Poisoned Crimson

Chapter 37. Beatrice's Plan

Chapter 37

''If you're going to run, run fast. 

And if you're going to lie, burn it away. 

Look only at me. Smile only at me. 

Like a submissive puppet on a string''

Everything was dark. I saw nothing. I heard nothing.

I felt nothing.

The silence stretched out before me, darkness engulfing and consuming me. Was I dead? I tried to listen to anything in particular, but I only heard the buzzing inside my own head.

What happened? I vaguely remembered the pain in my head and chest, and how I slipped off the edge like it was from another life. I remembered my own scream echoing around me, and the lightning flashes before my eyes.

His silhouette appeared at the edge of the cliff as he looked down at me. I stretched my hand out, but I couldn't reach him... I was too far away.

I felt a slight jolt of pain in my chest when I suddenly felt his arms wrapping around my waist from behind. In that one moment, everything around us froze. I felt safe and secure, and suddenly dying didn't seem so bad.

Only, then came the crack underneath me.

''Where—find her?''

I frowned when I suddenly heard a voice in the distance, like a weak light flicker. I tried to listen more closely, the throbbing in my head slowly returning as I did. My body felt sore, but at least I could move a little again. There was still darkness, though. Everything was muffled, and the more I tried to concentrate the more painful it became.

More voices slowly emerged, soft whispers communicating with each other. I tried to move my hands, and then felt they were clutched on something hard... armrests? I was able to move my fingers, but when I tried to raise my arms something cut through my skin.

I released a soft moan, commanding my eyelids to open. They opened for a split second – only to see a blurry mess of colours – but immediately fell shut. I pressed my eyelids together and groaned. The pain was becoming much worse.

''Looks—waking up.''

I heard the same voice. It sounded so familiar to me, but I couldn't put my finger on it.

What... what happened?

The voice in my head, so soft and weak, whispered to me. I clasped my trembling fingers around the edges of the armrests and grimaced.

We fell, I thought back to her, and then tried to open my eyes again. The blurry image was slowly sharpening, and I found myself staring at my own lap. I moaned and blinked, hearing my own breathing over the still muffled voices around me.

I frowned when instead of my jeans I saw a long dark blue skirt, and in a flash, I saw Eve before me as she looked into the mirror wearing Beatrice's wedding gown.

''W-what...'' I slurred, closing my eyes again and frowning. I tried to raise my head and groaned, immediately feeling dizzy.

''W-what's going on...'' I mumbled, blinking a few times to clarify my vision.

''Finally, she's awake,'' a familiar voice mumbled. The voice still sounded far away, but it was much closer than before.

I was still able to make out a few shapes, despite everything that was still spinning around me. Three people were standing in the room, one with long dark brown hair.