Today, the Hollowveil feels like heavy and off unlike the other days where the place felt like full of happiness. It all started when Charity sets her foot onto that mansion. It was like she was connected to it's mood. The mood of the place.
Last night's rain was heavy, now the weather was more cold—almost freezing, it wasn't winter but still. Everyone wears their comfy scarfs and clothes. Meanwhile the three, just hanging out with their usuals.
Life was hard for them but they've still managed to handle it with joy and care from each other.
The carnival was now closed, everything went quiet again. They thought it would last for few more nights but the mayor of the town didn't like the idea of having it more to stay for few days. The mayor said it was too noisy.
Charity, Harold and Opala walked at the streets. Their bodies vulnerable from the temperature. The two was happily chatting while Charity's mind was on something else. The creepy smile last night left a space in her thoughts.
I wonder what did that monster mean about freeing it... Was that real? Or I'm just imagining. She was lost in her thoughts, that she didn't noticed that she already stopped from walking beside the two.
There she stopped. Feeling an heavy aura of something she can't explain. She turned her head from the side, looking at the alley. There a shadow sitting on the corner, looking at her with those tired eyes. But the eyes wasn't about tiredness... It was anger, fear and... Hunger. It was not the monster last night or the candy monster she saw. This one was different. More human figure but all black.
Her eyes widened when it showed its mouth. It's yellowish teeth like a normal person but scarier. It's like a psychopath. She couldn't move from her spot. It was morning but she is seeing something that wasn't supposed to be seen.
"Hey! Hey!!!" she gasped, Opala was now Infront of her, very confused. "What are you looking at?"
Charity's lips parted, doesn't know what to speak. But when she looked at the spot of where the spirit was before, it's no longer there. It was gone. Confusion was wrapped in her face. Where did that thing go?
"Uh... Char?" Opala's confusing look. Harold stood behind her too. "Is something wrong?"
She flinched as if something had touch her coldly. Her breath only came to normal when Opala hugged her suddenly. She begun to burst tears because of it, she was traumatized of what she has been seeing lately. That candy eater and now that unknown human figure in the alley. She doesn't know what she will do. Now she thinks about the smiling monster again.
"Hey—we know your not okay. Please just be calm... Me and Harold are always with you." she said making Charity calmed a bit. Though the fact of seeing those things that others not, is really scary. Especially for a sixteenth girl like her who is too innocent, weak and vulnerable from danger in her life.
"How about we'll go to the park instead?" Harold tried to lighten up the mood with his cute charms. The boy didn't failed, so they went to the nearest park in the town. The Hollowveil park. There's even a lake near it where you can just sit down and watch the sunset mirroring in the clear crystal like water.
They sat down on a bench just beside the lake. They've watched the swans swimming gracefully over. The place now was quiet. It had all changed since those happenings. To her.
"So... What do you guys wanna talk about?" Opala broke the silence. Casually glancing all over the park to not make herself bored. Harold on the other hand was throwing rocks in the water making the swans swim fastly away. Charity only sit there, quiet. Staring in the lovely sun who's about to fall down in an hour. It's almost night fall again. They wondered where this time will they rest and sleep.
For kids like them, especially Harold. She always thinks about safety. They always had been very peaceful not until now she's quite seeing things that we're never meant to be seen. Monsters and spirits roaming in the dark—that she didn't knew that anytime it can devour her and took her life. Another worst thing was, she didn't know that time when she sets foot onto the Arcangelis Manor, you will be 'cursed'. You'll begun seeing things others don't.
"Will you guys be by my side all the time?" Charity spoke in low sad voice. Making Opala and Harold look at her with both confusing and concerned face.
"What do you mean..."
"I mean... Will you guys not leave me? Even though I'm already down and can't help the two of you anymore?" her gaze fell on her lap. The feeling of depression is taking over her and even fear. The effect of the mansion was too strong. The two went silent but Opala immediately cut it.
"Hey! Don't say those! We'll be by your side just like how you took care of us!" she cheered upon her making her eyes lightened a bit looking at her with tears falling down her cheeks.
"Yeah! She's right! No matter what!" Harold said happily.
Charity's mood lightened. And so the thing that was watching her. Under the tree on the dark corner where the light wasn't able to reach but shade. There it stood. Smiling over her. Still recognizing her sweet soul. It found her not by looking for her. But because of her scent that the monster can only smell even how many meters away.
Her sweet delicious cotton candy scent. That attracts every monster and spirits in the mansion that she had set free when she offered that two pieces of candy, and so the Candy Eater.
Darkness was now all over the skies. It was already night time. People are now in there safe places, home. Meanwhile the three still in the streets walking. Finding shelter for the cold night.
They already tried looking for anyone that would be willing and kind to take them. But no one did. They all have been always abandoned throughout their whole life.
"Wait guys I'll go check on the other side of the road. Harold go check over there." Opala said. They we're looking for every alley that has comfortable sleeping spot. Since they saw some of the cleanest alleys had already been claimed by other homeless people of the town. They don't share.
