Master of Time

The way the ropes bind their wrists and ankles is very different from mine.

I know of this when I tried to free Susan.

Even though I don't like her very much, she did help me get out of my binding. And Mr. Maxwell always tells me to try and help those who has helped me because it is a nice thing to do.

Mr. Maxwell tells me a lot of things. He tends to talk a lot when he checks up on his daughter and me during his work breaks or when he is making us some snacks.

I like the food he made for me because it is very delicious.

Mr. Maxwell is lonely ever since his wife had died, I think. There are no pictures of his wife in his house, but I have seen him a lot at the cemetery, standing there in front of his wife's gravestone and looking into the distance.

When Mr. Maxwell is there, visiting his wife with Antigone, he always mumbles something to himself and calling someone named Selene.

I don't know who Selene is since I have never saw him with anyone else in the house. I don't think he is talking to his wife since his wife's name is Margaret Maxwell. I have never asked him who Selene is since I don't want him to know that I have spied on him.

It is rude to spy on adults.

Mum tells me repeatedly when she is with one of my dad's friends. Mum and dad's friend keep making weird noises when they are in a room together. They also swear a lot when they are in there together, but I guess adults can swears and it is okay.

Mum also prays to Jesus and telling him that she is coming, I think. She screams her prayers repeatedly, so that is weird. But at least she is sorry for all the swearing she did from before. The man who is with her also shouts that he is coming near the end to God, usually after mum did.

I thought the man always initiate the prayers.

Dad always did when we have a meal together.

Mr. Maxwell laughs when I tell him about it since he promises not to tell anyone. I don't want mummy to find out that I have tell another person since she is scary when she is mad.

It takes a lot of time and effort to remove Susan's binding. My fingers are hurting now.

"Thanks… Step… Stephanie."

Susan sniffles when she is free of her bindings. Her eyes are still red and watery. Her wrists and ankles are bruised since she has struggled a lot harder than I did when I was tied up. They look very painful.

Seeing Susan like that, I am unable to cry even though I am very afraid.

I help the other girls get out of their bindings as well after removing their gags and their blindfolds.

I don't know why I want to save them. I think I feel sorry for them being tied up like that. Also, it is less fearful when we are all together.

"Hic… thank… hic… you… hic… Step… Susan…"

The other three girls thank when Susan and I are trying to free their bindings.

Susan manages to free Becky after I have freed Anna and Daisy. Both of our hands are now scrapped and scratched as the result.

The rope is very tight.

Those bad men probably don't want any of us to break free from our binding when they are gone.

Does that mean they will come back to check up on us again?

I hope they are gone forever. I don't want them to come back and tie us all up again.

I still don't know why my binding is different. Maybe one of the bad men tied me up wrong.

"What do we do now, Step?"

"Why did they take us?"

"Do you know where we are?"

The three girls ask me as if I am their leader.

I cast a glance at their actual leader, Becky.

Becky didn't speak up. It is as if she didn't even hear what the other girls are saying. She is still rubbing her bruised wrists and ankles while sobbing. Her binding is the tightest and hardest to remove as if those men intentionally wishes to hurt her.

I think Becky deserves it.

Just because her dad is the Principle, she thinks she can get away with anything. I don't know why she bullies me so much. I didn't do anything to her.

"I don't know, but I think those bad men are gone. I think we should try to run away before they come back."

I answer and slowly approach the door only door in the room again.

I slowly open the door and look out into the hallway.

The hallway is very dark and chilly. I can hear faint whispering sounds echoing in the darkness. Those sounds are like someone groaning and moaning, and it is very scary.

I quickly close the door again and look at the other four girls.

They have also heard the ghostly noises, and they are as terrified as I am.

Anna starting to cry again while the others are sniffling, on the verge of tears.

I rub my eyes, finding myself crying.

"I will go and check. You stay here."

I speak up after I stop crying.

If we stayed here, the bad men will come back eventually and tie us up again before someone come to save us. I think one of us must head out and try to call for help.

I don't want to go by myself, but I think I am the odd one out since those four girls are friends.

