T.7.D.S

Ch. 3

After Ivan left, Charleston returned to the window, but when he looked out, the field was bare again. The girl had disappeared. Charleston looked at himself in the mirror again, admiring his uniform. He sniffed his old clothes. What happened to them? They smell like shit!

It hadn't been an hour since Ivan left, and Charleston was standing in front of the mirror practicing his greeting for when he would meet the master. It wasn't till noon when there was a knock on the door. Ivan's voice was heard.

"It is time for you to meet the master." He announced.

Charleston opened the door and stepped out of the room for the first time. He closed the door behind him as he looked down a long hallway that was well lit by small gold chandeliers along the ceiling of the hall. The walls of the hall were a blood red with gold patterns that matches the lighting. The floor in the hall was carpeted with a red carpet to match the walls. Bits of wood floor peaked out from both sides of the carpet. The wood was a dark Amber that was well polished. There were other doors in the hall as well. They were the same Amber wood as the floor. Those rooms must belong to the other staff; Charleston thought to himself.

Ivan looked back at Charleston and said, "follow me please." Charleston obeyed and followed Ivan down the long corridor into a larger hallway.

"This is the main hallway. You now know how to get here from your room. The large staircase to your left is how you will get to the second and first levels of the house. This house has over 300 rooms and it is very easy to lose your way, so I suggest you pay attention now. Any rooms your are not invited in, are not for you to go in! There is a main hallway on each level and there are three levels. Each room has a number and a letter. Letters represent the level. Letter A will be level one, Letter B is level two, and letter C is level three. Then there is the room number. For example your room is C93. The room label is on the doors of the rooms: observe."

Ivan makes a general hand gesture to a number of doors. He proceeds to walk down the stairs with Charleston following closely behind him. A few people ran up the other side of the stairs. They all looked the same. They had pale, gray skin and dark hair. They were short and had green eyes. They looked like clones of one another. They didn't stop to say hi, or even acknowledge Charleston; they just went quietly along with their business.

"You'll have to excuse them. They are some of the staff here. They are busy and shy. The fact you saw them at all is rare and lucky." Ivan said as he gave a slight smirk.

The two made their way to the first floor, and stopped in front of a room with a gray door. The door has no label.

"This is the staff room. Special rooms have colored doors instead of labels. It is where the staff eats, holds staff meetings and has recreation. The room exists, but the staff never hold meetings or see each other, so the room is almost useless. You are welcome to use it as you please though. The kitchen has a silver door, and you can access the dining hall through there when serving the master. The living room has a white door, and so does the music room. The living space is to the right of the stair case and the music room is to the left."

Charleston walks with Ivan back towards the staircase to the right. The door to the living room is there.

"Remember to bow to the master." Ivan says this right before knocking on the door.

A loud, powerful voice speaks, "Enter!"

Charleston feels a chill down his spine. He is scared. Who does this voice belong too?

Ivan walks in. "Good afternoon master. How are you feeling?"

"There you are, Ivan! I have been waiting! Hand me my tea, will ya?"

The man obviously knew Ivan. He had dark black hair and tanned skin. He was rather hairy, and large. He was tall and muscular. His eyes were like no others. They were a deep red and gave a stare that could snap a person in two just by looking at them. He was intimidating, no doubt!

Ivan handed the man his tea, and whispered something in his ear so that Charleston couldn't hear.

"You don't say!" Said the man in a low tone.

Ivan then turned to Charleston, and motioned for him to step forward. Charleston walks towards the man.

"Let me introduce to you," Ivan begins. "This is Lucifer Armegon Lafarcé III. He is the owner of this establishment and your master. You can refer to him as 'Master' or 'Sir'."

Charleston looked nervously at the man. Lafarcé looked right back at him and asked,

"and who might you be?"

Charleston bowed and answered his new master.

"I am Charleston Smith, sir."

"Ah, yes! The new addition to the staff. Ivan said you had good marks for you job interview!"

Soft footsteps could be heard entering the room.

"I don't believe Ivan mentioned this to you, but I have seven daughters. My wife is no longer around, but they are old enough to care for themselves. They are all very special to me. You will also be serving them as well. I shall introduce you to them."

Seven beautiful women were now standing to either side of the master.