We were back to the old-abandoned-building, I myself, could not believe Kris’ luxurious unit was residing beside us. We encountered the authorities investigating the unit I used to live in with my adoptive father. Kris showed the least care to their business, even though he was the main reason for the crime there to occur. He walked forward to his placed guiltlessly while I tailed him. The police seemed not to notice us that kept me wondering. He gripped my hand and pulled me inside his place with him.

“Ignore them.” He said.

He took his coat off, hanging it in the hanger while I closed the door behind me. He removed his shades as well, the same time he initiated his instructions to what my role would be.

“Every night, except for today, you won't see me lingering here. I'll always be outside doing some jobs and be here just in the morning till dusk, sleeping. So it's gonna be seldom for you and me to meet on a daily basis. Now, young man, you can read the books I bought for you and prepare for the General Education Development test. Whatever the result will be, you'll be enrolled in a school nearby. You have three months to do so. And while I get you ready, don't forget to keep the house tidy. My room is that way. Clean it while I'm out.”

I tried storing his command inside my mind. Telling some more, he rummages the shopping bags and pulled the one he was looking for among them.

“This is a mobile phone.” He said, showing a box with a cover of a glowing device that was very unusual to me. “It's our communication if we're distant from each other. The manual is inside on how to use it.” He passed the box to me. “By the way, you cannot get out of this house without my permission. I'm a busy person but I won't allow you to go alone by yourself, understood?” I answered him a nod. “Good, have a bath, rest well and tomorrow is your job's first day.”

“Yes.” I picked up the shopping bags to take them to my room.

But, I remembered he did not mention I had one. I looked where he was standing before but my new boss disappeared. I was confused if he was in his room or he went out.

While I was uncertain of his whereabouts, I roamed his unit to get accustomed to my work area. I learned it was bigger than what I used to have with my evil father. So big and marvelous, I could not stop wondering how this unit existed in our same building.

Maintaining the area spotless and well-arranged was the main point of my duty. In terms of cleaning, it was ambiguous if I could pass his standards. The last time I cleaned was in grade school in the classroom. I was trying to remember what we were also doing in Practical Arts subject. There something from it that could help me with this job. And, it was an advantage I do not require to cook for him.

The unseen problem was—taking back what I said that this place was antique—his appliances were state-of-the-art that I was clueless how they were functioning.

To be safe from the destruction of Master’s gadgets, I decided not to touch them and return to the couch, falling into slumber.

As I traveled my dreamland, I never saw a nightmare coming to haunt me. My dad was alive. Soundlessly, he entered my master's unit and headed to where I was sleeping. I saw myself peacefully resting, my body curled on the sofa. My eyes opened a little but I did not move. I could view him grinning like a maniac before both of his grasps locked on my neck and strangled me.

My eyes opened widely and there, I fully saw his dreadful-darkened-face, like a demon, disturbing and got me trembled crazily. He stunk with blood and he seemed rotting.

I could not bear this dream anymore. I wanted to be awake but he squeezed my neck more and I was choking.

He said. “You could not get away that easy, Sally.”

Sally. Sally. Sally. My adoptive mother's name kept on echoing inside my brain.

I was soaked with my own perspiration as I finally freed from that nightmare. My chest was heaving and my limbs were shaking. I was like having a fever due to that. I wondered if I needed to anticipate his visit in my dreams in the future. I hope this would be the last time.

To get away from that, I focused on my pending issue from last night instead.

I did not want to cause any trouble but I still did. Lucky that my handsome Master did not scold me for messing up his schedule, staying awake in the morning only to teach me how his appliances worked. Once I knew how to control them, I operated them myself. From his refrigerator, washing machine, some things in the bathroom and the kitchen, almost everything was a touchscreen. If not, you needed to use a zapper.

Time upgraded these entities so much that I was amazed they were the reality I was facing. The last time I watched the television, which too different from the wide one in front of me, people were still planning for this object to become like this. Now, the five years I was imprisoned was like a century past with the transformation of technology. Because I was living in simplicity before the hellish period of my life, it could also be the reason I looked so dumb at this moment.

