Chapter 11

'Wakey, sleepyhead. It's morning already'.

I woke up to Irena's cheerful voice.

'Go away'. I grumbled.

'You aren't a morning person are you?'.

'Come on. We have to get ready for today'.

I opened my eyes to see her beautiful face smiling down at me.

She had black spots around her eyes, which made it obvious that she cried herself to sleep.

'Why?'.

'I heard that we're meeting the head of this place today'. She said looking exited.

I doubted if she'll be that happy if she knew how 'the head of the place'. Looked.

'haven't you seen her?'.

'No'. She frowned.

'But I did'.

'You did?'.

'Yes'.

'When?'.

'My first day here'.

'Uhm-- OK, but why is that? I didn't see her on my first day and I don't think the others did too'.

I shrugged. 'Maybe she was only around when I came, who did you guys meet then?'.

'Alina'.

'Oh, ok'.

We decided to take out bath together and we talked about our experience while climbing the tube down to this place.

'It was scary, I thought I was being taken to hell'.

'Then it shouldn't surprise you that that was what I also thought'.

She giggled.

'Oh my God, Roddy was with you wasn't he?'.

'Yeah, he was'.

'Awwn, he must have been so scared'.

'Not as much as I was'.

We finished bathing and decided to wear casual clothes.

I wore a black tee and blue jeans short while Irena wore a black strapless top and short blue jeans that looked like mine.

We both packed our hair in the same style, a rough bun at the center of our heads and moved down to the kitchen.

All heads turned our way as we entered and we both looked down, it was obvious we were not used to the attention but the attention soon drifted away as we sat and began eating.

'Good morning ladies'. Eleanor greeted.

'Morning'. We greeted and smiled.

'How was your night?'.

'It was great, thanks'.

She poured our tea and talked to us some more before going back deeper into the kitchen.

'When is she going to come?'. I asked after waiting for almost 1 hours sitting and looking at others busy flirting and throwing themselves seducing looks.

'I don't know'. Irena answered no longer bubbling with excitement at meeting 'her'.

'Hold on a minute, when we were talking back in the room ,you mentioned 'she' instead of 'he'.

I forgot to ask you but you made a mistake right? She's not a she'.

'She is'.

'Stop kidding'.

'I'm not'.

She was silent for a while then,

'Wow'.

'I never would have thought that'.

'Yeah, I know'.

I was just about to describe the 'she' when I noticed that the whole place was silent.

What's wrong? They were all making noises now. Why the sudden silence?

I noticed Irena's mouth hanging open and moved to close it for her.

Everyone was stunned at the white beauty with red hair and curvy figure who entered the room.

'Good morning, hunters'. She said in her undeniably attractive voice.

¶•¶•¶•¶

I had an hard time pulling Irena's slacked jaw together.

'Come on, Irena close you mouth gal'.

'Uh?'.

That was all she could manage.

She watched as the mysterious figure made her way to the seat at the head of the table.

After she sat, then I managed to pull Irena's jaw together.

'There, there. It's better this way. Closed'.

'Huh?'

I shook my head.

'I don't think she'd like it if someone is staring at her with their mouth open, that's rude'. I whispered into Irena's ear in an attempt to make her regain her composure.

'I like it, Maya'. I heard a familiar voice say.

I turned to see Julia's hazel and haunting eyes on me as well as those of everyone present.

'Infact, I love it'.

'Uh, I--okay'.

She smiled.

Irena turned to look at me and muttered, 'how did she know your name?'.

'We've met'. Julia answered for me and gave me her haunting smile.

'Yeah, we have'. I repeated though I remembered clearly that she already knew my name before I introduced myself.

I thought of saying that but decided against it.

A Maid brought something in a golden tray and dropped it on the table in front of Julia.

It looked too red to be a wine and too thick too.

It looked like......blood.

I shook away the thought. 'Why will she drink blood'.

I probably said it out because Julia looked up suddenly and shot me a dark look.

I wonder how she hears things that are said quietly.

'How's your dog, Maya?'.

'He--uhm-- I don't know. I haven't seen him since---uhm---alina took him from me'.

'Oh, so sad'.

'Yeah'.

'You could go see him if you want, ask one of the maids to take you there'.

'Really?'.

'Yes'.

'Oh, thank you, thank you very much'.

She smirked.

Maybe she's actually nice and I'm the one taking everything too seriously.

Gah, nice my foot. Can't you see the look she's giving you?

I looked up as Maya asked me too and indeed I caught Julia giving me a particular look.

It looked like a cross in between curiosity and a promise of something .....dark.

She looked up and caught my eyes and smirked.

'What ever are you looking at Miss bakker?'.

'N-nothing. Nothing at all'.

'I see'.

¶•¶•¶•¶

'Squeak!'.

That was Irena.

She just met Roddy and they've been playing like old friends, forgetting me.

I've been reining in my anger at their disloyalty but I couldn't take it anymore.

'That's enough'.

'What?'. Irena asked confused.

'How could you?'. I asked Roddy.

'How could you forget me after seeing Irena?'.

He looked at me and turned only to shoot out his butt at me.

'Ah'. I gasp.

'You naughty boy, come here'. I chased him down the garden where the dogs were kept with the other dogs in the cages barking at us.

'Leave him alone'. Irena screamed.

I managed to catch Roddy and in an attempt to punish him for his disloyalty we ended up in a tangled mess on the floor.

We all bursted out laughing like a maniac.

'Oh, that was so funny'. Irena said  removing the grass on my head.

'Roddy baby, should we forgive her for being stupid and make her our friend back?'. Irena asked Roddy.

'Woof!'.

'OK sir, your wish is my command'. She said and took my hand pulling me down with her, she bent down to take Roddy's left paw and lifted it up.

'We are the three musketeers'. She said in a deep voice.

We ended up laughing and rolling on the garden floor all the while feeling something burning through my back.

It felt like someone's eyes.

Or should I say,

Something's eyes.

¶•¶•¶•¶•¶

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