The stone castle was bright under the moonlight. Staring at the colossal building made me feel small and insignificant in the world compared to it. I realized I'm walking towards the entrance slowly in a trance of amazement as I knocked on the door, hoping that whoever lived there would offer me shelter and food.

The door echoed under my fist as my hand slammed against the door a few time. There was no response. I didn't hear the voice or the footsteps of people from the inside. I thought that they either didn't hear the door or the castle was completely deserted. I didn't think it would be possible for a very big building like that to be abandoned so I knocked again. This time, the door opened under my fist slowly.

It was like a silent invitation to me. My intuition told me to turn around and avoid the large dark building, but I was so curious and I was way too tired to continue on and go anywhere else.

I wish I followed my intuition.

I slipped into the small crack of the door, closing it behind me before I walked deep inside the castle, through a small hallway with a beautiful rug and there are metal armours against the wall with beautiful golden frame paintings of a beautiful boy my age and two adult males in outfits that look comfortable and warm with an aura of royalty.

I walk into the foyer, a large, magnificent place, with the light of the moon from the glass above to illuminate everything. The whole area was decorated in elegant designs from beautiful columns to red drapes and carpets by the many doors on the first floor. The second floor, on the top of the stone stairs underneath a beautiful red carpet with golden edges, had a very large portrait of the two adults and the boy, like a family painting. I looked at everything in awe, surprised and amazed about the gorgeous structure I was in. I walked up the stairs, walking up the left staircase at the top of the main one, opened some drawers which contained a few tinderboxes before walking further into the hallway, and I found the bedroom behind the first door I opened, which was not the first one I saw. I was happy for my intuition at this point.

The room was almost pitch black, but I could tell that it was bigger than the orphanage, a gorgeous sight to behold. I walked to a candle on a dresser beside the bed, remembering Vallewida using tinderboxes, I successfully lit the candle. The wallpaper was very elegant in its pattern, the golden design shined in the candlelight and the carpet below was as red as every other carpet I've seen. The dresser looked as elegant as everything else in the room and the bed was a very large bed with purple blankets and looked well kept. I also noticed a closet in the room. I opened it to see clothing of many different types, replacing my rags with one of the matching outfits that looked really soft.

I changed slowly, savouring the feeling of the fabric of the white clothes. They felt expensive and soft, like being embraced like a cloud. I took out everything from my old clothes pocket and set the pillow of candy on the bed. I looked at the cards in my hand as I sat on the bed. I was surprised when I sank in its comfort but my eyes were still on the cards and my mind was on the people I once knew.

"Vallewida… Lina…" I said to myself. "Thank you for everything, and I'm so sorry I left, but I knew that if I stayed, I'd hurt you and the others." I shuffled the deck, my fingers fumbled a bit for not being accustomed to a deck of cards so large.

I forgot some of the cards I drew but I do remember Death and The Tower. Vallewida told me that Death isn't a bad thing but I just have this feeling of dread just looking at it. The Tower also had a dark meaning: change, freedom, a change of belief, or falling down drastically, literally or figuratively. The other cards were either unimportant or unrelated to the reading.

I dismissed the cards' meanings, putting everything on the dresser before blowing out the candle, sleeping on the soft bed under the covers with a smile. I was free of the orphanage and in a large, gorgeous castle. I felt protected by the walls as I closed my eyes, descending into sleep.

I woke up with sweat drenched on my body and paralyzed with fear as I heard a loud, bloodcurdling scream, followed by the sound of a blade, silencing the scream. I gasped loudly, covering my mouth to prevent myself from screaming before I jumped from my bed, pocketing my items before hiding in the closet, leaving only a sliver open. I watched the door to the hallway opening slowly, witnessing a creature of unimaginable, great horror enter the room in the darkness.