Fooled

"Broken bones? You have got some broken bones?" he asked.

"Yes," I said. I also told him how it came to be. And how I was worried the thirty-minute time will soon run out. It has been a while since I drank that weird liquid so I am certain any moment from now, its effect will wear off.

But when he heard what I said, he scoffed at Ethan who was now averting his eyes from me.

"Ha? Thirty minutes my ass! It lasts for as long as three hours. You have been fooled!" he told me.

Wait! What? This jerk!

I glared at Ethan but then he raised his both hands in front of him in defense and quickly said, "I did that on purpose, okay? But trust me! I didn't do that to make fun of you." I did not believe him. Especially since I remembered him having the time of his life laughing while on our way here.

"Come on! If I told you that it wil last for three hours and not thirty minutes, will you hurry? I bet we're still in that forest right now had I told you the truth."

"That's for me to decide, Ethan. You dare lie to me next time." I warned him.

"A few broken bones you say? Heh! Nothing I can't handle," Mr. Vlad said, interrupting us. "But of course, given that you'll give me more blood," he added.

Having no other choice at hand, I agreed. Of course, there's a voice at the back of my head saying that I shouldn't and that I should think twice about this whole arrangement. But I don't really have the luxury of doing so, do I?

Vlad told everyone they can go and rest now which the majority of them happily did except for Mr. Chaffer and the security frogs.

"I'll stroll around the castle grounds," Ethan told him. Mr. Vlad just nodded at him, giving him his permission. And just like that, Ethan disappeared into the door the moving trolley came from earlier.

Mr. Vlad motioned me to follow him which I did. Hoping to get this done as soon as possible.

We were walking through the hallway when the window at the side suddenly slammed open, And from there, a head of a vulture peeked in. Turning its head left and right until its bulging red eyes settled on Mr. Vlad. It let out a screeching sound before it extended its right foot towards him.

It has a slightly crumpled letter in its claws. Mr. Vlad took it, tore it open, and read it with his eyes. The vulture already flew away. As he was reading, I noticed his brows twitched and his eyes narrowed. And almost instantly, the air around him changed. He seemed to be pissed or something.

He folded the crumpled paper and put it inside his pocket. He then turned to me and said, "Let's get going."

As much as I wanted to know the content of the letter, it would be improper of me to be asking so I chose to shut my mouth. It got me especially curious because of how he reacted.

After walking some more, he finally stopped. In front of us is a burly man with the head of a bull with two large crooked horns. His legs were also that of a bull. A minotaur?

"Don't let anyone in, Hariric." Mr. Vlad said as soon as we got inside the door it was guarding. Hariric only gave him a slight nod before closing the door.

And I stared into the room, slack-jawed. I never expected this room to be anything like this.

Dismembered body parts of different animals floating inside the cylindrical glasses in some sort of weird liquid. An operating table in the middle. Pipes and gears of varying sizes I've no idea what the purpose of. Various chemicals and many more laboratory apparatuses.

"Lie on the operating table, Jack. And oh! You don't mind me stripping you, right? Let's get this over. Quick!" Is what he told me. And I am aware that I somehow agreed with this. But being with this place and finally realizing what I've gotten myself into, I can't help but get cold feet.

"It's not gonna hurt, right?" I asked. Unsure if I should still continue with this or just go to a real doctor instead.

"Usually, it's not gonna hurt. It's been a hundred years already since an accident happened where the anesthetics didn't work. Oops! I shouldn't be telling you this should I?"