Can you feel that?

Can You Feel That? chapter 2~Sneaky Surprises

The biotch or the devil? Risk death in my sleep, or death when I'm wide awake. Seriously?! Could I not have gotten any worse choices? This is literally a life or death decision. Actually, it's a death or death decision. Couldn't I get an extra awesome option? Like,end world hunger if I killed a penguin? I could do it. Everyone would be happy, well, not the penguin's family. They'd be pissed off. Might try to peck me to death. So I might be fatally injured with that choice, but not dead. I think I can take on a couple penguins...Right?

I trudged my way back to the house. Trees and other plants covered the path from sight. The only reason I didn't fall flat on my face was that I was so used to going here, I had the path memorized. Makes me wonder how the heck Leo knew how to get there. He must be a stalker. My skin literally crawls at the thought.

All of a sudden, I felt the hairs on the back of my neck rise. The air behind me got colder. Like a twenty degrees drop in temperature. I shivered and froze. I could feel the presence of another behind me. But it didn't feel right. I spun around. Nothing there.

Stop it. Dude, the last time you thought someone was behind you and you said something, well you remember, my inner voice said. I do. I was locked in the basement for a week. Shut up inner voice. Make me, outer voice. What the hello kitty? My inner voice just back talked me. That's just insulting on so many levels.

I shook off the feeling. No need to worry about that right now. I need to get home fast. I have to be at the castle before my devil of a step-brother shows up.

I pushed my way through the last of the foliage that covered the secret path and stood on the dirt road that lead to the back entrance of the castle. I quickly skirted my way down road and found the door that was now unused by everyone. I bet the forgot about it, I thought as I pushed the crickety old door open with a grunt. Darn thing weighs as much as an elephant. I brushed of the dust that fell down onto me and walked down the long corridor that branched of to many of the servants' rooms. A quick peek showed them to be empty, which was strange even in the middle of the day. There was always a slacker that took a rest from their duties.

Holy crud monkeys. Something is going on.

I started sprinting down the corridor and around the corners till I reached the giant ornate wall that I used to believe had no purpose at all. That was until last year when I got in trouble with a certain knife-welding chef and while I was running for my life, I stumbled upon, literally, the small hole in the bottom corner. The wall itself was real until that corner, where it turned into a hand sewn curtain that you can't notice unless it's been pointed out or you fall in it.

I discovered then that it leads to a door in my closet. Ten years of living in that room and I never noticed there was a door in my closet, A. DOOR. IN. MY. CLOSET. Do you know how many stalkers could have been watching me in my sleep?!

I crawled through it now and followed the small tunnel to my closet. When I resurfaced, I switched my dusty and dirty outfit, a pair of green sweatpants and a purple sweater, for a more castle-like choice. A semi-poofy pale blue dress that hangs off my shoulders in a very attractive way, or so I have been told by Leo, but I can't trust him for shiz.

Stepping out of my closet (that sounds so funny), I grabbed the hairbrush off of my dresser and tried to tame the mess on my head. By the time it was partially straight and tangle-free, the bristles were covered in little black hairs. And small leaves and dirty stringy stuff from the tunnel. Note to self: TAKE A BATH LATER, YOU ARE FILTHY.

I quietish-ly closed my door and made the one minute walk to the main hall. I turned left toward the entrance of the house and saw the back of a crowd of people, the apparently not so missing servants, spilling into the hall I was in.

I pushed my way through the mass and right before I broke through the last of them, I heard a voice. A very familiar voice. The only voice that can actually scare the living shitzus out of me and make me want to scream for my mommy like a two-year old. Which I have done because of him when I was six.

"Father, it is lovely to see you again. How are you this fine day?"

James.

"I'm fine. But you were not to have arrived until tonight. Why the change of plans?"

Step-daddy, the King.

"Is it a crime to want to see my family? Its been two long years and I miss you and the rest of them. Speaking of, where is Psylene? I have heard rumours that she has grown quite beautiful and that is something that I have to see to believe. No offense, Your Majesty."

"None taken James. You have not insulted me. She looks nothing like me. More like her father if anything."

Momma. The Queen. She never really liked me. She tolerates me, but doesn't really understand me to the fullest. Well, nobody truly does, but yeah. She's low on the Get-Me bar.

"Relax, James. She'll be here soon enough, but for now, lets get you unpacked and into your room. You must be tired from riding all day to get here." I looked over a strangely tall servant and saw him turn in this direction. "Matilda, come get his bags."

A pudgy short woman a couple of people from me hustled her tiny feet over to them and ushered James down the opposite hall across the room. Thankfully, they didn't turn around.

"Everyone, back to your work. No need for you all standing there and staring down an empty hall. Shoo," the king said, making a sweeping gesture with his hand.

Everyone around me started to move back down the hall in which I had just come from. I tried to go with them and not be noticed, but, of course, it didn't work. My name was echoing down the hall before I even turned around. I looked over at my step-father and smiled a small, scared smile, because I was in fact, trying to be small and I was scared. He beckoned me and I shuffled my feet over to where he sat on his throne.

He stared at me a sighed. "You better be at dinner tonight, no matter how much he terrifies you, or he'll be mad." He reached out and pulled a loose leaf out of my hair.

As you can tell, step-daddy was high on the Get-Me bar.