Chapter 3

Day 1; Alyssa... Alyssa...

Alyssa woke up. She blinked her eyes, looked at those next to her on the bed, they are still asleep.

Alyssa heard someone calling her name while she was sleeping. She got up from the bed and sat down. Her eyes were still drowsy.

The girl yawned, her eyes were still drowsy. She got out of bed, went to a small table where their bottled water was placed.

Her throat is dry. She picked up one bottle of water, opened it, and drank the water.

She was about to go back to bed when she noticed a painting hanging on the wall, Alyssa approached the painting and stared.

Nice !! She exclaimed.

The beautiful ocean is in the painting. Mermaids are sitting on the rocks, various kinds of fish, and sea plants. Alyssa feels she is fascinated by what she sees. The girl slowly brings her right hand closer to the picture and gently closes her eyes.

Alyssa sighed when she felt a hand pull her into the picture. She opened her eyes, she felt a cold air touch her skin.

Alyssa was surprised when she realized that the surroundings are different. She is sitting on a large rock in the center of the sea and only the moonlight gives light to the ocean.

Where am I, what place is this? Alyssa asked herself.

She was about to stand up when she noticed something strange in her legs. She did not notice it because half of her body was under the sea. She tried to lift her legs.

"Oh my gosh! Oh my gosh!" Alyssa cried in fear. Her legs became a long tail and it glows when hit by the moonlight. "How did this happen?"

Alyssa was confused about how she had a fishtail.

Is she already a mermaid?

Alyssa was shocked when suddenly someone pulled one of her hands, they went under the sea. She saw a mermaid holding her hand.

Alyssa tried to struggle but the mermaid held her tightly. They entered the entrance of the cave, she heard someone crying but she saw nobody. The mermaid let go of her and swam away from her.

Why was she brought by the mermaid inside the cave?

Alyssa was nervous when she suddenly thought that she might be fed to a large fish or octopus. So maybe she heard someone crying earlier because maybe the mermaid was being bitten by a sea monster.

She was horrified by her thoughts.

What am I going to do here? Alyssa asked herself. She felt that the surroundings looked safe and there are no monsters as she thought.

Hu! hu! hu! hu! She heard the cry again, it sounded like a woman's voice.

"Hello, is there anyone here? " She asked in a loud voice but there was no answer. "I guess I was wrong, maybe it should be a mermaid? Is there a mermaid here?" She asked again.

Alyssa crawled on the rocks. Now she has proven it is no joke to be a mermaid. She saw something based on appearance, it is a woman, her long hair is curly. Alyssa heard the woman cry again, sitting on a large wide rock surrounded by beautiful seaweeds.

Alyssa crawled over to the crying woman.

"Miss, why are you crying?" Alyssa asked the woman.

The woman stopped crying when she heard Alyssa's voice. But the woman still hasn't faced Alyssa.

"Alyssa," the woman called her name. She wondered why the woman knew her name.

"Do you know me?" She asked confused.

The woman nodded slowly.

"Leave the mansion," said the woman still not facing her. "If you don't want to be like us who are his victims, leave the mansion!"

The woman cried again.

"I don't understand you, Miss. Who are you referring to?" Alyssa asked.

"You may regret why you are in the mansion," the woman replied.

"What do you mean?"

"HEY!" Maggie gently tapped her friend on the shoulder.

Maggie woke up because of the sound of the alarm clock on her cellphone.

Maggie sees Alyssa standing in front of the painting so she approaches her friend. "What are you doing here? I've been watching you for a while,"

"Huh?" Alyssa said in shock. When she opened her eyes she was inside the room again.

Maggie hugged her friend. "I just found out that you're sleepwalking girl,"

Alysa let go of Maggie's hug and she faced her.

"Maybe, you're dreaming again," Maggie said.

Alyssa covered her face with her hands, she was confused. Alyssa looked into her friend's eyes.

"I don't know if it's a dream," Alyssa said confused. She walked back to the bed and sat on the side.

Maggie followed her. "What do you mean?"

Alyssa pointed to the painting hanging on the wall. Maggie looked at the painting.

"Earlier, when I touched the painting, I felt like I was in it. I was in the middle of the sea and I became a mermaid." Alyssa was already expecting her friend’s reaction.

Maggie laughed at what her friend had said. "You know, your imagination has come a long way."

"I'm serious!" Alyssa said seriously. She even told her friend about the woman she saw. But her friend didn't want to believe her.

"It's only five o'clock in the morning, try to go back to sleep," Maggie said and went back to bed and lay down. "When I woke up, I saw you standing in front of the painting. Promise, my eyes didn't blink. Believe it or not, you haven't left where you stand Alyssa."

"But--," Alyssa couldn't finish what she was going to say when her friend suddenly spoke.

"Go to sleep, maybe you didn't realize you fell asleep while walking and you are so fascinated by the painting that you dreamed of it," Maggie said while covering herself with a blanket.

Alyssa sighed. She lay down on the bed and still couldn't forget what had happened to her.

"Haist!" She was annoyed. "What is happening to me?" asked herself.

She picked up a pillow next to Daisy who was sound asleep. She covered his face with a pillow.

"Go to sleep and don't think about anything," Maggie whispered to her.

"Okay fine," Alyssa answer.

But the truth is, she was still thinking about the painting. The ocean, mermaids, and the crying woman. She thought for a few minutes and asked herself, but she also did not know the answer. Alyssa yawned, until she fell asleep, still thinking about the painting.

AS Gregorio instructed them, before going up to their room. They should be awake at seven in the morning.

Lots of food on the dining table. They had breakfast together. They are free to be taught to draw and paint and their food is still free. The artist is very kind to them.

After they had breakfast, the artist took them into a room.

"Wow!" Alyssa exclaimed. The room is huge. Lots of colorful paintings hanging on the wall. Some have been drawn but not finished yet.

The students entered the room one by one, everything was in order.

They have their seats, based on the name -tags on the chairs. They have their clean canvass.

Mang Nestor opened the glass windows, fresh air came in. The students are on the 3rd floor, they can see the surroundings from the window, the tall trees, the beautiful plants and flowers that are still covered by the artist's property.

"Good morning to all of you!" Gregorio greetings.

"Good morning to you, Sir!" Nine students replied.

Gregorio walked around the room as he spoke. "As you can see, I made you name-tags, it won't be difficult for each of us when we talk to each other."

Gregorio advised the students to go to their seats and wear their name-tags.

"I want to see your talents in drawing and painting. Draw what you like, objects, animals, places, or humans. Draw what you have in mind, I am here to guide you." The artist said smiling.

"How about me Sir?" Asked Maggie.

Gregorio looks at the girl. "We all have talents, maybe your talent is different. But you can try, you might find out that you also have a hidden talent in drawing." The artist said calmly. "Don't be shy, just try Maggie. Sit down next to your friend Alyssa."

The girl quickly complied. She was also made a name-tag by the artist. Maggie sat down next to her friend.

"Even if I'm just a kitten, I'll be good at drawing. Heh, heh, heh." Proudly said, of Maggie.

Alyssa winked at her friend and gave her a thumbs up.

The students were quiet. Everyone is serious. The artist just watched them.

Gregorio approached the students one by one and when he did not like something, he repeated it to the student. Sometimes he holds the hand of the students, he teaches them how to properly hold a pencil.

The artist approached Alyssa.

"Very Impressive!" Gregorio whispered to the girl. Alyssa was glad.