The Stranger- Chapter 14

There were no dreams this time. Despite being unconscious, I was aware of Wraith’s arm around me. His touch burned into my waist. Unlike Kendell’s touch, which felt so protective, Wraith’s felt greedy and possessive. Harsh. I couldn’t move, or think, I could only feel Wraith pull me closer to him as I slept. Words floated through my head, but they didn’t belong to me,

            “Why must you make me remember…?”

            Then everything faded completely, leaving me completely to myself again.

            Eventually, a dim light tried to shine through my eyelids. My eyes fluttered open and I saw the orange glow of the sunset. I had slept all day. Wraith’s arm was still around me, his chest pressed to my back. As carefully as I could, I moved over so I could see Wraith’s face. He was still sleeping. His face looked so peaceful, it was hard to believe he was a demon. I rubbed my eyes and jumped when I looked back at Wraith. His eyes were open, burning into mine. I flinched as his hand reached up and tangled into my hair. Within seconds, he had turned away and gotten out of bed, taking a change of clothes and walking towards the door.

            “W-where are you going…?” My voice was timid and small.

            “I have things to do.”

            “So you’re leaving me here alone again…?”

            Wraith turned to me as he opened the door, “Yes.”

            “For how long?”

            “I probably won’t need to sleep for some time, so a few days, maybe? Marb will bring you food and whatever else you might need.”

            I stared at his back as he walked out the door. A few days? Alone? Whimpers of fear escaped my throat. Granted, yes, I loved to be alone, but not like this. Not captured and held prisoner in an unfamiliar place, taken away from the ones I love. I folded my hands in my lap, unsure of what I should do. The chain around my neck reminded me that I was no longer in control of what happened to me. Slowly, I slid off the bed and wandered to the window, my chain just barely long enough to let me kneel in front of it. The orange glow of the sunset was growing fainter behind the tops of the trees. My hand seemed to float on its own as it pressed itself to the cool glass. I wanted to get out of this room. There was nothing to do, no one to talk to, nothing to think about. Nothing to think about except, of course, the unfortunate details that caused me to be in a mess like this in the first place.

            The sound of a handle turning caused me to turn, hoping Wraith had decided to come back and keep me company. Why I had wished for Wraith to come stay with me, and not Kendell to help me, was beyond my understanding. However, any hope had crumbled as Marb waddled into the room with a tray of roast beef, a small apple tart and water. I grimaced when I saw a small ball of chocolate, identical to the one I had eaten last night, sitting on the tray. He didn’t look at me as he set it down on the dresser, turning to leave without a word.

            Frantic, I reached out to him, “Marb, please stay!”

            Startled by my outburst, he jumped and turned to face me, confusion etched onto his face, “Why should I?”

            My words died in my mouth, “I…” As I pulled my outstretched hand back, it curled into a fist and pressed itself into my chest, and finally, I gained the nerve to speak, “I don’t wish to stay in this room alone…”

            Marb stared at me for a few moments before sighing and jumping up on the bed, sitting down against the pillows. The scent of the roast beef caused my stomach to rumble violently, making me aware of how hungry I was. The chain was just long enough for me to reach the dresser and take the tray. I carried it back to the bed and climbed in, sitting next to Marb as I gingerly took my fork and placed a piece of roast beef in my mouth. The taste was exquisite. There was silence as I ate, and once I had finished, I picked up the ball of chocolate. Marb stared at me, raising an eyebrow expectantly. Reluctantly, I ate it, the revolting thing running down my throat as I chewed and swallowed. Another wave of dizziness crashed over me, but I fought it as I turned to Marb,

            “…I don’t like being kept in this one room… In his room…”

            “Well, that’s a shame, because Master told me to keep you here,” Marb didn’t turn to look at me, he just closed his eyes and furrowed his brows.

            “What if I need to use the wash room?”

            He groaned in exasperation, “Then you’ll just have to find a way to call one of us. But you will be under our supervision. No more questions.”

