Lacuna

Chapter 8 - The Lion's Den

          'Where am I? I could've sworn I was in the car.' I desperately look around me and I was surrounded by the color white. This must be one of my nightmares again.

"Feo, one day you will finally bring peace to both worlds. I'm sure of it." An unfamiliar voice of a woman resonates as I'm trapped in this empty white void.

"Feo..." I muttered under my breath as I continue to desperately search for the source of the voice.

Then, suddenly, there it is. An opening, a door. I desperately ran and entered the door without thinking about the risk of it. Whatever, I just need to get out of here.

As I go through the door, I've entered a dark bedroom and the door behind me closes. Then, the weeping sound of a woman filled the room. I tried finding the source of the voice but to no avail. Without the light from the door, the room is a dark void. The woman continued weeping.

"I will always love you both. Please stay safe... now go." Her whisper echoed through the room. Who is she talking to?

Suddenly a small figure came into view in front of me as it grew larger and larger. Is it running to me?

Suddenly, the figure hit me.

I quickly opened my eyes and stood up as I breathe heavily. "Nightmares." I sighed as a piercing pain shot through my head. I instinctively reached for my painkillers on my nightstand.

As I reached for the nightstand, it wasn't there and it looked different than the one I own.

Then I realized and hastily look around me.

I widen my eyes as I find myself on top of a king's sized bed in a room covered in gold. I thought to myself, this is way more concerning than waking up in an empty void.

As I get off the bed, I notice a note and a pair of pajamas being neatly placed on top of the sheets. I picked up the note.

"You fell asleep in the car so I brought you into my room for you to sleep, I hope it's comfortable :) Here is a pair of pajamas you should wear, I didn't want to change you myself without your consent. Once you finish changing, please come join me for dinner downstairs. I'll be waiting. –Lev" the note was written with very messy handwriting I barely could read it.

"This is Lev's room?!" I gasped in shock. I looked around the room once again and spot many fancy clothes being neatly hanged around the room.

"Yep, this is Lev's room alright." I nod. I turned my attention to the pair of golden pajamas he readied for me and carefully put it on. He really loves the color gold, doesn't he.

I quietly opened the bedroom door and carefully go down the wide stairs. Then, I saw Lev wearing his loose white shirt as he reads a book at the bottom of the stairs. Is that the same book from before?

As I took a step closer, Lev quickly turns his head to me.

"Cole! I'm glad you could decipher my handwriting, I think I really need to work on that." Lev smiles apologetically, letting out a small chuckle.

"You're sweating and out of breath... what happened? Was the bed uncomfortable?" Lev stands up as he expressed his concern.

"I-It's nothing. Say, do you have painkillers?" I asked as I struggle to smile from the piercing pain.

"Necric medicine? I'm afraid we don't have it here. But our medicine might be more effective, let me get it for you. You can roam the halls as you wait so you don't get bored. Be right back." Lev answers, speed walking away and disappearing into one of the halls.

Not wanting to deal with the pain alone, I venture the opposite hall with renaissance paintings left and right.

Distracted from the paintings, I've reached the end of the hall. I gaze onto the wall, expecting a painting to be there but it seems like it was missing since it left a huge mark on the wall. It must've been a big painting, I wonder what happened to it...

I glance over to the side and spot that certain parts of the wallpaper were worn out; it looked like it was meant to cover something behind it.

Out of curiosity, I reach out to the torn-off edge of the wallpaper until suddenly, I heard footsteps behind me.

"Cole, there you are! I'm back with the medicine. I didn't think you would roam to this far end of the hall." He smiles as he hands me a glass of water and a small pill in his hand.

"Thank you." I smiled and quickly gulped down the medicine and return the glass to Lev.

"What happened to this end?" I immediately asked.

"Here? Oh, nothing much, my father had that painting removed and told people not to take care of this end, thus the worn-out wallpapers." He answers.

"That's too bad." I slightly frown.

"Hey listen, I used to roam these halls ever since I was a kid, I know where that painting is being kept. Do you want to come with me and see it?" Lev reaches out his hand to me.

As I was about to answer, a tall dark figure loomed behind Lev.

"Where do you think you're taking him?" the figure spoke in a low rough voice.

"F-father! I thought you were in your study room!" Lev yelps and faces the figure.

"It seems like you've brought a guest here. I hope you've kept your manners, boy." His father spoke.

"Yes, father," Lev replies in a low-spirited tone.

"You really should be more like that Cirillo kid. Or you'll disappoint the whole family." Lev's father spoke sternly as he glared.

"He's been kind and well-mannered, Mr. Durand," I spoke, defending Lev.

"I hope you're not just defending him for his sake, kid." Lev's father sighed and faces me.

As Lev's father and I land eye contact, Lev's father freezes for a brief moment and hastily disconnects the eye contact.

"What's your name, boy?" Lev's father asks as he glared.

"Cole, Cole Celestin, Sir." I answered.

Lev's father lets out a quiet exhale and turns back to Lev.

"Take good care of Cole and watch your manners, boy." He spoke in a croaky voice as we watch him walk away and disappear from the hall.

I turn back to Lev to ask but his eyes are still locked onto the direction his father went to, his eyebrows furrowed downwards. Why is his father so mean to him?