"Wait, Stephanie, I'm going with you."

Susan calls out.

"Are you crazy, Susan? There are ghosts out there! They will find you. It is safer here, waiting for my dad. He will come and save me. I know he will."

Becky is the one who has said that.

Daisy agrees with her like she always does.

Anna is still crying, so I don't think she will have any opinion.

After some more arguments back and forth, Susan shakes her head and grabs my hand to make her stance. Her hand feels very warm.

"I think I'm safer with Stephanie. If it wasn't for her, we would all still be tied up. Please come with us, Daisy. Anna can stay here with Becky because her crying will get us caught."

Daisy is unsure whether she should.

"No, I don't want to stay here with Becky. She will yell at me. Please don't leave me here. Let me come with you. I won't cry anymore. I promise."

Anna calls out in between her sobbing and sniffling. She tries to hold in her tears and snorts.

Daisy soon embraces Anna and pats her on the head, helping her towards the door to join us. It seems like Daisy has made her mind. She and Anna has always been friends. They are next door neighbours.

Becky pouts as she finds herself alone when we all head out of the door.

"Hey! Wait, I was joking. Please let me come. I don't want to be here alone."

Becky shouts and chases after us. We welcome her to join since it is better if we are all together.

The coldness from the hallway causes us all to shiver fearfully. For a moment, I want to run back inside the room and lock the door and stay put, but the warmness wrap around my hand stops me.

Susan smiles at me and tugs my hand to urge me to continue. She seems to trust in me.

I think I have finally made a friend.

I examine the green door that leads us to our room, noticing a huge triple scratch marks at the bottom of the door before heading off.

The five of us navigate the darkness in a straight line, holding hands.

I am in the lead then Susan then Anna then Daisy.

Beck is at the back, still pouting. She reluctantly holds hand with Daisy since she doesn't want to get lost in the darkness.

It is not completely pitch black as there some light coming from the signs and symbols. I think they are painted with glow-in-the-dark paints. They help us see where we are going.

The howling sounds eventually go away, but the silence is even more scary.

Only our footsteps against cobblestone echo in the empty hallway.

I think we have passed several rooms, but we didn't open the door to look inside.

We just keep following the hallway.

I think if we keep walking, we will find the exit soon. We are walking in a straight line after all.

A plopping sound is then heard, accompanying our footsteps before Anna slips.

Anna screams and drags Susan as well as Daisy to the floor with her.

I manage to hold myself up despite Susan is trying to pull me down with her.

Becky has let go of Daisy then moment Anna slips, so she is completely fine.

"What happen?"

"Anna!?"

"Something is wet…"

Susan calls out as she looks at her hands.

In the faint glow of the corridor, we could see her arms and legs are coated with some red and sticky.

Anna is completely drenched.

"B…b…lo…od!"

Anna screams loudly before Daisy covers her mouth, trying to tell her to be quiet.

We don't want anyone or anything to heard us.

The bloody liquid is oozing out of the small gap between the green door in front of us and the floor.

There is even a huge triple scratch marks on the door at the bottom, but it couldn't be our room since we have walking for so long.

Becky immediately backs away from the door as it slowly opened inwardly.

Inside, we could see… we could see…

Susan, Daisy, Anna and Becky all screams at the dismembered bodies covered in blood, scattered on the floor.

I try to tell them to calm down, but my mouth won't stop screaming.

Becky pushes me out of the way and run off into the darkness. Daisy follows Becky while Anna is crying loudly on the floor, covered in blood.

Susan is covering head and eyes, humming to herself.

I did as well, not wanting to see anymore.

Mummy! Daddy!

I'm scared! I'm scared!

Please come!

Mr. Maxwell! What do I do? Please tell me!

Tears ran down my face as my body trembles out of control.

I didn't how long I remain like that until Becky trips over Anna and slid across the floor, covering herself in blood.

"Anna!? How did you get here?"

Becky has been running too fast, not watching her footsteps.

Daisy slows down and looks confused.

I am as well.

Didn't Becky and Daisy run off ahead? Why are they coming from behind us?