In subtle grey pajamas Mildred is secured beneath the heavy charcoal blanket that tops her bed. Her arms are secured tightly beneath the layers of bedclothes. Her sleeping figure rests on her hard mattress in a supine position. Her sky blue eyes pop open, and survey the darkness of the room. The presence of a familiar squatting figure next to her does its best to convince her heart to beat out of her chest. A familiar pair of eyes pierces her. Before she can succumb to her urge to call into the night a hand clasps against her mouth. He presses a finger to his own lips as they curl into a devilish grin.
"No one can hear you there is no use in screaming. No one is coming. I am not finished with you. I won't be until I've turned you inside out, Mildred Hubble," his eyebrow arches as he laughs maniacally.
Her ears fill with blood as her body catapults into a sitting position. Her mouth hangs agape as the screams escape her ears. The thudding of her own heartbeat makes her feel lightheaded when coupled with the sudden shift in position. Her fear envelopes her in the darkness of her room. The drab, itchy bed clothes are tangled around her legs like tentacles. Her entire body is drenched in perspiration. Her feet are able to free her from her restraints in time for her to lurch forward and vomit.
The waste bin appears between her hands before the vomit reaches the floor. HB materializes next to her. Without a word the room is illuminated by the lamp on Mildred's desk. Hecate Hardbroom finds herself perched on the edge of the bed next to her favorite pupil. Mildred accepts the handkerchief that HB extends to her. The silence lingers as the seconds pass them by. With a simple wave of her hand HB makes the vomit disappear. She says absolutely nothing as her arm suddenly, yet gracefully snakes around Mildred's shoulders pulling her to her side.
Hecate is clad in simple black silk pajamas. Her abrupt awakening has left her no time to apply even a robe or her shoes. Mildred's gaze refuses to meet hers, instead it is affixed to the floor. Her fear begins to subside as her mind tries to reconcile itself to the fact that the deputy headmistress appears to be wearing socks with dancing cats on them.
"I'm sorry," Mildred apologizes in a solemn, muted tone.
Hecate smoothens Mildred's long braids as she slowly releases Mildred from her grip.
"No apology needed."
"You can go back to bed, I'm fine," Mildred lies through her teeth.
"I will not."
Mildred furrows her brow as her eyes fall upon HB's face.
"I will keep showing up. It is my duty."
Mildred subtly nods.
"I fear the only way you will succeed at vanquishing the tormentor of your dreams is to verbally expel them."
"Is it possible for someone to project themselves into your dreams?"
Hecate offers pause instead of reassurances.
"How confident are you in the protective spells you have cast?"
"No one is going to hurt you within these walls."
"Can you concoct a potion to send me sweet dreams?"
Hecate's face puckers in realization, "Where is Dimity Drill?"
"She's been sleeping soundly in a chair outside my door for hours."
HB falls silent. The state of exhaustion is no friend of her ability to hide her non-verbal communication.
"It is possible, isn't it? For someone to project themselves into your dreams."
"Only by those who do not abide by the code."
Mildred hangs her head, "I am expected to abide by the code, despite the fact that someone has maliciously commandeered my state of slumber, whilst they can do whatever they please brining blight on anyone they see fit, and they go unpunished as long as they remain elusive?"
"That is the unfortunate gist, Miss Hubble."
"Who is Adonis, and why has he chosen me as the subject of his torment?"
Hecate falls utterly silent as she locks eyes with Mildred.
"Miss Hardbroom this is not the first occasion he has disrupted my sleep. After the first few occasions I realized it was not merely my subconscious coming forward. He told me that it was not a name I would soon forget. What have I done to him?"
The deputy headmistress's chin tilts towards her favorite pupil. In the moment she finds herself internally tormented with the words that are to fall from her lips, as she knows whatever choice she picks will pierce the young witch like daggers.
Her hushed tone catches Mildred off guard, "It is my belief that he holds you responsible for an atrocity that you are not culpable for."
Mildred silently wipes the sweat from her forehead. As her hand falls into her lap her eyes cast themselves towards the moon, as if her mind has wandered that far in an instant. Mildred's shoulders droop, and her face remains expressionless. The fifth year pupil's eyes no longer gleam with wonder, and excitement. It has been replaced with a dark cloud she carries on the threshold of her soul.
"I would be offering deceit if I told you part of me will always believe I had a hand in Agatha's death. I…"
Hecate hurriedly interrupts the dysfunctional train of thought, "Mildred you are not responsible. You are only responsible for yourself."
"The choices I made contributed to her death," Mildred quickly counters.
"I am just as culpable, then, aren't I?"
"If someone wounds your pupils do you not suffer, too?"
Hecate's brow furrows, as she considers the concept for the first time. She peers in to the pair of ice blue eyes that stare at her expectantly. Hecate exhales, and gently squeezes Mildred's hand.
"In this reality, or any other we can both rest assured that Agatha died by her own hand."
"And someone who lives with hate in their heart will never be convinced."
"Perhaps this is a subject we could revisit when the sun is to be located overhead, instead of the moon."
Mildred nods in agreement, "A deputy headmistress does require beauty rest to maintain her stoic persona."
Hecate winks at Mildred, as she peels back the covers in an attempt to secure the pupil in her bed. Mildred hesitantly accepts her kindness. Hecate squats next to the bed as Mildred rolls onto her side.
"Rest easy, Mildred."
Mildred subtly nods. The look of fear in her eyes as she unsuccessfully applies a brave face does not escape HB. The deputy headmistress materializes a blanket, and relegates herself to a chair in the corner of the room.
