Something Dark

Chapter 31: The Belgian Waffles, The Entropy, and The Worst Moment of My Life

We trained for a hour and a half, then we ate ice cream and Belgian waffles for lunch. 

Hey, we were home alone. Don’t deny it. You’ve done it at least once.

After we cleaned up, a Portal opened up in the main hall. Every member of the family flew out the Portal.

Something was really wrong.

1) Evelyn was in scythe mode, coated in what looked like blood.

2) Stein’s face was pretty unrecognizable.

3) Where’s Hannah?

4) Reese’s arm was pointing backwards, obviously broken in various places. 

5) Violet was sobbing, and Naomi was hugging her, both with ashen and blood-coated skin.

Kristal held in a scream.

“What happened?” I asked.

Evelyn switched to human form.

“There was an attack at the Ritual. More shadows came.”

“No!” Kristal whispered.

“They formed into people this time. They killed many, many Steleto, harming almost all of them attending. Stein tried fighting with me, and while we killed a few, they didn’t go without a fight.

“We used our powers the best we could, but they were resilient. Very resilient. 

“The only people whose powers seemed to damage them and leave a lasting affect were the twins and Hannah.”

Evelyn kept talking as I healed the wounds of others.

“Quick question: Is Violet hurt?” I asked Naomi quietly.

“Shush. Mom’ll tell you in a moment.”

“They found a way to stop the twins though.” I interrupted Evelyn.

“Are you hurt any?” I asked her.

“A few scratches here and there, but moving on. They found some way to incapacitate their life forces, so they went into a condition called Entropy-not in a doll, nor in a body. 

“We retrieved most of Naomi’s, but Violet lost some of her life force to Entropy, we haven’t been able to retrieve it. They never found a way to stop Hannah, only delay her in small amounts.” Evelyn said.

I was still working on Reese’s messed-up arm, and the story sounded painful.

This whole time I’ve been here, I have had a close relationship with the twins.

They told me jokes, gave me blankets, and showed me where Stein hid his secret stash-cellar filled with industrial-size buckets of gummy worms.

I’ve respected them, made sure that their wounds were healed, and that if I could help it, guarded them from danger.

I knew that I was royalty, and they were not, but I still loved them.

But to lose the very thing that makes you a person, no, a living creature, to some sort of soulless being, sounds horrifying to say the least. 

I’ve had many odd, horrid, pain-filled moments in my life, but to be floating in some dark place, no body, no senses, would reduce me to insanity.

Violet’s holding up pretty well, considering my possible reaction, and Naomi is acting as if nothing had ever happened. 

They're strong, stronger than I am, and that is why I love them so much.

Evelyn continued, a choking sound starting to show in her voice. 

“So, thinking in their logic, they would want to find out why she could not stop them, they fashioned a Portal. You know how our Portals are purple, with waves of light?”

I nodded.

“Their Portals were black, with red river-like waves. And they grabbed her by the neck, stunning her for a moment, and shoved her in.” 

I stood in disbelief, looking at Reese’s arm-now completely repaired.

“What are you saying?” I asked, not knowing what she was trying to say.

By now, Evelyn had thick streams of tears running down her face.

“Don’t you see, Vissy? She’s gone.”

“They took Hannah.”