Chapter 4: Chapter 4: So Much for Noble First Impressions

Then, just as it suddenly happened, the static stopped. Theodore lowered his shoulders. As if nothing had occurred at all, he leaned back on the couch once more, practically unbothered.

 

“Huh, you’re right,” Theodore casually spoke. “It’s been just a few days.”

 

Cherry’s eyes remained locked onto the man in blue. What was that just now?! Cherry screamed inside her head. I totally saw that! Now with sudden chills, she glimpsed at the others to see their reactions.

 

Dorothy expressed not a single hint of concern. Rather, her attention was towards an open window, where only a horizon of trees and the sky were visible.

 

On the contrary, Penelope faced directly at Theodore. She remained quiet, hands gripping her puffy sleeves. Cherry couldn’t tell if her legs were shaking underneath her long gown.

 

“Huh?” Clover tilted his head. “Yeah?” The man in green merely expressed confusion. Disregarding his brother’s unusual behavior, he turned back to the guest. “Anyways, do you have any more questions, Cherry?”

 

Based on the siblings' overall demeanors, Cherry’s gut feeling suggested that she ought not to mention it in public, lest she would be forced to remain silent like the rest. Besides, on a whim, she no longer dared to question the strangers with such creepy masks in their home.

 

“N-no,” Cherry stammered, her hands clenching on her thin, gray pants. She immediately regretted it, realizing she indeed, have other questions. Who exactly is Horace? What does he do? What do these people do? Why aren’t there any other servants in this seemingly rich family? How do they eat with those masks? Do they simply take them off when they do? Cherry continued to formulate such questions.

 

“Ah, alright then. In that case, it’s our turn to ask,” He cleared his throat. Theodore, who had been scratching his mask, turned to his brother. So did Penelope, who slightly jumped at his signal. The two black-haired siblings proceeded to observe Cherry through their dark eye sockets.

 

“Now then, Cherry,” Clover began, his voice lowered as well as his chin. “Do you truly not remember anything?” The other masked siblings remained quiet, fully focused on Cherry. Theodore and Penelope seemed to be analyzing her more closely.

 

Cherry, who lost her opportunity to ask any further questions, dismissed her own questions for now. She loosened her hands, her gaze calm. “I don’t remember a single thing,” She answered truthfully.

 

“Not a single thing? You don’t remember any friends, family, nor any past events?”

 

She recalled the three men she met last night. Were they her friends? They did act as such, yet she still wasn’t certain. “That’s right,” She answered.

 

Clover glanced at the two sitting beside him. “Well?” he asked. Theodore and Penelope remained silent for a moment. 

 

“All true,” The two concluded. Cherry raised her eyebrows in curiosity. What did they mean by that?

 

“Alright!” Clover lifted his chin, his voice becoming lively again. “Then, I have nothing else to ask. Does anyone else have any-”

 

“Nah,” Theodore interrupted. “Let’s just get started already. I’d rather ask without you lot around.”

 

“Indeed,” Penelope agreed, clutching her hat. “Let us not waste any more time.”

 

“That’s fair,” Dorothy added. “I have lots to do today after all!” 

 

“Alright,” said Clover. “Everyone has spoken. Moving on then. Before you woke up, Cherry, we have already discussed what you should do. Each day, you will be working with one of us. Starting from the youngest to the oldest, you will assist them with whatever task they have. Which means, starting today, you will be working with Theodore.”

 

The youngest sibling here is Theodore? Her eyes gaped at Dorothy, who seemingly looked far younger than the tall man with the corkscrew drills. She’s older than him?!

 

As if the girl understood her reaction, she giggled. “I’m only older than him by one year,” She pointed at her nonchalant brother. “He definitely took all my height!”

 

“To compensate for that, she took everyone else’s strength. Totally fair, right?” Theodore added. “I’m telling you, she’s stronger than all of us here combined,” He paused and seemed like he was hesitant to continue speaking. His head turned to Cherry, who had been sitting on edge ever since she woke up. He remained quiet for a moment, scratched his mask momentarily, and then chuckled. He pointed at Dorothy, his expressionless mask still facing Cherry, and continued his comment. “She’s secretly a gorilla in a girl’s clothes. Don’t make her mad now.”

 

“Hey!” Dorothy shouted. “That’s rude!” 

 

“Oi, mate-” Penelope, who out of the blue suddenly spoke deeply, quickly cleared her throat. Her voice reverted to a soft tone. “I-I mean, Now now, Theodore. That was uncalled for.”

 

“Shut it. Just stay quiet like you always do!”

