Title: Silence is Golden

Prompt: Write a magical creature you've never written before

A/N: Its a lethifold attack, not well known (obviously) but basically a blanket sheet or a black cloak that creeps up on you when it thinks you're asleep and eats you. Only a patronus can get rid of it which makes Muggles particularly vulnerable. Also thanks to Shakespeare for your play, Hamlet!

Thoughts

Word Count: 1,314

"Adams! You're on in five." I glanced from my notes, attempting to recall the entire purpose of this character, to my director who looked like he was about to lose his head. It was time to really get your head in the game, Margaret.

"Got it! I'm Ophelia!" I gave him a solid nod as I forced myself back into the notes. I was supposed to be Shakespeare's Ophelia, which had been a dream of mine since I'd seen my own mother do it back in England. I mean, maybe the dream didn't include a cruise ship heading through the Bahamas, but it was a good step. Right?

Purpose? An eternal virgin* not really, thanks, Hamlet!

Intents? Haml-There's something on my foot, oh my god it's slimy. Ew!

I quickly glanced down from my notes to my foot. I peered for a second to see a black cloak of a shadow slither across my limb, staying for a second before it disappeared into the dark red stage curtain. I swear to god, I just saw a shadow creep off to the bloody curtain. No! No, you did not. Margaret, you're tired and you're kinda nervous. That's all.

My college, Ralph nabbed my arm rather roughly as my eyes strayed towards the curtains. There's nothing there, calm down. Nothing at all. I cleared my throat as Laertes and I stood, on the side as the lights slowly moved to us. I summoned all things Ophelia and attempted to ignore the sinking feeling that something or someone was watching me...hunting me.

"My necessaries are embark'd. Farewell. And, sister, as the winds give benefit And convoy is assistant, do not sleep, But let me hear from you." I turned quickly to him, stopping myself from moving so quickly while I focused on what was at hand...not the curtains.

"Do you doubt that?" I tilted my head ever so slightly, funneling everything I had into just being this girl.

"For Hamlet, and the trifling of his favour, Hold it a fashion, and a toy in blood; A violet in the youth of primy nature, Forward, not permanent- sweet, not lasting; The perfume and suppliance of a minute; No more." I felt a hand on my shoulder and swallowed hard at my sudden need to run from the stage and off this boat.

"No more but so?" I watched his face as he seemed to just become Laertes. I wish I could do that. Why wasn't I as good? My mother never gave me any tips growing up and then she was gone before I knew it. Cancer was awful.

"Think it no more. For nature crescent does not grow alone In thews and bulk; but as this temple waxes, The inward service of the mind and soul Grows wide withal. Perhaps he loves you now,..." I couldn't stop myself from staring at the curtains as Ralph's words faded out of my head, an odd sort of billowing was happening above us but the curtain moving wasn't red. It was black and thin. I couldn't feel any wind, was I going crazy?

"Ophelia? Hath you...heeded my words?" I blinked a bit, realising I was still on stage and I'd missed my cue, jesus. My mother would have been ashamed.

"I shall th' effect of this good lesson keep As watchman to my heart. But, good my brother, Do not as some ungracious pastors do, Show me the steep and thorny way to heaven," I cleared my throat, taking in a sharp breath as I spied something black weaving it's way behind me from the corner of my eye. Focus!

"Whiles, like a puff'd and reckless libertine, Himself the primrose path of dalliance treads And recks not his own rede." Okay, slight hiccup but it was said. The line was said and I'd get to leave soon. Maybe I'd just go ahead and curl up into a ball and cry myself back to sanity. Huh, that actually sounded pretty good.

I couldn't stop myself from looking over my shoulder, it just felt like I was being watched and not from the 10 or so cruise goers in front of me. I watched another piece of a black cloak-like thing smoothly make it's way back into the darkness and actually felt relief. Whatever it was, it was gone now!

"Ophelia? I said farewell." I was tapped on my shoulder, making me jump before I could stop myself. So, the nerves weren't entirely gone.

"'Tis in my memory lock'd, And you yourself shall keep the key of it." My memory was definitely not locked up right now, if anything I couldn't get myself to just stop bloody imagining a cloak strangling me. Sorry mum, tonight just wasn't my night.

Theres nothing in here with you, Marge. Nothing but the furniture anyways. Cruises really didn't have the best looking furniture for their staff members, the beds were bumpy and the lights were just barely functioning.

I rolled over onto my left side and stared at absolutely nothing, my ears and brain were still working over time in some attempt to figure out what sort of clothing had the ability to...slither. It just wasn't possible. Nope. Not possible. Ignored.

Okay, I can't ignore it. But! I could close my eyelids and at least try to sleep, that might actually be good for me considering how much I'd gotten screamed at for messing up my lines and the timing of the entire play. My bad. What was weird was that the entire time I got my ears screamed off, all I could say sorry to was my mum. I'd let her down. Massively.

I don't even know why I bothered with this. It didn't pay well and I seemed to be losing my marbles when I got on a boat, last time I swore up and down that I saw a shark in the water near the boat and that freaked me out. I know consciously that he couldn't just rocket out of the water and eat me but in the back of my head, I was afraid he could.

I froze. There was something on my foot, again. No, there's nothing on your foot. You're just freaking out like you were before, clothes don't just move around on their own and they really don't try to hunt you. Why would a cloak even wan-

Its heavy, theres something heavy. The bed squeaked under the weight and I did not like that, my eyes popped open but I still couldn't see anything. It was black in here, I needed to turn on a light or so-

Oh my god, why is it moving up my body?

LIGHT. I NEED A LIGHT. Why are the lights so far away? Why was something practically strangling my legs the more I panicked? Maybe I shouldn't panic?

Thats a terrible idea, PANIC MORE.

Oh my god, it's over my head. Jesus take the wheel, or Buddha or someone, I don't care who!

I thrashed now, the bed squeaking under my struggle as I tried to find a face or something else to grab a hold of or scratch at but there was nothing. It was the same feeling of a silky and smooth fabric, no beginning and no end of that I could find no matter how desperately I tried to find one.

Everything was burning now, the tip of my fingers felt like they were being sliced open and pulled apart. I was being wrapped up somehow, no matter how hard I tried the same sharp and burning sensation wrapped around my entire body, I couldn't figure out why me? Why now?