A Horrific Fantasy

Chapter 39

Mystique Hollow was really different this time around. When Charlie, Angel, and Louis crossed over to the other side of the bridge there was no glittering theme park or enchanting world that the girl had seen many times before. This time it was a deep and dark forest, one that was misty and trees twisted into creepy forms and they could hear random shrieks that didn't resemble one of any creature they were familiar with. Poor Charlie and Angel could feel their courage waver with each step they took and each time they saw a tree that looked like some monster reaching out to grab them. But the knowledge that there were friends and family here counting on them, allowed them to press forward.

"So do you know where we're going?" Charlie asked Louis, hoping a conversation would distract her from the scary atmosphere.

"Yes. We're going to Alastor's bureau." The owl answered.

"Where's that?"

"It's probably the safest place in all of Mystique Hollow. It's the only place where Levana's power can't reach because there are no mirrors there. It's also where all the toys who weren't corrupted reside."

"Corrupted toys?"

"The toys she didn't twist and turn into nasty creations. The ones that still follow their true purpose."

"Which is?"

"To love children. As you've probably already read in the book, this world really was intended to be a place for unloved and unhappy children. But then Levana got her hands on it and turned it from a sanctuary to a trap."

"How was she even able to do it?"

"She and the toy maker a.k.a Issac Coleman, were brother and sister, and something in their bloodline, and to this day no one knows, caused them to be born with incredible abilities. For Issac it was creation, for her it was transformation. Unfortunately these two also happened to have been born during the 1600's, a time where folks would pretty much hang anyone who was different out of fear of witchcraft. Although in Levana's case, I can't say I'd blame them."

"Wait a minute, you're telling me this broad lived during the 1600's?" Angel said in disbelief. "Just how old is she?"

"400 to be exact."

"But that's impossible, nobody can live that long."

"Not unless they made a deal with hell, which she did no doubt."

"But what about Issac? Did he live that long before he died?"

"No." The owl sighed. "He died in 1647, from a hanging which she set him up for."

"She did that to her own brother? Well...Then again considering what he did to her children-"

"Wait a minute, what did she tell you, he did exactly?"

"She told me that he took them away from her after proving her an unfit mother just because she was single, poor, and taken many lovers. And that he abused them to death."

"That's a lie!" Louis cried furiously. "Levana was the abusive one. She treated those children like they were pets, something for her to own. To be a master over. To just amuse her. She also used them to gain sympathy from the church and the townsfolk. Issac on the other hand loved them like they were his own. In fact he secretly used his gifts to build this world and these toys for them. To make them happy. How he adored all the children in the town but none more so than his nieces and nephews. And they loved him, loved him more than their own mother and she noticed it. She became jealous, couldn't stand the fact that her own children preferred him over her. She turned physically abusive."

"And nobody did anything to stop her?" Charlie asked.

"Issac tried to tell everyone but they didn't believe him. They thought he was crazy and Levana was very good at coming off as charming and caring."