Training With Him
I woke to the sound of knocking, sharp and hasty, pulling me from restless sleep. My eyes fluttered open, and for a moment, I couldn’t remember where I was. The lavish bed, the ornate chandeller, the faint scent of lavender, it all came rushing back.
A second knock followed, louder this time.
“Wake up,” came Knox’s voice from the other side of the door.
Groaning softly, I sat up, pushing the covers off. I adjusted my nightie, standing up.
“Why? What time is it?”
“It’s time to stop pretending this is a vacation,” he said dryly.
I dragged myself out of bed, my body still aching from the tension of the previous night. Opening the door, I found Knox leaning casually against the frame, his arms crossed.
“Do you always wake people up like this?” I muttered, brushing a hand through my messy hair.
He smirked. “You’ll get used to it.”
“Doubt it ”
Before he could reply, the, Elise, stepped in, passing from beside Knox and me.
She barely spared me a glance as she moved past, carrying a small bucket and cloth.
Knox’s eyes followed her briefly before he turned back to me. “Get ready. I’ll explain everything after.”
“Explain what?” I asked, but he was already walking away.
The door clicked shut behind him, leaving me alone with Elise. She began cleaning the room with methodical precision, wiping down the surfaces and fluffing the pillows I hadn’t even touched.
I watched her for a moment, the silence growing heavier with each passing second.
“Elise,” I said hesitantly.
She didn’t look at me, her movements unbroken.
I tried again. “How long have you worked here?”
No response.
you
“Do you always wake up to clean rooms, or is this a special occasion?”
Still nothing.
1/8
+15 Bonus
I frowned, crossing my arms. “Are you mute?”
This time, she froze. Slowly, she turned to face me, her green eyes sharp and cold. “No.”
Her voice was flat, emotionless, but it sent a chilll down my spine..
“Okay,” I said, raising my hands slightly. “I was just asking-”
“You’re the tenth,” she said abruptly, cutting me off.
I blinked, “Excuse me?”
“You’re the tenth,” she repeated, her gaze unwavering “The tenth girl he’s chosen.”
I stared at her, unsure of what to say..
“And soon enough,” she continued, her tone dropping to something almost sinister, “you’ll be dead like the others. I don’t need to create small talk with people who are already dead.”
Her words hit like a punch to the stomach, leaving me momentarily speechless.
“Dead?” I finally managed to say, “What are you talking about? I think you are going to far.”
Elise turned away, going back to cleaning as if the conversation hadn’t happened.
I took a step closer. “What do you mean, dead like the others? What happened to them?”
She didn’t answer.
“Tell me,” 1 insisted, my voice rising.
Elise paused again, her eyes flickering to the writing on the wooden frame of the door. Her lips tightened into a thin line.
“You didn’t do that, did you?” she asked, pointing at the jagged words carved into the frame: Beware the monster at night.
“No,” I said quickly. “I don’t know who did. It was already there.”
She frowned, her fingers brushing over the letters. “Figures. This place is full of warnings no one listens to.”
“Elise,” I said, taking another step toward her. “Please. Tell me what you know.”
She turned to me, her face blank, but her eyes burned with something unspoken. For a moment, I thought she might say more, but then she shook her head.
