Feelings - A Hosie Story

Chapter 14 - "Not again"

The following day Hope receives another envelope. She knows this isn't something good, because somehow, this one has got into the school on a day it shouldn't have. It's not mail day.

Still, she opens it. The envelope holds a photo of Josie. This one is rather similar to the last. She's badly injured and obviously in pain. All it does is make her ten times angrier and ten times more determined to find Josie. It also gives a piece of new information, even if only a small piece. On Josie's neck, there are bite marks. The shape, size, and distance between them tell Hope it is the work of a vampire.

Despite being the most powerful creature in existence, Hope feels powerless. There's nothing she can do. Spells are yet to work, and for the first time, her power is worth nothing. Useless.

After containing her anger somewhat, Hope finally reads the note. It says:

Who knew that the blood of a siphoner could taste so sweet? You should probably come save your little "friend". Oh wait that's right. You can't. Magic isn't going to get her back, not even yours. Enjoy your time hitting plenty of brick walls :)

It's so frustrating. Every witch in the school has volunteered to do daily locator spells, but all it leads to is maps burning or, most of the time, nothing at all. And without knowing the methods being used to prevent them from locating Josie, there's no chance of figuring out the right spell. The one thing Hope guesses is that either Josie's captor is a powerful witch, or they have one in their corner.

Hope is angry, and Alaric is frustrated and using drinking to cope. Caroline is growing more worried, and Lizzie, well she's terrified. There is usually something, a hint of how Josie's doing that Lizzie can feel through their twin bond. And now, there's nothing, which couldn't possibly scare the blonde any more than it already does.

~~~~~~~~~~~

"This game that you're playing needs to stop! I am begging you...you've already put everyone I care about through enough pain. Just stop it, please." Josie's voice cracks. Anyone could feel the emotion, hear it even as she speaks. Her eyes have barely stopped watering the entire time she has been held hostage. All the poor girl can think about is how her friends and family are coping. She's not worried about herself. No. She's worried about the pain and confusion that this is inflicting on the people she cares about most. Lizzie, her mother, father...Hope. God, they've all lost so much already, they can't lose her too.

What hurts almost as much is not knowing why this is happening. Sure, he's hinted, and left some clues, but not enough for Josie to put the puzzle together. She's made every effort to get an answer, but he's avoided the question each time and pretty much given the same answers too. She hates the man's attitude. Josie has sworn to herself that if she ever gets out, she will make him pay...as long as she has her strength and magic back.

"You know what, seeing as you asked so kindly, I'll stop...but I need to get one more first. Just to put the cherry on top." The man said. Josie only had a few cuts on her face. He hadn't healed her since the last time he took a photo. With each photo, it felt like he was tugging at her heartstrings even more.

"W-what are you g-gonna do this time?" Josie struggles to speak. She may not have many physical injuries right now, but she has plenty of emotional ones. She's been living on the bare minimum of food. Her energy levels are low. She's weak, struggling to survive. Her skin is pale and her lips are dry. Each breath feels like a challenge, but she has to keep fighting. She knows that her friends and family aren't going to give up on her. All she has to do is continue to fight until they find her. Seeing her sister, her parents, and Hope again is all that keeps her from giving up.

A few moments after her question, the man reaches inside his pocket and pulls out a knife. He tugs at Josie's hair, causing her head to jolt back and her neck to be exposed. He places the blade right against her vein, looking at it as it bulges, a sign of the fresh, warm blood that flows through it. With a chuckle, he says "This is going to be fun."

~next day at the school~

Once again Hope is sent another envelope. When she takes it to her room, she spots Lizzie already there. The blonde sits on the bed and the two meet eyes the second Hope enters the room. With a serious look, Lizzie knows what is happening. Hope stands in front of her friend. She opens the envelope slowly. The girl has no idea what she'll get this time, although she expects it to be similar to the others. And she's right...

for the most part.

There is, in fact, a photo. Only this one is not like the rest. As quickly as Hope spots Josie in it, her heart sinks. It sinks further and further into her stomach, even more so when she reads the note.

Suppose you were too late. Oh well. What's that old saying? There's plenty more fish in the sea, or in your case, witches. Although not many siphoners, so...oops? Until next time :)

But they will never be like her.

They will never be Josie. No person could ever compare. No person has the same warmth to them, the same smile, and the capability to love and care for people so deeply that it hurts. Nobody has that.

Emotions get the better of her. Her eyes fill with tears and they fall uncontrollably, rushing down her cheeks. Lizzie runs to her side, trying to comfort Hope despite not knowing what has brought this on. Until she's met with the same devastation as Hope when she sees the photo and note. They cry together, holding onto each other for dear life.

This, this one is their breaking point. This is the one that has completely crushed the hearts of Hope Mikaelson and everyone else that Josie knew and loved.

"No! No! No! N-not again." Hope cries. "I can't lose somebody else." A second look at the image does nothing to ease her pain. It just shows that Josie is really gone. Staring at Josie's lifeless body in it is like receiving a dagger to the chest. And the longer she stares, the deeper it goes, the more damage it leaves behind. The harder it becomes to heal from.