"Is this it? ...Is this really what you want Boa?", The strained voice came from Isla as she fought back the tears that threatened to spill.
Here she was on what was supposed to be the happiest day of her life being told her end had come. She could hear Christopher and her friends pounding on the church door behind them desperately trying to undo the magic that had trapped her in here with this monster.
"Yes" , Boa's eyes slowly took in the girls appearance. The plain white dress, brunette hair and glazed over green eyes.
Nothing special, she thought.
"That was supposed to be me there. All in white, practically glowing-" She summoned a clear glass out of thin air filled with a navy blue liquid.
"-And he took that FROM ME!"
Isla was forced to the ground by Boa's magic that came from her sheer rage. Held in place all she could do was plead with her eyes as Boa was crouching down and moving the cup closer to her lips.
"And now, ill take you from him."
Say something! Anything to distract her, her brain spat out.
"He's change Boa... and so have you"
"Changed" a cruel laugh echoed around the church as Boa tossed her head back. "You think YOU'VE changed him. He's a monster"
"Aren't we all? We've all done things were not proud of"
Boa's brow creased and her smirk grew.
"Even you Little Isla?" she placed the cup down and grasped Isla's chin in her cold hand.
Thank god, more time. Isla thought trying to calm herself and focus on anything other than the woman in front of her.
"Look at me" Boa said.
The banging on the door continued followed by the screams of her love.
"Boa! I'll kill you for this!" Isla strained her ears to hear the rest of his cries.
Not long now, please not long.
"I said .me"
As soon as Isla's eyes locked with Boa's she felt a sharp pain pierce her skull. It started to rip through her memories one by one until Isla was screaming and Boa's nails had drawn blood on her chin.
They say your life flashes before your eyes before you die, maybe this was it. Isla thought.
She began to live through each memory, feeling everything both physically and mentally.
First she was drowning in the chicken town flood, the cool water dragging her down and she fought against the current before being hauled up by strong, warm arms.
Her being swept away into the light and colour which was Abarat. All the different hours, the people she met and all the laughter made her stomach cramp up.
But then there was the dark side of it too. All the people now long dead and buried because of Boa, Mater Motley and him. Christopher Carrion, the Lord of Midnight himself.
He had changed, joined their side. Everyone was a bit apprehensive at first even her.
She went through the first time he approached her again, how she was shaking in fear and confused when he said he wanted to know more about her world. That it would aid the fight to have that knowledge on his side. After all knowledge was power.
They were now sitting side by side on midnight's balcony, her closing the book in her hands as she finished reading to him yet another hereafter novel.
The meeting's had been frequent over the past month as Candy and the others travelled across the islands recruiting more people to help them defeat Boa. Due to Christopher's reputation across Abarat they thought it best that he stayed and protected midnight and Isla, new to the tales of the Abarat thought it best she stay behind and learn about what she was up against.
"So..." Came Carrions deep voice. "The time changes in the hereafter?"
"Yes." She laughed, still finding it peculiar that Abarat didn't have the normal days she did.
"We get all 24 hours in one day"
"And how do you spend these hours? How is the midnight hour spent in the hereafter?"
"Well, we just go about our normal lives like you do here except the sun goes down and up as we do it" she laughed nervously, she had been doing that a lot whenever he was around.
"But, by the midnight hour you would be asleep?"
Isla felt she was getting it now. He kinda owns the hour so of course he wants to know all about a hereafter midnight.
"Not always, the-there are some ex-exeptions" Isla could feel herself getting tongue tied as he pierced her soul with his sea blue eyes.
" " his voice drawled out.
"such as..." Isla's eyes widened.
What could you do during the midnight hour? Well sleep, but he might be offended that thats all we do.. emm...Watch a movie, glance at a few stars... ghost hunting... party's... fireworks...thats it!
"New years eve!", She blurted out smiling at the thought.
His eyes questioned her and she turned her head, slowly scanning the horizon thinking of an explanation.
"Well... everyone goes out to a party and on the stroke of midnight they let off fireworks! Those explosive forms of entertainment I told you about?"
He nodded his head in understanding, after a few minutes of silence Isla thought he had dropped the matter and felt herself relax again.
"Is that all?" What!? Still not enough for your precious hour?
Isla glanced his way and saw the confusion in his eyes. Did he feel angry that his hour wasn't as exiting and vibrant as the rest? She racked her brain thinking of even the littlest thing to keep him happy.
"Emmmm...people...they also...ooohh kiss at midnight!"
"Kiss?"
"Well it's a sign that the new year is here. A change if you will. A good one and being able to celebrate that change with someone just...just..."
Isla shrugged and looked down.
Christopher sensing the change in atmosphere turned Isla's face towards him. She continued looking down, avoiding his gaze.
"If I offended you, I'm ...sorry" She looked up and smiled at him. The lord of midnight apologising, what have I done to behold such an honour?
She slowly put her hand on his cold one.
