Time passed until it was even later in the night, at least midnight. Anybody would surely be asleep by now, and it seemed just as such. Not the slightest sound came from any room, except for the quiet ‘chirps’ and ‘creaks’ that would typically come from an old manor or country plane.

However, it was this dead hour that Lydia became most active and anxious. She uneasily creaked open her door to check the dark hallway beyond, using one lit candle for light.

Naturally, I can’t pass an opportunity like this.

The candle wasn’t the only thing she had. In her other hand, she struggled to hold onto three more items. One was the key for the gate, while the other two were things she snatched from Trancy; a tiny pincushion meant for one or two needles, while the other was a small vial of adhesive paste.

When seeing nothing stir, Lydia silently crept past her door, closing it behind her, and proceeded through the hallway as she used one hand to shield the light from other doors.

As she came across the gate that blocked the only way to the third floor, she felt goosebumps break out along her arms, and a shuddering chill sweep through her core and spine. Still, she stayed headstrong and got to where she could see the keyhole in the dim light.

From there, she hesitantly inserted the key and unlocked the gate. Opening the black iron door sent more chills throughout her, and she began to wonder if this was the right thing to do. However, her curiosity and determination made up her mind quick.

Although, I know I won’t be able to inspect everything tonight, so…

Lydia put the key in a pocket in her dress, then took the pincushion and applied some paste to one side of it. She then inserted it in the strikeplate hole, trying to make it as discrete as possible. By the time she was done, and she tested her ramshackle contraption, it seemed to work. This obstruction would allow the gate to close, but prevent it from locking when closed. This way, Lydia could return when she was ready to investigate again.

For now, she pocketed the rest of the adhesive, then took a deep breath and proceeded past the gate.

When she came across the landing, where the stairs flattened and continued left, the top seemed dark, but tinged with a slight silver luminescence. Perhaps a window? Either way, it didn’t stop her. She continued up, to where she met a corner that branched left.

Lydia concealed her light with one hand, peering around the corner.

The first room, another rounded space similar to those on the first and second floors, was decorated like any other part of the manor. The floors were chevron lyptus, and the walls were lighter with gold trim at the edge of the roof. Two hallways branched left and right, the right being wider and more prominent than the left. The silver light was coming from a window on the wall across the way, and like on the staircase, the electric lights had been removed.

Why, though? Why block this off and give no reason? Why never tell us what’s up here, or even a hint? Why keep it dark?

Too many questions buzzed about her mind, compelling her to go every direction at once. Would she find the source of the strange sound? Find evidence of Hinata’s excuse? Try to hunt out Victor, if he even existed? Just wander and look for clues? Either way, she couldn’t stay here all night, but how would she know where to go? Furthermore, where to go in order to avoid alerting Hinata?

This is harder than I…

Lydia blinked hard, her own thoughts seeming too loud. She listened intently, looking about the room.

…’scrt-scrt-scrt’

Sure enough, there came a strange, repetitive scratchy sound, and she couldn’t tell what it was. However, just like the screams from earlier, it was certainly coming from somewhere up here.

Suppose I just found my target for tonight.

Lydia continued to block much of the light, only illuminating a light trail before her. The sound was leading her to the smaller hallway, which only had two doors on either side, near the end. As she got closer, the scratching got louder. However, it was still barely more than a whisper.

She stopped when either of the doors were only a few feet away. One had faint silver coming through the cracks; moonlight coming through another window, most likely. As she leaned toward this door, getting her ear closer, the sound became muffled again. She repeated this with the other door, but the sound became more prominent. But as she studied this door, she could see no light of any kind, just darkness seeping through the cracks.

Lydia took a deep breath, then slowly turned the knob, cracking the dor just enough to peer inside.

The scratching got louder, but she couldn’t see the source. Only a very dark room, and one small space that was illuminated by presumably a candle. However, with a large bed and stray wooden chair in the way, Lydia couldn’t see the source of the noise.

Because she evidently hadn’t provoked anything, Lydia extinguished her own candle with a quick puff, then began to creep very slowly, quietly into the space. She continued to stay low, creeping up to where she was hidden beside the bed, and the source was straight ahead, around the bed’s corner.

Step by slow step, Lydia paced forth, undaring to get too close. What if this thing, whether a thing or creature, was dangerous? She certainly didn’t want to find out firsthand.

When she reached the corner of the bed, she peeked around the corner ever so slightly. Already, she didn’t like the sight.

This thing was really, to her amazement, a whole other person. Someone who twitched and shook unnaturally, sitting with his knees to his chest while his hands voraciously, rigorously, hastily dragged charcoal to and fro across a crumpled sheet of paper. Nothing sensible was drawn on it, though. Lydia couldn't see the person well, just the rumpled dark clothes, ghostly skin, and tangled black hair.

