Ch 13: Dead Seems Alive

Ethan tried again to get the car out of the pit. The dog was getting closer, and Alice was terrified. Fear began to grip Ethan as well. Suddenly, the dog leaped at their car.

At that exact moment, the car jolted out of the pit as if a herd of elephants had pushed it free. The car moved, and the dog fell into the pit instead.

Ethan turned the car around and sped towards the road. Both of them were staring straight ahead as the car emerged from the rough, bushy terrain and back onto the road.

Ethan quickly accelerated down the road. They didn't know that where the dog had fallen, it never had a chance to rise again. From an unknown direction, an axe flew and lodged itself in the dog's head.

Alice felt as if she had just witnessed a terrible nightmare. The fear was still evident in her eyes, and she shuddered every time she recalled the image of that terrifying dog. The mysterious house, the moment she approached it, had sent a wave of terror through her body like cold blood running through her veins. Alice realized she had almost made a grave mistake, wondering what might have happened had she not left in time.

Alice was in her room when Grace entered, carrying a glass of water. It was the fourth glass of water Alice had been about to drink. She had already consumed three glasses from the jug, one after the other, at intervals.

Grace handed Alice the glass of water and was about to take the jug out when Alice said, "Leave it. I don't need any more."

Grace set the jug back down. "What's the matter? Why are you so flustered?"

"Nothing."

"There must be something. If you don't want to tell me, I won't ask," Grace said, eyeing her carefully.

After a moment of silence, Alice said, "Today, I went on a long drive with Ethan. We drove quite far. I saw an old, decrepit house in the forest along a deserted road. I thought I might explore it... but then a bloodthirsty dog came after us, and you wouldn't believe what happened next."

"Who advised you to take such a risk?" Grace asked.

"I just felt like it, so I told him to drive towards the house," Alice said.

"Whatever comes to your mind, you just go ahead and do it? You know anything could have happened. And you went so far away with him?" Grace said in a concerned tone.

"I didn't realize it," Alice replied nonchalantly.

"Where were you lost?"

"Alright, forget it. Don't try to remind me of the fear I'm trying to forget," Alice said, sitting cross-legged on her bed.

Grace approached her and asked kindly, "Shall I massage your shoulders?"

"No. Instead, do me a favor," Alice said, pulling out a fifty-dollar bill from her drawer and handing it to her. "Go get me a pizza."

"You want me to go?" Grace asked.

"You're the only one who can go at this time," Alice said.

"But I've never gone to the market alone," Grace hesitated.

"Go today. I feel like having pizza. And if Zeenat stops you and tells you not to go out, tell her it's my order. She didn't burn to death that day, after all," Alice said with disdain.

"But I'll be going alone..." Grace was still hesitant.

"Are you scared? Just go," Alice said, her eyes narrowing, and Grace left the room.

At that time, no one was downstairs. Stepping out of the house, Grace looked left and right before heading towards the market.

It was the first time Grace had gone to the market alone. Usually, there was a twelve or thirteen-year-old boy employed to run errands, but he hadn't shown up today due to illness.

As Grace walked to the market, Damien was in his shop, pencil in hand, working on a drawing. Suddenly, Damien heard a strange rustling sound. His ears perked up, and his eyes shifted away from the drawing.

Grace passed by his shop, but Damien remained still, listening intently to the persistent rustling sound. A few moments later, as Grace walked past his shop again, this time hurrying with quick steps, Damien turned his head swiftly and looked at her.

Grace didn't notice him, lost in her thoughts as she continued on her way.

As soon as Damien's gaze landed on her face, he was startled. The pencil slipped from his fingers and fell to the floor. He got up and rushed to the door of his shop.

Grace was still walking briskly. Damien moved towards her as if to chase after her, but a car suddenly appeared in front of him.

Damien quickly changed his direction and then ran towards Grace again. His searching eyes scanned the distance, but Grace was nowhere to be seen.

Damien continued walking, searching for her, but Grace had already gone back home. Confusion etched on Damien's face, and when he couldn't find her, he returned to his shop.

Once inside, he looked around at the disordered piles of drawings and began sifting through them. He was searching for a specific painting he had made.

After some searching, he found the painting buried under other images.

Damien picked it up, blew the dust off it, and stared at it in disbelief.

It was an exact likeness of Grace. There was no difference.

Damien looked at it with bewildered eyes and muttered, "Five years ago, my friend Tyron's daughter Lily passed away. How is it that someone exactly like her suddenly appeared before me today? Was it Lily or someone else?" His eyes were filled with deep shadows of astonishment. "This is strange. This has never happened before, so how did Lily appear out of nowhere?"

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Roy arrived at Lucien's house right on time. Lucien immediately summoned him into his special room. It was that same eerie room where even the walls seemed to exude a sense of dread. In the dimly lit room, Lucien was sitting alone.

He smiled when he saw Roy and invited him to sit beside him on the low platform. "The time has come for you to make this goddess of fortune yours. Once you do, your world will change. Touch the soil, and it will turn to gold. Bring her home as your wife," Lucien said, getting to the point. "But remember, if you fail to claim her, everything will slip from your grasp."

"I will make her mine at any cost," Roy said firmly.

"You have forty-two days. Within that time, you must marry her. If the days pass, understand that everything will be lost," Lucien warned.

"I will marry her within the time you've given me," Roy said, nodding in agreement.

Lucien then gave him the address of her house and said, "From here on, you'll have to carve your own path."

"Could you do me one favor?" Roy asked hesitantly.

"Speak."

"Could you arrange the marriage as well?" Roy asked.

Lucien laughed. "What I've done for you, I wouldn't do for anyone else. It's because your father was also a friend of ours. You'll have to win her over for the marriage yourself. Her name is Alice. Make her the queen of your mansion, and see what wealth and power will pour into your life. You'll become the king of destiny."

"Alright. Is there any other command for me?" Roy asked obediently. "I would be happy to fulfill your command."

"We'll let you know if there's anything else. Starting today, count your days, and make her yours as soon as possible. Don't let any obstacle stand in your way," Lucien said, signaling for him to leave.