Within Their Reach

04. Acquaintance

Hello all...
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Ava.

Screaming. Someone was screaming. I don't know who it is but surely it is a sound of a woman.

My vision was blurry as I try to open my eyes more but to my despair, I couldn't. Everything was hazy and indistinct in the corners making me blink more but nothing changes. The only thing that upheavals are the sound of the woman's cries.

My heart rate is much calm for my state which surprises me. Taking in my surrounding I notice I was standing in the middle of a huge hallway, looking rather old due to its stone walls but well maintained.

Through the windows, it was pitch black outside. Not a star in the sky due to the cloudy night. The moon peeked from the stormy clouds. Instead of being able to hear crickets, all I can hear were screams.

I could practically hear myself breathing heavily as I took steps towards the outcry. My feet halt when a woman sprints past me while holding a tray in her hand. I wasn't able to catch much of what she was carrying in her hands.

She was wearing a long ankle-length dress, an apron on the waist and a lace headband tied on her head as she rushes through the hallway and enters the room from where the cries are heard. From her attire, I can guess she is probably a maid.

"It hurts!" I flinch at the woman's hoarse whine and I could tell she was in immense pain. "Please Goddess, it hurts!"

I want to run through those doors and see what is happening but I couldn't move. I was stuck in the middle of the corridor and looked at the closed door where the other women just rushed.

Two men were standing outside the room on either side of the door as if guarding it. Yeah, definitely because they were wearing heavy armour. Their face was visible, masked with a neutral expression but I could tell they had pained and a bit of worry cast on their face.

I don't know how long I am standing here as the woman inside kept screaming and the maids kept rushing in and out but I couldn't budge from my place. I could feel my heart rate rising, my vision becoming hazier. As if someone is pulling me out from here but I don't want to.

One last scream and I closed my eyes fighting the white dots in front of my eyes and snap my eyes open.

Gasping for air my eyes meet with the stone ceiling. I blink my eyes trying to contemplate where I am. My breathing calms down feeling cold sweat on my neck and back.

What the hell was that dream about?

I tilted my head to look around as I stretch my body getting rid of the somnolence. Blinking a couple of times I let out a sigh. And then it hits me.

Duke found out about my secret, he told papa about it. My breath catches in my throat knowing what happened. Tears fight to get out as I recall papa dying in front of my eyes, in my arms and I couldn't do a thing to save him.

Guilt settles in me knowing he died and I survived. If I hadn't run away maybe this wouldn't have happened. Maybe he still would have been alive. I could feel my chest getting heavy as I try to hold on to my emotions from bursting. I didn't even know what happened to him.

My body froze thinking back to the red eyes looking at me with nothing but hunger. Hunger to kill. Panic took over me remembering that I fainted.

Am I saved or have I been held hostage?

Jolting up I look around trying to recognise where I am. Am I at Duke's place? I only know him to have a room so big as this one and looking at the size of this room I can't imagine how big the house would be.