It seemed the drawing, or whatever this strange art was, was what made the scratching sound. From here, she could also hear his shaky, unsteady breaths. More concerningly was his muttering; strange, senseless sayings that had one real word out of many mouthfuls of gibberish.

I found the source, but...Should I…

Lydia flinched as the person shoved the paper aside, but drug out another one. His muttering turned lower, and his hands faster, but shakier as he started something else.

I don’t even think I could talk to this thing, whoever it is. Still, why would Hinata want to hide him? Is she trying to protect him-?

She gulped nervously.

Or could it be that she’s trying to protect us?

With that in mind, she took one step back, but the person shoved another paper aside, right where she could see. She was about to think of it as mere gibberish.

However, as she stared down at this drawing, her heart dropped.

This thing he drew was merely some odd sigil, but its familiarity was enough to make Lydia’s mind and heartbeat race. She knew this from somewhere, but where? She knew it, but the explanation eluded her. Like remembering a person’s face, but not their name. She usually wouldn’t mind something so small.

But the more she looked at this nostalgic sigil, the more she began to see her own dread; a crimson haze cornering her vision and flooding her mind with the thought of pooling, dripping crimson oil. That disgusting, metallic substance she hated so deeply; what she wanted to wipe away all existence of, even her own.

Blood.

The man shoved more papers on top of the sigil, but Lydia felt fear shake her core with each one.

The first one had words.

‘The darkness always finds your fear, your sadness, your anger, your hate’

The second paper continued,

‘Inside, something else starts to hunt you’

The fourth continued, but Lydia began to retreat.

‘And when it gets you…’

Lydia tried to run away in a panic.

‘CREEAAA!’

Lydia spun back, but was stopped by the sight of this strange person as he shot out and grabbed her wrist tight. He was still on his knees, and she panicked too much to see any details of who he was.

He suddenly began to hiss and spit in a snake-like voice.

“Th-The dark...The dark comes for you...Get away, get away, get away; it wants you! It want you!”

His grip tightened, and Lydia winced.

The man hissed inhumanly, “It wants you!”

Lydia held back a scream, tearing free of his tight grasp. She heard footsteps; someone was coming to inspect, and she went into a panic. She shoved the strange man back, but his tight grip and jagged nails left four deep scratches on her forearm. She ignored it and scrambled under the large bed to hide.

The door creaked open wider, and a gruff man’s voice suddenly spoke up.

“Enough, you damn savage, sleep like a normal human being!” He muttered, “As hard as that is for you.”

There was suddenly strange whimpering and chirps, and Lydia felt the bed creak over her. She tried to get a look at who was at the door, but couldn’t see anything worthwhile. Just another dishevelled figure, his face eluding her vision.

The other man extinguished the one candle, muttered something under his breath, then left as suddenly as he came. However, she could hear muffled voices beyond the door.

I wonder...Was that Victor? And it sounds like he’s talking to a lady, so that must be Hinata.

Lydia crawled to the edge of her bed sanctuary, trying to listen in on the distant conversation. She heard the man well because his voice travelled, but Hinata was speaking quietly and shyly, so her words were mostly misheard.

The man sounded very irate. “For the love of god, control your little dog!”

Hinata responded, “I can’t…”

“You say he’s getting better, but this is not better. That thing shouldn’t even be here, so stop trying my patience and do your job!”

“It’s not...I can’t control how or when he…Be patient!”

“Don’t speak to me like that, you stupid girl.” He grunted. “Enough of this. Go back to bed, and make sure it does, too.”

Hinata sighed, “Very well…”

Soon enough, the voices stopped beyond the door. Lydia heard it open once, but it closed soon after. Now it was just her in the dark with whoever, or whatever, this was above her.

Just to be safe, Lydia waited another few minutes, then finally gained the courage to try at escaping. She took the unlit candle she had, knowing she could leave no evidence that she was in here. She then creeped out from under the bed, making sure to stay as low as she could. As she left the bed and crawled out a bit, nothing stirred. She continued to where she was halfway, but there was still nothing.

Confirming its safety, Lydia crawled faster, but very slowly opened the door upon reaching it. To her amazement, she actually made it through without alerting anyone.

Out in the hallway, Lydia regained her footing, using the wall as a guide in this dark environment.

First, however, she took the gate key from her pocket and set it randomly on the ground. After all, Hinata would be extremely suspicious if her key just disappeared, and Lydia wouldn’t need a key with the gate’s locking mechanism rigged to stay open. This way, it would simply look like Hinata dropped the key in the hall.

As Lydia slid along the wall, making her way back to the staircase, she couldn’t help the thoughts flooding her mind.

That thing, or person; whatever the hell it was, what was it?! Why is it here, and how mad does anyone have to be to let it stay here?!

Lydia bit her tongue and as she made it downstairs, shoved the gate closed with a quickness. She slid to the floor, trying to catch her panicked breath.

I thought this would give me answers. Now I just have more questions!