Hallowed Kaline (1) (MANUSCRIPT)

Issue # 40 Book of Lady Caroline Pt. 7

       Caroline's face, delicate and creamy, proved touched with a bit of age. Her flaxen hair drizzled down her back and shoulders through means of all kinds of ribbons, twists, and knots. She appeared beautiful and well put-together. Nonetheless, her cracked glasses fell slowly off her face and shattered onto the floor. 
       Her body froze. Her ocean-blue eyes trembled, Max's hands still caressing her soft face. Caroline's stance began to tremor. 
      "N- No." Caroline simply vocalized. Her eyes looked past Maximus. 
      "What's the matter, love? Have you come to miss me that much? Did you know how much your panic would flatter me? Mhmhmhmhm." Hosanna giggled through Max's body. 
       Why does Hosanna's voice... sound younger than usual? Aubrey's feet had firmly planted themselves to the side of Caroline. 

       "N- No. N- N- No. I'm... Caroline. I'M... CAROLINE!" Lady Caroline's voice rose in horror as she began to cry. Globs of water flew down her face. Her lips quivered powerfully. 
       "No you're not. You're Sekranna de'Navra. The eighth de'Navra who survived the Flood. I didn't think it was possible so I wanted to see it with my own eyes. I've been going crazy... picking up on your essence since I boarded this... cruise... as the humans call it." Hosanna's voice chuckled, Max appearing as his young host. "Mhmhmhmhmhm. And I... wanted to see you again. To connect with you. To be by your side." 
       Caroline's mouth hung open, oppressed moaning growing from her throat. "N- No. I'm not... Sekranna. Sekranna... died. Sekranna is dead. She died a long, long time ago." Caroline's voice was shaking with incredible sadness. 
       Sekranna? Aubrey put a finger to her mouth. 
      From the previously opened door, Amy walked out fully clothed and blushing. Her brown hair bounced bountifully. "M- Max? H- Hey! What are... you doing to that woman?" 

       Oh no. This is... gonna be awkward. Aubrey shook her head and pinched the bridge of her nose. Why now, Hosanna? 
       Maximus's head shook in a nullifying manner. Still smiling brightly like a child, Hosanna's voice echoed. "No she didn't. She's standing right here. Isn't that right, Sekranna?"
       Lady Caroline's skin suddenly began to ripple and tear across her face.
       "What the-" Amy fell back on her small behind.
       Caroline's once gleeful preen now began to flake. Her blue eyes morphed to a shade of grassy green. Dead patches of ivory flesh falling from her cheeks, the older woman began to scream.
        Her legs wobbled. Soon, Lady Caroline's eyes transformed from green to golden. Just like... a de'Navra's flaxen gaze. Her mouth opened wide just then, tongue and teeth completely exposed.
        What the fuck... is this? Aubrey clung to the walls of the narrow hallway in the ship.
       "N- No. N- N- No. Sekranna... died. Lady Caroline... is good. Caroline... is grace. Sekranna... was nasty and evil! Sekranna... was a horrible little bitch!" Lady Caroline put her left hand to her face, feeling bone and sinew.
        "I forgive you, Sekranna. I really, truly do. From the bottom of my heart. I love the new form you've found for yourself- This 'Caroline', as you call her." Max's head tilted this way and that, his expression confused.
        "NO!" The drafty scream exploded from Caroline's rotting mouth. 
        In that moment, the woman's face split in two. Like a puppet of some sort, the structure of Lady Caroline's face became marionette-like. Bones and skin ripped apart from each other. Sinew and muscle disconnecting, her face ripped open down the middle. Blood pouring out from her veins and arteries, a second face could be seen behind the dismantling and dysfunctional Caroline.
         "HO- HO- HOSANNA!" The second woman, a frightened and fragile tan girl, cried as she became exposed beneath her... human costume. 
        "Wh- What?" Suddenly, Maximus found himself able to take over his consciousness once more. His green eyes stared at the world in front of him. 
        And it was too late. 
       He held his breath as a tan girl with yellow eyes and long orange hair, parted down the middle, jumped on him.