“I’m not even going to answer the stupidity of that question.We’ll meet your own kind, and then be my guest. Maybe it’s the only way to convince you.”
I remembered the moment I hesitated causing the invitation to go until midnight. “Yes, we go now!” I blurted out quickly. Why am I repeating this day? No matter, it just made everything easier.
Then I knew why everything was on repeat. The event with the Gemini guy on the bridge must have meant that the door would reset the entire day, not just a few hours behind to the Lockin moment. That left me joyous, that I had a chance to escape Lockin and not relive all that.
At least I didn't have to wonder what dark force was surrounding me, leaving me to relive each day.
A knock sounded. “Come on Audrey! We’re going to be late.”
“If I hadn’t seen the new boy just now, I would definitely say they were—“
“Shut up, Sabina.”
“Honestly, nice to see you taking the death of the love of your life so well. Thought there would be more tears or something. ”
“Now you wish. So be it.” Ileana whispered.
“Aren’t you coming Audrey?” Sabina called out, knocking even harder now.
My brain stumbled along itself, to come up with a decent excuse.
“Afraid not, something came up. Headmaster wishes to see me, you two carry on.” Ileana called in my voice. I frowned slightly surprised she had the ability to do so but kept quiet.
“Fine, let’s go Sabina.” Dakota murmured, her voice edging on the side of menace. No doubt, Sabina was still getting her treatment to lounge on the rooftop, whether I’m to watch or not.
“Shall we do it already?” Ileana suggested. At her words, there was a shift in the air. As if by choosing this road instead, everything was to change. Still, my mind seared with the events, unforgettable no matter what.
A good dose of some potion that makes you forget would work, but let’s not give anyone ideas.
“Yeah why not.” I shrugged, showing my bravado.
“Close your eyes and don’t dare to peak. It’ll only result with your eyes to be removed.” Ileana instructed, already starting to perform some ritual. I cringed and did as told, not wanting to test that threatening tone of hers.
Nothing seemed to happen. Patience was something I needed to work on, because, soon I started struggling to keep my eyelids from flickering open.
“Stay still!” Ileana commanded with a growl. Ileana’s voice sounded alarmingly close for my liking, that on instinct, I opened my eyes. “Is following orders that hard for you?”
“Only from you, Ileana.” I tossed back smugly. It took me a moment to realize that Ileana was not part of the canvas anymore. She was roaming freely, not to mention, wielding the most sinister smile. “I’m kidding! Ha-ha. I need to work on my humor and…” I trailed off glumly and stared vacantly at her.
“Always jesting to hide the fear you feel.” Ileana laughed. Certainly, it wasn’t for my humor, more like, the fact that she knew I agreed with those words. Still not enough to voice out the agreement aloud though.
“Let’s just go.”
Ileana pouted. “Oh Audrey, you’ve always been naïve.”
“Is that so.” Not bothering to turn my voice into a questioning one, what is the point of doing so? “I could have been doing something useful so come on before I decide to return to Lockin.”
My words must have confused her, confirming my beliefs. No one knew that I lived through this day and witnessed Cecile’s sacrifice that only turned to mine. Halting to a stop, I wondered if it was true, that I choose the dark side.
No, the darker side would be the correct term.
Well until I discover what the two sides want from me- as well as the other two, I wouldn’t judge. “Okay, wear this.” Ileana said, handing me a strange item that resembled a jellyfish, swirling with bright neon colors endlessly.
I couldn’t help but scowl at her, full with distrust. “I could have killed you each time you slept. Wear it and stop being a confused brat. This will clear everything up, no more confusion and I even promise it’ll cure Landon.”
“Cure Landon?” I pried at the new information.
“Oh you’ll see soon enough. It’ll be quite the show, I was informed by Elizabeth herself.” Before I could ask more, she threw the jellyfish-orb into my face.
Pain took its toll as the thing sucked at my face. My hands automatically went to remove it, but only touched my face, as if the orb was nonexistent. That didn’t stop it from taking my air, also making me struggle less.
Not wanting to waste the oxygen and at the same time, the need to die and get all this over with was heightened. I was stuck between a debate whether to keep struggling or just give up and hope for the best.
Oh Audrey, you’ve always been naïve.
Naivety was weakness. To believe everything because you had no mind of your own, that you had no power to say no and defy. Filled with negativity flaws but all you had to say was yes to everything to be naïve, forgetting that no mind, no power, no tact was the reason to all that.
I wasn’t naïve. I would be naïve to believe her words.
*
“Clarisse, why did you buy everything in black?”
“For the big party darling.”
“What party?”
“A party for grownups, it’s not for some time but you know my saying; Always be prepared.”
“Can’t I go? I always go with you for the parties.”
“Oh dear, you’ll be the host. Of course you’re coming.”
*
“Clarisse, why is there a new man every day?”
“Friendship reasons.”
“Is that so?”
“No.”
“Will you ever tell me?”
“Only that, one day you’ll need to one of them.”
*
“Take this drink, darling.”
“Must I Clarisse? It tastes gross.”
“It’ll make you stronger!”
“Liar.”
“It’ll make you forget the pain.”
“What pain?”
“The pain that you’ll be getting soon.”
“I don’t like pain.”
“No one does. And you’ll be going through a lot so please drink this.”
“Why me, I don't like it?”
