She lays on the bed and tries to relax so sleep can overtake her. It takes a while. Hey! You try falling asleep in a creepy, crumbling mansion.
When she opens her eyes again she feels hazy.
This is definitely a dream. It's always weird when you're aware you're dreaming…
She tries to sit up and the first thing she notices is how much more different the room looks! It's a lot more lively for one thing. There's working lights and lots of fancy and elegant furniture. She recognizes some of it from Eve Gardenia's furniture catalog. Unfortunately, those stopped being in style over 10 years ago, a shame! Sophia once bought a nice dresser from this catalog… Anyways!
What stands out the most is the figure standing by the window.
She gets up from the bed and approaches them. "Are you Darmae Farona?" Sophia asks.
The figure turns around and they seem to be young maid. She seems to be an elf or half-elf. This person's eyes are a very dark brown but they look slightly glassy. The bangs are messy and the hair is in a low ponytail. The uniform looks plain but neat. She is frowning slightly.
"Yes? I think so. No one's called me that in ages, but that sure does sound like my name."
"Why did you answer my call?" she asks.
The ghost maid responds calmly with her own questions, "Why did you make that call? Why did you pay attention to me? Why do you want to help me?" She sounds genuinely curious and confused.
Sophia doesn't heistate, "I just want to help you because it's the right thing to do. I'm not someone who runs away from injustices!"
"..."
The ghost smiles. It's not creepy as it should be.
The smile is warm.
"Is that so?"
She doesn't heistate to answer with, "Of course!"
"Hm. You, remind me so much of her. Your heart is pure. I can feel that. I'm part elf you know? We're good at reading hearts. But I was never good at reading my own heart."
Sophia doesn't really know what to say to that.
"Ahem- yes well. I am a pure-hearted, good person. Please, let me help you by telling me what you know."
The ghost hums. Sophia takes that as an approval and continues with, "What do you remember from your time here? Were the Johnsons good people? Did they treat you well?"
"Madame Johnson treated me well. She helped me greatly. I owe her so much... Sir, was distant and didn't care for me. I was just another maid to pay. I... must do a good job. I don't want to leave... I still need the money..."
"Huh? Money? For what exactly?" Sophia was really curious now.
"Money to live. My bakery needs money. Madame paid me well, she didn't want me to give up on my dream. I dream a lot of nothingness but I wanted to keep my bakery, I wanted to keep making bread. I love bread, it's so heartwarming. It's home. I wanted...home... Madame was home..."
Sophia is starting to lose her so she asks something else. It's kind of insensitive and rash of her but extremely important!
"How did you die?"
"I'm dead? Of course, that makes sense. Why am I dead? I can't remember? Madame... where is she? She would know. She has to know! Where are they?!"
She's starting to panic!
Sophia is panicking too!
How is she supposed to tell her that the Johnsons are dead?! That her beloved Madame died under circumstances she isn't even clear on! The only survivor of the Johnson family is the baby, who isn't a baby anymore. Bradley is the person who claims this, a man she barely trusts! How could Sophia possibly tell her all of this.
How could she break a broken soul even more?
Her hesitation is a bad mistake because the ghost maid grabs her shoulders and begins shaking her, trying to get an answer. "Tell me what happened! Help me!"
Sophia tries to struggle but she has a surprisingly strong grip! So she decides to tell the truth.
"They... passed away. I am so very sorry. I truly am."
The ghost lets go of Sophia after hearing that. She falls to her knees and starts sobbing and shaking uncontrollably! "No!! No!!! Impossible! They can't be dead… she can't be gone! No no no. I won't.. believe this… She's… still here… I can't… reach you… Not gone… without you… I can't… here… you are… I feel it…"
Sophia needs to calm her down before something bad happens! To herself specifically. She softly tells her, "They're all not gone. The baby, Bradley, he's still here. He's okay."
Only after hearing that did she begin to calm down again, "The baby survived? I'm glad… Bradley… you're here… " She finally stops crying but she's still shaking a bit. Poor thing. Sophia helps her stand up again.
Probably a bad idea to ask about how she died when she can't doesn't remember. So she asks instead, "What is the last thing you remember?"
A long pause, "I think I can… show you instead."
What does that mean?
Suddenly everything in the room shifts. Sophia feels like she might pass out. The scene changes!
Okay so the room looks mostly the same but the maid looks a lot more lively. She's humming while dusting the room. She's also ignoring Sophia's presence. How rude.
Then, it happens. Someone bursts inside the room in tears! The maid stops what she's doing and rushes to their side.
"Madame! What's wrong?!"
Oh, so this is a memory? A past memory of Madame Johnson!
Madame Johnson's appearance is pure elegance. Sophia would consider her very beautiful except for those tears that really diminish her radiance.
"I can't do this anymore. Mae, I truly can not continue to live like this."
Ms. Farona looks unsure where to put her hands so she gently put them on her shoulder. "What can I do to help? Please, stop crying. I don't like seeing you cry."
She wipes some of her tears and looks her in the eye as she says, "Leave. And never come back."
Ms. Farona pales, "What! What are you saying Madame? Am I being fired? Please, don't-"
"I'm leaving. I can't do this anymore. I can't bear this loss, this emptiness. I'm leaving."
"I'm so very confused."
Sophia is as well. Please be clearer! What do you mean?
"Leave with me."
After hearing that, she becomes even paler! She truly looks like a ghost now. She points at herself in shock, "What!? Me?"
"Let's leave this horrible mansion. Come with me. I want to leave with... my family. You-"
She didn't get to finish. Everything goes black.
That's it? That's all she can remember? Maybe the shock was what killed her! She's not awake yet, still in the dreamscape. The ghost maid is now staring out the window. Sophia doesn't need to ask anything because she speaks first this time, "My memories are damaged. I only know my identity because of that journal and what few fragments remain of my memories. I can't move on. I won't move on. Not until… I know the truth. I won't leave. I can't leave yet."
Not without her, goes unsaid.
Sophia speaks from her heart, "I promise you Ms. Farona that I will find out the truth. I will set things right and I will give you the peace you deserve. Thank you for showing me your feelings. They won't be ignored. Not anymore."
She turns around and gives her a small smile. "Take my journal. It might help you later on. I'll be counting on you, Sophia Fauve."
This time Sophia finally wakes up! She feels sluggish and worn. She rummages through her bag and finds her phone. It's been over an hour already. Has she really been asleep for that long? Oh and no signal.
Fantastic.
//Let's see. So that memory, when did it take place? Mrs. Johnson was devastated and wanted to leave. She couldn't deal with this 'emptiness' and 'loss.' Was this 'loss' the deceased person they wanted Ms. Ipruk to contact? This was before they all moved away from the mansion. Obviously. But was it before or after Ms. Ipruk visited? I'm not sure if the maid did actually end up meeting her. It's possible. But with the journal being… like that and her memories damaged, I can't be sure.//
She could always ask Ms. Ipruk but who knows if she would remember someone like that? She's interesting so perhaps. The only conclusion she is certain of is that Darmae Farona never left. She was never able to leave the mansion with the Johnsons.
Why?
Did they actually… No! Even if it's a possibility, it's not certain yet. Sophia leaves the room troubled with her thoughts.