The MANSION {Madre's Mansion}

Fartello? ;......

"Why are you asking? " Gabby questions in concern.

"No... Its... Its nothing. Just curious" I lie.

Tori just looks at me and averts her gaze. I know she senses something off. But I most definitely am not ready to test the potency of that fartellos threat.

Everyone soon begins to form lines and Gabby, Tori and I join in. Of course, you know by now that the walk is going to be long and totally miserable. We keep going in all sorts of twists, turns, and bends. At a junction, we encounter the boys and we keep our distance from each other. We are soon lead into a huge room. As each person makes it into the room, we are handed either broomsticks, rags, or rakes.

I am handed a broom, gabby is also handed a broom, and Tori is handed a rake. We move to a corner of the room that's scattered with leaves.

Tori begins raking while Gabby and I begin sweeping the dry leaves.
"What is this place?" I ask looking around the huge hall.

"Oh, this is our game room. " Gabby replies a bit excited.

"Game room?! " I ask to be sure I heard right. They play games in a place like this!?. How on earth can one picture having fun in this nut hole!!?

"Yes. As bad as this place is, the game room is one of the only places where both girls and boys are freely allowed to associate and we are free of the Fratello's disturbance. Madre also leaves the mansion towards midnight on game night. It happens once every month." Gabby replies.

"I also try to get close to Desmond on game nights but that boy is just engulfed in his own bubble! " Gabby adds and I can't help but giggle.

"What that!? " Tori suddenly asks in a naturally high tune. I turn to find her pointing at my neck. Gabby's gaze is also glued to my neck. I quickly pull my fingers up to my neck and I feel the dry lines of blood. How could I forget that!?

"Its... Its Uhm... Nothing... I scratched myself accidentally last night. " I lie.

"You never told me you have claws. " Tori remarks and I sense she is strongly catching up to my lies. Pictures of last night begin to harass my memory and I feel my eyes begin to sting.

"It's nothing. I scratched myself by accident." I reply sharply to put a stop to this traumatizing question and answer session.

I look away from them as I quickly blink away the tears in my eyes. I use the arm of my sweater to wipe them away. As I raise my head to inhale some not-so-fresh air, I find Desmond paying close attention to us ~or me. No... He can't have seen me cry. That would be bad.

I gulp as I look away and continue sweeping.
"Give me a second" Gabby says as she swiftly walks away from Tori and me. I can swear I saw tears escape her eyes. Why is she crying?.

Tori keeps raking and I keep sweeping Gabby is still absent. I look up after a while only to find Tori paying close attention to the scars on my neck. She sees I've caught her but she still doesn't avert her gaze. ~ this girl got some guts.

I deliberately clear my throat and she smirks and slightly shakes her head before she continues raking. Tori is hard to comprehend. Gabby returns with eyes as red as crimson.

"What happened? " Tori fires once she notices Gabby's eyes.

"Oh this,... Um... Its nothing. I just got something into my eyes by accident. " Gabby replies. I know for a fact she's lying. ~Seriously she is horrible at it.

"Mmmhmm" Tori and I reply in sync. We are all surprised by the sudden and unplanned synchrony and we all laugh.

The metal gong is struck again and by now I know that's our call to the dining room. My stomach rumbles at the thought of food and I wrap my arms around my slightly stinging stomach.

I have gone two nights and one day and a half without food. I guess I underestimated my system. It's quite strong. ~ I hope. I pray I'm not dying on the inside.

We join the line and we start our usual walk towards the dining room. Although I have been on this route four times, I still have zero clues on how to get there. I simply follow the line.

After another horrible walk, we have finally approached the hall. Tori, Gabby, I, and Tori's friend walk over to our seat. Soon the Fratello's bring us stone bowls and metal cups.

I look into my bowl and I find a rotten apple in it. I pick it up slowly in disgust and asses it with wide eyes. I have never seen an apple so rotten in my life before. And now they want me to eat it!?.

I feel something move in the apple and I throw it back into my bowl in fear. Causing Gabby to laugh but she quickly stops herself by using her fingers to cover her lips.

"Day two without food huh? " Tori asks and I ignore her.

"It's not all bad. You just peel off the loose skin, cut out the really bad parts, and pick out any worms you find, and there, you'd have enough left to eat. " Gabby encourages.

I look at her with wide eyes. Does this girl hear herself when she speaks!? How can she be so enthusiastic in a place like this!?.

As usual, I grab my cup of clean water and draw it up to my lips. Filling my stinging stomach with pure water.

I watch the others eat when suddenly Tori stops. She draws the apple away from her mouth and there it is, a worm dangling from her lips. I almost release vomit on the table. Thank goodness there's nothing in my stomach to throw up.

I watch in disgust as she pulls the worm out of her mouth and I feel goosebumps run along my body.

I am still shaken with disgust when I feel something off around me. I see fear suddenly plastered on Gabby's face. I turn around to find a Fratello looking down at me.

"When they are all asleep. Outside the female hall. Don't be absent. Or else!..." I hear loud and clear in my head. I look around but the normal expression on everyone's face tells me that only I heard that. How is this thing communicating telepathically with me!?

I watch the creature walk away and fear grips every ounce of me. My lips begin to quiver and my fingers start vibrating. I jump a little in fear when someone touches me.

"Are you alright? " Gabby questions.

"Y... Yes. " I reply as I gulp and look away.

What did it mean outside the female hall? Where is that? And what did it mean when they are all asleep?. Who is they!?. What does it even want me there for? Is this the same Fratello from last night!?

I feel tears bite the side of my eyes. My heart rate has spiked and I'm finding it a bit difficult to breathe. I look up lost in thought and my gaze gets glued to Desmonds. Oh no! He was watching. Hope he didn't see anything? If he interferes or does something stupid, my life could be in danger. Or could he be the help I need?. I look away rapidly and suddenly;

My stomach begins to sting and my head begins to pound. I suddenly feel warm liquid escape my nose. Please tell me I'm not bleeding through my nose again!. I draw my fingers up and there, my fingers get coated with the one thing I used to be okay with but now terrifies me. My blood!.

Being a runner, I sustained a lot of minor injuries hence seeing my blood was nothing new. But now, my constant bleeding is worrisome.

I quickly wipe off the blood. I look up again and argh!! Desmond saw that too. He's watching. Why on earth is he paying so much attention!?. It's getting creepy.

He stares intensely at me while fiddling with his cup for some time and then looks away. Soon the metal gong is struck again and everyone stands.

"Thanks for the meal Madre." They all say and I deliberately keep silent. We all form a line and begin to move out of the room. We keep walking till we are outside. Right in front of the mansion.

This place must be in the woods. A thick jungle surrounds the mansion. I wonder what's on the other side of the jungle. Do people know about this place?. I am still surveying the thick jungle when I feel someone suddenly grab my arm.

What the!?.....