            “…Yes, Marb… But… I may need to use the wash room right now…” I squirmed in discomfort.

            Marb gave me a harsh look, yet took a key from his pocket, removed my collar and beckoned me to follow him. We walked swiftly down the halls once we had left the room, and soon stopped at another pair of large doors. Marb opened the door for me and I walked into the beautiful wash room, with a dark grey marble bath and dark wooden wardrobes. The deep red walls were lined with black candleholders, each one holding a candle and its small flame.

            “You have twenty minutes,” the door closed as Marb muttered that phrase to me.

            I turned my back from the door and used the wash room for my business, then filled the tub with hot water. Slipping off my old night robe, I managed to find a towel of some kind in the wardrobe, along with a strange piece of fabric. I ignored it for the time being and slipped into the hot water, enjoying the heat, letting my mind wander for some time as I bathed.

            “Five minutes!” Marb barked.

            Only five? I quickly finished my bath and hurried out of the tub, grabbing the towel and wiping the water away. Marb called out again, telling me I had only a minute left. He wasn’t going to walk in while I was changing, was he? The thought made me panic. I made my way back to the wardrobe and pulled out undergarments, slipped them on, and pulled out the scrap of fabric. It unfolded when I shook it out, and I realized it was some kind of dress. It was a very thin dress, white, with a split down the side of my left thigh, satin straps for my shoulders and a corset-like lacing from the waist up on the front of it. Slipping it on, I laced up the front of the dress to conceal as much as possible and looked in the mirror.

            Oh my.

            The dress was somewhat tight, revealing virtually my entire leg and my arms, the dress’s neckline too low even after I had laced it up. I felt far too exposed.

            The door handle rattled and Marb walked in, then sighed, “Your time is up, girl.”

            Slowly, I made my way to the doorway and lowered my head. My arms were crossed over my chest in embarrassment. There was no way I could face anyone in a dress like this. Harlot. I felt like such a harlot.

            I felt Marb’s eyes travel over me and he chuckled, “Don’t feel so embarrassed, this isn’t the human world anymore. Here, the only rules are the Master’s. And he wants you in that dress.” He chuckled again and held a hand out to me, which I took. Marb was right. It didn’t matter if more of me was exposed, I had still been covered properly. And there’s no one to see me here.

            No one to see me except…

            I froze as Marb had begun to lead me back down the hall. He looked back in confusion, “What are you stopping for? Come.” He pulled me along, forcing me to walk with him. All the while, I was disturbed by the thought of being here alone, with only a goblin and a demon as if I were some kind of play thing. I didn’t want Wraith to see me like this. He didn’t deserve it. Marb stopped in front of a room, in front of his room, opened the door, and I immediately tried to pull my hand away. My efforts were in vain, for Marb just dragged me inside and chained me to the wall beside the bed again, clasping the collar around my neck and locking it. There was no use in struggling, that was made rather clear. Without a word, he turned his back and left me alone, in the dark room that I’d been forced to stay in for who knows how long. In silent defeat, I collapsed back onto the bed and stared at the ceiling. It was slightly darker now, but I could still see clearly. Frustration ripped through me. Why me? Why was I the one, lying here, as an angel without my wings, in a demon’s house? Couldn’t it have been someone else from the town?

            Why me?

            Why?

            The thought made my frustration grow, a growl escaping my lips. I never asked for this. I never wanted to be in this kind of mess. I never-

            I prayed silently for the poverty to decrease here, for plentiful harvest...

And for something exciting to happen.

            My prayers… I prayed for “excitement” every day… This was not what I meant… I wanted, perhaps, to go on an adventure, travel the world. I wanted to see the different animals and places that lived on this planet, not be kidnapped and have to fight some kind of war. There were other people in town that could have had my life!

