Ch.1. The darkness

"What's wrong with the electricity of Watson Mansion?!" She screamed at the top of her lungs and ended up coughing, she was gasping for the air.

All she could see was the darkness only, and here was her only cachexia, her only frailty…'DARKNESS'.

By standing up from her desk, she started searching for her phone because she knew no one could hear her from her room, and especially when the door is locked. Being an introvert was not an easy task for her but she had no relationship with ease since her childhood, she was panting damn hard, her whole body was sweating.

"Oh, Go...d! Where I ha..ve put m..y pho..ne!" She could hardly speak anything clearly but she never gives up, and that's how she is. The great Liliana Watson never gives up, she can do anything but 'losing' is not her word.

"Lia never chickens out and I can't quit. I may panic but I can't lose from just the darkness, bloody no one can make me afraid," she gathered her courage and stopped stuttering. "Hey, you! The darkness! Listen, I'll not let you win, I'm not a loser, you know what I'm not even afraid of my dad. I'm wild, I'm free, I'm a leaf, and I'm a tree. Okay?"

Poetry was not her job, "I know, I'm not good at poetry but I have no regret, I'm best in my field. I don't even wanna be a poetess, so, why should I work on my literature? It doesn't make any sense to me. But as I'm Lia, and I can do almost everything, let me give it another shot! I'm wild, I'm free, I'm as diligent as a bee."

Lia clapped and laughed like she won some kinda quiz, she fumbled with her bed and fell on her bed. Sometimes you need to control your joy, otherwise, the joy will leave pain for you and run out from your window or gate whichever is close for 'joy'.

"Ouch!" The word came out from her mouth as it's the universal reaction after getting injured or hurt.

She thanked God that she fell on the bed instead of the floor, otherwise, her mother would give her instructions on how she should behave, and her little brother would laugh as she cracked any joke, and her father would scold her for not taking care of the floor.

And suddenly again she started panicking as soon as she stopped talking and looked around herself. She knew how to handle her anxiety, usually, people have friends or family around them when they get any kind of attacks but Lia had no friends. She had friends but no best friends, her friends were so mean and that's why she chose to stay alone.

No one knew about her anxiety, and it was beneficial to her because if someone would get to know that Liliana is afraid of the darkness, they will use it against her.

She again started searching for her phone but she couldn't remember where she had put it!

The door of her room was opening slowly, and it caught her attention. She swiped her face with her hands, and there was a torch or light at the door which was coming closer to her. She knew that it would be Richard, after all, he was the only person in the house who loved to play pranks on everyone.

"Richard, you should not forget that I'm your elder sister. You are just too much! How could you even imagine that you can play your poor prank on me?" She diverted her attention, and she knew it was the only way to overcome her fear, "now, please, give me the torch and leave my room. And stop playing the part of a ghost."

The light came near to her face, and she saw a girl standing there with a candle, "I'm sorry, ma'am! I'm not Richard, I'm Fiona, I joined the work this morning, and it's my first day. The electrician has arrived, he has started his work. Everyone called for getting candles in their rooms but you didn't, I was quite afraid that maybe you won't like my help but I wanted to come here for…"

Lia interrupted her, " hey! Can you please stop being a waitress at a five-star hotel? I know, you are a worker but you don't need to explain to me that much, and I'm not your ma'am. You can call me Miss Watson or Liliana, choice is yours."

"Okay, Miss Watson! Do you need anything?" She asked in a frightened tone.

She thought that after some days, Fiona would get along with her nature, and she would at least smile while talking to her.

"Dear Fiona! You don't need to be afraid of me, I never fire anybody. I guess, in a week, you would know me better. I was about to call but I couldn't find my phone, can you give this candle to me for a sec?"

"Sure, Miss Watson!" Fiona handed over the candle.

The phone was just beside the laptop, she took her phone and started the flashlight. "Now, hold this candle." Lia gave it back to her.

"Let's go to the kitchen! I'm hungry, and my jug is also empty. I need to fill this jug." Lia genuinely smiled.

Fiona didn't make a move, her eyebrows were up in amazement. "You may wait here, I'll be back with your food, and give me this jug, I'll fill it."

Lia exhaled, "Oh my dear! You seem like a teenager like me, I can't be cruel to you just because you don't have enough money, and you need to work here. Moreover, something bad happened to you that you are already working in this Watson Mansion, trust me, I'm the worst person ever but not to those who are helping me. And I don't like to talk much, can we please walk to the kitchen, now?"

"Oh, okay! Thank you! Sure! You are so kind Miss Watson," she started walking towards the door of Lia's room. And Lia was following her with the flashlight of her phone.

"I'm neither a sweet talker nor I like my praise. Now, please, don't say sorry! I'm finished talking."

This time, Fiona said nothing, just nodded, and kept walking.

Mr. Watson and Mrs. Watson were already standing in the hallway, they saw two girls descending the stairs.

"Be careful, Liliana!" Mr. Watson said as soon as he saw the face of his daughter.

"Why do you need to come downstairs when you can just wait in your room, Lily? Can you be mature for just once?" Mrs. Watson sighed.

Lia showed the jug, "I need some water, mom. And I was hungry, too. So, I thought, going to the kitchen will be the best idea." She knew her mom would say that there are plenty of workers in Watson Mansion, Liliana Watson doesn't need to do the work of the workers.

And she was exactly right.

"Don't you know honey that there are fifty workers in Watson Mansion? Do you think that you need someone to take care of you?" Mrs. Watson smirked.

"No, mom! It's just that um I…" Lia was trying to build any sentence but she was interrupted by her father, "it's fine, Kristen! No big deal! She doesn't need to explain that much. Lia, you do whatever you want but please, remember you are the only daughter of Watson's family." He stated in a superior manner and took a seat on the sofa.

Lia and Fiona both started walking towards the kitchen.

"You are spoiling her, honey. She doesn't have manners, she never wears the clothes of girls, and she doesn't even know how girls should talk and sit and walk, and…" Kristen was still trying to express her fake concern for her daughter but the lights were up.

"Look, I'm going upstairs! You may deal with the electrician, I know, you are good at this. Good night, Kristen!" He gave her a forehead kiss and headed to the bedroom.

Lia took some fruits from the fridge and Fiona filled the water in the jug. Lia arranged everything on a tray, Fiona insisted on doing all her work but Lia is a different girl who does her work by herself.

She picked up the tray and was about to leave the kitchen but a familiar face appeared and the tray slipped from her hands.