"Bye blark, I will come back to get you when the vacation is over."
As if a burden had been lifted from her shoulders, my mother headed towards her luxury car to set off on her journey with her husband. I looked at the large palace behind me. My mother said that her great-grandfather had moved to this village, bought this palace, and moved his entire family here،Years passed and only My grandmother and my mother remained from the Villag family. After my mother fled the palace before I was born, my grandmother became the only resident of this palace.
And now I will spend the summer vacation in this palace and perhaps more. That smile on my stepfather's face when he heard my grandmother's offer to spend the summer here made me sure that I would spend more time than I want. I have my gaming console to keep me entertained at least.
"Take the stairs to the second floor. Go to the left. You will find several empty rooms. Choose one, put your things in, then go downstairs to have lunch. I will explain the rules to you after you put something in your mouth." My grandmother said that before heading to an adjacent room... Wow. I always thought my mother was exaggerating when she talked about her childhood in the palace, but now after hearing the first thing my grandmother said to me on our first meeting...I'm sorry I didn't believe you Mom. Sounds like your child is going to have a summer full of orders.
I followed the instructions exactly. My grandmother did not seem to be the type who would not be angry because I was late, even if this was my first time entering the palace. There were many rooms in the corridor of the second floor. I opened the first two rooms to find that they were exact copies of each other. There was no need to inspect the rest of the rooms. It is clear that They all have the same design. I went back downstairs after throwing my bag in the second room. I entered the room that my grandmother had entered a short while ago. She was there alone in the main seat at the long table, reading a book written in an unknown language for me. I sat on the closest seat to her right, and suddenly I felt A shiver covered my entire body there was frightening glances directed at me. I raised my gaze to see my grandmother giving me a look that was difficult to describe. I automatically got up from the seat. She looked up at me before directing her gaze to a seat on the left side of the table. There was no need for words. I went there silently and sat on a seat. Which was uncomfortable seat, but my grandmother went back to reading her book and ignored me what brought me comfort.
There were many different dishes on the table. I do not know how and when all these dishes were placed. Perhaps there is a servants working in the palace. "Eat your food. I will explain the rules to you after you finish." This does not stimulate the appetite...but certainly a conversation with you, my grandmother, will not do the opposite.
*after five minutes*
"I'm done, thank you for the food." After five minutes, that felt like five hours I said that. This was the most terrifying meal I had ever eaten. Of course the fault was not in the food. In fact, I had never eaten such delicious food before. I don't know what kind of meat this was, it became my favorite, but the atmosphere in the hall made me get up after a few simple bites. My grandmother looked up from the book and looked at the still full plate. "I don't know what the rules are in Grima's house, but here in my palace we don't get up from the table until we finish our plate."
"But I'm full."
"I did not ask you whether you are full or not. You will not get up from this table until you finish your plate."
"I understand, but I'm full and I can't put anything else in my mouth."
She did not answer my question. She just looked at me with her green eyes that surrounded by wrinkles. Damn it.... What should I do? I feel like I will vomit if I put something else in my mouth. Looking at my grandmother, if I vomit, she will order me to clean up the vomit, then wash my face, then go back to continue My dish...hghh, Who am I fooling? She will not allow me to wash my face. She will make me return to the dish immediately after cleaning. Hmm.... It is strange how I was able to understand her personality only after only two conversations.
*one hour later*
An hour had passed since the conversation with my grandmother. During that hour, neither of us opened our mouths with a word. This helped me finish the dish without spilling my guts on the table. It was not easy, and I barely succeeded. The moment I finished my dish, my grandmother put the book on the table and began to explain. the rules.
"The first rule is that guests must stay in the left section of the palace and are forbidden from going to the right section of the palace for any reason, understood?"
Hah? why are you telling me about a rule regarding guests? Wait.... Isn't my room located in the left section? You see me as a guest instead of a family member? Do you think I'm adopted or something like that? My hair is black, unlike my parents' but I'm actually their son No doubt, I'll correct her later, but for now let's hear the rest of the rules.
"The second rule: Guests can roam freely between the first and second floors, and they are prohibited from approaching the stairs of the rest of the floors, understood?".
How many floors does this palace consist of? It does not matter...This rule is easy to apply. Give me the following rule.
"These are the rules in the palace. Food and drinks will be provided throughout the guest's stay, in addition to hot water and all services such as cleaning the room and laundry. There is a telephone in every room that the guest can use as he pleases. That's all, our dear guest, any questions before I return to the family section." For the first time I see my grandmother's white teeth that have formed into a frightening but innocent smile at the same time.