            Someone else who could have dealt with the neglect, dealt with being the outcast, someone else could have been the one with the strange appearance I had been born with. Someone else could have gone through that hell. Could have found out that they weren’t even human, and had to fight…

            Now guilt had washed away the frustration. How could I say that? Was I so selfish, that I’d wish what I’d gone through on someone else, if it meant I could be free? No one should have to go through being completely neglected and hated by practically everyone around them. I turned over, lying on my stomach and burying my face in the pillows. The chain connecting my collar to the wall was cold against my forearm. That chocolate ball I had eaten was taking its toll on me, my eyelids growing heavy. Even still, I didn’t want to sleep yet. Although, there was nothing better to do… Looking over towards the corner of the room, I saw the pile of skulls and their awful, gleaming eyes. It was as if they were watching me, or someone was watching through them. I got off the bed, slightly wobbly on my feet, and walked over to them. Their eyes seemed to follow my every move. I fell to my knees, studying them. Then, when I reached a hand out to touch one, it moved! It had tried to bite my hand, jaws snapping loudly as its eyes glowed. I snatched my hand back and watched all the other skulls turn to focus on me, each one gazing at a different part of me. Some were staring into my eyes, others staring at my shoulders, or stomach, or legs, all acting as if they were one entity. Or just one person controlling them all. Before I could think about them anymore, something knocked against the window. My eyes widened at what I saw behind the glass.

            A small ball of light was colliding with the window a few more times. I hurried to the window and found that it was unlocked, and pulled it open. The ball of light shot into the room, nuzzling itself into my chest. I immediately felt calm and safe, the light warming my body. My eyes widened when a familiar voice echoed through my head.

            “I’m coming, don’t worry. Be safe.”

            “Kendell…?”

            “Shh, don’t say my name. He can see you, and he’s listening.”

            “What…? When are you-“

            “Unfortunately, not very soon. Give me time, Annabelle. I can’t just storm into an enemy thresh hold, that would be suicide.”

            “A-alright… But please, try to be here as soon as you can. I’m scared…” Tears burned my eyes as I glanced back over at the skulls, which seemed to glare at the little ball of light.

            “I know you are. But it will all be okay. Just be safe and don’t anger Wraith. He seems to not want to kill you, but that doesn’t mean he may not hurt you. And what are you wear-”

            Before his sentence was finished, the ball of light was ripped away from me, as if it was sucked out of the window. The warmth I had felt left, leaving my arms empty and cold. When the ball tried to enter the room again, something shot up to the window. Blurred shapes continued to block the window, shutting out what light remained from the outside. I stumbled back when the entire window was blocked off, and in the darkness, pairs of red orbs were shining. They illuminated just enough of the space around them for me to make out the shape of skulls. The skulls! Their eyes glowed brighter, almost as if they were angry, staring me down and casting an eerie light over the room. Shadows danced across the walls and I ran back to the bed, hiding under the blankets. I refused to come back up, even though my every muscle wanted to rip the blankets away and see if there was anything looming over me. It was a very long while before I managed to calm down enough to close my eyes, and sleep.

            There were no voices in my dreams tonight. Not a single whisper, not the smallest word was to be found. But that did not mean my dream was empty. There were the strangest images sprawled across my view, ones I didn’t understand, and others that frightened me. There wasn’t any sound, making it seem as if the entire world had gone mute. My vision was hazy and moved quickly about. Trees darted around me as I turned my head and I realized where I was.

            The lake.

            And right at the edge of the lake, stood a man. A man I knew too well, with his hair messily tied back and hanging in his face. One in simple attire, one that spent the majority of my life with me. Kendell’s back was facing me, and I reached out a hand. I called out to him, but my voice had left me. He slowly turned to face me, and my heart leapt in my throat.