“That's what you get when you're someone special! You get to perform spells unlike the other kids and create anything you'd dreamed off. Everyone loves you but when you get these pains, or let's call it, hurting enough to have people scared of you, so anyway people won't love you anymore unless you drink, so drink up darling.”
“Everyone loves me?”
“Stop giggling, you’ll spit the poti-drink out. And don’t you care about the magic tricks you'll be able to perform? Only that people love you darling?”
“What’s the point of performing if no one is there to watch?”
“You are twisted, even more so than me.”
“It runs in the family, doesn’t it Clarisse?”
*
It always has to be water, I thought bitterly as I crashed into the wretched surface. After a while of my attempts to float back, the salty waves helped me up, allowing me to gasp for air and calm my racing heart.
“Stupid Ileana.” I muttered, looking around. “What the hell?” I gaped at the scenery with a growing anxiety.
It was as a cave mixed with a whirlpool, if that made sense. Like a twister dug it and created this bowl that on its edges dripped with vines and the waterfalls circling it entirely. In the middle, hung a rope, to what though is unknowledgeable.
The cave’s walls entirely covered in green leaves that hissed, no doubt, from the snakes that resided there. I studied the sky and frowned at the purple and pink sky that tinted with electric blue waves and just only noticed that the jungle was above me.
Vampires lived in jungles?
Suddenly the hissing stopped and replaced with a much sinister one. A groaning that something you imagine a zombie would produce. Just then, a few dozen hands appeared beside me, attempting to drag me below the water.
Fortunately, the rope was just a few swimming strokes away. Rather than doing some butterfly strokes, I thrashed about until I hung onto the rope.
“Climb the rope or die. Climb the rope or die.” I whispered to boost my confidence as I attempted to climb the slipper rope. Immediately, as I continued to slip, my hands were burning from the ropes that I almost gave up but a slimy hand has me scuttling upwards.
Yet, it was impossible for my weak arms to carry my weight up. Not helping, the watery creatures are gaining on me and grabbing my loose shirt. Kicking made no difference, maybe underwater the kicks eased to those monsters.
The only sight I could see in my frightened state was the grey hands that had lumps of flesh missing. At least it was a boost to my adrenaline but not for long. The hands quickly disappeared deeper into the water as a tremor shook.
“Guys?” I called out dumbly. Yeah Audrey, those guys are your best friends, you should call them back so they can hug you though it seemed like attempted murder.
The scene kept shaking until the water peeked in its temperature. Lukewarm gradually making itself to hot and finally reaching to the boiling point, that the water started to bubble around me. The water exploded, dragging my like a rag doll that I flew alongside the fountain of water and landed somewhere on a tree branch.
I continued my screaming and only stopped when I heard the breaking of the branch. “No! Eeeeeeee!” I shrieked before I landed on my back. All the air was gone for a moment, and my vision turned pitch dark. It wasn’t a long fall but it was the hard soil managing to hurt my skull that I felt like dying at the moment.
Didn’t I always feel like that though?
Not bothering to move, I stayed lying on the dirt, watching the shapeless purple clouds pass by until my head felt a tad bit better. Slowly I stood up, brushing the leaves that clung off me, and wondered what now.
Darkness took its place, all the pretty colors that were before now gone. The moonlight replaced the darkness in seconds, glowing silver, and giving me a scary sight. One of water creatures was making its way towards me, allowing a full view for me to study it’s appearance.
Not that I would have passed that glorious chance but somehow having more of those creatures trailing behind it, didn’t quite, leave me wanting to accept that offer.
I took a few steps back, but the creature halted and stared at me. No it couldn’t stare. Its eyes weren’t sewn shut, not to mention it’s the only thing that preoccupied its grey face. No mouth, no ears, no nose, yet it didn’t seem like it lacked those senses.
Dear god, I sincerely hope that they’re like zombies. They limp while the hero runs.
Bracing myself, I started a powerful sprint, not looking back until I passed a strange looking tree. The sight was no comfort. A dozen of those creatures were running. Yes running before me, I picked up my previous sprint and continued with high agile.
“I’m going to die. I’m going to die.” I chanted loudly each time I stumbled over a vine. The creatures moaned behind me and twice they brushed against me before I did a strong reaction that resulted them to falter in their steps.
Kick, chant, cry, kick, more kicking and return to chanting.
Soon I was dripping with my own blue blood, tears almost blinding me as I ran aimlessly. My ears picked up foreign sound, different from the annoying pants of the creatures, and my wild heartbeat.
Suddenly howls echoed the forest. So powerful, that even I stopped to look for the source. One by one, something dark took one of the creatures. A limb would go amiss and blood would fly and splatter everything, even an entire creature tore with such gore when the dark shadow passed it before disappearing again, that I almost vomited.
Turns out I did vomit, silently though, when I looked up again and saw the blood and organs mingling with the greenery of the jungle.
Quickly, I wiped the leftover of the puke, but unfortunately not the acid taste and started inching away. Wanting nothing more then to leave unscathed and return anywhere safe, even such a place like Lockin.
When two water creatures were left, my mind started to send waves of commands to run to my body. I moved backwards at a faster pace, not removing my eyes until I glimpsed orange orbs glancing at me briefly.
“Catch her.” A deep voice instructed. “No one leaves alive.” I decided that silent treks wasn't doing the correct thing and I should simply run for the hell of it. I fixed my path and ran for my life.