Esmeralda, Kate, and Ivy were splashing water on each other. They filled the stream with their girly squealing and merry laughter.

One hour later.

"Girls, continue swimming. I'll take my leave." Esmeralda left the water and went to the bank of the stream to rest. She waved her hand on the clearing under the shade of the big tree and a brown picnic blanket appeared, she spreads it wide on the ground. She waved her hand for the second time, dry white flowing clothing appeared on the cloth instantly.

She took one of the dry clothing and changes into it behind the big trunk of the tree. She then dried her wet clothing by hanging it on the branches nearby.

She went back to the picnic blanket she spreads on the ground and plopped down, her eyes fixed on the girls' fun-filled activity frolicking in the water like children in abandon.

While observing them, different thoughts were creating havoc in her mind.

The vampires see something in the girls. Why they only recently plan on escaping this forsaken place? A coincidence? Just when the girls arrived at the castle?

Can the girls be the instrument on their escape?

Her friend the tree suggested to her wanting to use Kate to transplant her heart into the girl's body and vice versa. It's a risky method that could bring immediate death to her and Kate and to all creatures that inhabit the castle.

If there's another way, she would take that route.

What is it about the sisters' blood that is special for the vampires? She was sure that she has the same blood type as the girls.

Does the girl's blood have other uses besides a favorite drink elixir for the vampires?

If it's not about their blood...what else?

What is it?

Hmm...

She will find out soon enough!

Sooner or later the girls will get tired with their water activity and they would rest beside her.

For now, she will allow them to enjoy the marvelous water in the stream as much as they want.

Half an hour later.

The girls finally have enough of the water. They left the stream and went to Esmeralda's side.

"Are you done swimming, girls?" Esmeralda asked.

"Yes, Granny!" the girls answered in unison.

Esmeralda handed them dry clothes. "Okay, change into dry clothes over there, behind that big trunk of the tree," she said pointing at the direction of the tree on the left side of the clearing.

Ivy's brows furrowed. "Is it safe there? No one can see our naked bodies?" she asked wanting to be sure.

"Yes, just go there. I made a curtain of leaves cascading in that area and you can get inside the enclosure and change clothes without getting seen by anyone," Esmeralda assured them.

"Alright, let's go, sis!" Kate spoke.

The sister went to the tree. As expected, thick curtains of leaves cascaded from the branches of the tree forming a circular enclosure that can accommodate one person at a time.

"Kate, you go first. I'll guard outside," Ivy said.

Kate went inside the circular enclosure and changed into dry clothes, she finished dressing within a few minutes and exited the enclosure.

It's now Ivy's turn, she changed her clothes inside.

Finished dressing, the sisters hanged their wet clothes on the nearest branches of the tree.

They walked towards the clearing and sat beside Esmeralda.

Kate's gaze sweeps the surrounding. "Wow! This place is amazing! I never had an invigorating swimming experience like this for a long time!" she gushes.

"Do you always come here, Granny?" Ivy asked.

Esmeralda smiled and nodded her head. "Yes. If I'm feeling bored at my house. I usually spend my time here, swimming in the stream and enjoying the blooming flowers."

Kate stared at the butterflies floating above the flowers. "I never know something so beautiful existed inside this doomed castle..." she muses.

Esmeralda smiled. "For every bad and ugly thing in this world there's bound to be something good about it even if it's just a fraction of it," she replied in a cryptic voice. "Similarly, you can find a fragment of evilness inside the mind and heart of good men and women. This goes to show that there is no such thing as perfection in this world," she concluded her statement.

The girls fell silent as they digested carefully the old woman's words of wisdom.

Esmeralda observed her young companion. The girls' faces were still spellbound by the breathtaking scenery around them. "Girls, you can rest and sleep here on the picnic blanket if you feel sleepy," she informed them.

"OK, Granny," said Kate.

Ivy was combing her wet hair with her fingers while staring at the sparkling water of the stream. She shifted her attention to the waterfall, it falls nicely to the stream below.

Kate rose to her feet. "Granny, can I take a few flowers to bring back with us when we go home later?" she said.

"Sure, take as many as you want," Esmeralda replied casually.

"Nice!" Kate exclaimed and dashed towards the flowers excitedly.

Ivy stopped brushing her hair with her fingers and joined her sister.

Esmeralda watched the sisters' animated faces, as they were busy choosing flowers to pick. In the end, they picked one for each variety of flowers growing in the garden.

A few minutes later, they returned to the picnic blanket carrying a bundle of flowers in their arms.

"Hmm, they smell nice, Granny!" Kate commented while burying her nose in the petals of the flowers.

