The next day, after the girls finished breakfast, Esmeralda was determined to talk to Ivy.

"I need to talk to you, Ivy. Alone...!" she said.

Kate and Ivy looked at each other, their eyes flashing with curiosity, especially that Granny was sporting a serious look on her face.

"Okay," Ivy replied meekly.

"Follow me..." Esmeralda ordered.

"Wait...how about me?" Kate asked.

Esmeralda shifted her attention to Kate and smiled. "You stay here my dear. I just need to talk to your sister privately," she said and headed for the door.

Kate pouted, watching the two women exiting the house without her. She looked at the window.

She saw the silver box appeared in the front yard, Esmeralda and her sister went inside. The silver box takes off from the ground and was hovering in the air for a few seconds. A few minutes later it disappeared on the horizon.

Kate sighed. Where are they going? Why they didn't bring her with them?

She left the window and exited the door going to the wooden bench under the shade of the tree, she sat down on the chair and faced the tree. She's going to ask the tree, maybe it has knowledge where Granny and her sister were going. She was as curious as hell.

"Knock...knock!" she said.

Nobody answered.

"KNOCK...KNOCK!" she said again, this time much louder.

The branches were moving, signaling that the tree already heard her.

"Go away! You're disturbing my solitude!" the tree said.

Kate smiled in amusement. "Of all the tree that I met in my life, you're the most snub and cold tempered!" she commented.

"Really—? How many talking trees you met in your young life?" asked the tree.

"Only one and it's you!" she said in a bristled tone.

The tree laughed. "So, I guess among the trees you meet, I'm the most special one? Right?"

Kate rolled her eyes. "Yes. You're the most irritable one," she declared. "I'm here not to pick a fight with you. I'm here to ask... do you know where Granny Esmeralda and my sister going?" she asked politely.

The tree was silent for a moment. "Don't ask. Just believe me when I say that what they're discussing right now is all about your safety and your future. That's all you need to know."

A creased appeared on Kate's forehead. "Huh?"

"What... huh?" said the tree.

"Yes, why? I mean...why are they discussing my future? As far as I know, I'm safe here. So why would they discuss my safety?" she asked.

The tree shook its branches. "Well...you know... it's all adult talk. So yeah, just keep quiet and don't ask. Mature adults always make the decision for the younger ones."

Kate's frown deepens, she still doesn't get it. "If they were discussing about me, I should be there in front of them because it concerns me!" she insisted.

The tree groaned. "Just shut up and go back to the house. Believe me, it's all for your best interest! Don't disturb me, I'm having my morning nap," the tree said.

Kate snorted. "Whatever, enjoy your morning nap then!" she snapped at the tree and storm towards the house.

"Good riddance!" the tree laughed in amusement.

Pouting, Kate pulled the door hastily and went inside. "Damn, that grumpy tree!" she gritted her teeth in anger.

She went to the table and sat on the chair. She stared at the flowers arranged beautifully in the flower vase made of clay by her sister. While she's admiring the flowers, she was tapping her fingers on the table, trying to guess what are they discussing about her?

A few minutes went by, she still couldn't come up with a possible reason.

~

Esmeralda brought Ivy back into the stream. They were relaxing in the picnic blanket while admiring the picturesque scenery around them.

"Beautiful isn't it?" asked Esmeralda.

Ivy smiled and nodded her head in agreement. "Yes!"

Esmeralda studied the younger woman's face. "Ivy, how much do you love your sister?" she asked her point-blank.

Ivy glanced at Granny, frowning. "I love her with all my heart because she is my sister," she replied.

"So, how far would you go to show your love for her? If she's in danger, are you willing to risk your life to save her?" Esmeralda continues her pep talk.

"Yes, of course! It's my responsibility being her older sister," Ivy replied, wondering where this conversation will lead to.

"Great! You're a good sister! I deeply admired you," said Esmeralda. "Since you are a loving sister and a protective one, let's get to the most important question I want to ask you."

"What is it, Granny?" Ivy asked quizzically.

Esmeralda breathed deeply before she continues. "Let me tell you a story. A long time ago...I keep dreaming of a girl coming into the castle. That girl finally arrived. This girl is very special. You know why—?"

"I dunno..." Ivy said.

"Common...take a wild guess," Esmeralda encourages her to participate in her makeup story.

Ivy shook her head, no matter how hard she tries, she can't think of anything, instead, she wants to ask the question that popped up in her mind. "What this girl can do? What makes her special?" she inquired.

Esmeralda smiled. "Good question! This girl has a special type of blood that can open up the invisible deadly barrier..." her voice trailed for effects.

Ivy's eyes widened in surprise. "Huh? Really? Is this true? And where is this girl, Granny? Where can we find her? Let's find her so that we can escape this forsaken place!" she said feeling excited.

