Amphitheatre in the ASK town was filled with residents mumbling of the cause of the gathering session.
"Why did he call us here? Do you know anything?"
"Nah. But there is no festival coming around. Why is he calling us now?"
"Neither do we know! He is really as complex as he sounds. Yet, we have to trust him. Remember what happened to that one-eyed beggar who challenged his decision, he is nowhere to be seen."
"Either he must be dumped back in the evil world or he's dead."
"Or cursed?"
Several murmurs surrounded the lot of them who with their whole honesty did not mind saying their heart out because, the core value of the town said "Be honest. He's watching."
Horan and Genevieve like the others were called up to occupy their seats, no matter which part of the town one needed to be whenever Ark calls they have to be present.
"Ah, another example of challenging 'him'."
The whispers continued when the couple came through the gate.
"What are you saying? Shut your mouth!"
"Why? I will not turn back from my honesty!"
"That is not 'honesty'! Miss Genevieve didn't challenge Ark Bishop. She was a very close friend to him."
"She lost her sight as she chose that foreigner. Trust me, there is a link between their marriage and Mr. Bishop's decision.He must have rejected her choice."
"That's enough, Hooper! If you are supposed to say truth, then only say that. If I heard you forming any more stories on your own, I'll seal that running tongue of yours." Hooper's husband intervened the ladies' talk, glaring at his wife.
Men were the pillars of this town, very determined in their work of meeting their superior's ends. As much as they took the responsibility of protecting their women and children, the same couldn't be always guaranteed for their wives. A few times, some of them went to the extent of sleeping with Sir Bishop in hope of giving birth to a healthy child.
Those women were kept under observation with the men working on erasing such evil thoughts.
Hooper scoffed at her husband's claims but remained mum and switched to another gossip.
"It must be due to her." She blurted our like a great idea came to her mind.
Her accomplices, Jess, Martha and Florence tweaked their eyebrows interestingly.
"Who?"
"The new girl. I heard she was attended by Sir Bishop, the blindy and Doctor. Isn't it suspicious that she is attracting attention the moment she stepped here?" Hooper revealed her theory. Being the women of ASK, they took it to themselves for being alert in all matters. Which precisely meant to keep an ear to every happening in the town.
"All three of them met her?"
"She's lucky," Florence continued while curling the loose strand of her hair, "Anyways, whether she stays here or is dumped back in the crime world, it's upto the Panel. It has been a long time since anyone from out has entered in."
It was true. The town was made due to Ark's will and Genevieve's pity. When the world was in the brink of destruction, the place surrounding the town had cowering people who called Gods for help. Their sincere requests melted Weave's heart, thus convincing her friend they were reborn as of today. This fact was only known to the generation which witnessed the act decades ago.
The others simply dwelled in the efforts of their parents, living a clueless life of heaven and hell. They never stepped out of the good castle which did not show the evil they were surrounded in.
"That must be it. We are having a surprise Panel!" Jess said it loud, earning her looks from nearbys. "What? Wait and see. I'll be proved right!"
"But then, where is the newbie now?" Hooper scanned the crowd for an unfamiliar face, they were so used to having to see same people day after day that just looking at their dress and ornaments told who is who.
Lucy stared at the ceiling, blinking in between, trying to comprehend the situation she was finding herself in. Outside of opera, she imagined a beautiful, low life under the sky where she would wake up to grow crops, live in a hut, pet some animals, make birds her friends and sleep under the stars. Oh yes, she promised to see sunsets everyday!
Lucy knew it was not going to be easy but her patience was running out too soon. Not one. Not even one of the above mentioned things happened since she left the place. Rather it was a roller coaster of varied other things, unexpected to imagine.
If anything was supposed to go wrong, it should have been:
Sleeping with less food in the beginning until she worked up to arrange some.
Or not finding a place to live,
Or not having pets around, though she was sure she could have managed to make friends at least with a grass hopper. As long as it didn't hop inside her ears.
Sunset. She would have been sure to see the sunset. Thinking of the last time she saw one months ago, Lucy'a lips quirked up delighted. Opera hall and dancing in the dim, dark lights never brought light inside the mansion like place.
Carrie used to say it was to make sure the girls didn't tan. Keeping them as pale as they could be.
The hospital room's door opened thunderously, snapping the girl from her thoughts.
A servant entered in or she could be someone working here. Lucy didn't meet any lady out of this area, so she could be mistaken of her being a servant maid.
"You are summoned by Sir Bishop. Hurry up on this chair." The maid, Lucy preferred, informed mechanically.
"Where?"
"I don't know. I was told to bring you to him. Get up now!"
"If you don't know them where will you take me? Inside a wall?" As uninvited as she felt, it would have been better if the blind woman had pursued her rather than this stupid. Who did not even come forward to help her sit on the wheel chair.
"Run up your legs not your mouth. No one likes to hear things they don't want to hear here."
True to her pride, Lucy looked away and pulled herself up on her own, touching her feet one by one on the cold floor. With the support of the bed, she stood straight. The maid held the chair stubbornly far from her bed.
It's alright Lucy, you'll be gone from these people soon. For that, you have to meet the owner and thank him for his hospitality. Then you will never turn back to see this helpless land of humans.
It was a struggle but she managed to walk straight and sit on the chair before hurriedly picking her feet up on the pad as the impatient maid started wheeling her ride, almost missing her little toe to get jammed under wheels.
Muttering a mouthful of curses to this impudent driver, she looked ahead to what waited for her out of the hospital.