They trembled, hiding inside the mask, her turquoise eyes gazed afar, her ears perked hearing the voice, and the knock on the door made her sit upright. She hastened, running through the corridor, wondering who was outside that door. Her hand clenched the knob, turning it so hard that it almost broke off. She peered out the door with a lot of hope, but there wasn't a human outside. Rather animals filled it low and high. There was a monkey, an elephant, even a giraffe, and so many. It would take days if she greeted them all. Though disappointed, a smile appeared on her lips, and they all felt it.

She walked with the group, surrounding her cake, even she could tell that they wanted her to celebrate. The squirrels climbed on her hand, and the crow sat on her shoulder, the tigress stroking her cheek while the lion pushed her forward.

She let out a smile, taking the knife from the butterflies, the elephant put wooden logs, and the gorilla started a fire, and soon there was music from drums, shells, and rocks. Her lips curved into a brighter grin; her gloved hands held the sharp instrument. She moved her palm, cutting the cake, and the first bite she kept aside for the Goddess's sake. The next one was for her parents, and the third for everyone else.

She gently smiled, remembering them, and moved to cut the cake again, and this time she shared it with her new friends. She stepped back and sat down on the porch, watching them dance, laugh, and roar.

It coincided with her memories, the image from years ago, the same laughter and the same fire, and the dance; it was on the Goddess's birthday. She closed her eyes, remembering the night, and tears dripped down her cheek. The drums, dance, laugh, and roar each came to a stop. They all gazed at her, only for her to stand up and walk, she joined in the celebration, moving to wipe her tears, but even that wasn't possible anymore. The girl danced, laughed, and celebrated, with tears covering her cheek.

It wasn't just her, whose birthday it was, the other one too was busy, but not at a party. She crouched behind the railing of the first floor, looking at men and women come and go. Her dress, the princess one, was nowhere to be seen, but simple clothes were what she was wearing.

"Hey Princess, still watching them?"

"Yes, because Sabina said."

"Oh, what did she say?"

"I have to watch ten of them and guess what they want. If I am right, then she'll pay."

The two girls laughed, giggling to themselves, "Oh, then you know what they like?"

"Yes, the one in the seventh room wants to be beaten; the one in the third wants to hurt. The one in the ninth wants something simple, and the one in the second is in love. The one in first…he wants to vent."

"Oh," The two girls, each a beauty, exchanged a look, turning their eyes towards the rooms, confused.

"How will we know if you are right?"

Emilija turned her scrutinizing gaze, watching the woman sitting at the center of the room. Her clothes were loose and open, revealing much of her skin, but no one dared to question her dignity, "She will tell me."

"Ah, I see," One of the girls smiled, and the other picked up the child, "Then let's go ask her now, shall we?"

The girl struggled, trying to get out of her hands; for once, she felt nervous. She gulped, not ready for her test, but at least she knew she did her best.

The two of them brought her to the center; standing between the sofa set, they knelt in front of the woman and said their request.

"Madam, did you hear what she said?"

The Madam glanced at them, leaning forward, swinging the pipe across her finger, "I did, and she did well since she was half right."

"Just half?" Emilija widened her eyes, coming across her second failure, puffing her cheeks, raising her eyes in anger, "Which ones did I get wrong?"

The Madam smiled, tilting her head, her smoky eyes shifted towards the left, "None actually."

"Huh?" Emilija wasn't the only one taken aback; the two girls also looked towards the left. There was nothing there but a group of men, and their eyes returned to the little one.

"Then why?"

"The question was to figure out ten, but who said they all had to men? Not only that, you only did five, and you want more than fifty percent?"

Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

"No, I guess…you are right," The girl freed herself, landing on her feet. She hastened towards the stairs to get a hundred percent.

The two girls, Madam's workers, gazed at her in pity, "Isn't that too harsh? She's still young."

"Moreover, this place is not for that one."

Madam leaned her head back, gazing at the roof, her ears perked up, listening to her climbing foot. She closed her eyes, giving a short reply, "This is what the child wanted, to understand humans. Who better than them and us? We fulfill their desire, and they do our, the money, the food, and the leisure. The world is simple, give and take…if that brat wants to rule, this is one of the four ways."

The girls laughed, taking it as a joke, but their Madam gave them a look and said, "Go."

She watched the girls run off, resting her head on the couch, closing her eyes to whisper, "It's still not the right answer, girl, figure it out."

The girl on the first floor stood there for days, gazing down at the men and women alike. She tried to figure it out for the first day, but rather than instinctual, her answers felt strange, mechanical. She wanted to reach the other side.

