Burning Up (M.YG+ P.JM)

Ch 02| Gargoyle Mansion

Consequences seemed to show up everywhere after Mrs. Park had mentioned it. The landlord knocked on my rusty door which was barely holding up on its hinges, hissing the consequences of not paying my rent by the end of the week. My parents called and reminded me of the consequences of dropping out of college. My empty fridge bared itself to me and presented the consequences of being broke.

Life was a string of consequences to a series of short sighted actions. Reason less actions, with meaningless consequences.

It didn't seem to matter that I had only dropped out of college not to burden my already broke parents. It didn't matter that my fridge was empty because I saved up every nickel and penny I owned to pay for a surgery my mother just could not afford. It didn't matter that my rent was overdue because the little I had left barely sufficed to last me a day, let alone pay the impossible rent.

Nobody cared for the reasons.

They only cared for the little amount they saw, and the result that followed it.

And today, I faced yet another consequence. The consequence of getting a job which lasted for twelve hours.

I was up by five,which I was sure no sane person ever did. 

But sleep was a necessary sacrifice, if I were to  be punctual, and impress my employer who lived two thirty minute long bus trips away. Empty stomached, I slipped into a pair of faded blue jeans and a white t shirt, pairing it with my usual black trainers. And by five forty, I was out of the house, tucking my chin into the heavy scarf that wrapped around my neck. I braved the chilly air, shrugging stiffly as I shivered, and hastily fixed my glasses which had slid down my scrunched up nose. 

Thanks to that brave sacrifice,I found myself trudging up the familiar hill, fifteen minutes before I was scheduled to clock in. My hungry stomach growled furiously as I wrapped my thin hands around my own waist attempting to calm the waking beast down. You will be fed, I mused at it, and thought to myself in silence, "but so will the beast who lives within the walls of room 23."

The image of the aggravated gargoyles solidified before my eyes, their claws baring, matching colors with their sharp fangs that dripped a colorless fluid, resembling the saliva that would trace its way down the fangs of a vampire, as they eyed its unsuspecting prey. The colorless droplets slid off the bars of the gate as well, and it seemed that the gates had been washed. And here I was, not having water barely enough to wash myself every morning. The water that dripped down mocked me, rubbing in my current economical state.

What awaited me inside the mansion, I did not know. But as far as I was concerned, I would be having an uneventful day, preparing meals for a mysterious John Doe. The eyes on the brass figurines challenged me, daring me to take on the excruciating task of serving a being unknown, in a seemingly monster inhibited mansion. My empty stomach, and my bony finger which pressed onto the bell, answered the gargoyle's unspoken challenge for me.

I will hold in my curiosity, for the glory of mission not-so-underweight-anymore.

It was the same girl from last day who came to the gate, and let me in. But this time, her eyes were downcast, and I could see that her cheeks were slightly swollen while she hurried off inside, attempting to hide her face from me. A single apologetic glance was all I received while she dashed into the halls, once again, leaving me to fend for myself.

I sighed, and had just began to bend down, to take off my shoes.

"Oh! That won't be necessary Mr.Min, come on inside," I heard the all too daunting feminine, yet authoritative voice which belonged to the owner of this household. The woman who called herself my employer.