"These flowers are of rare variety. I can't find types of flowers like this in the village," Ivy said as she studied the flowers she was carrying in her arms. "Who planted the flowers, Granny?" she asked.

"I planted them myself. These types of flowers are abundant in the place where I came from. I just took the seeds with me and planted it here. But it only grows abundantly in this specific area because of the magical quality of the water in the stream," Esmeralda explained.

Ivy nods her head. "Ah, I see. Thanks for the info, Granny!" she said with a smile of gratitude flickering in her eyes.

The girls settled in the blanket and set aside their flowers, they love the gentle breeze caressing their skin as they immersed themselves in the enchanting dreamy atmosphere of the surrounding. The wonderful display of nature is soothing and relaxing to the eyes, lulling them to sleep.

A few minutes later.

Esmeralda watched as the girls' eyelids were slowly dropping.

"I'm going to sleep..." Kate murmured and lay down on the picnic blanket.

Ivy feels sleepy as well and follows her sister into slumber.

Esmeralda grinned. "Sleep well girls!" she said and waved her hand at the girls' bodies putting them in a deep sleep, then she waved her hand around the area, hiding herself and the girls inside the invisible dome that she just created.

If someone is spying on them right at this very moment, they can no longer see her and the girls.

"It's now time!" she said to herself. She opened her right hand and a sharp knife appeared in her palm. She did the same to her left hand, a small ceramic bowl appeared as well.

She lowered herself on the blanket and squatted beside Kate, holding the knife firmly in her right hand. She put the ceramic bowl in place and made a small cut in the girl's right arm, the blood rushes out from the cut and trickled into the bowl.

A few minutes later.

The bowl was already half-filled. It's sufficient for now.

She touched the area of the cut of Kate's arm with her right hand healing the torn skin.

Done.

She went to Ivy's side and repeated the same process. She watched as the blood trickled into the bowl.

She holds Ivy's arms until the bowl was already brimming in full capacity.

She stopped the process and healed the cut on Ivy's arm.

Done.

She picked up the ceramic bowl filled with blood and left the confinement of the invisible dome in her invisible form.

She started walking towards the area where the deadly blazing barrier was located.

After fifty steps she reached her destination, she waved her hand around the surrounding area erecting an illusion of thick trees blocking the view. This is to ensure that whatever miracle will take place a few minutes from now, no one's going to witness it!

Finished erecting the illusion... it's now safe to perform the experiment she had formulated in her mind since last night.

Actually, she was expecting a 99% failure.

But since there's no proven strategy yet...she can only try and see what the result will be.

She waved her hand and the invisible barrier blazing with fire appeared in front of her.

She holds the bowl firmly in her hand..and without further ado...she throws it into the barrier emptying its contents in the process.

For the first few seconds nothing happens, she only saw the ceramic bowl burning and turning into ashes.

Nothing follows...

Disappointed...she turned around preparing to go back to the stream where she left the girls.

Then suddenly, she heard a tiny sound of cracking as if a wall has been undergoing a crack..so faint the sound is... she nearly missed it.

She turned around and looked at the area where she throws the blood and the ceramic bowl.

Oh my!

There it is...the miracle she's been waiting for!

Her eyes widened in surprise and shock!

Dang! It's finally happening!

Esmeralda covered her mouth in disbelief! The girls' blood was able to create a fist like opening, a small hole in the surface of the barrier!

She edges closer to the small opening and took a peek on the other side, and she was super delighted to see the outside of the castle!

"Amazing!" she gushes in a thrilling voice.

She was about to stick her index finger into the opening when she heard a sound, to her chagrined the barrier was closing in again! She immediately distances herself from the opening.

"No! Don't close yet!" she exclaimed. She watched in awe and deep sadness as the barrier was healing itself. She can no longer see the opening!

Dammit!

The deadly barrier was back!

She stared at the barrier for a few minutes, totally taken aback by what just transpired a moment earlier.

Dang!

How many minutes does it open up before it closes again? Dammit, she was not paying attention to those factors...she was totally mind blown! Hmm...maybe a total of five minutes...she's not sure though. But the impressive result of her experiment is important, the barrier finally opens up due to the girls' blood and her discovery blows her mind away!

This is exciting!

The girls' blood is valuable for her escape!

Her mind and heart were rejoicing!

Finally, there's a way to escape the castle!

How about her blood? Would it be effective as well? Since her blood and Kate was the same?

Ah, no need to find out!

For now, she will go back to the stream and bring the girl back to the house and share the good news with her friend, the tree.

She went back to the garden and entered the invisible dome. She summoned the silver box and placed the sleeping girl inside their transportation and left the area.