The night seemed to stretch infinitely, refusing to give in to the lights of day. The flickering flames were the only way to see one's surroundings, and the only way to recognize the features of the enemy standing before the scarlet-eyed boy with the midnight hair. The light danced on the demon Aoki's face, showing her smirking lips and her burning irises, reduced to slits, as though a predator nearly taking hold of their prey.
She flicked her sword from one hand to the other, as if it was a toy meant to be juggled with.
"I must admit I'm a bit rusty." She gripped the handle tight in her right hand, put one foot behind the other, then stood up straighter, taking the posture of a real swordsman. Lifting the black weapon like a spear, she pointed it at the boy.
"One strike in the heart should suffice, but why a painless one when you can make a hundred, each more painful than the one before?" She laughed for a long time, like it was the funniest joke she heard in a while.
"Do you plan to rescue the other girl, eventually?" Noah asked. Time. Bind your time until your doll is ready.
He chanted under his breath, hoping the demon won't see his lips moving. He took one step back, hiding his face by the shadow of a nearby tree.
"You silly boy" , she spat. All amusement was gone from her face. "You think I have no control over the fire? I merely keep the flames up to burn one naughty child. They will never disobey me and harm anyone else."
"So this blaze we are seeing, is it all an illusion?"
Aoki smirked. "Perhaps"
What is she playing at? the boy wondered. If what she said was true, then the only person who will ever be harmed was Hitori. The real house was still intact, there were no flames per se, but only a fraction meant to burn the ocean haired girl alive under pretext of an accident. Noah's blood froze in his veins.
Aoki cared much about the image she gave to her other orphans, and to that other girl, Maya. She also didn't want her house to be burned, because it was the home of the children. If Hitori just died inside a fire, of course no one would be blamed. Of course it will be a tragedy among many, and everyone would actually be grateful there was only one victim. No one would suspect a murder. After all, Aoki was like a mother. She would never do anything that could harm her loved ones.
You don't want to see this. She had said right before she put them all to sleep.
She wanted to hit two birds with one stone. She wanted him to watch Hitori die before his own eyes, she wanted his heart to break, then she would kill his body just like now.
They were playing right into her hands, all along.
Where was Maya? If she was still in the house when the fire broke, why didn't she run away with the others? If she was still in the house, she would eventually notice the flames were harmless, and she would immediately get out unscathed. A bit confused, but unscathed.
If....
What if she wasn't in the house? What if Hitori went to rescue someone who wasn't even there?
The last thread that bound the fabric-made voodoo doll clicked into place with a slight pull. Noah had no way of seeing what it would turn like, given that he was sewing it behind his back, but he hoped it would be enough.
Voodoo spirits, hear my plea
For I become one of thee
A master and a doll
A tool to bring---
A shadow, a fraction of a second. That was all it took. Noah didn't even hear her coming. One moment, she was gone, and the other, he felt a cut on his right cheek, and his hands were no longer holding a thing.
YOU ARE READING
The Voodoo Doll
Fantasy[COMPLETED] Noah is a boy who was raised by demons all his life. He has the ability to commit perfect crimes by using voodoo dolls and killing with them. He was taught ever since he was young to show no mercy to his enemies. Yet, because of his unu...