Charity was left alone in the side of the street. Hugging her arms because of cold. Her wet clothes yesterday was now dry. She still feel like something was watching her.
"Psst!! Psst!!" she gasped. Another calling from one of the dark alley. She look for the noise and found lost candies in the ground trailing. Following it with her gaze her eyes stopped, it came on the corner again. There a person... A little person standing in the dark corner was looking at her. The light couldn't reach its face but it was clearly a little boy. Staring at her.
"Uh... Hello?" she called out but it didn't respond. Went the figure of the little boy started walking out from the corner, it was not seen little by little, but when it came out it doesn't have a face. Charity's eyes widened. She watched the little boy wearing a black shorts and white t-shirt and shoes walked out from the alley. Her gazed follow it. The boy then stopped from walking, then it's hand start pointing a direction.
"Huh?" she was confused. What does it want?
"Do you need something?" she managed to talked out even though she was scared of the faceless boy. A bit second it pointed there again. And she realizes that the direction was the road and way to the mansion. The Arcangelis Manor. The little ghost boy was telling her to go there.
"U-Uh... What?" Charity stood still. Still confused. "I-I don't wanna go there..." she said when it still pointing on the direction. When she turned around to leave it, the boy was now Infront of her.
"AHH!!" she flinched. The faceless boy was still pointing onto that one direction. It's telling her to go there but she didn't wanted to. Instead she move pass forward leaving the boy behind. She didn't hesitate to glance.
She walk and walk because of panicked and fear wrapping her whole body again, until she didn't noticed that she is no longer in the streets. She stopped. Looking in her side, she remembers this pathway. And the rusty gate... She is now Infront of the mansion again.
What the... Why am I here? I remember I took the other way. Her mind said. But something felt like electric that her foot suddenly moves itself towards the gate straightly to the mansion until she was now literally Infront of the mansion doors. There she froze. She is now there again.
Behind the dark window on the upper left. The monster peak, looking at her smiling again. Smelling her scent and her soul. It wondered how will she taste like. Behind the smiling Candy Eater are the unknown spirits. Spirits that has been locked with him too, they hungry for freedom and most especially the—soul.
Charity stepped forward, not knowing fully why is she even entering there when her plan is she was supposed to run, hide and cry. The mansion's old wooden door creaking, every sound echos. The unknown spirits hidden among the shadows of the mansion was looking at her carefully while entering. Hungry for her soul.
Her lips tremble while walking more further. She gasped when the candles in the mansion suddenly lighten. "Since when did the mansion had candles..." she gulped. Because of the candles she can see the inside of the mansion now but not really.
The inside of the mansion looks very old. Her eyes widened at the sight of it. Even if it's already old enough, it still looks classy and vintage. There are no furnitures inside but the picture frames hanging.
"You..." she froze on her spot. That familiar glitching voice was heard again.
"W-Why am I here..." she swallowed, forcing not to met the monsters direction. It was looking at her while standing huge in the middle of a grandstairs which she only had known too when there are now lights.
"Free me." it said slow and deep.
She don't know what to do but when the monster said that she felt irritated. There she force to look at the monster with anger but still came out soft. "I-I don't know how! What do you even need from me!!" she said putting irritation in her voice but stopped when the monster just smiled at her. Bigger and bigger until it's tounge came out again.
She step backwards because of it, until she bumped her back to the door, but it was now lock so she can't force to run away outside anymore.
"Make a deal with me... Since you have set me free. I should gave you award." her forehead crease, it is the first time she heard the monster speak with a bit of formalities. What kind of monster even is this?
"What do you mean? I only accidentally freed you because I have no idea. Now leave me alone!" she said with fierce although the monster found it amusing and cute. "P-Plus... Didn't I already set you free!? What do you mean by freeing you again!?"
"Do you have candy with you?" the monster didn't answer her question and Charity found it more irritating. Now she doesn't know what to feel either fear or anger. "I saw you back there picking up candy wrappers."
"Are you the one I have been feeling of something heavy in my back!?" she shouted, her voice echo in the whole place, even the other spirits came out of their hiding place. "Why are you following me!!"
It didn't respond but it's clearly that it didn't like the way she sounded now. It still sense her fear but hides it with anger and irritation. Because of that, the monster needed to test more if she really is the one. The one who could free 'him'.
She flinched, the monster teleported Infront of her. Now she can see it's face closely. It's swirling eye like candy and sharp teeth. The scent of fruity bubblegum can now be smelled too strong.
She tremble under it's presence. It was too close. It now more leaned to her to fair level with her face.
"W-What the!? What are you doing! Please don't eat me!! I'll promise I'll set you free! Please just don't eat me!" she closed her eyes panicking.
The monster didn't move, it was amused by her sudden actions. It's just staring at her. She opened her eyes looking at it. It's just smiling. She felt very uncomfortable because they are too close. Her eyes still widened while looking at his mouth. Then she gasped because of its sudden voice.
"You promise. Now offer me more candy. Go back to the room upstairs where you found me then put them there along with your blood. Free me."