The bath chamber was directly across from Josie’s room. The floor was made of small, white and black hexagonal tiles, while the walls were decorated with bluish-green wallpaper. It was the color Josie imagined the ocean to be.

A ceramic washbasin stood under a large mirror in one corner; while a massive claw-foot tub sat in the room’s center, hot steam rising from its contents.

It was only then Josie realized how cold and dirty she really was. Leaving her clothes in a pile on the floor, she stepped into the inviting water. The warmth quickly spread up her legs in invigorating prickles. She lowered herself into a sitting position before submerging herself up to her chin.

This was a special experience, indeed. On most days, she would just cleanse herself in a small basin of water in her room, wiping her body down with a wet towel. Once a week, Mother would warm up water on the stove and pour it into a small tub for her. Even then, she'd only fill it one-third of the way.

Having a tub full of hot water like this was a rare treat for a girl like Josie.

She closed her eyes and tried to clear her head. Pushing aside the recent surreal events – from the sudden abandonment by her parents to the inexplicable strangeness in everything and everyone around her – left her relaxed for the first time in two days. Her mind’s eye saw blackness and her body felt as if it was floating.

Josie finally believed she could think straight. Not wanting to lose momentum, she willed herself  to focus on the positives.

The positives. She bit her lip. Answers full of riddles, strangers with secrets, and not being able to tell reality from fantasy flooded her mind again. Coming up with an objective was easier than meeting the goal. Taking a deep breath, Josie decided to concentrate on her surroundings.

Although remote and spooky, the manor was quite lavish. It was certainly more adequate than an orphanage or asylum, both legitimate alternatives Mother and Father could have taken for her.

Yes, having a luxurious roof over her head was definitely a positive.

Great Aunt Donatella also could have turned out worse. Much worse. She could have been old and ugly, for starters. Why, she could have had a large mole on her nose and made Josie eat nothing but stale bread and cabbage. Having Donatella turn out to be a kind, beautiful woman was also a big positive.

Ezra was handsome, but Josie couldn’t think of anything else nice about the young man. His brother Sam, however, was a different story. Just as she’d disliked Ezra from the get-go, Josie was automatically drawn to Sam’s charm from the very beginning. If anyone could help her get home, she was sure he’d be that person.

Josie sighed again as sweat trickled down the side of her face. The bath was starting to be uncomfortably hot. She opened her eyes and sat up, lifting the upper half of her body out of the water. Scooping the clear liquid into her palms, Josie splashed her face.

A red substance dripped from her nose and chin into the water below. It looked like blood, and the sight made her jump. After wiping her face with her hands, Josie looked at the tub's contents again.

It was crystal clear.

Either she had imagined splashing blood on her face, or the mansion was playing tricks on her again. Josie knew she should have believed the former, but by now, she was convinced it was the latter. Nonetheless, she wasn't going to let an illusion drive her out of the bath.

Pinching her nose with her fingers, Josie took a deep breath before submerging herself all the way under the water. The tub was so long her entire body fit into its length, and it was deep enough for the water to cover her, too.

Josie opened her eyes and looked up. The water's ripples distorted the ceiling and the chandelier's candle light flickered in a pretty pattern. She watched it in awe, almost mesmerized by the effect. Quickly running out of air, however, the girl pushed her toes against the tub's end to help lift herself up.

Her head hit something hard.

Letting go of her nose, Josie tried to grab the tub's sides with her arms, but her hands also ran into the same, invisible obstacle. It was as if someone had put a sheet of glass on the water's surface, letting the girl see - but not go - through it.

Josie panicked. Thrashing her body as much as it could move, she pounded her fists against the supernatural barrier. She didn't have too much time left; a lack of fresh air was making her lungs ache more and more with every passing second. Thoughts of dying overtook her brain.

She could be at peace. Maybe that was better than all of this.

No! Josie expelled the morbidness with a shake of her head. She wouldn't give up so easily.

Continuing to hit the underside of the water, the surface gradually became less and less hard until her fists broke through. Pushing herself up, Josie inhaled both air and the water dripping from her face. Between coughs, she jumped out and dried herself off.

After hastily pulling on the fresh clothes Donatella had left on a hook behind the door, she ran back to her room and finally let herself cry.