After knowing master Lee is the one who helps me-us hide our secrets from the other masters, I'm glad, we glad but there is still the sense of danger for us. Master Lee may be kind to us but he still likes the others. He doesn't want me to escape. If I tried then master Lee is going to punish me. But that didn't stop me or us from planning. We need to go home because a family is waiting for our return especially San. I know by now, Jinki is worried and who knows what he's doing within this month. I miss him already, I miss the hyungs so much. They're right. The more you hate, the more you miss.
As of now, master Lee hasn't talked to us after that day. He often stays in his room all day while the masters are going crazy each day passes except master Park and master Lee itself. As for master Park, he gives us the creeps.
"Do you know," Xion said first thing in the early morning while preparing the masters' breakfast? "There's an event that will be held tomorrow."
"And what's that? Why I didn't know that?" Seulji asked, taking out her notebook.
"It's the town festival and the masters need to visit there. You know, we can find our escape way while the masters are out." Jaemen said with a slight nod.
I was placing the plate properly on the table when someone suddenly hit my shoulder causing me to stumble down but I didn't let go of the plate. I'm scared the masters might punish me if they heard broken objects. I looked up and saw master Han who glaring down at me.
"Are you blind? Or are you just a fool?"
I struggle to get up and bowed politely. "Sorry." I heard Doyoung say. I watched as master Han rolled his eyes before bumping my shoulder. I glance at Doyoung and see his thumbs up. I also thumb up in return. I can't pretend mute anymore but I can't speak either, so Doyoung is willing to be my voice for a while not until we get out of here.
The rest of the masters came into the kitchen to eat human soap. The longer I have been staying here, I get used to this environment. Master Hwang is the last person who went in with Barbie on his side. Both of them are laughing and it seems that Barbie looks very happy. We, maids, stand in the corner and let their butlers serve them. I heard Seulji snorts.
"It's not a shock for me why that bitch is smiling like a freaking emoji." She said with a hiss.
"Oh yeah, I know it too," Xion whispered, and both them cringe in disgust. "Just how Barbie beg master Hwang to claim her but can't beg to master Han."
"Master Han has a temper that's why." Juyeon inserted into their conversation.
I remain in my position, standing next to Seulji until I gasped silently. I remember that I have something to do in the library. But for sure, master Kim doesn't like someone entering inside of the library and it seems that he often checks the books. Among the seven of them, only master Lee knows that I'm number ten. I can ask him to talk to master Kim about cleaning the library? But who I am kidding? They hate the net.
I sigh violently that causing Seulji to slap my shoulder. She told me not to make any noise.
I eyed the masters, afraid of one of them hearing my sigh but it seems not. Barbie joins them to the table and she's even trying to be the best girlfriend for master Hwang, trying to feed them like a sick person. Master Yang will coo at the two especially Barbie then starts saying flutter comments and Barbie would blush.
"It's nice if she's Sunoo." Master Lee suddenly said. The kitchen turned quiet. "I think we need to move on from now on. Love Barbie and forget Sunoo."
Is master Lee trying to save me? If I asked him to escape with us, what was he gonna do? I'm curious but I'm scared to even ask that. I jump when master Han hits the table hard that causing the glasses to shake a little. "The fuck are you saying?! I'm not going to forget the one I love! Barbie is just a toy!"
We watched how Barbie's face was sullen, looking down on her plate but I can see under the table that she's squeezing master Hwang's hand. "Shut up Han. It's not like Sunie is still here. I think Lee is right. We need to forget him." master Yangs agreed.
Master Yang stood up and marched towards us. He walked closer to San and pulled his mask up. We were all shocked at why master Yang did that. He pulled San's hair, dragging him towards the table. Wait, what is he going to do with San?!
"Look at this maid, number one. Isn't he pretty?"
Master Kim stood up, marching in front of San. He looks triggered by seeing San's face. San struggles to get away but master Yang holds him with master Bang this time. "I hate seeing faces!" master Kim screeched, closing his hardbound book and using that to hit San's on the face. But before the book could land on him, I noticed Doyoung picked up a vase, and without any hesitation, he threw it on master Kim. Master Kim screams out of pain. I can see his skin smoking as he makes a sound such as hissing. Half of the skin on his arm is melting as blood starts to flow out down to his hands. Wait, isn't that an acid--
I stopped. I start to feel something hot in my body, something is burning in my arm. I can feel the burning inside of my arm increasing until it's finally hurting me whole. I held my arm and bit my lip. It hurts so much. I can hear the masters scolding Doyoung and even San while master Kim continues to wince in horrible pain.
I lean on the wall, trying to hold my voice as possible. Seulji noticed me and quickly helped me up.