            Horror swept through me as I looked at his lips, which had been stretched out in a grin so large and unrealistic, it stretched across his entire face. His eyes were nothing but two black holes, soulless and empty. What was wrong with him? Kendell had never appeared in any other form in my dreams. Frozen in place, I gaped at him. When I blinked, something had changed… Blinking again, my eyes widened. Kendell had moved closer when I had blinked, that bone-chilling gaze fixed on me. Daring to blink again, I let out a soundless whimper as he flashed closer still. Kendell didn’t move as long as my eyes stayed open. For a long moment, we simply stared at each other before I found myself blinking again. He grew closer, and one more blink would be all it took for him to reach me. No longer in control of what was happening, I blinked one last time, and his face was directly in front of mine. Kendell took my hands and guided me back up towards the lake, and then, I was underwater. The awful grin on Kendell’s face greeted me again, and then it twisted into a frown. He was pulled away from me by something and disappeared, and I was pulled from the water by my dress. When I hit the ground, I couldn’t lift my head high enough to see who had saved me. All I saw was a pair of black boots and the bottom of some kind of coat. Then someone had gripped my hair and shook my head, and my eyes slipped closed one last time before snapping open.

            Sunlight stung my eyes, making me squint. A hand was wrapped in my hair, someone else’s hair tickling me as they leaned down and whispered,

            “Don’t think your angel can save you.”

            “I know he will…”

            Wraith growled. I yelped when my blankets were ripped away and Wraith pulled the chain of my collar up, forcing me to look at him. He glared at me, “You know nothing.”

            Gathering all the bravery I could, I stared Wraith back in the eyes, “I know enough.” His anger was crushing me. My heart was beating so fast that I thought it would burst.

            He smirked at me, eyes traveling to my body, then back to my face. His hand landed over my heart, and he whispered, “I love it when you’re scared, Princess…” Then he let me go and walked back towards the door. The fear of being left here alone stabbed at me as images of my dream and the skulls from last night raced across my mind, and I reached my hand out,

            “Don’t leave me here alone any longer!”

            Looking down, I froze. The skulls were lined around the bed, staring at me, daring me to try and walk to the door. Wraith paused, chuckling.

            “Are you asking for me to stay with you…?” Amusement laced his voice, it radiated from him, along with another emotion I couldn’t quite place.

            “I-I… Well-”

            “So dreadfully sorry. I have important things to attend to.” He started back out the door.

            Both of my hands shot out now, “No, wait, please!” I panicked, tears filling my eyes when the skulls inched closer to the bed, “Please don’t leave me here!”

            I heard him sigh, watched him turn around, “You can’t accompany me when I leave the manor, I hope you know.”

            Nodding furiously, I heaved a sigh of relief as Wraith shooed the skulls away and pulled a key out of his pocket. He walked over to me with a blank expression. I shivered as he traced down my neck with his cold hand and gripped the collar and took the key to it, unlocking it with a faint click. Wraith eyed me as I stood, reminding me of the dress I wore. His hand gripped mine and he lead me outside, through the hallways and down a narrow stairwell. Upon reaching the bottom, there was a small wooden door. Wraith pushed it open and nudged me inside. It was a kitchen, and there were some kind of black transparent shapes working at the stove.

            “For now, stay with the boggarts.”

            Boggarts? Oh, Lord. The black shapes seemed to twist in my direction, and I noticed small, sharp teeth sticking out of an opening in the shapes. Two came over to me and wrapped their arms around my wrists, dragging me to the chairs in the corner of the room. I looked over my shoulder to see Wraith already closing the door, and sighed. I had counted six boggarts, and watched as they all raced around the kitchen, preparing meals and squealing to each other. One boggart in front of a pot dipped a small spoon into it and carried it over to me. The liquid was a translucent yellow, steam swirling up into my face. It didn't smell awful...

I decided it would be best to comply with the creature, blew on the liquid to cool it off, and swallowed.

Author's Note

Sorry I haven't updated in a while, this is getting kind of hard to put together as the story progresses. .-.

Reviews

[Review]

keep going, ideas, twists, turns that shat a story is all about. Write what you think. Write what you hope. Write what you want, this is a great story.