It seemed like I had fallen asleep once again. I found myself standing in front of the large manor that I saw yesterday in my dream, and the iron gates were still opened. I felt a little bit relieved that I didn't have to suffer in any kind of mental or physical pain. I hoped that I wouldn't have to later on, I've already endured enough in my waking world.

I realized that I could no longer hear the mysterious voice that spoke in my head anymore. I've been wondering since earlier in how they were doing it. I'm not sure if this is a supernatural ability called Telepathy which enables the user to transmit words, emotions, or images to someone else's mind. I don't really know if it actually exists or maybe it only does in my dream.

Worrying about my nonsensical suspicions is leading me nowhere. Maybe I should figure out first if I would enter that haunted mansion or not. It was natural that my first option was not to go inside since it was giving me an ominous vibe. But I couldn't forget about the words that the voice told me. I wanted to know the meaning behind it. In order for me to acquire that knowledge, I need to ask that man about it and I have a strong premonition he is inside this house.

I was afraid that I might not be able to go out of the mansion once I enter inside. I don't even know who is residing in this run-down household. It might be an evil entity or something worse such as a devil for all I know!

Maybe it wouldn't be so bad to walk a few meters passing the gates and head towards the door to take a small peak on the keyhole. If I see something scary, then I will runaway as fast as I can. It's not like I'm going to enter inside. Who knows? It might be even locked.

I took a deep breathe and calmed down my nerves as I began walking past through the gates. I headed towards the battened and ledge door as I decided to take a sneak peek through the tiny gap of the keyhole. Fortunately, I only saw a chandelier hanging on the ceiling in the entryway. There is nothing out of ordinary.

While I was busy peeking, I accidentally placed the weight of my hands against the door as it creaked opened. I started to panic since I assumed that it was locked! Did the white snake do this as well? I didn't know that reptiles have a talent for unlocking gates and doors.

I spotted something lustrous in the corner of my eye as it was the albino monocled cobra that lead me out of the maze. It began gliding further into the mansion.

"Wait a minute!" Instincts came all over me as I sprinted through the central passage. I don't know if I was still in my right mind since I considered talking to a snake despite having a severe case of Ophidiophobia. How could an animal talk anyway? All these strange things that suddenly happened to me was slowly driving me crazy, or maybe I was already.

I reached the grand staircase and noticed the huge portrait displayed on the middle. It was a painting of a young man wearing a cynical smirk on his handsome face. Though, I'm not exactly sure if I could label him as a human being since he has a pair of pointy ears and sharp canine teeth.

A vampire, perhaps? But who am I kidding? I don't believe in such folklores. I've read tons of romantic novels about those creatures that could only live with drinking a human's blood in the public library at the House Ainsworth. Though, there is no scientific belief that would support their existence in real life. But I know that vampires have the most beautiful eyes — crimson red. Since I have an monochromatic vision, I don't know what the color of his eyes looked like.

I was so engrossed in staring at the magnificent painting of the man when I suddenly heard a loud tremor coming from the hallway. Thank goodness that the lights were still on. I would've freaked out if they weren't.

I was so surprised when the electricity went out as it seemed like I spoke too soon. My pulses quickened its pace as I knew it was a bad idea to come in here. What in the world was I thinking?

I heard a low growl within the darkness as it was accompanied by a loud, heavy footsteps. I could feel the ground shaking in every step that shadowy figure took. It was like as if there was an earthquake. I decided to escape and climbed the long staircase. I don't know what was going on, but I could feel a rush of adrenaline pumping my blood.

I reached the second floor as I decided to hide in the nearest room. However, most of the chambers were locked as I could hear the shadowed monster coming closer.

My heart was pounding hard against my chest as I was already out of breathe from all the suspense. Sweat trickled down my forehead as I could feel my trembling hands getting colder. I don't know why, but the temperature inside this house suddenly dropped as I chattered my teeth, bracing the cold.

"Please let me in...!" I mumbled under my breathe, desperately trying to open each door that I would stumble upon my way. Much to my dismay, all of the chambers in the 2nd floor were locked.

"HREEEEE!"

A loud growl echoed throughout the dimmed hallways as I didn't dare to stop running. My guts were telling me that something bad would happen if the myserious monster managed to get a hold of me. I don't even want to think about what would happen next.

While I was running aimlessly, my feet accidentally caught on to something that I couldn't see as I fell down on the tiled floor. It felt like I twisted my left ankle. The ground continued to shake violently as I decided to gather all of my strength to stand and overcome this throbbing pain. There were some paintings and flower vases that were probably expensive as it crashed against the ground, and broke into many pieces.

"HRRREEEEEEEE!"

The growling sound became even louder as my body rolled all over the floor and gotten myself cut by the broken shards that clattered all over the ground. I could feel my blood dripping down of my wounds as tears began falling down my cheeks.

Why am I so utterly weak?! I despise my inferiority!

Since my ankle was currently aching badly after being twisted, I decided to crawl. I refuse to die in this haunted house!

I felt someone suddenly held my right ankle as I could feel its sharp claws digging into my skin.

"N-No! Let go of me!" I screamed on top of my lungs as I hurriedly kicked it away with my twisted ankle. I wasn't expecting that the monster would immediately release me, until I found myself rolling down the staircase which I failed to notice.

The last thing that I saw before my vision faded was a pair of turquoise green lights floating in the darkness.

I awoke from my slumber and broke out in cold sweats trickling down my face. My heartbeat was still thumping loudly against my chest. I noticed that it was still dark and the sun hasn't rise yet. I turned around to check the clock hanging at the wall for the time and saw that it was just 11:00 P.M.

I still have an hour left before my birthday officially ends. My stomach growled in a loud noise as it was nothing in comparison with the howl of the monster lurking in my dreams. It was so dark that I couldn't even properly see anything. I still had the pale moonlight trespassing from the window, but it wasn't enough to illuminate the entire room. I nervously checked if I was inflicted with any cuts, but there weren't any. The same with my left ankle, it wasn't twisted.

I guess the pain that I experience within my dream does not apply in my reality, and vice-versa. I could feel the throbbing pain in my legs coming back and the pulsating sensation of my cursed markings that tortured my body. It is difficult to get use in this kind of torment.

Despite all of this pain, I was still sleepy, but I tried my best not to doze off. There is no way I would go back in there after having a near-death experience. I almost had a heart attack for crying out loud!

I could feel my eyelids getting heavy, the light within my vision slowly faded as I was blankly staring at the ceiling. I decided that the first thing I will do once I go back to my dream is to escape that haunted house.