The morning sun sliced through the window like a blade, bathing the room in a blinding blaze of gold. The warmth hit my skin. I groaned and turned over, limbs heavy with lingering sleep.
"Mmm… Ma… I still want to sleep…" I mumbled, burrowing deeper into the blanket's embrace like a child refusing to face the world.
"Ma? What is Ma?" A soft voice chuckled.
My body jerked upright.
"Oh! It's you!"
The woman stood at the door, that same cheerful mask stretched across her face. But something in her tone—something in her eyes—felt... off.
"That's alright. It's not surprising for a child to miss their mother," she said. Her voice dropped, colder. "I for all miss my mother too, although I'll never have the chance to."
'That... was a landmine.'
I could feel the air thicken, a weighted silence pressing down like a ceiling about to collapse. I gulped, each word she spoke echoing louder in my chest.
Then—like flipping a switch—she smiled again, light and airy.
"Well, let's have breakfast, shall we? You must be terribly hungry. Don't worry. A gargantuan feast is waiting for you downstairs. Don't be too slow or the food will be cold."
She turned and closed the door with a click.
I exhaled sharply.
"That's some landmine I've stepped on. Not that it was on purpose."
Grrrgle—
My stomach betrayed me.
"Oui. Read the mood, won't cha?" I muttered. "Not that you've able to do that."
I dressed quickly in the outing clothes Raven had lent me, then headed downstairs, drawn forward by the mouthwatering aroma curling through the air like a seductive whisper.
At the table, she was already waiting—smiling, watching.
I sat across from her.
She smiled.
"Let's feast shall we?"
I didn't need to be told twice. I devoured the food in front of me. It tasted like nostalgia, like safety, like something meant to keep me there forever.
"Wow. That's some scrumptious meal!" I leaned back, sighing in contentment. Maybe too much contentment.
The woman disappeared into the kitchen and returned with a massive pie. She set it in front of me with practiced elegance.
"How can you not finish a meal with dessert?"
My eyes gleamed.
'Oui. Even my Ma doesn't cook this much.'
I tore into it, slice after slice, until the last crumb vanished.
"No hurry. Later you'll get indigestion."
She stared as I cleaned the entire plate. Her gaze lingered just a little too long.
I wiped my mouth, finally asking,
"Thanks, lady. By the way, I forgot to introduce myself. My name is Llyne. What's yours?"
She mumbled—half to herself.
"Looks like my food wants to know my name. Should I tell her or not?"
'Food?'
'Eh?! Food?! She wants to eat me?!'
'Is that why she fed me so much food?'
My muscles tensed, panic curling around my ribs like a vice. But I kept my face neutral.
She turned to me, a crooked smile revealing just a flash too much tooth.
"Oh. My name is Bloodmoon. Ravenille Bloodmoon. Raven will do."
'Oui. Her name is ominous.'
"Oh, Raven. That's a wonderful name. But I do have to go now unfortunately as my friend may be waiting for me somewhere." I forced the words out.
"Oh is it now?"
Her eyes shifted color again—sky blue blending with a sickly green.
It lasted a second, then vanished.
She looked outside.
"I don't think you would be able to."
I followed her gaze. The sky was pitch black.
"Again?" I yelped.
"Looks like it's not a good day to go out. Why not stay here till the sky lets up?"
"Err… Sure…"
'Why am I agreeing? Why does it feel like her words are always… right?'
I returned to my room. Hours passed.
The sky stayed black.
And yet, every time Raven called for a meal, I went. No resistance. No questions. And each time, the fog in my mind thickened. My thoughts grew slow. Heavy.
Every bite… feels like it's eating away at my mind.
Days blurred.
Then… something snapped.
I didn't wait for her call.
I left the room.
The house was silent.
'Where is she?'
I searched every room. Nothing.
I flopped into a chair, closed my eyes. That's when I heard it.
Blub.
Blub.
Blub.
A bubbling noise. Below me.
I dropped to all fours, pressing my ear against the wooden floor.
'There's something down there…'
I stood, scanning the room. A carpet lay in the center like a cliché waiting to happen.
"You got to be kidding me, right?" I stared blankly.
Pulling it back revealed a hidden door.
"Ugh, so cliché. It's not like we're in a story."
I opened it. Darkness. A staircase spiraled down, shrouded in pitch black.
"Guess I'm going down."
I went to grab a torchlight from the storeroom. Flickering, as usual.
"Oui. This is kinda dark. If only Ronald was here."
I descended.
With each step, the torch flickered.
"I swear every torchlight I take has a problem. I wonder who's the manufacturer."
The basement was small. Empty. No bubbling in sight.
"That's weird. I remembered hearing bubbling. Where is it?"
I scoured every inch. Boxes. Empty crates. Bare walls.
"Could there be… a hidden door?"
Hope flickered.
I searched. Walls. Corners. Shadows.
Minutes passed. Maybe hours.
Eventually, I collapsed to the floor.
"What am I doing here? I should be outside searching for Ronald. Not here playing hint games..."
And then—
Creeeeeak.
A wall shifted.
I dove into a nearby crate, heart pounding.
Raven entered from behind the wall, holding a vial of swirling liquid.
She raised it toward the dim light.
"I've made a stronger obedience potion. With this, she will obey my every command and I'll be able to feast on her delicious meat."
My breath caught.
'I knew it… I KNEW something was wrong!'
She turned and ascended the stairs.
I waited until the trapdoor closed behind her, then exhaled.
"No way! I'm not letting her turn me into a meat puppet!"
I had to escape.
'Think, Llyne. Think. Before you're part of her menu.'
But first—
Growl~
"Ack! I'll need to go back to my room before she notices I'm gone."
I bolted back up to my room.
Peeking into the kitchen, I saw Raven mixing the potion into a dessert.
"Ack!" I gasped.
She turned.
I dropped behind the sofa. Every muscle screamed with tension. I held my breath.
She moved into the living room—right in front of the sofa.
Closer.
Closer…
Then stopped.
She glanced around. Silence.
Then, finally, she turned and resumed baking.
I exhaled slowly.
"Oui. That was a close one."
I rushed up to the guestroom and flung myself onto the bed, thoughts racing.
'How do I escape Raven's devilicious meal? Think, Llyne. THINK!'
I rolled on the bed. No ideas. No weapons. No Isaac. No Ronald.
"When I need Isaac the most, he ain't here. Aaaah! I want to smack that Shorty!"
I kicked the blanket off the bed and glared out the window.
The sky—still black.
"At this rate, I'll be her slave for life and I'll never find out if Ronald is okay. And… And—"
My panic rose like bile.
Then…
"Llyne, dear," Raven's voice sang, too sweet, too sharp.
"Come and get your dinner."
I froze.
"I should have given her a pseudonym instead of my real name…"
I swallowed hard.
"I never knew my name could sound that terrifying."