Fall into Darkness

Chapter 9: Almost

Bellatrix started awake, eyes snapping open and finding herself in sheer darkness. Sleep drunk as all hell, it took her a moment to remember where she was. The foreman's office at the old coal mine. Yes. Yes, that was where she was. Honestly, she didn't know if the nightmare or the reality was worse.

Her eyes were drawn toward static images coming from the small TV. Looking through a haze, she once again saw herself at Bird Leg Cabin, writing at a desk. She observed with fascination as she once again heard her own voice speaking. "Anything outside of writing is a struggle. I managed to make my way downstairs. There's a shoebox downstairs of books and papers by Thomas Zane. It's very hard to focus, but I managed to read some of it. He's a poet. A good one, even. He writes about muses and creating and summoning fabulous things from a magic lake. A power to shape the world, a realm of gods and demons. Dark things that wait for a chance to slip through. He was scared of the lake."

She blinked again and the TV was off and broken as it had always been. Was she going mad? This couldn't be a sane person's imagination. Hearing voices and seeing things were not signs of a healthy mind.

Still, she supposed it was better than the recurring nightmares about hyenas she'd been recently having for some reason.

Sat on the sofa she had fallen asleep on, she felt something warm press against her. The dog, Max, lay next to her and raised his head from her lap. A tail started wagging weakly. It was then that she realized that whatever had woken her up had been buzzing in her pocket.

Quick as a flash, she pulled out the phone to see 'unknown caller' and swiped to answer.

"About fuckin' time, witchy-poo," sounded the voice of the muggle kidnapper, the voice of the man she wanted to kill more anything.

"WHERE THE BLOODY HELL ARE YOU?!" Bellatrix shrieked into the phone.

The kidnapper growled. "Pipe down, witch. Plans change, alright? Jesus. Meet me at the old lookout point at Cauldron Lake. Not far from the coal mine. Should take you an hour or so. Just be careful. You know what's out there in the dark."

Bellatrix huffed. "That wouldn't have been a problem… if you had bothered showing up during the bloody day!"

"Like I said, plans change. Bring the diary."

Bellatrix was about to shout some choice expletives into the phone regarding some speculations towards the muggle's pedigree, but he had already hung up before she had the chance. It took her all the willpower she had to keep herself from smashing the phone on the ground and stomping on it. She angrily pocketed the phone and paced for a moment while the dog lain on the sofa regarded her quizically.

There had to be a way to turn the odds in her favour.

Think.

THINK!

Bellatrix pulled the map from her coat pocket and unfolded it on the desk after tossing some of the folders onto the ground. She studied the map for a moment. The muggle'd been right: Cauldron Lake wasn't all that far from here, about half an hour to forty-five minutes of walking if she'd gauged it right. Look-out Point was on the edge of the highest point of the caldera called Mirror Peak and according to the map there was a small cafe for tourists there. She studied the map a bit closer and got an inkling of an idea.

Look-out Point wasn't called Look-out Point for nothing. The cafe offered views of the surrounding lake and forest from all sides… except one side to the north-west. It would be a bit of a scramble to get to the cafe from that way, but it meant she would be able to get the drop on him. Yes. Yes, that is what she would do.

"Max, come along," said Bellatrix to the dog as she stepped towards the door after stuffing the map into her backpack. "We have some walking to do."

The dog happily hopped off the ratty old sofa and trotted after Bellatrix as the two of them headed out into the night. The coal mine itself looked far less welcoming in the darkness, the weird shapes of the buildings looking alien and forboding among the trees and casting strange shadows over the ground. Taking a step in the dark felt like taking a swim in shark-infested waters and Bellatrix was instantly on edge. There were no signs of the encroaching Dark Presence, but that didn't mean anything as her adventure at the train bridge had proven.

If the map was not too far out of date, there would a path through the loading dock which would lead directly to Cauldron Lake.

Train waggons and hopper carts were strewn about, abandoned to the elements and formed a labyrinth of wood and steel to push herself through. If this place was considered an open air museum, they did a very poor job at keeping it tidy. Though she supposed it was an 'authentic' look, with tetanus jabs included for a small extra fee at the end of the tour, no doubt.

She almost didn't hear Max starting to growl. Bellatrix was soon to realize that the darkness was close, perhaps closer than ever before. Her senses were overcome with smell and sound most foul as cold wind whipped around her. The Dark Presence was here. Like an ethereal dark tornado, it crashed through the loading dock as if it was a bull in a china-shop. It pushed waggons aside effortlessly, threw hopper carts around and snapped nearby trees like match-sticks. Staring into it was like staring into a void: her mind couldn't comprehend what she was seeing exactly. And just as soon as it had come, it was gone, leaving behind only the black liquid darkness as residue of its passing.

Only when it was gone did Bellatrix dare to breathe again. She hadn't been allowed to own or use a wand ever since her arrest in 1998. But even with a wand, she wondered if she'd be prepared to face off with that thing, whatever it was.

