Chapter 6

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Mornings weren't normal for Taemin anymore. Not only was he locked in a prison cell, but he was never able to see the beautiful blue morning sky, or anyone he cared about anymore. The sky really wasn't blue anymore. All along the castle area, the dark storm clouds never disappeared, causing an eerie environment. The castle itself had a spooky environment. He was glad to be able to get his brother out of here. It was the sacrifice he made, and would never regret.

After Taemin had woken up, he noticed how wet his hair and body still were. He looked down at the floor he slept on. It was covered in water. The cracks in the wall created a pond on the floor of the prison. He wrapped his cape around him tighter trying to keep himself warm. Why? He wasn't going to survive these living conditions long. As much as he wanted to believe, that maybe one day he would be able to make it out alive to see Taesun and Amber again.

His thoughts were interrupted when the hallway had echoing footsteps. Footsteps? It sounded more like ticking. He looked over to the hallway opening, and saw a light. The cell door made a click sound, and opened.

"You can follow us, the master is letting us take you somewhere better." Someone said.

Us? He couldn't see one person, let alone a group. He stood up anyway, and walked out of the cell. As soon as he was out, the light in the hallway was fading away. They were walking away. Taemin followed down the hallway. He wasn't able to keep up with them, but he still could tell where they were going, since they held the light. Soon Taemin was back at the entrance of the castle where he came into a few days ago. Although it was still dark outside, it was still morning and the light made it easier to see the main entrance. Across from the front door, there was a stair case that was larger at the bottom, and became thinner on the second floor. Each floor started as a balcony looking over the first floor, but looped around farther with hallways. The room itself was in a half circle shape, the wallpaper was torn apart everywhere, and tall pillars touched the floor reaching up to the ceiling on the sixth floor. There were doors everywhere through out the castle, leading to who knows where. Chandeliers that were meant to hang from the ceiling, were smashed on the floor, while the chains still hung swinging in the air. Metal armor suits stood at each side of the stair railings. They both held swords faced down to there chest. Taemin felt a shiver run up his spine looking at him. He felt as if they were watching him.

The light went up the second floor, and Taemin followed, watching the metal suits as he passed. One of it's head tilted, and then the helmet fell to the floor. Making a loud echoing that rang not only in Taemin's ears, but the whole castle. Taemin's heart stopped from the shook, and he quickly ran up the stair case. He caught up the light but it was still so far ahead of him. When he saw the hallways from the first floor, he didn't image them looking like this. There weren't small. They got larger each step Taemin took. He passed by one door that was slightly open. It was a ball room. He called out to the people and asked them if they could wait. The light stopped, and waited for him. He took he chance, and walked into the ball room. He gasped. The ball room was almost as large as the castle. It had checker board tiles that were untouched for years. The curtains covered the windows on the over side of the room, letting no light in. Just under the windows was a stage meant for insterments and performers. Taemin was taken back that the beautiful sight. Although the room needed a good cleaning, Taemin loved it. He had never seen a ball room in his life. It was perfect for dancing.

A knock on the door made Taemin come back to reality. He walked out of the room, and followed the light again. He reached the end of the hallway soon after leaving the ballroom. There was a door at the end he assumed was his room. The same candelabra that he found in the prison was left in front of the door. Who ever lead him here, didn't want him seeing them or something. He pushed the door open bringing the candelabra with him to see. He closed the door behind him. It was a bed room. On the other side of him, was a window that had a sliding glass door that lead out to a balcony. The bed was on the far left side of the room. It had a wardrobe on it's right, and a nightstand to its left. That was all the room had. It also looked like it wasn't used for years. Every each of the room had a thick layer of dust, and cobwebs. Taemin walked over to the bed, sitting himself on the edge, placing the candelabra on the night stand. He ran his fingers threw his wet hair, and fell back on the bed. He grabbed the pillow and held it to his chest like a teddy bear.

"You must be hungry." Someone said.

Taemin shot up. That voice came from the room, but he didn't walk in with anyone. He didn't see anyone either. He glanced around the room and backed himself up against the headboard of the bed. He heard some kind of bell begin to ring.

"I just called for a cart of food. Poor thing, you have to get something in you." The voice continued.

True Taemin hadn't eaten in days, but he was more focused on the voice of the person he couldn't see. Was his mind playing tricks on him? Was he starving that much he was hearing voices or was there really ghost? He turned to look at the candelabra. He thought was crazy, but from the corner of his eye he thought it moved. He blinked a few times. It was moving. Not the flame itself. The metal arms. They were tilting and moving, just like human arms would. His eyes widened. He couldn't believe that was happening in front of his eyes. His grip on the pillow tightened. Before he knew it, the wax of the candle was melting away, creating what looked like a human face. It's wax eyelids opened but it had human eyes, looking at Taemin. It smiled. Smiled? How can a candle smile? How could it have a face? How could it be alive? Taemin didn't realize he was holding his breathe until he felt his chest hurt from the lack of oxygen. Taemin took one deep breathe and began panting.

"Annyeong. You looked con-" The candle spoke.

Taemin screamed. It was the voice from the prison. The voice talking to him the whole time. Taemin squirmed on the bed backing away, throwing the pillow in the air. He must had forgotten he laid on a bed, because he fell over the edge. He laid on his back looking up at the ceiling. He grabbed his head that was first to hit the floor. The wardrobe was tilting over him, about to fall. Taemin covered himself, prepared for the worst. But when he felt nothing fall on him, he opened his eye and looked at the wardrobe. It wasn't falling, it was looking over him. It also had a face with human eyes at the top on the wardrobe's headboard.

