The window in Lauren's carriage felt utterly cold, though it did not stop her from leaning her head against it. The round golden moon emitted a soft glow as clouds passed by, a few of them trying to hide the moon but only to be blown away by the wind.
Lauren felt a sense of melancholy as she gazed at the moon, wishing she could escape her current circumstances. She sighed heavily and closed her eyes, trying to find solace in the brief moment of peace.
Her small brown eyes looked outside the window, seeing the trees pass one after another as the four horses pulled the carriage through the road.
Her tongue peeked out to wet her lips, which had turned dry. The air blew against her face, ruffling some of her hair that she had combed and loosely braided.
Lauren opened her eyes and let out a long exhale, creating a haze on the carriage's window. The cold temperature that kept on dropping was proof that they were already near Máville. After a week of travel, they finally arrived.
She couldn't believe that her family and she were moving somewhere she had never been. As the carriage stopped, she looked out of the window to see the mansion. She was sure it wasn't a king's castle, but the way it stood there showed the work clearly.
Little Lauren saw her old mother and her elder sister already standing out of the carriage, waiting for her to follow them. She sighed, she didn't know how much she had sighed today, but one thing was true: she wasn't ready for what was coming.
"Let's go, Kalae. You are making us late too." Her elder sister, Lavender spoke from where she stood, eyeing her to come and follow them. Lauren saw them walking towards the same mansion; she felt weird seeing it, but she didn't have any choice but to follow them.
Lauren's relationship with Lavender and the mansion seemed complicated, but she couldn't resist her sister's call. As she approached the grand entrance, Lauren could feel her heart rate quicken with anticipation.
Despite her reluctance, Lauren's curiosity got the best of her as she followed Lavender and her companions towards the opulent mansion. As she gazed up at the impressive structure, Lauren couldn't help but wonder about the secrets and mysteries that lay within its walls.
After entering the mansion through the huge gate, she and her family were greeted by the butler. He bowed and then spoke.
"I have been waiting for you. Please follow me inside."
"Let's go." Her mother chimed in. Lauren once again looked up into the castle and then walked inside behind her family and the butler. She didn't want to follow her mother and sister, but after her mother strictly ordered and showed the value of her request, she agreed to work on the mansion.
She zeroed in on her eyes when the butler slowly turned to take a knowing glance at her, which confused her. He mouthed at her, "Demons will be out'.
Lauren gasped loudly and opened her eyes wide as she stared at the unfamiliar ceiling above her. Her breathing was irregular, and she was drenched in cold sweat.
Her brain was foggy, and her body was as heavy as stone. She held her head with bandages on her head, neck and chin. And had absolutely no memory of how she got here. "What type of dream was it?' she questioned herself.
She found herself in an unfamiliar place and the woman was calling her Kalae but not Lauren. She narrowed her eyes as she tried to thought deeply about the dream. The woman wasn't even her late mother nor the girl was her sister.
The most important thing that was occupying her to think about the dream. Was the building she saw in her dream. It somehow, if she was not wrong looked familiar.
Her eyes moved when she felt a presence near her and saw Hazel, who was sitting cross-legged on the end of the bed. Harrison, who was standing by the door. And a woman, she assumed to be the doctor; hovering over her.
"Good morning!" Woman squealed rather enthusiastically. She smiled at her, and though it was open and inviting, she still managed to look intimidating. I'm awake, but I still feel really fuzzy. Lauren thought that nothing was quite as it appeared.
"How are you feeling, Lauren?" she asked.
"I'm okay," Lauren managed to answer, because nothing hurts. In fact, everything felt warm and floaty right now, but her brain was still floundering over the dream she saw.
"Yeah?" She leaned over her. "How many fingers am I holding up?" Lauren stared at her as if she were playing with her. I swear, this woman is so weird, she thought.
"Five." Lauren answered correctly.
"What day is it?" The woman was examining her, or whatever, after looking at her. Lauren knew she would not give up on her.
"Sunday."
"Actually, it's Monday. You have been unconscious for two days." This made Lauren's eyes widen, and she glanced out of the window, where a few far-off stars were able to be seen.
"Where are you?"
"In Máville."
"Very good. Okay, now what dress were you wearing when you came here?"
"Is this question important right now?" Morticia gave her a face that says 'cooperate please' Lauren sighed before nodding and speaking. "An off white fur jacket."
"All right then," she said as she turned to face her uncle. "Look, I told you she would be fine. Her vision is stable, and she has lost some blood, but...
"Monster!" Lauren shouted, which made everyone flinch at her outburst. They looked at her with worried expressions.
The warm, floaty feeling melted away as Lauren struggled to sit up. She didn't know how she could have forgotten about the most incredible night of her life. She was so into the dream she saw, and now as the memory started to come back, it made her calmness fade away and darkness envelope her.
She remembered being in the cave with the monster and how it had felt so real. It was like she'd been in another world, but now that she was back here, everything seemed too vivid.
It was as if she had finally found the missing piece of her life puzzle. Yet, why did it bring such an ominous feeling upon recollection?