Esmeralda shook her head. "It's not easy though...we need a good amount of blood to create an opening safe enough for anyone to pass through," she said.

"You mean...?"

"Yes. A small ceramic bowl filled with her blood can only create a hole a size of my fist and after that, the opening will shut off again."

Ivy's eyes almost went out of its socket. "So...so...all the blood of the girl's body needs to be removed so that it can create a gap wide enough for someone to pass through?"

"Exactly!"

"Oh..." Ivy's face twisted in dismay. "The only way to get a good amount of blood is to kill the girl? Is that what you mean?"

"Yes!" Esmeralda nodded her head in confirmation.

"So...where is this girl? Where can we found her? Do you know her, Granny?" Ivy asked curiously.

"Yes, I know this girl and I know her location inside this castle," replied Esmeralda.

"Nice!" Ivy's eyes sparkled.

Esmeralda studied the younger woman's face. She saw a glimmer flickering in her eyes. "What are you thinking, child?" she probed deeper into her mind.

Ivy looked at Granny and shook her head. "Nothing..."

Then Esmeralda's face turned serious. "If you see this girl, would you kill her so that you and Kate can escape this place? Are you willing to kill someone to regain your freedom?" she asked in a serious tone.

Ivy was stunned with the question thrown at her, Granny was hinting at something horrific. "OMG! Y-you want me to...to...kill someone? Kill that special girl?" she asked in a trembling voice.

Esmeralda nodded her head confirming the younger woman's worst fear.

Ivy was shocked and dumbfounded, her mouth fell open.

Esmeralda saw the horror flashing in Ivy's eyes. "What's wrong, child? Are you afraid of killing the girl even if you know that she is your only hope in escaping this castle? You don't want to see Ella and your Aunt Margie again?"

Ivy took a deep breath. "I...I...have not killed anyone yet. It's a mortal sin to kill someone especially an innocent one! I don't want to kill anybody!" she declared vehemently.

"Ah, I see. So...you can't do it? You can't kill the girl? You'd rather remain here together with your sister until you die and just forget that there is an opportunity to escape just by killing that girl. Is that what you want?"

Ivy's mouth twitched. "Granny, you make me feel like it's easy to kill someone..." she protested.

"Child, during difficult times in order to survive, you need to do something even if you don't like doing it," Esmeralda said.

Ivy was shaking her head. "I dunno, Granny. But I can't do it! I can't kill someone innocent for my personal gain. That's pretty hard to do for someone like me who never killed anyone," she explained.

Esmeralda sighed heavily. It looks like she will have a hard time convincing Ivy to sacrifice her life willingly.

Ivy looked at her companion after she heard her heavy sighing. "Granny, what's wrong?"

Esmeralda stared hard at the girl. "Um...let me give you an example, child. If you are in the middle of a war. Savage enemies are coming from all directions and you have a younger sister to protect, then you happened to see a gun or a knife nearby...would you fight to protect your life? Would you kill the enemy first if you have the opportunity to do so or you wait until they kill you and your sister? Which is which?" she asked.

Ivy looked at Granny in the eyes. "I will kill the enemy first if I have the chance..." she said, her eyes glinted dangerously.

Esmeralda smiled. "But why are you hesitating to kill that girl? She is your only ticket out of here," she said.

Ivy took a deep breath. "Granny, she is not my enemy. She didn't do anything bad to me. The enemy you are talking about in your example are savages and this girl is innocent, there is a huge difference. Therefore different situation calls for a different approach!" she insisted.

Esmeralda released a mirthless laugh. They are just going in circles again and she's getting tired of their repetitive discussion, her patience is wearing out. Maybe she needs to get her point across in a straightforward manner. She glanced at the girl, her face turned serious. "Do you want to know who's this girl?" she asked with the intention to tell her the truth.

"Yes! Please tell me, Granny. I'm dying of curiosity!" Ivy roared.

"The girl I'm talking about is... YOU!" Esmeralda said.

Ivy's eyes widened for a moment then she erupted into a burst of laughter. "Granny, I don't believe you. You are joking again!" she said, her chest heaving with laughter.

She laughed for a few seconds more, then she stopped laughing after seeing a small ceramic bowl suddenly appeared in the old woman's palm out of nowhere, then a sharp knife appeared on the other. "Granny...w...what is the m...meaning of t...this?" she stammered in a frightened voice staring at the knife. A feeling of dread was rising in her throat. Her face drained of color.

She was about to flee from the place but suddenly she can no longer move any parts of her body.

Damn!

Holy shiit!

What's going on!?

She was frozen in time!

Is Granny going to kill her?

When Granny made a quick cut on her right arm using the sharp knife she felt the pain caused by the ripped flesh. She can't even say stop! Or screamed... or cry!

Dammit!

She's powerless!

When she saw abundant blood coming out of the cut in her arm...she fainted.

Suddenly, her world turned pitch black.