Walking down the stairs, I couldn't help but catch glimpses passed the doors that lead into the other floors.
At first, they seemed nice, not too lavish but simple and liveable. But by the time I saw the fourth floor, such a scene, looked like heaven.
"I thought all the floors would look like the first".
"The Boss doesn't want to spend any more money on 'spare change' as he would call it".
"Spare change", I scoffed. "Is that all a slave is?".
"That is reality".
"Why weren't we told of the sixth floor until I was sorted there?".
"We don't get many 'sixths'".
"Ok…".
I didn't know how to take that. Was it a warning or what's to come?
"This is the sixth floor".
A door that looked larger and grander than any of the others stood tall, in front of me. I'd be lying if I said my expectations weren't high by this point. Surely a floor with this grand a door, couldn't look like shit on the inside.
Surely not…
Surely…
He opened the doors slowly as if to really at to the suspense. It looked like he was enjoying this.
"Oh thank God!".
A room more grand, more luxurious, more heavenly than any of the others. To think I was allowed to stay here as a slave was incredible.
The henchmen looked at me weirdly. He must've been surprised by my sudden outburst. I tried to swiftly change the topic.
"I get to stay here?".
"Well, yes".
"Forever??", my eyes were sparkling.
"No".
Party pooper, give me some hope at least.
It had been a while since I had been in such a place. The last being, my family home itself. Though it wasn't nearly as luxurious. Still grand, but this was a bit too much so.
"Well then, for how long do I stay here for?".
"One week".
One week of luxury, I was really going to enjoy this. To think I just needed to become a slave.
I caught my thoughts remembering I technically didn't even own my own life.
"I shall be taking my leave then".
"Oh ok".
"…Well then".
I didn't expect him to leave without sending me off to my room, but I didn't mind. At least I could finally catch a breather.
"One last thing", he unlocked my cuffs.
I questioned why he let me just roam as I please and also un-cuff me, were they that confident at the fact that I wouldn't escape?
Wait, can't I just… pulling my arms back I readied a-
"I wouldn't do that if I were you".
"Why".
"Please let things be easy on the both of us".
I was dumb enough to get myself here, but I didn't want to regret my decision of calling his bluff. If things happened to get even worse, I didn't know what I'd do. If I want to escape, I can do it later.
"Good choice. I wish you luck".
Why did he feel the need to wish me luck? Was he referring to who was going to purchase me? I didn't think about it much further.
Laid on the floor were red carpets that stretched as far as the place itself. A large chandelier hung from the ceiling, several sofas placed around tables.
Walking passed the main room, I stepped through hallway after hallway.
A mixture of déja vu, melancholy, and nostalgia coarsing through my thoughts.
"Ford len Twoir".
"Mother…?".
"You know not to run around in the woods so late in the afternoon".
"Sorry".
I saw a younger me in the distance, getting scolded by my mother.
"Brad, I told you to watch over him".
"It's not my fault, this little rug-rat is so darn quick on his feet", he laughed.
"This is no laughing matter".
"Hngh, right! Right…", he flinched up, perfect posture and everything right when mother stepped on his foot.
I laughed watching the three of them from afar. The good ol' days. I really was scolded a lot if this is the memory I recall in this moment.
I noticed a few tables that stood beside the walls of the hallway. Walking up to them, I noticed a couple decorations stood atop them. Nothing eye-catching though.
Walking away, I dragged my fingers across its wooden surface, my gaze returning to the hallway. In the next moment, I felt a surge of energy, as if the halls were calling out to me. My legs felt as through they wanted to run, just like they did… many years ago.
At first I simply walked quicker, taking larger and larger steps. Soon I began to leap as though I were skipping joyfully and finally, I ran.
I ran, and ran, through hall after hall. There was no one chasing after me, no monster trying to eat me, no sense of responsibility.
Only the gentle indoor air that brushed against me as I ran, was left.
Turning around a corner I-
"Ugh, sorry".
"Oi, watch where you're going".
"Yeah no, I should've looked before I- I…".
"What is it?".
I realised that currently I had been left on the ground, while the person who I had bumped into was still standing.
Not only that, but they had a petite frame, she was a woman.
I hadn't noticed this at first because of her voice that laid more on the deeper end.
"How did you not fall?".
"Huh?".
"You think I'd lose my balance just from you crashing into me like that?", she spoke as though it were something so simple, a child could do it. "And I don't think I've seen you before, are you a newbie?".
"Yeah, I just came here".
"Hmm well, nice chat. I was in the middle of something before you came along. So you can scurry on newbie, you should thank whatever you believe in, that I wasn't in a bad mood", she pulled her hand up to her neck, producing a slicing motion that seemed to be a warning of sorts.
Though, as soon as she began to walk away, I recalled how she asked whether I was a newbie.
This meant that she had been here a while, at least that's what I thought, I didn't know for sure how long she'd been here, but it was a start. Things couldn't be as plain as they seemed.
"Wait-", I stretched out my arm to grab her shoulder before I suddenly found myself laid on the ground, my face being pushed into the carpeted floor beneath, while my arm was now up, behind me, caught in her hand.
Her other hand was the thing planting my face into the carpet, her foot prevented my other arm from breaking me loose.
"What do you think you're doing".
I didn't know what to say to get out of this situation. I resorted to telling her what I thought straightforwardly.
"I… I just wanted to ask you a few questions".
"And who are you to think that I would help you?".
"Because we're all in the same situation?", I tried to reason with her.
"Tell me a good reason before I break off this arm of yours".
What did she mean GOOD REASON!!!??? I just told her the truth, did I not???
Apparently reason was something that she was against… my second resort, flattery.
"I was impressed by your ability to stay standing when I crashed into you".
"Mere flattery won't work on me".
THEN WHAT THE FUCK DO YOU WANT BITCH!!!???
Clearly rational thinking wasn't going to work. I had to abandon all reason to find the answer.
"I… I… I thought you were beautiful and wanted to confess my love for you".
"Huh!?".