The camera pans over a grand, ancient mansion with ivy-covered stone walls, surrounded by modern houses. Inside, in an elegantly decorated bedroom filled with ornate furniture and rich drapes, a girl in her late teens, Camilla, tosses and turns in bed, her sleep troubled. Her long wavy black hair spills over an intricately embroidered pillow, her face contorted in distress. Sweat beads her forehead, and her breathing is rapid.

Suddenly, she wakes with a scream, clutching her pillow, shivering uncontrollably. Her wide, terrified green eyes dart to the ornate clock showing 3:24 a.m. The door bursts open, revealing her elder sister, Ginevra, in a sleek black jumpsuit with medium-sized goggles on her forehead. Ginevra rushes to Camilla's side, gently asking, "Camilla, are you alright? What happened?"

Camilla, struggling to catch her breath, whispers, "It was just a nightmare, but it felt so real."

Ginevra wraps an arm around her sister. "It's alright, you're safe now."

Their stepsister, Kersela, enters, her tall frame and striking appearance contrasting with the room's elegance. "What happened? I heard a scream."

Ginevra responds, "Camilla had a nightmare again, Kersela."

Camilla shakes her head. "I just need to calm down."

Their mother, Abigail, a stern woman, enters, her presence commanding. "What’s going on here? Shouldn’t you both be in your rooms?" she demands.

Ginevra replies, "Camilla had a nightmare."

Abigail’s gaze softens slightly. "We’ll talk about this in the morning," she says before leaving.

The next morning, the grand dining hall is abuzz with activity. The sisters gather for breakfast, their chatter filling the room. Their mother enters, carrying a board with rules listed. "We must maintain discipline," she announces, listing strict rules including an 8 PM curfew and no leaving the mansion grounds without permission.

The sisters exchange uneasy glances. "Failure to comply will result in consequences," their mother warns before leaving.

Astrid mutters, "We're practically prisoners," but Kersela insists they must find a way to deal with the rules without causing more trouble.

Later that evening, in Ginevra’s workshop-like room, she works on a device, the only light coming from a solitary lamp. A piercing scream suddenly echoes through the manor, making Ginevra’s heart skip a beat.


© Cipherization