He's Under My Spell

As soon as Priscilla snapped out of her daze, Luminous and his health concerns flooded back into her mind. She hurried towards the maid's quarters, her heart pounding. Reaching her room, she gasped. Luminous, her beloved bird, was nowhere to be found on the table. Panic rising in her chest.

"Luminous! Where are you?" she whispered, frantically searching in her room.

Desperate, she rushed back to the mansion, her heart pounding. "Has anyone seen my parrot, Luminous?" she asked the other maids gathered in the kitchen, her voice urgent.

One of the maids, Elena, shook her head sympathetically. "No, Priscilla. I haven't seen him anywhere."

"Have any of you seen a parrot flying around?" Priscilla asked, her voice catching.

The other maids exchanged worried glances. "No, Priscilla," another maid replied, "I haven't seen anything."

With a sinking feeling, Priscilla rushed towards the garden, her eyes scanning the lush greenery. "Excuse me," she approached the elderly gardener, Mr. Reyes, who was meticulously pruning a rose bush. "Have you seen a parrot around the garden today?"

Mr. Reyes, his brow furrowed, shook his head. "No, miss. I haven't seen any birds, except for the usual sparrows and doves."

Disappointment washed over Priscilla. Luminous was nowhere to be found.

Priscilla wandered more through the mansion, her heart heavy with worry. "Lumi, Lumi, where are you?" she called out his bird alias name softly, her voice echoing through the halls. She eventually found herself near the edge of the forest that bordered the mansion grounds. The dense foliage beckoned, promising a haven for a lost bird. Priscilla hesitated, torn between her desire to find Luminous and the fear of venturing into the unknown.

Just as she was about to step into the forest, a voice startled her. "Are you looking for this?"

Priscilla whirled around, her eyes widening in disbelief. Standing before her was Elvis, a mischievous glint in his eyes. Perched on his shoulder, looking remarkably content, was Luminous, chirping happily.

"Luminous!" Priscilla exclaimed, rushing towards them. "Oh, you naughty bird! You gave me such a fright!"

Elvis chuckled. "Seems you have a knack for losing things, Priscilla."

Priscilla blushed. "I... I'm so sorry, Sir Elvis. Thank you for finding him."

Elvis gently stroked Luminous's feathers. "He seemed to be enjoying his little adventure. Quite the explorer, this one."

Priscilla gently took Luminous from Elvis's shoulder, hugging him close. "Thank you again, Sir Elvis. I owe you one."

Elvis smiled. "Consider it repaid. Now, I suggest you keep a closer eye on your feathered friend."

Priscilla nodded, her heart overflowing with relief. "I will, Sir Elvis. I will."

Priscilla watched Elvis retreat towards the mansion, the rhythmic tap of his cane fading into the distance. Turning her attention back to Luminous, she was about to scold him playfully for causing such a scare, but a wave of horror washed over her. Instead of her vibrant green parrot, she was holding a lifeless black crow.

"What... what happened?" she stammered, her voice trembling.

Terror began to grip her. The crow in her hands felt strangely cold and heavy. As if mirroring her growing fear, the light around them began to dim, the vibrant colors of the forest fading into eerie shades of gray. The crow itself seemed to be dissolving, its feathers crumbling into dust that scattered in the wind.

"Luminous?" Priscilla whispered, her voice barely a breath.

Priscilla blinked, disoriented, she was deep within the forest behind the mansion. Sunlight filtered through the thick canopy, casting dappled shadows on the forest floor. How had she gotten here? She hadn't consciously walked into the woods. A shiver ran down her spine.

Suddenly, a booming voice echoed through the trees, startling her.

"Priscilla!"

She recognized the voice as that of the mansion's owner, a man known for his gruff exterior and even gruffer demeanor.

"Be careful," the voice warned, "The forest holds many secrets. And not all of them are friendly."

The voice faded, leaving Priscilla alone in the deepening gloom. The air grew heavy, the vibrant greens and yellows of the forest draining away, replaced by an eerie, unnatural gray. Fear, cold and clammy, gripped her. She tried to scream, but no sound escaped her lips. Then, darkness consumed her.

Priscilla awoke with a gasp, disoriented. She felt a gentle shaking on her shoulder and heard a concerned voice.

"Priscilla! Priscilla, wake up!"

She blinked, her eyes slowly adjusting to the dim light of her room. It was Elena, her fellow maid, her face etched with worry.

"Priscilla, you were muttering in your sleep, talking about the forest and… and crows. I was just about to call you because Sir Elvis was looking for you" Elena said, her voice hushed. "You seemed terrified"

Priscilla sat up, her heart pounding. She tried to recall the terrifying dream, the strange occurrences in the forest, but the memories were hazy, fragmented.

"I… I don't remember taking a nap?" she stammered, her voice still thick with sleep.

Elena placed a comforting hand on her arm. "It's alright. You must have had a bad dream. Just try to get some rest a minute then follow me to the mansion, Sir Elvis is waiting "

She looked around her room, was confused how come she fell asleep, when she could clearly remember what had happened.