The Plate of Obsession - Aim to Engage - Short Story

Chapter 7

Alice didn't want to believe it. She couldn't. She tried to make sense of what the sorcerer was saying.

"What do you mean I can't go back?"

He chuckled.

"Dear, when you accepted the magic coin, you accepted all of this. Even the bad parts."

Alice shook her head. "No I didn't. I don't remember--I don't know."

"So I can't go back?"

The Sorcerer smiled. "Once you say yes to the coin, this becomes your reality. Forever. Remember what I said? You have to do everything it says, otherwise there will be consequences."

Alice looked confused. Her eyes suddenly got wide. 

"Consequences?"

The sorcerers eyes hardened. Alice could feel herself tense up. 

She had never seen him like this before. 

"Yes, consequences. Beyond your wildest imagination."

Alice didn't even want to imagine what that might be.

She wondered if she should even ask what that might be. 

She hesitated. 

Alice gritted her teeth. 

"What kind of consequences?" she managed to sputter out.

The sorcerer grinned again.

"Living in this beautiful world. Forever."

Alice dropped to her knees and cried out-suddenly realizing the reality of the situation. She had all of this fame and fortune but no family or friends to share it with. 

The sorcerer of sauces paused and rested his hands on the top of his cane. 

"I'm afraid it is too late. Once you accepted the coin, you made a deal with it. And this deal is for eternity."

Alice could feel the tears forming in the corners of her eyes as she quickly wiped them away. She covered her face with her hands and began to weep. 

"I don't want it to be forever. I want it to go back to how it was. Before all this. I want my family back. My friends. I don't want this." she whispered to herself, her hands still cupping her face. She was trying to hide. Trying to make all of this simply go away. But she couldn't.

She could feel a palm on her shoulder, a way of comfort.

The sorcerer then bent down and whispered near her ear.

"You'll get used to this world, dear. Don't worry, it'll all be over and soon, you will come to love this new world. Everything is exactly how you wanted it."

Alice shook her head. 

'Not exactly as how I want it."

The old man tightened his grip on Alice's shoulder. "You will come to love it." He said it with more force it made Alice tense up. 

She slowly removed her hands from her face and glanced up at the sorcerer. His eyes were a dark red now and they were glowing. 

It almost looked like he was glitching in and out. 

She glanced down at her shoulder and his hand was still gripping her. Then, he let go. 

She looked at him quizzically and he smiled again. His red eyes turning back to the pale blue. Kind again. 

"Sorry about that, dear. You'll have to excuse me. The magic coin does not like being defied."

Alice slowly nodded, not sure of what to do next. 

She was scared and rightfully so. The sorcerer looked so evil. 

Alice slowly got up and brushed herself off. 

The sorcerer smiled again. "I have to go but I will always be watching you."

Alice nodded, quietly now.

She didn't want to give away what she already started thinking.

A means of escape.