Everyday life in an anomalous house

The faint glow of dawn barely dared to cross the windows of Rima's room, a space that, although cozy, seemed to extend beyond its logical limits.

"Fwuaa!"

Rima began her day stretching slowly as she yawned, her small fingers brushing the soft blanket Mireya had given her. There was no hurry in this place. Here, time moved with its own cadence, oblivious to the noisy and frantic world she had left behind.

"... Mmm... It's time... To... Go out..."

After getting up and opening her room door, Rima found herself in the typical usual scene she had seen since she arrived, where the hallway curved into infinity, full of rooms that defied reason. And although at first everything seemed strange and illogical to her, after a while Rima managed to adapt until she now felt a unique sense of comfort that only those who lived there could understand.

(Hehehe)

A few steps down the hallway, Rima heard, or rather, "perceived" what seemed to be the joyous sound of a chorus of laughter that made her stop short, directing her gaze downwards.

"... Hello... How are you...?"

Murmuring these words slowly and calmly was how Rima greeted the small straw dolls swirling at her feet.

(Hello!)

(Good morning!)

(I'm here!)

Some exclaimed cheerfully, while others transformed into tiny straw rabbits that hopped around her, which drew a small and almost imperceptible smile on her face, as she knelt to caress them one by one.

After finishing, Rima descended the main staircase that seemed to have more steps than she remembered the night before, until a metallic jingle caught her attention, causing her to turn to find Silver, the small silver armor, walking along the landing, striking a heroic pose, with one fist raised and the other on her hip.

("For Mom!")

Silver transmitted with full emotion, to which the straw dolls at Rima's feet stopped to adopt the same pose as Silver in front of them and repeated her words as if in a chorus, saying the phrase in harmony at the same time:

(For Mom!)

(For Mom!)

(For Mom!)

After that, Rima gave Silver a slight, sleepy nod, to which Silver returned an energetic wave of her hand from side to side.

("!!")

Resuming her path, Rima encountered Goldie, the golden straw doll, floating down the hallway with her blanket-cape waving behind her.

"You're... improving..."

Rima said as she watched the golden light burst discharge golden energy that made her glow to illuminate every speck of dust around, showing a determined pose of encouragement before continuing her daily patrol in search of someone in danger to help, as Rima watched her disappear down the infinite hallway.

Finally, the scent of something sweet and sticky drew her towards one of the doors, which by its aroma she recognized as the "candy forest," which stretched as far as the eye could see. In that place, the trees had twisted licorice trunks and crystallized mint leaves, while the bushes were made of fluffy cotton candy. Giant mushrooms with chocolate caps sprouted from the ground, and colorful candies glittered like embedded gems among the jelly grass. Small streams of strawberry syrup ran between the cookie paths.

Seeing all that, Rima advanced slowly, her large, round eyes absorbing every detail. She touched a lollipop branch, which bent slightly before returning to its shape before she left.

Rima continued her stroll, crossing a hallway that seemed to curve back on itself, until another door invited her in. This time, she found herself on a gigantic catwalk, an immense expanse lit by invisible spotlights. On both sides, endless rows of mannequins stood, each dressed in a different and varied cosplay, ranging from nurses, knights, bunny girls, or maids, scattered everywhere. In fact, from Rima's perspective, some mannequins even seemed to move very slightly, as if breathing, while the air vibrated with a strange silent energy that conveyed promises of untold stories in every fabric and accessory.

Once off the catwalk, Rima found herself in a completely different room: one where gravity seemed not to exist. Books, small furniture, and even some potted plants floated gently in the air, slowly spinning as if suspended in a thick liquid, which Rima gently pushed with her hand, as if it were a cushion floating at her height, watching it slowly move away before bouncing against an invisible wall. This made her small feet barely feel the ground, causing her to be making small, prolonged jumps, almost floating from one place to another.

While continuing her way, a monotonous and deep chant began to resonate from somewhere below her. Approaching a staircase that descended into darkness, she saw a group of figures dressed in black robes. They seemed to be heading towards the basement, which Rima knew was an underground chamber with cryptic symbols and altars. Their voices joined in a solemn chorus, saying things about how: "the messiah will bring salvation" or "it is an honor to be in the Savior's dwelling" while waving to Rima as she passed, who simply waved back with a tranquil, habitual greeting gesture.

After that, finally the familiar aroma of something cooking guided her to the kitchen. There, she found Sara. The brown-haired maid with an expressionless face moving with a slow and almost imperceptible monotony, preparing breakfast. Her hands moved with mechanical precision, measuring ingredients and stirring in a saucepan, while her gaze remained empty, fixed on a point beyond the wall, as Rima knew Sara only followed orders.

"....."

Rima observed for a moment Sara before heading to the living room. The aroma of alcohol and something sweet guided her. There, sprawled on an oversized sofa, was Lilith. Mireya's mother, with her silver hair and voluptuous body, didn't bother to cover herself. She raised a bottle of what appeared to be wine and, without taking her eyes off the screen, where blurry figures moved on a television show.

"BURP~!"

She ended up letting out a loud burp that echoed in the room. "....."

Nudity and vulgarity were part of the landscape, distant echoes of a city where indecency had become commonplace. Here, at least, there was no fear.

In the garden, a corner of filtered sunlight, Rima saw a handful of straw dolls frolicking. They jumped on the grass, some transforming into small straw rabbits that scurried around, others spinning like makeshift tops. Their childlike giggles resonated in the air.

(Let's play!)

(Sun!)

They exclaimed, enjoying the morning light. Her joy was contagious, a constant reminder of the life and play that filled the house.

(Thud!)

But suddenly a falling sound resonated from upstairs, followed by a muffled groan. Rima's eyes, though generally slow to react, widened slightly. It came from Mireya's room. With her calm pace, but with a new urgency, Rima found herself, peering through the half-open door, Mireya lying on the floor trying to get up, his face pale and sweaty with fever.

"... Haaa... Cough, cough, cough...! I... Must... no, I... Need... To... Move!", Mireya murmured with his hoarse and weak voice while his legs trembled trying to stand up.

At that moment, before Rima could say a word, or ask him to stop, a soft hand rested on her shoulder. It was Susie. The red-haired woman, with her seemingly innocent gaze, shook her head slightly.

"Wait a moment", Susie whispered, her voice laden with sweetness. "

This is their job"

Susie pointed down the hallway. From the corner, Silver, the small silver armor, walked with determined steps, and Goldie, the golden straw doll, floated beside her. Behind them, a flock of straw dolls approached, and between their legs, the small white cat, Lysandra, scurried towards Mireya.

"Huh...? What's happening?"

("Mom...!")

"Y-yes!"

("... Rest")

Said Silver placing her hand on Mireya's while Goldie carried him to his bed, surrounded by multiple straw dolls, and then was gently rubbed by the cat Lysandra.

".... Haaa... I guess... I can play..."

The creatures' attention seemed to distract Mireya, who, despite his weakness, began to interact with them slowly, almost by inertia, stopping his attempt to get up to play with them.

Susie leaned slightly towards Rima, her voice barely a conspiratorial whisper: "Mireya sometimes loses sight of his surroundings when he concentrates on something, even if he's sick. For these situations, he needs someone to hold him a bit, or distract him, so he can stop pushing himself and rest." She straightened up, her innocent smile intact while she watched the small figures and the cat surround Mireya, who already seemed a little calmer, though still feverish.