Max wasn't in any better state, whining softly. A pat on the head later and the dog was once again ready to go. In a way she envied the creature: happiness came with a soft hand and a treat. A few days ago, Max had lost everything important to him. Max was loyal and brave, two traits Bellatrix valued. Thus, the dark witch had already decided that she would give him a good home when all of this was over.

The two of them made their way to the forest, following the map which led them through a ghost town. The place was dead, literally. Abandoned for decades. Wooden buildings, hastily constructed for a once thriving mine, only to be abandoned just as quickly once the mines had been closed. It was also obvious that the Dark Presence had been through here. Aside from several buildings having been turned into splinters, there was more of the dark residue left all over the town.

With trepidation, she realized that the Dark Presence was going in the same direction she was going. Was it going for Hermione? That thought alone made her shudder.

Bellatrix picked up the pace, rushing through the ghost town. She honestly didn't know what to do to head off such a creature, but she was not going to let it get to the girl she loved. However, the moment she stepped out of the ghost town's perimeter, something big and heavy landed right at her feet. The impact sent tremors through Bellatrix' body and set off the dog with endless barking. Looking down, she saw that a steel coal hopper cart had landed straight in front of her, mere inches away from her. In fact, two inches further and it would have crushed her toes. She hadn't seen or heard it coming, even.

"Shit…" she whispered to herself and swallowed hard.

Undoubtedly a message from that thing.

Well. Usually, she wasn't easily scared. But today this definitely put her on her toes. Literally.

She took a few deep breaths and walked another agonizing fifteen minutes through the dark forest, looking over her shoulder and cringing at every shadow among the trees and thick underbrush. It was almost a relief when she finally saw a proper road loom ahead beyond the edge of the forest.

Knowing the Look-out Point was near, she kept to the tree-line and gauged her location. The road ran along the edge of the caldera and Cauldron Lake was beyond, its dark deep waters almost beckoning her. Looking upon it too long made her head hurt. But she did get good enough of a look to make out the spot where the island had once been. Diver's Island. Bird Leg Cabin. There was… a light near it. A boat, perhaps? But why there? And why this time of night?

All of this just couldn't be a coincidence.

She spotted Look-out Point in the distance. A higher ridge of the caldera, rising high above the landscape. Mirror Peak. A smaller road branched off and would lead to the cafe. Bellatrix made her way among the trees to the edge of the ridge. The cafe's parking lot would be right on top of it, after an eight meter climb up the rocky side.

"Max," said Bellatrix. "Wait for me here, lad."

The dog cocked his head.

"I mean it, lad, stay here," repeated the witch.

The dog lay down and whined softly at her. To which Bellatrix sighed and knelt down to pet him. "I'll be back, Max. But you can't climb that ridge and if you run up that road, you might alert that bumface before I can get to him. Stay here, lad."

The dog seemed reluctant, but Bellatrix liked to think he understood. Looking up, she could see a light from the cafe window. The kidnapper was definitely there. Quick as a flash, the dark witch crossed the road and pressed her body against the rocks. She waited for a moment, but there was still no indication that she had been seen. Once again thanking herself for having the foresight to get and stay into excellent shape, Bellatrix scrambled up the side of the cliff as swiftly and silently as panther, thinking darker and darker thoughts with every inch of height gained.

Up and up she went, the edge coming ever closer, as were thoughts of muggle vivisection. Seeing the cliff was steep, she preferred not to look down as the muscles of her arms and legs were starting to protest. Rock climbing had never been part of her work-out regiment, but she started to think it was something she needed to consider. Plenty of opportunity for it too back home in Montana, after all. She controlled her breathing and slowly but surely made her way to the top, cringing a few times whenever she kicked a loose rock and sent it falling down into the abyss. She stopped moving every time and listened. And every time, there was no reaction.

Once she was high enough, she peeked over the edge and saw the kidnapper. The bloke was out of the cafe having a bit of a smoke while looking down at the lake.

Good. Good. She willed the man to keep his back turned to her. The muggle man had another one of his boomsticks on him… for all the good it did him last time, and had a bundle of flares tied to his belt. He seemed prepared to take on the shadow-creatures.

But Bellatrix was no shadow-creature.

Quiet as a mouse, Bellatrix hopped onto the parking lot and stalked her way towards the man. Closer and closer she got. She was almost upon him when he tossed his cigarette over the railing and into the lake far below. The dark witch could barely adjust in time and silently ducked behind a planter before the man turned and moved towards the cafe. And to move into the cafe, he would have to pass that planter. She grinned: he still had no idea she was there.

And then, she struck.

Bellatrix threw herself over the planter and dug her nails into his neck from both sides, commanding the magic in her body to flow to her hands. Tendrils of lightning shot out and through the man's body, causing him to cry out and spasm as he fell helplessly to the floor.

