Ch 17: Real Horror

Grace, having spent so much time with Alice, noticed the unusual flush on her cheeks. "Miss Alice, I've been with you for a long time, and I've never seen your cheeks redden like this when talking about someone before," Grace observed.

"What are you trying to say?" Alice asked, a hint of curiosity in her tone.

"I'm not saying anything. It's you who seems to have something to say," Grace responded with a knowing smile.

Alice chuckled, then said, "Grace, can I tell you something?"

"Of course! I'm here to listen," Grace replied enthusiastically.

"You remember when my mother was discussing a marriage proposal with you? What if instead of that one..." Alice trailed off, looking at Grace with a questioning gaze.

"So soon? Just one look, and you've made such a big decision? Miss Alice, do you really think one moment is enough to make up your mind about someone?" Grace asked, her eyes searching Alice's for answers.

"A moment is more than enough to fall in love or hate someone," Alice replied. "Love doesn't need time."

"So, you've fallen in love?" Grace inquired.

"I didn't say love. I said he caught my eye. If I didn't like him, a thousand more glances wouldn't change that," Alice explained.

"Don't dive into the deep end so quickly, Miss Alice. Stay by the shore a bit longer, just observe," Grace advised.

Alice looked at her thoughtfully, then replied, "I've already observed."

At that moment, the door swung open, and Zainab entered, a scowl on her face. "You know there's work to be done downstairs, yet you're here with Alice," she scolded Grace.

"Everyone knows she's my maid," Alice interjected.

"Until the new maid arrives, she's the maid of the entire house," Zainab replied with a mocking tone. "Come with me," she commanded.

Grace reluctantly followed, feeling a surge of anger towards Zainab. She thought to herself, "One day, I'll strangle you in your sleep."

Alice, meanwhile, couldn't shake the dazed feeling that had come over her after seeing Roy. Her mind seemed to be losing its capacity to think of anything else. Her thoughts were consumed by Roy, and her rationality was slipping away.

This was no coincidence. Lucien, the master of dark forces, sat in his shadowy chamber, his grotesque features twisted into a sinister grin. He held a small effigy of Alice in his hands, his thumb and forefinger tightening around its head. As his grip intensified, Alice's mind, heart, and eyes became fixated solely on Roy.

☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆

It was midnight. Silence had blanketed the world. The half-moon drifted among the stars, and a gentle breeze whispered through the night. Some rooms in Nathan's house were shrouded in darkness, while others basked in a faint glow.

The stillness was so profound it felt as though no one lived there. Grace's room was engulfed in darkness so deep that nothing could be seen. The walls seemed to exude a smoky fear, and the darkness was oppressive.

Grace lay on her bed, the covers pulled up over her head. Suddenly, she shivered beneath the covers, then grew still again.

After a while, she jerked violently, letting out a strange, eerie sound. The sound echoed through the stillness, clashing with the walls and lingering in the air.

Anyone who heard it might have fled in terror.

Then, just as abruptly, silence returned. A lone candle, placed in a corner, flared to life, dispelling the darkness. Grace was now visible, lying flat on her back, the sheet slipping from her face.

But the face beneath the sheet was not Grace's. It was a hideous, terrifying visage. Long black hair flowed wildly around a face where glowing red eyes had replaced normal ones. Her ears were large, her nose elongated, and her mouth hung open, revealing a tongue that lolled out between sharp, needle-like teeth.

This monstrous figure rose from the bed and hurried toward the door, melding into it before emerging on the other side.

She moved with a twisted gait, her torso bent unnaturally, and her legs resembled those of an animal. She ran toward Zainab's room, merging through the door and entering silently.

Zainab lay unaware, deep in sleep. The creature that had once been Grace approached, extending her hands toward Zainab's throat.

Her fingers were unnaturally long, tipped with sharp nails that could slice through flesh with ease.

Just as her claws neared Zainab's neck, Zainab's eyes shot open. At that moment, the monstrous figure of Grace vanished.

Zainab's eyes darted around in fear as she sat up and switched on the bedside lamp. The room was filled with an oppressive fear. Zainab felt her throat go dry, and her heartbeat quickened. She sat there, eyes scanning the room repeatedly, convinced that someone had just left it. Her fear continued to escalate.

☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆

After breakfast, Roy and Desmond left, ostensibly to buy a tractor. Nathan had insisted that they return as soon as they were done, as he hadn't yet granted them permission to leave.

Roy had no intention of leaving. He couldn't bear to depart without accomplishing the purpose of his visit.

As they left the house, Roy pondered his next move.

While Roy was lost in thought, Alice had made a decision of her own.

Alice approached Nathan just as he was speaking with his wife, singing Roy's praises.

"Does he own a large village?" Alice inquired.

"He's practically the lord of the entire village. His land stretches far and wide, filled with countless resources," Nathan explained.

"Father, I've never seen a village," Alice said with a hint of longing.

"There's something truly special about the countryside," Nathan replied, his tone dreamy. "The lush green fields, towering trees, fresh air, and the open environment..."

"Then, Father, let's visit his village," Alice suggested excitedly.

"You mean all of us?" Nathan asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Yes, let's all go. We'll explore the village and have a great time," Alice said, her excitement palpable.

"We can't all go," Nathan replied thoughtfully.

"Then just you and I, Father," Alice proposed.

"No, I won't go. I can't handle the travel," Alice's mother immediately declined.

Alice turned to her father. "Then it's just the two of us."

"There's no harm in going..." Nathan mused.

"So, can we go?" Alice asked, unable to hide her eagerness.

"I do have many things to take care of. But you should go," Nathan finally said.

"Go alone?" Alice asked, surprised.

"Take Grace with you, and anyone else who wants to join. Roy is a fine man, just like our own children—respectful, well-mannered, and most importantly, he knows how to treat others with dignity," Nathan assured her.

"Let it be, she can go some other time," Alice's mother interjected.

"It's perfectly fine if she goes now. There's no difference—it's as safe and comfortable as being at home," Nathan insisted.