Chapter Four: The Garden

CAMILLA'S POV

As I wiped the dirt off the windows cleaning them, my mind raced with thoughts. I was trying to comprehend what had happened in the past week. It was quite unreal.

I finished up and went back to my room to freshen up. As the water flowed from my hair down to my back I felt a calming sensation. I looked at myself in the mirror. Some bruises and scratches visible on my arms. My fair skin that I cherished so much had been tainted by that bastard.

Baron Henshaw. I couldn't explain how much I despised him. He was cruel and practically the devil himself.

Why was he like this anyways?

My sight lingered on the bruises and I cursed at him silently.

I came out of the bathroom and put on some fresh clean clothes. I didn't have anything else to do so I decided to walk around the mansion. Maybe it would cure my boredom. Besides, he didn't say anything about walking around, he just didn't allow me to come out of the main mansion door.

I walked through the quiet hallways passing through rooms. The walls were decorated beautifully with artwork from renowned artists.

Well at least he has good taste.

I walked around for about thirty minutes and stumbled upon a second kitchen. It looked clean so it was probably in use. Then again only Baron and his workers lived in the house and a second kitchen wasn't a necessity. There was a door leading to the yard and I followed it. I walked for a while and stumbled upon a beautiful garden.

It had flowers of different kinds and colours and beautiful butterflies fluttering around them. There was a small fountain right in the middle of the garden and some chairs at the far end with umbrellas to shield you from the sun. It was perfect.

Baron had this in his mansion?

I walked through the garden running my hands through the flowers, feeling the wind on my face and the sun shine brightly on me. I felt alive and free.

I sat down and spotted something hopping around. I looked closer and saw that it was a bunny. I gestured for it to come closer and it did. I carried it up and placed it on my lap, gently stroking its soft white fur. It looked like a mythical creature with its big beady eyes and small nose.

I let out a deep sigh, I felt at peace. Looking at the garden I remembered when my mother and I used to play in the garden in our yard back home. She'd tend to the flowers on the weekends and we'd spend time talking and playing together.

“What's your favourite flower?”. She asked

“A rose, or no! A tulip. Uhmmm I can't choose”. I replied in confusion.

She laughed softly.

“Flowers are all beautiful and unique”. She said as she picked a rose and put it in my hair. “Just like you”. She smiled.

I hugged her tightly. “So I'm a flower?”. I said in excitement.

“Yes my love, you're a flower. My beautiful flower and I love you to the moon and back”. She said as she caressed my hair.

“I love you too mama”. I said as I giggled.

I felt a tear run down my cheek as I remembered that. I missed her so much. I wish I could visit her but Baron wouldn't let me out of this hell hole.

I stayed in the garden till sundown and returned to my room. I tried to get myself to sleep but it was proving difficult. I went out of my room and took another walk. It was getting dark but I didn't mind. I needed to distract myself for a while since I couldn't sleep.

I realized that I had not explored some of the places in the mansion. My room was on the third floor with Baron's room and other rooms that were unoccupied. It was a 4 story mansion and I had only ever seen the first, second and third floor.

My curiosity got the best of me and I went upstairs to the 4th floor. Unlike the other floors, the 4th floor looked abandoned and unkept. There were cobwebs and dust everywhere. I walked through the silent hallways and came across a huge door. There was no door like this in the other rooms and I wondered what was behind it. I walked closer letting my curiosity take over.

“What are you doing here?!”. I heard Baron's harsh voice behind me. My heart quite literally lept out of my chest.

I turned around to see him angry and boiling.

“I… I uhm”. I tried to get a word out but I couldn't muster anything reasonable.

“Answer me!”. He demanded.

“I was just taking a walk and.. and”. He cut me off as he held my throat.

“Snooping around I see”

“N-, argh, no”. I said as I was trying to breathe. He tightened his grip on my throat. I felt like I was gonna die right on that spot.

“P-please”. I said as tears fell from my eyes down to my cheek. I stared at his eyes begging and all I could see was void. He had no emotions, no remorse. Just emptiness and rage. I had never felt this kind of fear before.

He closed his eyes and let go of my throat. I fell to the ground gasping for breath.

“The fourth floor, especially that room, is off limits. Do you understand?”. He said coldly

“Y-yes Master Baron”. I said as I struggled to stand up.

“Get out of my sight!”. He said and I ran away, my heart pounding like it would come out of my chest any moment from now.

I got back to my room and breathed heavily, trying to catch my breath.1

What just happened?

I thought to myself while I replayed the scene in my head. What was he hiding in that room? Dead bodies? A prisoner? Would I end up in that room soon?

Calm down Camilla

I took more deep breaths and sat on the bed. Nothing in this house made sense. I touched my neck gently, I could still feel his hand gripping on them. That was a near death experience. I closed my eyes and all I saw were his empty eyes that were devoid of emotion except anger.

Was he even human?

I laid down on the bed and said a silent prayer.

“I.. I don't wanna die here”. I said as tears fell from my eyes.

I curled up in a ball and cried myself to sleep.