"Are you okay? What's wrong?" She asked in worried but I didn't answer her. I groan as the burning hurts me so much. Juyeon hurriedly runs to me. I found myself being dragged by Juyeon and Seulji back to our room. Juyeon quickly closed the door while Seulji remove my mask and she gasp after seeing me crying.
"Why are you crying?" She asked and I only sniffles.
"I think I know what is it." Juyeon held my chin and tilted it to the side, showing my neck in full view. "He got burnt."
I suddenly scream when something inside me stabbing my flesh. I held my stomach and cuddled up in a ball. Seulji cursed and covered my mouth. I still crying, sobbing under her hands.
"Lay down," Juyeon told before helping me to lay down but I didn't stop whimpering.
"What's wrong with him?" Seulji asked in the question.
Just when the door open and we saw master Lee go inside with a worried look on his face. Seulji and Juyeon quickly stood up, bowing their heads. I cried even more once I saw his face. He runs to me, seating beside me. "Is it hurt so much?" He asked and I nodded while still crying.
He hushes me, lying beside me before pulling me into his arm. He told Seulji and Juyeon to bring warm water and a basin. Both of them hurriedly run outside to get what they needed.
"The acid went inside Kim so that is going to be hurt a lot. Just endured it for a while." He said, brushing my hair. I shuddered, not because of the pain but because master Lee is being nice to me. Nice to us.
After a while, Seulji and Juyeon went back with warm water and a basin. Master Lee pulled away from me and sat up. He told them to wipe my stomach carefully and the pain will go away. Master Lee can't stay here for too long if he does, the other masters will suspect him. I sigh, hopefully, Doyoung saved San but I'm scared for their safety.
-
It's another day for us in this madhouse I supposed and I hate to admit that I'm getting used to this place. I haven't seen San and Doyoung since yesterday. I know they've been punished but I hope they are still fine after that. I was laying on my stomach on the floor, first thing in the morning when I heard someone's crying. I immediately pushed myself off of the ground. Looking around to find the source of the cries. I walked to the door and was about to open it when I heard something weird, something sinister? It seemed the sound of heels with the mixed of wheelchair is on it.
Is it a guard? No, they only lurking at night and it's daylight I assume.
I noticed a small hole beside the doorknob. I squat, pressing my both hands on the hard concrete. I pushed my head on the small hole and peeped out. I gasp when I see a nurse. She's standing there in a weird position like she has been paused from her paused-forward walk?
She wasn't a normal person at all. Her skin is gray, black veins are visible in her body. She also has stitches all over her body and she's wearing a white paper bag with a huge cross drawn on it. She looks dirty and it seems like she has been mildew for a very long time.
"What are you doing twenty?" Jaemen asked when he finally woke up.
I looked over Jaemen and sign him to be quiet. He frowned and I continue to peep at that creepy nurse again. I was slightly shocked once I saw that she's already facing our room in a different position as though she had just moved when I'm not looking. Wait, did she not move because I'm looking?
I remove my eyes from the hole for a while and when I looked back again at her, she's getting closer now. So, she can't move when I look at her. But why?
"Hey! What are you peeping out there?" I heard Jaemen ask again but I only hush him. When I looked again I almost stumble back when I see her inches away from the door where I was watching her. Her face was so close to the hole that I almost scream.
"Is it the nurse?" I heard Jaemen asked and we noticed the doorknob begun twitching. "Fuck! Hide!"
Jaemen jump off his bed and grabbed my shoulder. He pushed me under the bed before he followed. "Where did that nurse come from?!" I whispered in fear. "And what she is?!"
"There's five more of them in the infirmary room somewhere in the mansion. I heard from the elderly that it's the nurse who treats the servants when they hurt. Look...I don't know who made them but I'm sure it's one of the masters. If we just have the access to explore the library." Jaemen hissed.
Just when I realized how master Kim cared about the books so much, to the point he become territorial to it. All the answers I need are in the books, the books that only in the library can find.
I scooted deeper under the bed, the creaking growing closer. I didn't want to believe that. I wanted to believe we had a chance-I wanted to believe in my intuition that we had a chance. We both freeze once the door finally opens with a creaking sound. We see her white shoes stained with mud, stepping inside of our room with such creepy movements. She's taking wide steps like a puppet in stupid control and she's walking with her waist dumped down while her arms are raised to her neck. She looks like a doll indeed. She's moving like a broken doll.
I heard Jaemen whimper when it stopped outside near on the bed, beside him. I refused to look as everything was swallowed up in silence. Jaemen began to shake, tears pulling out of his eyes. I held his shaking hand and squeezed it. The nurse didn't move for a while until the conductor with long hair came in, holding a lamp.
