Parasite

Harrison stared with wide eyes, feigning confusion and great terror for the man who still wouldn't let go of his collar. So, he had to say it, "Master Hockley...I hon-honestly...haven't a clue as to what you are talking about!"

"Perhaps, less than ten percent? More or less?"

"P-Pardon?"

"So, more? Is that what you're telling me?"

"Master Hockley-"

Forrest dropped Harrison and let him watch in complete shock as the former walked away as though nothing had happened. However, the young man could only think of what happened, even as minutes passed and he stood still in the hall with his brows furrowed.

"Forrest Gage Hockley…you make this all that much more worth it."

...

"He's...fine...?" Cordelia questioned, her disbelief made clear.

In truth, pure panic had flooded her system. She could feel it building in the very pit of her stomach, the discomfort adding on to the concoction of the very feelings she wished more than anything to just leave her alone. But alas, those very feelings had completely interfered with her ability to concentrate, to calm down.

Or was she mistaken? Was it truly…panic…that she felt? Had she fallen so far, as to feel such an emotion? And what of all those long years of satisfying each and every teacher, meeting every ridiculous standard, and silently carrying out each repetitive demand with nothing but pure perfection and the same elegance a skilled dancer must use. Cordelia despised dancing. But her ankles were tied up, bound by an invisible chain thin as a single strand of hair, digging into the skin till the red began pooling in her toe-pinching heels.

So was it panic? Or was it not? And if it was, why on earth had it decided to sway her, at such a miraculous moment in time?

'Is this my moment of chance? Or be it too risky to even begin planning?? Oh what to do...what to do! But he's gone now...for how long remains indefinite, but nevertheless, he's gone...' Cordelia thought. And with that thought that formed into something else akin to suspicion, a need for confirmation, her pacing stopped and she broke into a mad dash out the library. As though she were redoing the day she arrived, Cordelia ventured through the manor like a woman gone mad as if it were the first time, opening every door in sight.

At one point, Cordelia began blindly wandering, no longer using her eyes to see where she was going, but staring at the front of her dress as the tip of her heels poked out just slightly with each rushed step. The concerned cries of the maids no longer made way to her ears, nor did they register in her brain. The only voices she could hear, were…eerily faint. And among those hushed voices, belonged to the one missing.

He had simply vanished. Disappeared, faded away into an unknown distance, abandoning her. Walking out and away, away from her. Like a lost cause that had wasted so much time and effort that shall now waste away in her own house. So it begged the question, the essential one that she wished to know the answer to within the next second: What was she feeling? 'What is the purpose of this-this feeling in my chest? A…peculiar… pain that differs from an old bruise, but equivalent to the feeling of a parasite screaming and writhing in my breast.' She concluded her thoughts there, deciding that trying to figure out the feeling was only worsening her mood.

It was until she had been in her own mind for so long that she accidentally bumped into someone. But before stumbling too far back, their arm had quickly wrapped around her waist, keeping her from falling.

Cordelia's eyes were wide with shock, then soon mingling with…curiosity. Her savior was one she had not recognized. A male with a slender physique, clad in black and white. His monotone attire, however, made his bright hair stick out all the more; soft waves the color of Yokohama's vast sky at sunset, vermillion. And where the sun leaked through the windows, his hair glowed like a sacred flame at the peak of the highest mountain, igniting something within her own world...

'It's all so very...

no...'

She snapped herself back to the present reality and immediately backed away after ripping herself out of his hold. Her eyes moved from the young man to the old butler now approaching the group, a smile making way to his face. Cordelia was waiting for an explanation, but the old butler had walked right passed them, the sounds of his soft footsteps on the carpeted hallways slowly fading away into the distance.

Cordelia's eye twitched in both confusion and annoyance before taking a deep breath, and making a mental note to question the elderly gentleman later on, "I believe we haven't yet met…?" She trailed off, waiting.

"Ah, I apologize, Madame Hockley!" Cordelia watched inquisitively as the young man straightened up then bent at the waist, lowering into a polite bow with his hand over his heart. She couldn't tell if she found it amusing or overly formal.

"My name is Harrison, the third son of the Edavanes."

"The Edavanes? You are the third son...of-"

"Juliana and William Edavane, yes."

Cordelia narrowed her eyes, scanning over the young man's features. She hadn't had the pleasure of meeting the Edavanes herself, but she'd heard all the compliments and lovely things about the humble family. They were maintaining a beautiful farm a rough two hours from her home. She'd heard of the joyful animals and ecstatic children happily feeding the chickens and playing with the horses. However, from what she heard about the couple, Harrison had not one feature of either the man or woman. She expected that if they possessed any recent taken family photos, that Harrison would seem more of a friend than family.

But what concerned her more, was why she still hadn't found what she was looking for...

"Madam Hockley, are you alright?"

"The madam is searching for the master. Young man, have you seen Master Hockley?" A maid answered, her hand held over her rapidly beating heart, desperately trying to recompose herself.

"A-Ah. I'm afraid I haven't seen the master since early this morning. Is there an emergency?"

"Boundaries, young man!"

Harrison immediately sealed his lips at being scolded by a maid, who suddenly felt guilty for yelling at him.

Cordelia excused herself by sighing and scurrying off. Originally, she would childishly pry until given the answers she wanted. However, speaking to the old butler was never dull. His way of speaking always fascinated Cordelia and she often found herself going along with it, since he was nice company. But now was not the time. Not at all.

Sure, she still had her doubts. Her thoughts from earlier were actually replaying in her head, but that wasn't it.