Only two rules? Dear guest? and Why is there a smile on your face when you say that? It doesn't matter. I have to ask the question that interests me, "Is there a TV that I can use to connect my gaming console to it?" I noticed that there is no television in this hotel, which, as its owner says, caters to the requests of its guests. "There is no such thing in the Villag Palace, but if our guest feels bored, he can read the books in the library. The tent newspaper arrives every day at six in the morning, I can lend it to you after I finish reading it. If there is another newspaper that you read, you can tell me its name and I will immediately register a subscription so that the newspaper will reach you tomorrow morning."
Newspaper? These things still exist? This means that I will spend the entire summer without games or communication with the outside world. The King of Machines tournament will be held two weeks from now, and I am stuck here in the Stone Age. It is impossible to complete a single day here. I will call my mother to take me. I will escape from the palace if I have to, and I certainly wouldn't be the first to do that.
I went out to my room. I sat on the bed and took out my phone for a moment before I placed it on the small table quietly. The reason was simple.... there is no network aaaaaaaaaaah, ok, calm down, boy. Count from one to ten to calm down. One, Two, three, four, five... aaaaaah, I can't. This place is a prison.
I started to search the room, hoping to find something to amuse me, but as expected from any prison, there were only the basics: a wardrobe for clothes, a small table next to the bed with a small lamp on it, and an antique telephone, in addition to a personal bathroom. There is also a window overlooking the garden surrounding the palace. These things are beautiful for a person from age Before technology, but now....it's just additions.
I picked up the phone that was on the table for half a minute before putting it back in its place. I don't know how to use this thing, and I don't think anyone from my generation can do that. This tool belongs to the museum. There are no sensors or even buttons. All there is, is a circular disk attached to a column.
Should I go to the right section to ask my grandmother how to use this thing, but the rule was clear that guests were not allowed to go to the family section under any circumstances. Forget it. I will ask her when it is time for dinner now, what should I do until then? My grandmother said something. About the library, right? Maybe I should take advantage of this vacation and develop myself instead of playing. Maybe this is my chance to change and transform from a failure into a respected man in society.
Hey, this doesn't look like me. does palace change me this quickly? I have to call my mother. Wait a minute... Was this her plan from the beginning? I feel something heavy pressing on my chest. Is this the feeling of betrayal? Being stabbed by the person closest to you? No wonder people who are betrayed turn to the evil side. For the first time I can see the world from their point of view.
I don't have time to discover my evil self now. I'll put it off for later. Now, what should I do? Should I sleep until dinner or go outside since the library option has been cancelled? Let's see the pros and cons of each option. Firstly, sleeping (pros: time passes faster while I'm asleep; negatives: I can miss dinner time, and even if I wake up and ask my grandmother and call my mother, I will stay up all night doing nothing), secondly, walking around (pros: I won't stay here, negatives: I will be outside). I lay on the bed and closed my eyes. I ruled out the idea of going outside. I was not a person who loved nature and exploration, which meant that there was only one option left for me.
*Several hours later*
" wake up"
" wake up"
"I'm going to count to three. If you don't wake up when I'm done counting, I'm going to kick you between the legs boy, okay?"
"Huh?" I opened my eyelids lazily. I did not rest during this little nap. I was not accustomed to the place. I hardly had any sleep. I felt that my body had become like the trunk of an old tree due to the solidity it had become. And now there was someone calling me as well On top of that, I could not see anyone in the room. I moved my head around the room to see my surroundings It was already night. There was nothing new except for a green pole with orange legs that was placed in front of the window. I stood holding my neck, which was hurting from the position in which I slept. The cold floor stung my bare feet I could have taken my slippers out of my bag, but that seemed like unnecessary extra effort. I'll just check the door and go back to sleep.
"Okay, okay, I'm awake." I looked at the corridor, except that the place had become dark. Nothing else had changed. The corridor looked the same as it had been since I last saw it. It didn't look like a prank, so either I'm imagining it or there are ghosts in this palace. It doesn't matter. I'll think about it Tomorrow now is bedtime. I closed the door and looked at my bed before I fell to the floor in horror…... On the bed stood staring at me, that legged pillar that I had seen in front of the window a minute ago. It stood on my bed. Its green head was shaped like a watermelon. There were no arms to be seen. Below the head, there were only two orange legs. This cartoon creature looked at me with his only eye.
"You're finally awake, boy. You've kept me waiting for a long time."