"Oh, nurse. It's a relief that I found you here. Can you go check the gardener please?"
We heard nothing but a rusty sound like an old wheel or casters being pushed and that it will make an annoying sound. It's similar to that. Jaemen wipe his tears away and we both crawled out under the bed. But once I'm out I realized that I wasn't wearing my mask and the conductor saw my face. I glance at the conductor but she only looking at us with a blank face. "Don't worry number twenty, your secret is safe with me. Anyway, if you encounter the nurses make sure to wear your mask, or else...they going to take your head out. They hate someone staring at them."
She smiled before walking out, closing the door behind her. I and Jaemen both fell in silence.
-
First thing in the morning isn't easy at all for us. Master Han always likes to bully us, especially me. Saying hurtful words until he was filled with satisfaction. Right now, we're helping Doyoung to get up from the stairs after master Han pushed him down. Also, both Doyoung and San are completely injured from the whipping. I can still the long cuts on San's face and scratches all over his neck same as Doyoung. I see a smug look on master Han's face after seeing Doyoung hurt a lot after the fall.
"This hasn't happened before," Xion whispered.
"There's one only reason. It's Barbie's virus." Seulji joked but no one laughed. "Anyway, any particular idea of how our boy twenty to get to the library without getting caught?"
I was shocked for Seulji suddenly saying that. Is she know that I've been thinking that all day? "I want to get the answers. So I'll go with our boy and it's so obvious in his face that he wanted to get in the library."
We went to the dining hall where no one is here. I noticed Juyeon make a cringing sound and when I followed where he was looking, I cringe too. There's a bra and panties on it.
"Gross. What a disgusting Barbie." Sichen commented. "Anyway--"
We stop when we spot master Bang walking from upstairs. We hurriedly run to another safe area of this mansion until we head to the storage room. "Anyway," Sichen continues once we gathered inside. "we remove this." He said and suddenly remove my mask. We gasp in shock and we looked at him in confusion.
"As I observe in this past few months, the library is always locked and the keys always in master Kim's pocket. It's too risky if we tried to sneak inside and we don't know if there's a secret door that led there."
"I agree," Juyeon said while nodding. "We can't get out at night so we can't sneak around at night."
"Wait, so you plan to get twenty to risk? You know how insane the masters are with him right?" Seulji said with a hint of annoyance. "You're impossible."
"That's the only way?" Doyoung said, unsure.
I don't want to take a risk. If I show them myself it's the end for me. I'll get punished and soon die. I can't bear to get hurt again like last time I got my second punishment then third, it's like playing with the devils.
I can't risk my life because I wanted to know the history of this mansion? The most important thing is to get out of here.
"I don't think that's a good idea," I said and was about to take the mask from Sichen but the door behind me open and before I knew it, someone has pulled me out from the storage room. I saw them running towards me but someone slammed the door shut.
I looked behind me and saw Barbie, smirking at me. She's with this another toy. She got brown hair is slightly wavy and she's holding a knife.
"Hi, just like what I thought. You are number ten. My rival with the masters."
I pulled myself away from her grasp and she pushed down on the moistened floor. I winced when he step on my back, digging her heels into my flesh. I can hear them threatening Barbie, telling her not to hurt me. "I only want master Han to claim me but he is deeply in love with you. Wait, who am I kidding? All the masters love you! And I? I'm no one! Just a fucking toy! A toy!" She screeched. "Even they claim me, it's still not enough! I need them! I need their love! I want them to make me a queen! That's all I want!"
"You crazy!" I shouted and he kicked my head hard.
"Yes! Maybe I am right? So then, you're going to die!"
Barbie sign the toy with her to come close and before I knew it she was already seating on my back. The next thing I felt was horrible. I can feel the pain all over my back again and again. I can see my blood flowing down on the floor and I can hear Barbie's maniacal laughs. I cried while screaming in great pain while the girl she with was nonstop stabbing my back until she got tired.
I cough and vomit blood. My vision starts to spin as everything around me becomes blurred. The burning pain from the stabs didn't stop as of now. I can feel my breath shorten as more blood comes out from me. I tried to move, crawl away from them but the girl will stab me again.
I gasp, trying to stay alive as possible, tears rolled down my face. I don't know why I don't die at this time now. I have more than ten stabs on my back and a lot of blood keeps coming out from it, so how have I even didn't die yet.
The girl who stabbed me stood up and I see Barbie walk in front of me. She kicked my shoulder. "Serves you right. The masters are only mine freak! Only mine!" Then she walked away with that girl.
I keep hearing the others banging on the door. I breathed, pushing myself up. I crawled towards on the door but I can't, I can't move any further. I fall limp on the floor and everything has begun to darken as darkness embrace me.