CHAPTER 15
I winced when I woke up. My head is hurting along with my upper body. I looked up at the ceiling. That dream, it's weird. Why I'm in that dream and did something I wouldn't do. In that dream, the masters doesn't look harmful, they all look like dying, and even me. If that man did something to his patients that's why they become like that. The masters looks like a normal person in my dream. Wait, that dream. Isn't that my memory? My loss of memory?
The door opened and I was glad to see Beom went inside. Just then I realized that I wasn't in the ward anymore but I'm inside our room.
"Are you alright?" Beom asked and sat beside me.
"The masters hurt you. You almost died when they bring you here. They all look scared--"
I held his arm. I don't want to remember any further, I don't want to know deeper about my past. It's my horrible past and if they want me to remember it to accept them, I rather get out of here than be stuck here forever. That was in the past, my loss of memory that I don't want to remember anymore. Even I'm too confused about how it's my fault for their misery. Maybe I did something wrong back then. It's best for my sanity to know nothing than regret knowing. The best option right now is to get out of here.
"I don't care about them. They force me to remember everything but I don't want to remember all my past." I said, my lips quivering. "We need to get out of here."
Beom sighs sadly, shaking his head. He looked at me with sadness in his eyes as if he was trying to tell me that he was sorry. Just when I realized that I was chained up on the bed. "Why I'm chained up?!" I asked in shock.
"We couldn't...the masters are too observant now than before. They are too active now and they are watching us, watching you." He whispered. The door suddenly opened and Beom hurriedly stood up, giving a polite bow to the master who just went in. It's master Yang. Just when I noticed the chain on Beom's wrists and ankles. He was also chained.
"Having a nice chit-chat I see." He said as he smiled. "I'm glad that you are awake now Twenty. You've been sleeping for weeks and now the game will start soon. I want you to prepare it for us."
Beom helped me to walk down the stairs. My wounds haven't healed yet. I stared at the chains on our ankles and followed the trail. I don't have any idea of how long this chain would be and how further this chain was linked. Just like Beom said, the masters are more aware now than before. When we were finally on the ground floor, I noticed the maids; we were all chained up. The toys especially Barbie was laughing at us with her annoying high-pitch voice, insulting Seulji and the rest of how we look like. I noticed Barbie's dressed. It's different than the last time she wears. She is now wearing typical welsh consists of a hat, made of black felt, with a high crown and wide brim, which is worn over a lace cap. A red flannel shawl is worn over a crisp white blouse, and a full skirt made of wool with a black and white check pattern and a starched, tartan too, wore black woolen stockings and black shoes. Her brownish wavy hair was fall flat on her shoulder and her make-up made her look stunning.
"She looks nicer today than the rest of the toys," I mumbled and I heard Beom whines.
"Yeah right, we are better too. Not wearing paper bag anymore but if master Kim is here, we should," He said and smiled.
"Hmph! How disgrace!" I heard Xion rant who was dragging an old rusty cage with spikes on it. There's even a skeleton inside. When he saw us, he hurriedly run to me and hugged me. "Gosh! I thought you were dead! How did you survive?!"
"You know, masters can't kill their possession." Beom simply said and chuckled.
I rolled my eyes and pulled Xion away. "I am their possession?"
"To be simplified, they love Barbie and you... it hurts but you are their obsession." Xion said and Beom nodded in agreement. Oh, I get it now. They keep telling me that they love me but the truth is they don't because all along I'm the thing they are so obsessive about while Barbie is the person they truly love. That's why they can hurt me every time they want while they can't hurt Barbie. I'm just a thing. I'm not hurt, how can I possibly hurt but I can't understand why are the masters forcing me to remember my lost memory? I shouldn't be remembering that. It's not worth remembering.
"What is her status to the masters now?" I asked.
"Barbie the bitch in a relationship with the monsters, I mean masters," Xion answered and Beom slapped him on the shoulder.
"You shouldn't be saying that! What if the masters hear you? You'll be punished." Beom scolded but Xion just laughed at him off.
Xion quickly pushed the cage out of the mansion as we spotted master Han walking down the stairs with his casual attire. A simple white shirt with a bomber jacket and cargo pants. We heard Barbie squeal like a teenage girl, she is a teenager. She runs to master Han and the master excitedly opens his arms for Barbie. She quickly hugged the master, burying her head on the master's chest while the master itself peck the top of Barbie's head. Why am I even demonstrating this?
I quickly averted my eyes and focused on our works. Master Lee is in the kitchen and told us to set the trap on the forest. Just when I was about to step outside when someone pulled the chain on my right ankle. I stumble down on the ground, my head hits the hard floor. I heard Beom gasp and hurriedly run to my side to help me up.
