The sir came over to the local hospital to take care of some

financial business. Mostly to support the poor clinic with

supplies and taking care of medical bills, as he was wealthy.

Just few days ago a fire broke out in a small town nearby,

devastating households, killing, consuming everything.

Many died, even more were wounded.

I was one of them.

That's how we first met.

I used to make some trouble to the doctors... and so

I did this time, so they had to... "accompany" me to my room.

I couldn't help it.

And the look in his eye, it was mysterious yet somehow soothing.

In the end I agreed, so he told me to wait until he

will come back in a week.

He'll pick me up, after some preparations are done.

Few days have passed, but slowly my hope started to fade away.

Doubts started to form in my head.

The seventh day came and it became late, and he wasn't here,

so my thoughts went dark.

But as I decided to look through the window one last time,

a fancy car parked at the entrance.

I admit, I felt excited, relieved... and then anxious.

The sir came back, and brought some elegant clothes for me.

Then he paid all my medical bills and after some paperwork,

we finally got into the car.

He sat next to me and during the ride, the sir told me

a bit about himself.

He also apologized for testing my willpower.

Samael explained that the preparations he was supposed to do

for me, they were done in less than 3 days. However he wanted

to see if I will be strong enough to hold on for a whole week,

patiently waiting for him.

In which I did, but I was too shy to admit I was ready to throw

it all to hell, if I had to wait any minute longer.

I asked him, why did he test me, to which he responded,

it was the first step to my new life.

I asked again, wondering what would happen if I'd fail the test.

"You'd be buried in these clothes." He said.

This sent a shiver through my spine.

Some time passed, and we finally arrived at the Grim Side Manor,

a hotel of a slightly different kind. The building was rather unique...

...so as the interior...

The mood of it was meant to be unsettling, which suited

the name of the estate perfectly. It did scare me though.

It's like I was sucked into a whole new world,

a dark world for the lost, damned or wicked.

The right place for me now...

It was amazing that some people would be ready

to pay and spend few nights around here.

Those were my inner thoughts,

as soon as we stepped in the lobby.

The sir put his hand on my shoulder and asked me to help

him with some preparations for the grand opening.

My role here being one of the servants and running the place,

before other staff members arrive. From now on I was supposed

to live here and aid my master whenever I was needed.

I panicked since neither my looks nor personality

were fit for the job. My burn scars and my anxiety

after the fire kept haunting me, still.

But the sir was certain that I will do just fine.

To help me overcome my fears, I was allowed to

hide my face under a mask, as for interacting with people,

I could stay silent and not force myself to any sort of conversation.

This calmed my heart a bit, and I realized a thing.

Just few hours ago I was a broken man without future,

and now I had everything I needed to carry on with life.