The girl was calmer on the second day, and till the third, she gave all the answers, but on the fourth, she missed her time to answer, and on the fifth, she didn't even try. On the eighth day, she came back down again, standing in front of the Madam, "I understand what you wanted to teach me. Was this a bargain?"

The Madam laughed, chuckling to herself, "So you understand, little girl."

"Yes, I do. The money that I said I'd earn was nowhere near enough. Help given when I have nothing to offer in return is irreparable, and what you have to offer is similarly priceless. Forgive me for my big words?"

The girl asked, giving her a heartfelt apology, making the ones who worked give her a hug, encircling her. She was showered with kisses, but her eyes remained fixed.

The Madam leaned forward, taking a whiff, narrowing her eyes to say this, "So you understand, and for that, I will give you 90%."

"Just 90? She should be given a hundred no one twenty?!" The girls cried out to that injustice, still showering her with love and kisses.

"What did I miss?"

"Right, right, what did she miss?"

"I can say she was right."

"Yes, me too!"

"Me too!"

"Is that so, then tell me. Are we helping her because she has nothing to offer?"

The girls went quiet, one after the other, and Emilija raised her head, muddled, not understanding the simple thing.

"It's hope, child," Sabina, the Madam, let out a sigh, "We do not live a hopeless life, and we are satisfied, but hope is precious in this dying world. On days it's heaven…and at night…hell. Hope is a precious commodity, and to offer, you have much."

"Hope?"

"Hope for a better tomorrow and getting rid of the past horrors. That priceless commodity you can offer."

"Oh," The child blinked ever so slowly, tilting her head, "Then will you work for me?"

"Hehe, No, Sweety. First, earn the promised money."

"Very well," Emilija turned her eyes towards the others, gently asking, "Will you help?"

"Yes, yes, and yes, whatever you want."

"But even if all of us gave you a cut, even in hundred years, it wouldn't be enough."

"A cut? That's not what I want. Money is just one way of a transaction; there are others. I will use…what I have learned."

"Then impress me, girl."

The child's eyes met with the Madams for a moment, and she became lost in her own thoughts, surrounded but alone. She knew what she wanted, and for that, she needed knowledge. She went back up to the first floor and observed them, thinking more.

She knew there were seven significant paths to awaken Kundalini. The first one was through Devotion to God, the next was Meditation and then was Exercise, with numerous hand signs. The Path of Order was also one, like the Path of understanding Individual and Self. And then came the hardest to do, Karma Yoga. All of the Six led to the Seventh, the Kundalini, the Lifeforce of the Universe.

She gazed at the world, the people, wondering, were there really only six? If she lived her life to the fullest, not following any of that, and being satisfied with herself, her actions without any regrets, then would that mean it was still not enough?

Then these people, who worked here, without any misgivings, lived their lives on their own rules. Did that mean they will not be granted the same thing? Or was it even of the universes to grant? For Fate to decide? Or was it theirs for taking?

She couldn't figure out; there were too many variables, so she chose the way that was always reliable. She chose science, but for that, she needed equipment, and so she asked for a cut. They all laughed but gave her the cut, and it took a month for her to set up. She observed, not them, but the energy in the air, the emotions, and the feelings.

Once she had enough, the heads of the equipment, she turned, pointing at herself. She observed the data when she used her Kundalini. Each time she used to punch or move or jump, there was a change in the wavelength, and she used to observe the range.

Was it possible to use this? To harness the wavelength of this place, the energy of people's passion, and the paths they could make? She wanted books from before the end. The only one she could ask was the Madam.

"Books, that knowledge? Do you want more? Who is it for?"

"You, of course.

"Me?"

"No, for everyone," She said, "Humans are many, and choices are more, their passion, their love, and a life with no regret…isn't that enough? I want to see the way I control energy and try if you can do the same?"

"The same? You are not about the Yogic Arts? Right?"

"Kundalini is in us, dormant in all, the Divine in us, and a lot more. It is our reflection, and our choice and Fate, then why not master it in your own way?"

"Heh," The Madam, Sabina laughed, "Ah, that's an interesting thought. Books…I know of one, certain organization, but we cannot go against them; that is certain death."

"Oh, but if I help you gain control over that energy, then would it be enough?"

"For that, you need the information, so either way, it is just another dilemma."

"True, I cannot deny that, and I can't ask you for more. For them, I cannot say or promise, but you have that potential. Will you accept this offer?"

The Madam observed the child, thinking much, and let out a smile, "Very well."

The child's eyes brightened into a passionate smile, and she felt she finally step closer to the one trapped.