The Birdcage

Solitary Confinement

"... Do you mean Alysha?" Nyx said a moment after a heavy pause.

Standing behind her, safety back from cell, Jayson's ears pricked. This was interesting...

Salome noticed his interest, her eyes flitting from his back to the girl in front of her, an imperious, knowing half-smile on her face. "Ay, I know Alysha."

Nervously, Nyx nibbled her lip and looked down at her feet- thinking. Then she looked up and spoke again. "... She's my sister."

"I know." Her look was one oh-so-innocent; the upper of her pale face bleached by a lack of sun and her big, wide eyes, and her eerie-clawed fingers, peering out of the tiny square window. "She's looking for you. It seems many people are looking for you." Salome seemed to lean in, pressing as close to the opening as she could, to whisper conspiratorially. "Even in this building, there are those looking for you. Some shall find. Me, I was waiting. I saw you coming." Her smile was dazzling, so pleased with herself.

"How so?"

Salome tapped a finger to her temple. "I see things. In here. It's a blessing and my curse." She smiled coyly. "But you know that. You saw me. You looked back and I looked forward- right place, right time. Some things are meant to be."

Nyx looked down at the floor; anywhere but Salome's intense gaze. "I know. I saw you, in my vision."

"What vision?" Jayson asked.

Salome shushed him with a finger to her lips, before returning them back to the window frame. "Not for you to know. At least, not yet. Not unless she decides you to." She stepped back from the door to take in them both. "And so like Hansel and Gretel, hand in hand, you've both come into the witches lair. What do you wish to find out?"

Nyx narrowed her eyes at the woman. "What do you know about the Whisperer?"

Suddenly, Jayson grabbed her arm, Nyx reacting in surprise as he dragged her back from the door. "Don't!" He hissed. "You can't trust her."

"I'm not trusting her-"

"You don't know what she wants in return."

That gave her pause- he was right- and she looked back at Salome. Salome, who had been distractedly popping her lips, shot them a beaming smile. "So sceptical. Is having the beast terrorising this place taken down not payment enough? Or at least watching you try; it's very entertaining."

Nyx gave her a sceptical look. "You're stuck in there. You can't see anything."

Salome tapped her temple again. Then an evil look crept over her face. "... Want to let me out?" Salome said wryly. "I could see much better then."

Immediately Nyx scoffed. "No." Jayson nodded in approval.

"I could help you... I could help you so much..." Salome wheedled, then she pouted at the lack of response. "Oh, alright. It was worth a shot. Alysha would let me out. She would. She may not trust me either, but she knows my value."

"Prove it. Tell us what you know."

"What do you wish to know about?" Salome spoke, a tricksy look in her crazy eyes; pressing her hands together in front of her face, her stone nails clacking unnervingly as they touched. "The Whisperer of legend? Or the monster stalking the halls, preying on those who are vulnerable?"

"... there's a difference?" Nyx wasn't sure if she'd accidentally spoken aloud or not, but she could see the recognition of the question on Salome's face.

"Come here." Salome purred, gesturing with a crooked claw. "I have something to give you."

She was tentative; but despite Jayson's protest, she carefully stepped back towards Salome.

When Nyx was close enough, Salome reached out and pulled her closer; sealing her lips over hers. There was a moment of frozen shock and then Nyx squealed in alarm, recoiling. Something passed between them; an electrical charge, but like real electricity, not the pleasurable spark of being kissed. "There." Salome said as they broke apart. "Now we're aquainted."

"You crazy bitch!" Nyx spat, pulling herself free of Salome's grip, wiping her mouth on her sleeve. How dare this woman... How dare she! "Let me go! Stop fucking around! Tell us what you know!" Rage prickled her eyes, anger she didn't know she had sparking off her every nerve.

Wickedness twinkled in Salome's eyes. "She's coming." And with that, she retreated back from the window, into the darkness of her cell.

Out of the corner of her eye, Nyx saw a familiar ripple drift through the door. And following it was an ever-recognisable, ever-nightmarish whispering sound. The Whisperer... It was here... Had it followed them? They were out of time. She turned her head to follow it as it drifted up the hall, watching the translucent shape. The sound of whispering filled the space, like many voices speaking at once. When it was in front of her, it stopped, hovering by her for a moment; before continuing on its path up towards the red door. What was it doing, where was it going?

Almost in a hypnotised state, Nyx stepped towards it, to follow... then wobbled and stumbled down, legs suddenly collapsing beneath her. Jayson caught her before she hit the floor. "Are you alright?"
Her head spun; in truth, she'd felt herself weakening from the moment she'd used her powers, but now she'd reached the end of her tether. She was starving; she was going to vomit. She couldn't stand. Her hands were shaking, her heart pounding, vision blurring at the edges...
Jayson pulled her up onto her feet, pulling her arm over his shoulder and putting his own strong arm around her middle. "Come on." He said, half-carrying her towards the door. "We're leaving."

Eh... It is what it is. I gotta stop coming up with great chapters weeks in advance and forgetting half of it before I get there XD