 

Cherry could see the composed lady’s veins pop out from her neck. “Okay, that does it!” Penelope stood up, her voice lowered once more. “‘Ya wanna go, mate?!”

 

“Sure, let’s go then!” Theodore scooted his legs off the table and got up as well, laughing at Penelope’s sudden behavior switch. 

 

“Wait, no!” It was Dorothy’s turn to stand up. “Don’t fight!”

 

“How about you make me, gorilla girl?!”

 

Dorothys arms twitched.

 

“Oh, no, Cherry! Get up from that couch!” Theodore’s voice was mocking at this point. “She’s gonna throw it along with you if you don’t!”

 

“Why are you being so mean all of a sudden?!” Dorothy wailed.

 

“It’s payback for making me clean up the hallways twice the other day!”

 

“What are you talking about?! I made sure to clean my shoes that time!” 

 

“Then whose muddy trail was it?!”

 

“Enough!” Clover yelled out. “Go and continue arguing after our discussion! We’re not done here yet!”

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And just like that, the room was devoid of voices once more. Only the grandfather clock continued to endlessly tick. The three siblings slowly sat back down. Ignoring the tension, he continued on. “As I was saying, you will be working with Theodore today, Dorothy tomorrow, Penelope afterward, and then me. This cycle will repeat until Horace returns home.”

 

Cherry, who this time had been covering her laughter from their squabbles, cleared her throat. “I, uh, I see!” She said, covering her mouth and stifling her remaining giggles. “So, when will he come back?”

 

“Not for long,” Clover replied. “I would say within a week or so. He does check up on us every once in a while.”  

 

There was now an awkward silence. Cherry and the other three siblings glanced at each other in confusion.

 

“Yeah, I think that’s all for today,” said Clover, standing up. “We’re done here. Good luck today, Cherry.”

 

“Seriously?!” Theodore slumped back into the couch, rubbing his ears. “You didn’t have to yell at us when we’re pretty much done! My ears nearly burst!”

 

“And so did my ears,” The man in green walked towards the door.

 

“You do realize my ears are actually sensitive, right?!”

 

“I most certainly do.”  

 

“Then what was that for?!” Before he could get his answer, the doors already shut behind Clover. Theodore clicked his tongue and cursed under his breath. Cherry had no need to see his face to know he was annoyed.

 

And so, the remaining four continued to glance at each other. 

 

“Alright then,” Dorothy got up, “I’ll be going next. Good luck today, Cherry. See you tomorrow!” She waved her hands as she departed through the same doors.

 

“Good luck indeed,” Penelope sighed as she got up. “I’m sure she didn’t mean about the work,” She glanced at her brother and then turned to Cherry. “Just to let you know, Theodore can be weird and unpredictable at times. Just don’t mind him.”

 

“I’m literally right here.”

 

Penelope ignored him. “Do your best to tolerate him, Missy,” she patted Cherry’s shoulders and made her exit. Now, Cherry was left alone with the eccentric. 

 

“Sheesh,” Theodore let out a long, dramatic sigh. He faced Cherry, who, in turn, had been staring at him as well.

 

…

 

“So…” Cherry tried to break the silence “Is there anything you need to do?”

 

“Not really, actually,” Theodore answered. “I already finished my fair share of work yesterday.”

 

“What exactly do you do?”

 

“Cleaning.”

 

“That’s it?”

 

“Yep, that’s it.”

 

“What now then?”

 

“I dunno.”

 

The two remained quiet. The grandfather clock continued to tick, breaking the silence for only every other second. 

 

“Oh, I know,” he suddenly spoke up.

 

“Hm?” 

 

“I’m gonna take a nap. Do whatever you want.”

 

“What?”

 

With that, Theodore lifted his legs on the couch, shifted his back towards Cherry, and dozed off.

 

Cherry was astounded. So this was the unpredictability Penelope had just warned about? She continued to stare at his back and towards his long ponytail with a swirly end. There’s no way he would fall asleep with a stranger staring at him, surely?

 

Yet, Theodore remained still, his body rising and lowering with every breath. Cherry looked away, figuring that she shouldn’t disturb him.

 

She pondered on what to do next. Should she pick a book from the nearby bookshelves and read to pass time? She discarded the thought right away, remembering Solomon’s warning about her brain condition. Then, should she go explore? What if she gets lost, though? She continued to think. However, now that she has time for herself, her body began to relax, and the familiar pain inside her head once again rang through her clear mind. In the end, Cherry decided that she, too, should take a nap to ease her headache. 

 

And so, shifting both her legs up, she laid back on the velvety couch and drifted away.

 

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