Ch 05: The Rustle

Alice suddenly woke up, sitting bolt upright in her bed. She looked around her room with strange, vacant eyes. Grace was standing by her bed, her gaze fixed intently on Alice. Alice's breathing was heavy, and she stared at Grace, almost in disbelief.

"What happened, Miss Alice?" Grace asked.

"Did I fall asleep?" Alice asked, bewildered.

"Yes, you did. You suddenly dozed off," Grace replied.

"But how? I never sleep during the day. And you had just gone up to the terrace, and then I suddenly fell asleep," Alice said, still trying to comprehend what had happened.

"There's nothing to be alarmed about, Miss Alice. You were tired, and you slept," Grace said. "Shall I get you some water?"

"Yes."

Grace handed her a glass of water, and Alice drank it all in one go, trying to steady her breath. She got out of bed, still trying to make sense of what had just happened.

"Grace, did you clean up the terrace?" Alice asked.

"Yes, Miss Alice," Grace replied quickly.

"Grace... how did the mug in my hand break? I was definitely angry after hearing my sister-in-law's words, but my grip wasn't that strong to break the mug. And how could a glass mug break so easily in my hands?" Alice asked, looking directly at Grace.

"Forget about it, Miss Alice," Grace said.

"I just can't believe it," Alice said in a lost tone.

"What's the point of thinking about it so much? Let it go. Now focus on something else," Grace suggested.

"Am I really that strong?" Alice wondered aloud, looking at her hand.

"Why not try another experiment?" Grace said suddenly, in a mysterious tone.

Alice was startled by her words. "What did you say?"

Grace laughed. "I was just joking. Shall I bring you something to eat?"

"No, I don't want anything," Alice said, walking over to the window to look outside.

Grace quietly followed her and stood behind her, smiling in a meaningful way. Suddenly, Alice turned and looked at her.

"What happened?" Grace asked.

"I thought I heard something," Alice replied.

"What did you hear?"

"Grace... do you ever hear a rustling sound?" Alice asked.

"What kind of sound?" Grace asked.

"Like a rustling noise," Alice explained.

Grace listened carefully, trying to detect any sound, then said, "No, I've never heard such a sound. It must be your imagination."

After hearing Grace's words, Alice pondered for a moment and then resumed looking out the window.

The room was dimly lit, and Alice was asleep on her bed. The silence was so profound that the ticking of the clock on the wall was clearly audible. Suddenly, Alice opened her eyes with a jolt. Lying still, she moved her gaze to the ceiling and then towards the door of the room. From there, she looked at the window before sitting up.

Fear began to creep over her face. She felt as though someone was in her room, someone she could sense but couldn't see.

Suddenly, in the deep silence, the rustling sound returned, and Alice felt as though it was coming from the direction of the door. She looked that way but saw nothing.

She had been sleeping alone in this room for a long time and had never felt afraid or scared. But tonight, for the first time, she felt fear. For the first time, she had woken up from sleep in such a manner. For the first time, it seemed as if someone was in her room, someone moving around her, all over the room.

Her heart began to race. She threw the blanket aside and, barefoot, opened the door to her room and stepped out into the hallway. Across the hall was Grace's room. Alice hurried to the door and placed her hand on the handle, trying to open it, but it was locked from the inside. She tried two or three times, pushing the door inward, but it wouldn't budge. Alice gently knocked on the door. She didn't want to make too much noise and wake anyone else up.

She knocked three or four times, but Grace didn't open the door.

"Grace... Grace..." Alice called softly, almost in a whisper, as she tried the handle again, pushing the door inward.

"Grace... open the door," Alice whispered. As soon as she fell silent, she heard the rustling sound again, and her anxiety grew.

"What happened?" Suddenly, a voice whispered so close to Alice's ear from behind that fear shot through her entire body. She quickly turned her head, almost as if struck by lightning.

Grace was standing right behind her.

Alice froze as soon as she saw her. Her breathing became rapid. "You... you're here?" she stammered.

"What happened?" Grace asked again, ignoring Alice's question. "Are you scared?"

"I woke up suddenly and felt scared. I ran to your room, but the door was locked from the inside, and yet here you are... outside?" Alice's confusion and fear only intensified.

"I just stepped out. I couldn't sleep. And how could my room's door be locked from the inside?" Grace explained, stepping forward. She reached out, placed her hand on the door handle, turned it, and pushed the door inward. It opened smoothly.

Alice's eyes widened in disbelief. "But it was locked..."

"You were frightened, so you might not have realized which way to push the door—whether it was inward or outward. Anyway, what do you need?" Grace asked.

Alice looked at her, trying to figure out if what Grace was saying made sense. She really couldn't remember if she had tried to push the door in the correct direction. She had been so terrified.

She felt confused. "Come and lie down in my room," Alice suddenly suggested, and she started walking back to her room. Grace followed closely behind.

After taking a few steps, Alice turned to look at Grace's feet.

"What is it?" Grace asked, looking at Alice with puzzled eyes.

"That jingling sound..." Alice said.

"I'm wearing anklets," Grace smiled and lifted her foot slightly to show Alice.

Alice saw the anklet on her foot and asked, "Why are you wearing that?"

"I just found them lying around, so I put them on," Grace replied casually.

Alice gave her an odd look but then continued walking to her room.

The soft jingling of the anklet accompanied Grace's steps, and Alice's fear slowly began to dissipate. She started feeling more like herself again.

She sat down on her bed.

"Miss Alice, fear and you are two opposite things. How did this happen all of a sudden?" Grace asked.