"Offended? Not at all. I'm just sorry our midnights not as beautiful as an Abaratian one. God know why? Midnights always been that special time of the day, I can't really explain it. It just so shrouded in mystery it feels like anything can happen" Isla sighed and removed her hand from is.
"I'm sorry" she laughed.
"I can't do this", she made to get up but was stopped by his hand firmly gripping her arm.
"What's caused this?"
She looked down at his hand. He relaxed his grip and let his cold fingers trail down her bare skin until his hand was once again joined to hers. She couldn't take her eyes off his blue skin clashing again her pail white one. So different and yet so alike, just like their two worlds.
"It nothing. It's just I don't think I'm the right person to be teaching you about my world. I don't know what it's like to welcome the new year with a kiss ,Lordy lou! I've never even kissed anyone anyway"
She looked out once again to the vast landscape of Midnight and the great Isabella beyond that.
"There so much in my world I haven't even found out about yet and this has made me realise it...", Her voice trailed off and her eyes narrowed slightly in thought.
"People think that life is nothing but not being stone dead. How can I tell you what its like to live in my world and be a part of it when I haven't even truly lived yet! I don't think I've ever been truly alive..."
Christopher could feel her sadness rolling off in waves. He had never seen her like this. So lost, so afraid. He gently moved the hair from the side of her face and she turned to him once again. Her brow was creased and her mouth open as she deepened her breathing.
"You. haven't. lived?"
Her eyes searched his in fear, but not the fear he was use to. It said help me, save me. The only other person he had seen his look from was himself. It lingered in his eyes showing that the light was his only hope, that he still hadn't given up on lov- That word which he dare utter even to this day. He wanted to kiss her. Yet, he abstained for a moment wanting to see her reaction to him.
"Then lets find out what its like"
She noticed he was edging closer to her and she kept looking into his eyes. His very soul. IS he?
"Together"
His lips collided with hers in a surprisingly gentle caress. Instinctively Isla brought up her hand to meet the sides of his head as he deepened the kiss. Just as they both relaxed into it they pulled away for air and Isla laughed. His eyes were burning into hers looking for the answer he wanted, and who was she to deny him.
"Yes... lets"
Just as she leaned in to him again a laugh erupted through the scene and she jumped away from Christopher as a black cloud formed behind him. Slowly Boa rose out of the cloud and looked around before finally resting her eyes on Isla.
"What a lovely scene"
Isla now remembered what had happened. The wedding , Boa, her most cherished memories.
"Leave my memories. Get out of my head or-"
"OR. Was that a threat? You're not really in a position to be making them. are you?"
Once again the cup was summoned and Boa placed it in Isla's trembling ones. She then cupped the back of her head and tried to force the cup to her lips.
"Perfect"
Isla dug her feet into the ground trying to get away from Boa's strong grip. Her back collided with the cool metal of the balcony and she was cornered. No where left to run. Isla went limp in Boa's arms knowing the end was near.
"You don't have to do this" Isla's voice cracked and Boa froze for a moment.
Isla now looked at Christopher frozen in the scene before her. This was where her life began. Not in some small hereafter town but here, on the balcony of the Midnight tower with the nightmare man himself.
"I could be happy" she now returned to look at Boa.
"WE could be happy"
Isla saw a flash of innocence through Boa's eyes. The old princess was still in there, the one before the magic had corrupted her soul. But as soon as it appeared it was gone replaced by a scowl on the woman's lips.
Boa released her for a second and pushed her in front of her, but before Isla had any chance to contemplate crawling away Boa's arm came around her neck and constricted her windpipe.
Desperately clawing at Boa's arm Isla was now gasping for air and her eyes widened as Boa brought the cup to her now open mouth.
"You see I couldn't have Carrion in the church for your death. That would be a knowing suicide mission on my half, I'm not strong enough yet. But soon. Soon." She slowly began to pour the liquid down her throat and Isla chocked it away to no avail.
"But how lovely it is to see you look at him when he fell in love with you, knowing the vows you were meant to take today and the future you might have had while you drink to your death"
Once the poison was all gone Isla was thrown forward coughing her guts out as the poison began to burn away at her insides. The black mist once again swarmed the scene as the balcony melted away to reveal the church. Drops of blood had dropped onto the white floor as the poison took hold.
Boa dropped the cup with a clang and looked down at the girl. Blood had now started escaping from her mouth and was cascading onto her white wedding dress. Isla clawed at the stain watching as the red overpowered the white.
"Changed you said" Boa drawled.
Isla gave one final look at Boa before her world began to go dark.
"He will never change"
Boa disappeared into the cloud of black mist as the doors to the church burst open.
Through the blurriness Isla saw Christopher run towards her and felt his arms cradle her as the blood continued to flow. She tried to speak a sentence, but not even a single word would come out. The darkness slowly took over with her name being chanted over and over again by him as he rocked her body back and forth. The last thing she heard before making the last journey we all dread to make in life was her love screaming,
"I'll kill her"
Change I said...
Please change.
