Mira ’s eyes flickered open – before jolting wide open when the tulip nudged her. It shrieked and quickly return to its pot.

Right, she’s now in the South, with a permanent roof over her head, and Allevtte’s at that.

A whiff of air carries the subtle, clean scent of petrichor after a spring rain, mixed with the sweet, heady fragrance of night-blooming jasmine from a small vase on the dresser.

She glanced at the tulip. The tulip was now bending its stem, dancing left and right, and coughed.

And she forgot to water the tulip last night.

“Give me one second?”

The tulip coughed again.

 Mira  got up, her head ringing. Ugh. She massaged it and tiptoed down the bed. The pink carpet moss massaged her foot, warming her stiff body.

The first thing you notice is the light, soft as sigh, filtering through hazy, golden-pink glow of a permanent sunset roses.

The walls lined with whimsical vines of ivy and wildflowers spiraling up and across the ceiling, where they meet a scattering of hand-painted stars and a single, paper lantern shaped like a perfect, creamy moon.

The furnitures were iridescent and pastel, mixed with blooming flowers. One was the water bean bag – yes, a water with glitters in it that somehow hold its shape and isn’t wet to touch. She collapsed on it last night before crawling to bed.

 Mira  poured water into the tulip’s pot. The tulip tilted its head adorably, flapping its leaves.

“Your welcome,” Mira grinned. She quickly clasped the flower before it could shriek again.

 Mira  collapsed on her bed again. THE BEST THING SO FAR!

She felt like a bird in a nest, resting on the mountain of fluffy mattress in every texture imaginable - crushed velvet in lilac, quilts the shade of heather, and linen cases embroidered with tiny, delicate ferns. The blanket were almost literal clouds – except that you can touch and shape it, like a cloth, and that it could be set to any temperature.

 Mira  gaze out the gold-lined window, the sounds of morning crickets and birds soothing her head.

At last, the peace and tranquil. She’s parched, but after what happened yesterday, it’d be wise to uhm stay silent, and make sure the tulip stays silent.

What happened yesterday, you wonder?

Well…

Lucian lifted  Mira ’s cup.

“Blood wine? Did you just give a 14 year old wine, honey?”

 Mira ’s eyes widen in petrify. B-blood wine??

“Oh, darling, it tasted good! And I mixed it with tea!”

Lucian massaged his temple, but quickly grabbed Dilvei’s cup before she could drink more.

“I think you had enough today.”

“Hey! This stuff expires today! How dare you?!”

“Ok, and why would it expire today?”

“I grabbed it from the buffet! They said they had some blood wine left, so I brought them all home!”

 Mira  stared at Lucian. She could almost see the ‘oh gosh’ in his face. She was not sure what happened after, but Lucian ended up in the corner of the room, chugging whole bottles of whatever b-blood wine is.

Dilvei looked at Mira maniacally.

“So! Catherine-“

“Uhm, it’s  Mira …”

“Oh right,  Mira ! Can you say ‘mommy’?”

“M-mommy…?”

She clasped her hands and squealed.

“Say it again! Say it again!”

Poor Mira repeated it several times. Dilvei laughed, clearly pleased.

“Nice, call me that, yes darling? Now, say ‘dad’!”

“D-dad?”

“Teheee!! Lucian, here that?”

Lucian looked on expectantly.

S-should she repeat it again..?

“Oh no, you don’t have to repeat that one.”

Lucian choked.

“Now, let us show you around, then register you in our family!”

REGISTRATION?? WILL HER ID SHOW UP IN THE SOUTH TOO AND THEY FOUND OUT? But Mira doesn’t have too much time to think about it – soon, she was praying that she wouldn’t die, her heart and lungs palpitating into the edge of stroke.

“A-are those statues alive??”

“Oh no darling, our sculptors are just very talented.”

“AGHHH!”

“Oh yes, that angel statue is in charge of slashing intruders – you’re now recognized by him, though! Congratulations!”

“U-uhm how much longer is the stairs?”

“Why, honey? Are you tired?”

 Mira  bit her lips. Would they rethink the adoption if she said yes? But if she fall down, will those chilling tornadoes engulf her?

Lucian tapped her shoulder. A surged of power flowed into her, and her steps felt light.

Thank you!

Lucian winked. He turned to Dilvei.

“Nah, I think she’s just admiring the architecture.”

“I-ICAN’T BREATHE!”

“Oof I forgot we’re so high up – hold up – there you go! You should be able to breathe again!”

“Wow, that’s a beautiful pool! It looked like crystals!”

“It also changes depending on wh-“ Lucian put his hand in and froze. The pool turned red.

Dilvei and Lucian looked at each other.

Is that-?

I think so.

Dilvei slightly frowned.

 Mira ’s face turned pale.

“I-is that blood?”

“Ehehe isn’t it artistic?”

“S-so it’s blood?”

Lucian cleared his throat. “Well – it depends.”

WHAT DOES THAT EVEN MEAN? Mira felt a peculiar texture reaching down from the ceiling. She looked up and almost fainted. ARE THOSE BLOODY ORGANS?

“No, goodness, no!”

Next were the bedrooms and hallways.

“Would you like this bedroom-“

“AGHHH!”

“Oh, I guess not. Hmm, what about this one-“

“IS THAT REAL THUNDER AND TENTAcles – AAAACKKK!!!”

“This?”

“W-what are those shadows?”

“They’re your servants! You can have them sing, fetch you tea-“

And just when Mira thought it couldn’t get worse, the hallways started to wrap. Mirrors were lining each side, but they don’t reflect you. No. Each time you looked in, a grotesque figure looked back. A creepy shadow at best.

 Mira  screamed and ran, bumping the walls here and there. Dilvei and Lucian chased her.

“Do you think she’s having fun, Lucian?”

“Darling, no! You’re gonna give her a stroke!”

“AND SHE’LL DIE?”

“WELL WHAT ELSE DO YOU EXPECT?”

“WELL SHIT, TELL ME!”

“I DID! AND I TRIED UNWRAPPING THEM MYSELF, BUT YOU FREAKING PUT SKELETONS EYEBALLS ALL OVER EACH SIDE I CHANGED!”

“MY BAD, IT WAS MODERN ART!”

Allevtte flickered her fingers. The hallways bursted, turning normal again.

 Mira  gasped in fear, curling on the carpet. Allevtte tapped her.

“Do you want to look through the bedrooms again?”

“No darling –  Mira , believe me, you’ll like this bedroom I’ll show you. They’re… normal.”

It isn’t, really, but Mira wouldn’t complain about getting this bedroom.

Her mind was almost blank when they walked together to the government office, registering her as part of the family. The machine chimed. Mira exhaled in relief – that means the South really had registered her ID differently.

There was still one thing left, though. It’s almost the deadline to send the first report.

 Mira  fidgeted her phone and glanced at Dilvei and Lucian. She smiled sweetly – though after all that, she wasn’t sure if it still looked like one.

“Mom, dad, what’s the wifi password?”

Dilvei and Lucian looked at each other and laughed.

“Kids these days, am I right?”

“Back when I was little…”

 Mira  flattened her lips.