When I was cleaning the bathroom, I did not mean to look myself in the mirror. And like I expected, a pity-looking boy was standing in my reflection. He was thin and pale — there was a dark circle around each of his eyes. His lips are chapped and faded. Learning how I look, I was embarrassed as I remembered that I displayed this appearance to the public last night. I sighed and in place, I put my attention to my hair that grew so long. I found a rubber band in the kitchen earlier and tied it to my long lock. This was what I would appear for now.

I awarded myself a break since the chores were partially over. I entered the place he called the “Entertainment Center”, a mini-theater-like part of his unit. I guessed he would not mind if I turned the TV on and watched a little.

News flashed to the screen and timely, it was about a mysterious attack happened besides this place. My former house. They found the corpse of Mr. Park, my father, who could be compared to a wither plant. He was deadly pale and seemed blood was not running through his veins. He did not have any wound other than the stab at his stomach that I made to him. The announcer could basically describe but there was no visual they could show up.

My sweat was trickling from my temple, down to the side of my face. My throat was dry and my hands, resting on my lap — I was shuddering. I was afraid they would mention he had a son and he was missing. That child would be claimed as the prime suspect for this murder.

I was waiting for the news reporter to tell that but I did not hear anything about me. All they kept on saying was his death was an enigma and huge challenge for the authorities to solve.

The screen suddenly shut down as the news shifted to a new topic. I did not sense him sitting down beside me only when I saw his reflection with me on the blank screen. This was the first time I had seen him not wearing his coat and strict attire although he was still wearing black. He was in his pajamas.

“You're simply stressing yourself, kid.” Long legs crossed together, he put the remote down the coffee table. “They will never talk about the boy who lived with that man. Because I cleared even the little things out that will track you down.”

I stayed silent while he was making eye contacts with me sternly. The intense gaze only disconnected when he yawned and left me in the room.

“Start reading your books if you're done with your errands for the day,” His voice muffled behind the door.

This place looked so much better than what I previously had, but the tight air trailed me here.

He must be too bothered by my actions that it did not last long, and we moved to another place. This time, to a decent condominium...

In the same style of the interior to his new unit, my days of service there passed smoothly. I might be stubborn but I was more comfortable calling him ‘Master’ than his first name. He could not do anything about but to accept it — I was just showing my loyalty though. We built a professional relationship between an employer and an employee, no harm and our deal was in proximity to be true.

In a blink of an eye, three months’ time ran so fast and I met the outside world again. The day of the G.E.D. Exam was here to happen. Sun shone too bright for my eyes that were used to the darkness. It was strange to see my master in a broad daylight. The weather was warm but he was fully covered of black cloth and protected by his umbrella against the sun. I was after him as he guided me to the venue of my test. At the time I was finished, he was standing at the gate and waiting for my exit.

It had been long since we walked side by side like this; due to his hectic lifestyle, we seldom saw each other in the house. I felt so special that he was here with me—for me. History was repeated as our hands were clasped together, and as if I was a kid that needed his guidance. He must had seriously pitied and regretted my bitter foregoing.

“How was your assessment?” Leading the path, he asked in the middle of our silent. I cocked my head because I was surprised by his sudden question.

“Good.” That was the only thing I could say.

“Did you do what I asked you to write as your last name?” The red traffic light glowed and we stopped walking.

“Yes,” I replied.

He asked me to write his current last name on the test papers. "Wu" would be the name I was going to use from now on, making us a family in documents. Blood rushed up to my cheeks thinking we would act as relative.

The light changed to green, resuming us to go forward.

“If you passed that, you'll be in a higher ladder of education.” He said. “What do you want to take up as a university student, young boy?”

“I'm... still thinking about that.” I knew he was going to be disappointed that I did not make up my mind yet.

“You need to hurry up.”

He took me to a sushi restaurant for dinner that night.

***