"Are you alright? You fell right on your head." The Wardrobe said.

Taemin didn't answer. He kicked his feet, pushing himself on the floor away from this. It wasn't real. He hit his head so hard he was imagining objects talking to him. Yeah, that's right. He backed up into a wall, when the door flung open. A push cart came in, with no one pushing it.

"I heard your call, and I came as soon as possible. Is that poor boy in here? Oh he must be dying for food."

A teapot? A teapot was talking? Nope, he lost it. Taemin was crazy. He wasn't sane anymore. He was pushing himself against the wall to pick himself up. Not only were the objects talking to him, there were talking to each other and moving. They were breathing, blinking, speaking like humans. They were alive like humans. Taemin ran his fingers threw his hair again, pulling his head back against the wall, still not believing what he was not only seeing but hearing.

"I think we scared the poor boy."

"We should explain ourselves to him first before he thinks he's crazy."

Before he thinks? Too late for that. The candelabra jumped down from the night stand and made it's way over to Taemin. Taemin tired to push himself past the wall. Damn the wall for being in his way. The wall wasn't alive too right? Was the wall going to eat him when it opened its mouth. The candelabra stopped right by Taemin's feet and looked up at him.

"First things first, Hello. My name is Jinki but you're welcomed to call me Onew if you'd like." The candelabra, or 'Onew' gestured for Taemin sit back down on the bed. He did. He walked back to bed and sat on the edge. "We know you are confused, but everything will make sense in the end."

Taemin covered his face with his hands. "I'm dreaming. That's it. This all a dream."

"I'm afraid not." He heard a girl voice say. He looked in between his fingers to see the wardrobe talking to him. "We all wish it was, but it's not."

"All? What do you mean?" Taemin relaxing himself. He noticed how the objects who were talking to him felt the same emotions he did. They were just as scared and confused as he was.

"I think we should all introduce ourselves first." The teapot said, jumping over the bed. "I'm Kibum, and this here is Yoogeun. Come show yourself Yooguen." Behind Kibum a small teacup peeked out and looked at Taemin. It had the face of a child. It made Taemin smile.

"Annyeong. I'm Taemin." Taemin said, but scared Yoogeun. He hid behind Kibum again.

"My name is Jinri, but everyone calls me Sulli." The wardrobe said.

The candelabra jumped up on night stand. "You see, we all work for the master of the castle, who you met yesterday."

"Master? You mean that monster?" Taemin questioned.

Kibum shook his head. "He wasn't always this way. None of us were."

"The Master acts this way because of how we are now." Onew said.

"He acted this way before we became like this. Don't lie." Sulli said.

Taemin was swinging his head back and forth, watching as they talked to one another. His head started spinning. He held onto his head like it was going to fall off. "If you guys weren't always like this, then why are you like this now?"

Taemin didn't know that the question would cause an awkward silence. They all looked at one another. Then everyone looked at Onew. Onew sighed before speaking.

"We were cursed."

Taemin felt weird. He felt like this was familiar. Not the familiar that he went threw it before but the familiar that he's heard of this before. Taemin spoke without thinking. "For how long?"

He could tell Onew was thinking. Counting in his head. "About three years." It didn't sound much, but to think of everyday in those three years? Taemin looked down at his hands that were folded on his lap. Kibum looked at Sulli, who hadn't said anything. He gave her 'this look.'

Sulli understood, and tried to change to mood. "You know, you still haven't eaten anything. How about we get you some breakfast?" Sulli smiled.

"That sounds like a great idea!" Onew said. He hopped down from the night stand, and joined Kibum and Yoogeun, who made their way to the push cart. "We'll go down the kitchen to prepare some breakfast. I'll invite the Master to show you where the dining hall is and -"

"Aniyo!" Taemin cut him off. "I don't want to spend anytime with him. I'm his prisoner. Not his friend." His eyes were in a half dazing. Making him look so serious.

"The Master isn't a bad person once you get to know him." Sulli said, trying to clam Taemin down.

"All I know about him, is how he treated my brother. That's all I need to know about him to not like him."

Once again everyone looked at Onew for help. Onew looked at Taemin, and put on a half smile, understanding why Taemin felt the way he did. "Taemin let me ask you something." Taemin looked at Onew confused before nodding. "You know how you feel right now? Angry, because something happened to someone you care about? Understand that the Master fells the same way." With that, the cart began wheeling towards the door.

"Wait!" Taemin stood up from the bed. Onew and everyone looked at him. Taemin looked around the room innocently, shyly, not sure what he thinking. "What's his name?"

A smiled creped on Onew's face. "His name is Minho. The Master's name in Minho."

Taemin faked a smile and sat down on the bed again. Onew and Kibum left the room. leaving Taemin to get ready. The cart was making it's way down the hall, with Kibum, Yoogeun and Onew. Once they were far enough, Yoogeun jumped around on the cart. He stood in front of Kibum. "I told you she was the one!" Kibum shushed Yoogeun.

"He sweetie. He's a boy baby." Kibum glanced over at Onew. "But do you think that maybe he could be?"

Onew shrugged. "Wasn't against the rules. Rule was he had to fall in love."

"And have them love him." Kibum added. "That's going to be the hard part.

"I'll talk to him about the breakfast, and giving Taemin the room."

"You mean, you never got his permission to let Taemin out of the prison?"

Onew smiled. "Not yet, but he'll thank me later."

Kibum used his spout and threw a piece of bread at Onew, catching him off guard. "You're going to get us all in trouble!" Onew fell backwards after being hit and fell off the moving cart. The cart, however didn't wait for Onew, and he had to chase after Kibum.