"The fuck Barbie?!" Beom yelled out in disbelief. "He is still in pain! Why did you do that?!"
I saw Barbie smirking at us especially at me. "The masters told me to play you, maids, whenever I want. Since I'm their fiance now."
"You what? You kidding right?" Beom asked, not convinced at all.
"Oh, well. Whatever, you'll just see then after two days before the game." Barbie smirked at us before she leave. Just when I caught master Han on the stairway, smirking at me as well as if he was overjoyed to see me like this.
"Come on," Beom whispered and helped me walkout from the kitchen.
The air that morning was chilly like South Korea was slowly recovering from the piles of snow and frozen water on the lakes, but it's still December and I guess New Year is near. I haven't spent Christmas since I was in my deep sleep when I checked the calendar I made before we go outside from the room. I hugged myself because of the cold, the snow is no longer thick, unlike the last time we went out to clean the garden. I can see the wet dirt and rocks, all of it, I can feel it under my foot. I missed it, I missed being outside.
"Look Sunoo," Beom suddenly whispered to my ears while we are walking deep into the forest where I can see the previous corpses that were already rotten. "The masters are really observant and aware now unlike before but we, us maids are more clever than what they think."
"Don't tell me, you planning on escaping from here?" I whispered back. Beom quickly shushed me when the gardener with Mr. Lawrence walked past behind us.
"Eyo maids, go grab the traps in my cabin." Mr. Lawrence said before walking ahead.
"Look, this is what we want. You suffered already enough and we think it's time for us to pay you back. I'll help you escape from here." He whispered again and dragged me towards somewhere I don't know. Beom finally stops when we are already in front of a fence.
He kneel on the dirt and start digging holes for me to get passed through. "Here, hurry! Just walk ahead then you can see a road trail."
"But, I don't want to go without you guys--"
Beom pulled me down, he held my nape and whispered closely on my ears. I can hear his heartbeat going fast as his breath becomes ragged. Is he panicking?
"Just get out of here! Call some help for us but don't ever think of coming back here. Grab your passport and fly away from here!" He paused for a while, he licked his lips. I watched him, he looks like he wanted to say more. He open his mouth to say something but someone suddenly held his nape from behind and dragged him away from me. I whimpered and looked up only to find master Han.
"I know it." He said with his sinister voice. Master Han's left arm began paling as he tried to reach me. His arm stretched long to grab me. "You think I let you escape?"
"Go now! Get away from here!"
Beom's voice snaps me from my fear and my body moves on its own. I hurriedly crawled underneath the fence but when I was almost in my freedom, master Han grabbed my feet. I scream and began kicking him but he wouldn't let me go. He pulled me back behind the fence as I heard Beom's screaming, giving me the strength to escape. My back and the wounds start to hurt as master Han squeezed my waist. I winced and felt my wounds stung with the crimson, cold liquid as my wounds start to open again, soaking my already messed clothes in blood. I tried to kick and push, but he wouldn't let me go.
"What's going on there!" My heart speed up once I heard master Park's voice from afar.
"Oh shit!" I heard Mr. Lawrence curse and I heard running footsteps coming closer to us.
I scream as I forced myself to crawl out under it despite master Han's pulling me back. I held the tree in front of me and with all my might, I kicked his hand hard as I pushed myself up. I heard him scream as he finally let me go. I stumble to get up and run fast as I could. I looked behind me when I heard him roar and I saw master Han's crawling towards me with his both long legs and arms. He's crawling fast towards me.
I just run and run until I trip on the root. I fell on the ground and was face to face with a corpse. I whimpered and held my voice. I noticed the shotgun beside him. I quickly get it and even the magazine in his pocket. I put the bullets in its case and aired the rifle before aiming it on master Han. I close my right eye just like a sniper. I waited for master Han to come close and when he was, I pulled the trigger and shot him on his stomach. He slightly flew away and I took that as an opportunity to run. I run fast as I could. I can hear him roar but I didn't dare to look back. I sling the shotgun on my shoulder while running. I remember what Beom said, just run straight ahead then I will see a trail road.
I suddenly stopped when I noticed a shady shadow on the trees as I heard the flying wings above me. I looked up but I didn't see anything. It's probably one of the masters. I should be careful, I shouldn't let them see me.
I hide in the bushes, sneaking on my knees. I crawled while looking up. Just when I saw a big bird flying above the trees. I don't know if that is really a bird but the wings tell me likewise.
I tried to calm myself. It's probably one of the masters. I should be careful. All I do was sneak until I see the trail road, there I can be finally be safe. I carefully sneaked in the bushes while I kept hearing the sound of his wings.
