Alice

Chapter seven

Finally, Alice was breathing peacefully in her sleep, just like the other three in her room. Jess and Colette were also fast asleep in their rooms.

In her chamber on the top floor, Madame Masked was getting ready into her nighties, still wearing her mask. Just as she put her white dress and dark red silk robe on, a Walker knocked on the door.

"Come in." She said airily without a side glance at the double doors, so The Walker opened the door and walked in.

"The children are in bed." He said.

"No roamers?" Madame Masked said. The Walker was quiet. Madame Masked turned around to look at him, waiting for an answer.

"I was informed that a lantern was found. Hallway outside the girls' dormitories." The Walker said.

"A lantern?"

"Yes."

Madame Masked was silent. She seemed to be thinking.

"Was the lantern newly lit?" She asked.

"Yes. almost burnt out, she told me."

"Who?"

"The one who found the lantern." The Walker said.

"Bring her to me." Madame Masked said darkly, and the male Walker went to get the Walker from earlier.

Meanwhile the Walker was fetching his friend, Madame Masked combed her hair in her mirror, still wearing her mask. She walked to her antique desk and examined the names of the children. She had put a check on all the children who had arrived, like she always did. There were just a couple orphans who hadn't come. She sat there for a couple minutes, then she went to play her piano. The song she usually played was very eerie and beautiful, making me want to shiver. Her hands danced over the keys as she embraced the sound herself. It took a while for the Walker to get the witness, considering all the floors he had to go through, but finally after about ten minutes both Walkers were standing outside Madame Masked's bedroom. She opened the doors for them. Madame Masked didn't say anything, she just let them in and turned to look at them.

"You say you found a lantern?" She asked and looked at the female Walker.

"Yes." Her airy voice answered.

"Where?"

"The hallway outside the girls' dormitories."

Madame Masked was quiet for a moment.

"It's the first night, we should expect this. Children are curious."

"Yes, but there's something I didn't mention." The female Walker said. Madame Masked looked at her.

"The doors were locked after the children went to bed. We don't know how the child would have gotten out."

Madame Masked stopped what she was doing.

"What?" She spat. The female Walker moved awkwardly.

"Who locked the doors?" She asked, but the Walkers were silent.

"Who locked the doors?" She repeated more angrily. The two Walkers looked at her.

"I don't know." The female said and twitched uncomfortably. Madame Masked stood there in the haunting silence, staring the two creatures down. I was ready to hear her shout or get mad, but instead she spoke with only a sharp and slow voice.

"Things like this have happened before. It's not a big deal. I want you to try and find whoever locked the doors. And also, tell the Workers to start getting breakfast ready in a few hours. The children will need their strength for tomorrow's lessons." She was mad, I could tell as she walked stiffly into the next room and irritably told the Walkers to leave.