality, their presence faint compared to that of the mansion, which towered over them like a giant among ants. It was imposing as it stood there with all its vastness, every detail of it exact and immaculate.

Standing right at the entrance, Luoji hesitated about going in, despite every instinct telling him to do so. It was suspicious that the structure would appear to him right at this moment, and initiated signs that made it stand out from everything around it. Despite this, Luoji couldn't shake off the feeling that this mansion materialized specifically for him, that it was welcoming him to go in, to take a break from the world that was so often cruel to him. At this point, the rainwater had completely soaked into his shirt and jeans and hair, making them stick to his skin and causing him to shiver due to the cold. Not taking advantage of a home welcoming him could be more of a waste than a danger.

While debating whether or not to go in, Luoji heard something that captivated him almost immediately. It sounded like a lullaby but the notes were soft and disturbing. It reminded him of the memories he had experienced before. Scenes of when his dad first started drinking, the cold stares of his classmates when he arrived at school, the sigh of defeat when he once again scored full marks on all his tests, knowing there were no victories he was allowed to celebrate. The singer pronounced the lyrics with long, stretched out pauses, making known a song about bitterness and hate and loss. It was a sound that could rip even the toughest of people apart.

But Luoji was enchanted. To him, it was like there was someone who understood him in every note; someone who captured all his emotions, his resentment, his desires and played them back in a desperate call for alliance. Through this, there was no way he could resist.

Luoji knocked on the door. Nothing moved. He did it twice. Thrice. On the third time, he heard a click, and the door slowly creaked open.

He looked down. A girl was on the other side, slightly shorter than him. Light brown hair fell in waves on either side of her face, like liquid chocolate spinning in swirls into a pool of glass. Black earrings with multiple hoops, one under the other, dangled at both of her ears. But most shocking were her eyes, which were deep violet, only a couple shades lighter than the sky above their gaze. She smiled coyly at him.

"Come on in," she said, gesturing with her hand.

Luoji walked into the mansion and almost breathed a sigh of relief at the warmness and lack of rain. No longer did he feel it in his skin, melting into his socks whenever he stepped into a puddle.

A servant with her dark brown hair pulled into a bun rushed forward to greet him, bowing her head. "Please, follow me."

Luoji walked after her as she moved from the entrance leading to several hallways and stopped in front of a door. She opened it and moved to the spot where the door met the side of the wall and bowed again, not even lifting her eyes.

He thanked her and then looked up to observe the room. A fireplace burned at the spot where the chimney met the pile of wood flames were consuming. In front of it were several chairs, soft and comfortable, and even a couch behind them, a small, elegant table next to it that seemed perfectly suited for carrying a cup of coffee or tea. Several newspapers rested on the seats of the couch. When Luoji moved closer to touch them, he could see they were about current events from several decades ago, about the Soviet Union and the need to go to the moon.

"You can get comfortable here."

Luoji spun around at the voice and saw that the girl with violet eyes was standing behind him, a small smile poised on her lips. Wait, wasn't she just standing at the doorway a moment ago? He was certain he didn't hear any footsteps...

The girl frowned at the sight of the room, tipping her head just a bit.

"Beatrice," she said.

"Yes, my lady," said a voice behind them. Luoji almost jumped at the sound. He forgot that the servant girl was still here.

"Arrange these furnitures so that the young gentleman over there and I could have a talk," the girl continued, pointing at the seats.

"Yes, ma'am."

"And also, ask Ben if he could make available two servings of availe tea and a towel right away."

"Yes ma'am."

Beatrice hurried to make use of the demands. Within moments, two chairs faced each other with the table in between them. The girl gestured for Luoji to sit down and when he did, she sat at the chair across from him, folding her hands in deep thought.

An older man arrived with tea and two cups, placing them gracefully on the table. He handed the towel on his shoulder to Luoji who muttered a soft thank you in response.

It was only when the man went out of the room, shutting the door behind him, that the girl began to talk.

"So," she said nonchalantly, observing her nails. "What brings you here to my lovely home? I'm guessing it's not because you simply like the aesthetic."

Luoji glared at her before using the towel to dry his hair and skin. "Stop playing around. We both know why I'm here."

Oh?" The girl questioned, half raising an eyebrow. "What makes you say that?"

"If you didn't know, then there was no way you would've invited me in." Luoji replied. "The weird coloring of the sky, the neighborhood surrounding your mansion, and even the mansion itself, none of it was supposed to be there, but it was all a deliberate ploy to lure me in, to capture my attention. This isn't even including the song I've heard. You expected me to be here, and you know enough about me and my life to want me here."