I almost scream in shock when he landed near my side. I peeped him through the bushes and see him looking around. I looked up and I already know who it was, it was master Leelex. He's the only master who has blonde hair. I looked down at his feet. He wasn't wearing anything for his foot. I can see the black nails on his foot fingers and how pale his skin color was. It's pale, almost turning gray. He walked away and I sigh in relief but I shouldn't feel at ease not when master Leelex is still here and searching for me. I continued to crawl but I immediately stop as soon as I see a white crow looking back at me.
"Found you." The crow speaks and I gasp. I jump away from the crow and hurriedly run. I can hear master Leelex was chasing after me.
I get my shotgun and stop, I aimed it in front of him and without hesitation, I pulled the trigger and shot him on I don't know but it seems like I got him. I didn't dare to know if I shot him, I just run straight ahead just what Beom told me. I can't do for them right now but I promise to get them some help. I'm not selfish, Beom sacrifices himself even knowing that the master has the most strong radar than the humans. He still makes me escape. I should pay for his kindness. He risks his life for me to escape.
I whimpered when something suddenly attacked me. I fell to the ground while the thing is still on top of me. I open my eyes and I was terrified to see a giant cat. It looks hungry and determined to bite me. I kicked it so hard that it flew away. I crawled towards my shotgun and reached it but the cat got my leg, scratching it with its nails. I hissed in pain. I kicked it again but the cat dug its nails deeper on my legs. I screamed, trying to get the gun. My hopes up once I grab the shotgun and shoot the giant cat on the head. It falls lifeless on my tights. I kicked the cat away and try to get up. I'm already covered in dirt and blood but I didn't mind. I'm already long dirty enough. I run again but I guess I can't run fast anymore because of the damage. My wounds open up again as my bone has been broken from master Han's grip earlier. I finally made it out from the forest.
The sun touched my skin as the cold wind caressed my hair, giving me a peaceful feeling. I run then walked through the grasses. I looked up, aware the masters might be caught me. They can easily see me in this area. My heart slammed against my rib cage when I see the trail road from afar. I can see cars passing through it. I run to it fast, aware of my surroundings.
Once I finally step on the cold cement road, I felt relieved. I'm happy. I quickly snap from my relief and raised my both hands, waving to the upcoming car.
The car stopped in front of me. The window slide down revealing a woman in her 40's. "Oh my gosh! Are you okay? What happened to you?" She asked worriedly.
I can't help but cry. I'm finally safe, right? "Please, please help me!" I immediately said.
"Okay! Come on get in!" She opened the door for me and I quickly hopped in.
When I closed the door I suddenly felt something seems not right. The awful smell lingered in the air that almost make me gag. The back seat was a mess and smells like drugs.
"I'm sorry if my car looks like that. What happened to you?"
I don't know if I trust her. What if--
"Many people are doubting me because of my smell and how messy my car was." She said as if she knows what was inside of my mind. "Don't worry I'm trustworthy. No need to worry about." She raised her both arms before gripping the wheel again. "So, what happened to you?"
"I...I was kidnapped." I excuse. I'm been kidnapped. "They tortured me and my friends. We need to call the police right now!"
"What? Did they torture you? How awful. You must be done something wrong that's why."
I frowned. This woman is weird. I didn't speak anymore and the woman understand my silence. After hours of driving she mention that we are near the town and she will help me to report it to the police station. I was glad but the anxious feeling is still here. I can't trust people. I know I can't not until I'm in the city, in my dorm.
Not long after we arrive in the town. This town looks normal I guess and I only see a few people passing through the lonely street.
The car stopped with a jerk and I hurriedly take off the seatbelt. I open the door and get out of the car.
"Here's the police station. Come on," She gestured to me to follow her and I was a bit hesitant at first but when she assured me that it was alright. I don't have a choice but to follow her.
"Hello, officers!" She greeted us once we were finally inside the station.
I felt my whole body tremble in fear as my heart began to speed up again. My eyes grew wide as I spotted master Hwang and master Leelex seating in front of the officer's desk. I quickly shook my head. What are they doing here?! How did they know that I went here?!
I froze when I feel the woman hold my shoulder.
"Don't worry, we just testing you and you did a great job." She whispered close to my ear but her voice is not hers anymore. It's master Yang's voice. I turned around and see him smiling at me. Just when I realized that the Yang sibling can copy someone's appearance. Why I didn't notice that. The youngest master sure copied Beom's appearance and told me to escape and just like him, master Yang lured me into their trap.
Master Leelex stood up and walked to me. He then embraces me in a tight hug. I feel his lips planting kisses on my damaged neck. "Let's go home." He whispered and I just stand there and cried once again.