Nightmare Game
Copyright© 2025 by CaffeinatedTales
Chapter 9
Ethan returned to the room and suddenly sensed something off. Earlier, that loud noise had come from the madam’s quarters, so why had Lily dared to step out alone without even asking him what had happened?
“Uncle Albert, did you hear any noise just now?”
“No, why?” Albert looked puzzled.
“Nothing.”
With the soundproofing in these rooms, there was no way she could have missed the racket outside, and even if the sound didn’t carry, the vibrations through the floor should have been noticeable.
Was it an illusion, or were each room isolated zones where nothing from the others could be perceived?
He couldn’t figure it out, so he took a hot shower first and came back wrapped in a towel.
Albert, up on the top bunk, stared wide-eyed at the sight.
The towel didn’t cover Ethan’s entire body, revealing glimpses of his well-defined chest and abs, the solid muscles flexing with a sense of raw power as he moved.
In clothes, Ethan didn’t look particularly muscular, and his build wasn’t the showy bodybuilder type, so it made sense that most people wouldn’t notice.
“Ethan, you’ve been hiding quite a bit, haven’t you? You some kind of athlete?” Albert asked casually, sounding intrigued.
Ethan made sure the door was locked, and at Albert’s words, he paused slightly.
“How could I be? A paralyzed patient like me couldn’t train,” Ethan said with an innocent smile. “When I arrived in this weird place, my body was already like this, maybe as compensation for all those years bedridden.”
“Oh, you should have said so earlier, you scared me half to death.” Albert patted his chest, looking relieved. “I thought a monster from the castle had disguised itself as you and snuck in, I was about ready to jump out of bed and run.”
“I knew you were a sly old fox, Uncle Albert, sharper than anyone.”
“Hey, I take offense to that.” Albert sat up abruptly. “When it comes to being cunning, I bow to you, I can’t compete.”
They used the moment to clear the air, and Albert’s doubts eased considerably. In just those few words, Ethan had shared details only Albert would recognize, so he no longer suspected Ethan of being a monster in disguise.
After turning off the lights, the room fell into darkness. It was past midnight, and after everything that had happened that day, both were mentally exhausted, with no desire to keep talking.
Albert lay in bed, his mind a jumble, wanting to sleep but feeling a bit scared, which only made him more wired.
From the lower bunk came a soft snoring at some point, as if Ethan had already drifted off, and Albert couldn’t help but smile wryly, youth really had its advantages.
As he tossed and turned, Albert’s consciousness gradually slipped into sleep, vague thoughts drifting through his mind.
He reflected on how he’d ended up in this bizarre world full of killer monsters, where his own survival was uncertain.
Then he thought of his daughter, so talented and independent from a young age, someone he was immensely proud of, though he wondered if she even knew something had happened to him.
Still, he’d rather she never found out, he didn’t want her dragged into this dangerous mess.
Finally, his mind turned to Ethan down below, who was even more complex than he’d imagined.
Anyone with common sense knew that a bedridden patient, without exercise for years, would suffer muscle atrophy, often needing regular massages to prevent tissue death.
Ethan had been paralyzed for twelve years, yet not only had he recovered, but he’d developed a full set of muscles, and it was clear at a glance these were functional, not just for show.
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