Mearlion's laughing "HAHAHA!"
Everyone looks happy now. Lets change the rhythm now (clapped)
Violet, clutching a bundle of freshly picked roses, ran with her heart set on one person—her father. Her eyes sparkled with excitement, her steps light as if she were floating.
But just as she reached out her tiny hand to offer the flowers, something stopped her. Violet froze, turning to see her mother's stern face.
"Not now," her mother said coldly, her voice a quiet storm.
"But, Mama—" Violet began, her voice trembling.
"Enough." Her mother's tone left no room for argument.
Before Violet could resist, her mother pulled her away from her father. The sight of him—his teary eyes, his outstretched hand—broke Violet's heart.
"No, please!" Violet begged, tears spilling down her cheeks. "I want to see him! Let me go!"
Her mother didn't say another word. Instead, she shoved Violet into a dim room and locked the door
Violet stood there in the silence, her chest rising and falling with sobs.
The hours dragged on, and her cries echoed in the empty room. Fear wrapped around her like a suffocating blanket. Shadows danced on the walls, and every creak of the old house made her flinch.
"I want Papa," she whispered to herself, her voice quivering. She hugged her knees tightly, trembling. "Please… let me out…"
But no one came.
Aryan sat cross-legged on the floor of his room, fiddling with his toys. The muffled sounds of chatter and laughter from the guests downstairs seeped through the walls. His mom and dad had told him to stay upstairs until the gathering was over, so he stayed. Alone.
It had already been over an hour.
A faint smell, sharp and acrid, tickled his nose. Aryan wrinkled it, sniffing the air. He thought it might be something from the kitchen, but this was different. Stronger.
He stood up, hesitating, and sniffed again. The smell grew sharper, biting at his senses. Smoke.
Aryan hurried to the window and wiped the foggy glass with his hand. His heart skipped when he saw tendrils of gray smoke swirling outside. He stepped back, covering his nose, his small chest rising and falling as panic started to creep in.
The smoke wasn't just outside. It was in his room now, curling in through the cracks at the bottom of the door and creeping in through the edges of the window.
The hallway was ablaze. Flames spreading the walls and ceiling, roaring with a terrifying ferocity. The heat hit him like a wave, forcing him to stumble back. His eyes watered from the smoke, and he coughed, trying to catch his breath.
For a moment, he froze, his mind blank with fear. The house he had always known, the safe haven of his childhood, was unrecognizable—a fiery nightmare.
He wanted to scream, but no sound came out. His hands shot to his face, wiping away tears as his chest heaved with silent sobs.
The fire was everywhere. He couldn't escape.
The only place that felt even slightly safe was under the table. He crawled beneath it, his hands pressed tightly over his ears. The room grew hotter. The smoke stung his eyes and filled his lungs, making him cough and choke. He wanted his mom. He wanted his dad. He wanted someone to save him.
But no one came.
The fire roared louder. Aryan squeezed his eyes shut, trying to block out the terror, hoping this was just a bad dream.
Richard followed the woman to her home, excitement and unease mingling in his chest. The moment he stepped inside, her husband's angry voice cut through the air.
"Who's this?" he demanded.
"He's just a boy," she said, trying to defend Richard.
"Not in my house," the man snapped. "Get him out."
Richard didn't wait for more. He backed out and ran his way back to the slum, his heart sinking.
When he arrived, a rookie stepped out of the shadows.
"Had an adventure, didn't you?" Moments later, the old man appeared.
The old man dragged him outside. He locked Richard in a crude metal cage.
"You think you can cross me?" he snarled. Richard cried out.
Everyone began to cry. Mearlion watched, a twisted smile spreading across his face.
"Ahhh…" he sighed, his voice dark and pleased. "This is what I want. Those screams… they're so beautiful to hear."
He chuckled, his laughter cold and mocking. "No human….. no one ever leaves my world of imagination. Hahahaha…"