A Horrific Fantasy

Chapter 44

At long last Charlie had made it into the drawing room where she found Alastor sitting at a desk,  humming to himself and working on a new creation of his. When he saw her come in, he lit up instantly.

"Hello my dear." He said approaching her. "Glad to see that you're awake. How are you feeling?"

"Fine, thank you. Where's Octavia? Is she alright?"

"Why she's more than fine. She's as happy as a lark. See for yourself."

He pointed over to the next corner, where she could see Octavia just laughing and playing with Moxxie.

"Hi Charlie." The little girl waved to her.

Charlie released a huge breath that she didn't realize she had been holding until now, the utter joy and relief that she felt from that sight was so great that Charlie just ran to Octavia and scooped her up into her arms. She hugged her and kissed her, and started to cry.

"Oh how I love tearful reunions." Alastor remarked at the scene. He spoke in a sarcastic and mocking tone but in truth he really was moved by this. moved and relieved that for once he had been able to at least prevent one child from falling into Levana's clutches. And that for once, some children she victimized would be able to go home and reunite with their families.

"Me too!" Moxxie sniffed, becoming much more outwardly emotional about such matters. "This is just touching. So touching."

Then he blew his nose into the first thing he grabbed.

"Hey!" Alastor hit Moxxie over the head with a fist, for it was his jacket that the man had used as a tissue.

"Ow! Sorry." Moxxie apologized.

"Oh Octavia! I'm so glad you're safe!" Charlie wept. "But for God's sake, how could you come over here? Why did you come over here?"

"To find you." Octavia said. "I saw you sneak out and I knew something was wrong. I just wanted to make sure that you were okay."

Charlie hugged her tighter.

"Oh Via I'm so sorry. I should have never left you alone like that. And I should have never come to this place. But don't you worry, as soon as I rescue Vaggie and find Angel, we are getting out of here and going home."

"I'm sorry but what was that, you said?" Alastor chuckled. "It was somewhere in the middle, just after you said, don't you worry."

"Levana has Vaggie, I have to help her."

"I hate to tell you this but you'd be wasting your time my dear. That girl gave Levana her eye, she's now stuck here forever. Saving her is a lost cause."

"Not entirely. All I have to do is get her eye back."

Alastor burst out laughing.

"You think you can actually get an eye back from Levana? That's wacky nonsense! Rescue her, oh the humanity. No, no, no, no. There isn't anything you can do to save any of her foolish prisoners or salves. Your friend willingly gave up her eye to the old witch, her fate is sealed. There is no undoing what is done."

"How can you say that?" Charlie asked.

"Because it is the truth. You think you're the first person who's actually tried to get an eye or a heart back? There have been many attempts and they've all failed miserably. Your best bet is to just take your sister and that effeminate fellow, and go home while you still can."

"I'm afraid he's right sweetie." Millie said. "Levana keeps all eyes and hearts in a place no one but her can reach. We've been trying to find out where and how to get them for years, but she's just too clever. Too good at hiding things."