Spirited Away - The Game

Edward sits up in his bed, and keeps the light in his room off. Treading carefully so not to make noise, he steps off the bed and close to the door. One step at a time, unhurriedly.

He opens the door cautiously, first slowly turning the handle, then pulling the door as smoothly as he can on its hinges. Until there is a slither of a gap between door and doorframe, to peek out in the corridor beyond.

He lets his eyes get used to the dark...

Someone fanciful would probably describe the figure in the corridor as "ghostly", clad all in white which makes the darkness around it seem even darker. Indeed it takes Edward several moments to recognise that it is a woman - a living, breathing one and not an apparition at all - in her white night shirt and bonnet. Edward can't distinguish her face, but she is neither tall nor stout enough to be either the scullery maid or the cook, which makes it reasonable to conclude her to be Elsie Lesser. Despite Edward's great care to make no noise she seems to have noticed him and is now looking at him unmoving, like a frightened doe surprised by a hunter.

Keeping his voice to the faintest of whispers, Edward opens the door more, and shows his hands in a gesture of non aggression.
"Do not be afraid. I heard a noise. Do you need help?"

He also scans the hallway to determine from what door the woman might have come.

There are only three rooms in the attic - two serving as dormitories for the male and the female staff; and one which would have been the private room for the butler had the household employed one, and which had been given to Edward for the time being. It is hard to tell which of the other two chambers the woman had come out of as she is standing midway between the two and facing Edward, having been startled by the sound of his opening the door. She takes a step backwards, and as his eyes get used to the dark, Edward can see that she is holding a large bundle in her arms. It is as white as her night dress, most likely wrapped in a bedsheet.

"Come no closer or... Or I'll scream!" she hisses at him and he can recognise her voice - she is indeed Elsie Lesser.

There are only three rooms in the attic - two serving as dormitories for the male and the female staff; and one which would have been the private room for the butler had the household employed one, and which had been given to Edward for the time being. It is hard to tell which of the other two chambers the woman had come out of as she is standing midway between the two and facing Edward, having been startled by the sound of his opening the door. She takes a step backwards, and as his eyes get used to the dark, Edward can see that she is holding a large bundle in her arms. It is as white as her night dress, most likely wrapped in a bedsheet.

"Come no closer or... Or I'll scream!" she hisses at him and he can recognise her voice - she is indeed Elsie Lesser.

There are only three rooms in the attic - two serving as dormitories for the male and the female staff; and one which would have been the private room for the butler had the household employed one, and which had been given to Edward for the time being. It is hard to tell which of the other two chambers the woman had come out of as she is standing midway between the two and facing Edward, having been startled by the sound of his opening the door. She takes a step backwards, and as his eyes get used to the dark, Edward can see that she is holding a large bundle in her arms. It is as white as her night dress, most likely wrapped in a bedsheet.

"Come no closer or... Or I'll scream!" she hisses at him and he can recognise her voice - she is indeed Elsie Lesser.

"I will not move from here. I will not call anyone. Do you need help?" he repeats whispering back, trying to sound reassuring.

He tries to assess from the bulk and weight of the bundle the woman carries, what its nature might be.
Has she packed her essentials, and is trying to flee this place in the middle of the night? he wonders.

It is clear that Elsie's threat of raising the alarm had been empty. She is fearful of being caught and waking up the other servants is the last thing she wants; she had chanced on Edward being instinctively startled by the threat of being caught with a girl in a compromising position and had lost. She looks nervously this way and that, as if expecting an ambush from one of the other doors at any moment.

"If you wish to help me, go back to bed," she pleads. "If you must tell on me, do it tomorrow. Tell them you've heard a noise, or..." She trails off.

Edward tries to play on the maid's obvious wariness. He opens his eyes wide. "I think I hear something! Come in here, I promise I won't harm you - quick!" he whispers in mock panic, nodding at the other doors of the corridor.

He opens the door more, and steps back into the room to give the woman space. He makes a hasty gesture of encouragement.

The maid hesitates and for a moment it seems like she is about to make for the end of the corridor, where the staircase is. Right this instant however, as if manifested by Edward's well-meaning fabrication, the sound of a mighty snore comes from one of the other rooms. It is the sound of a sleeping person, not one awake and prowling about, but it serves to startle Elsie, who hurries on tiptoes into Edward's room.

Edward gestures to the woman to close the door behind her, then turns on the light, staying a few steps away from the maid.

"Miss Lesser," he whispers when the noises outside are fainter. "are you in danger? Were you trying to flee the house?"

He looks at the bundle she carries with interest...

"I am not fleeing!" she denies indignantly. "I am leaving. And I have not stolen anything, if that's what you are thinking. You can check for yourself!" Despite inviting Edward to search her, she keeps pressing the bundle to her chest. It is clear it has been wrapped in a hurry and is in danger of becoming undone.

Edward restrains from inspecting the bundle, just nodding. Show you trust her, don't antagonise..

He continues to whisper, and keeps at a reassuring distance.
"Is that because of Mrs Tubbs' strange behaviour? You mentioned something about that. I hope she didn't put you in any danger? I heard stories about an obsession against cats, but not much else... Do you think she might have something to do with her husband's disappearance?"