The cafe itself was nice and modern, built for tourists and walkers passing through to enjoy the view and have a bit of a break before heading to their next destination. A few tables, a few chairs, a small counter and a small kitchen. But, plenty of room. Bellatrix relieved the man of the burden of his weapon and flares and tied him to one of the more sturdy looking chairs with the rope she had found at the fire lookout tower. With the kitchen knife in hand, she was about ready to go to work.

"Well, let's see who you are, hm?" said Bellatrix after feeling in his pocket and finding his wallet. Inside the wallet was a driver's license, again an accurate showcase of both the kidnapper's hubris and dim intelligence. "Ben Mott, ey? Nice to put a name to the face and voice."

Bellatrix took the last bottle of water she had and poured it over Ben Mott's head. He grunted and started awake.

The man, Ben Mott, was sat on a chair in the middle of the cafe, underneath a single light above which Bellatrix had flipped on. Tied to a chair as he was, he still radiated smugness as Bellatrix watched him from the shadows. Well. He would learn.

A grin formed on his pale face. "Bet you feel pretty good about yourself right now, bitch. You've made a very, very big mistake."

Bellatrix said nothing.

"What do you think this will accomplish, hm?" he challenged again. "Look at you. Five foot of nothing but angry glares. You ain't strong enough to lift a hammer. You think you will break me? Think again. Untie these damn ropes and we'll forget this bad comedy ever happened. After I smack you in the face a couple of times, of course."

"Funny man," spoke Bellatrix as she emerged from the shadows. "Funny, funny man. Some thirty odd years ago there were two people in exactly the same position as you are right now. Oh, they were so sure they wouldn't break. They were so heroically defiant. Well… it didn't end well for them. It won't end well for you."

"I know what you are!" the man laughed, though Bellatrix could smell a hint of fear. It was in his voice, the way his body tensed up, the way his eyes were always locked upon her. Yes. The first cracks in the armour were starting to take shape. "You ain't nothin' without that stick of wood of yours! Remember… we have your girl. Let me go right now and she might not get dumped in front of your feet with her throat slit!"

There was a flash. The light catching shiny metal as it cleft through the air. The man's eyes grew wide as he let out a roar of pain. The knife in Bellatrix' hand, her fist still clutching the handle, had neatly pinned his hand to the wood of the chair's armrests. Blood started to well up from the wound around the blade as the man grit his teeth. "G-goddamn you, bitch!" he hissed.

Bellatrix let out a brief chuckle, leaning forward to grin at him. "I don't need magic to hurt you. I don't need to use magic at all. Just you. Me. And this lovely knife."

The man found his courage, apparently, staring right back at her. "YOUR GIRL IS DEAD, DO YOU HEAR ME?! DEAD!"

After treating him to a rather incredulous look, she threw her head back to let her curls dance wildly before she let out a cackle from the depths of her lungs. When she looked back at him, she saw a mixture of confusion, anger and fear. The man had finally begun to realize he just might have lost control of the situation. Another flash as the light met the bloodied blade. Another cry of pain and terror as the blade sank deeply into his leg, just above the knee.

"Let me tell you something," Bellatrix whispered in his ear as she twisted the blade sharply, causing the man to hiss in agony. "Hermione means EVERYTHING to me!" she shrieked suddenly, causing the man to flinch. "So you… you are going to tell me where she is. And if you don't? Well…"

She withdrew the knife from the man's leg, blood spurting forth as she did so and slashed the blade across his chest wildly. "I'm going to carve you up like a roast! I'll start with your fingers and your toes! I'll cut off your limbs! I'll pop our your eyes! I'll carve out your organs while you beg for death drowning in your own blood! You wanted a dark witch?! WELL YOU GOT ONE! WHERE IS SHE!? GIVE ME HERMIONE!"

More slashes.

"Stop!" the man pleaded weakly.

"WHERE IS HERMIONE?!"

"Stop! Crazy bitch! Stop!"

"TELL ME WHERE SHE IS AND I MIGHT STOP!" Bellatrix shrieked. Immediately, she parked the blade at the side of his head and pushed it down hard. A shout later and a flap of bloodied skin splattered to the ground. The man, now blooding profusely from where his ear used to be, looked about ready to piss himself. Yes. He had been broken already. Bellatrix was almost disappointed.

"WE NEVER HAD HER! WE NEVER HAD HER!" he cried in terror. "IT WAS ALL A LIE!"

Bellatrix blinked. "What?!" she snarled and pressed the blade against the man's throat hard enough to draw blood. By now, the man was blubbering uncontrollably and, judging by the wet patch in the front of his trousers, he had in fact pissed himself.

"I swear. I swear it! It was all a lie. I don't know where she is! Nobody knows where she is. It was you we wanted."

Bellatrix narrowed her eyes and let the blade fall to the floor. She'd done enough interrogations in the past to know that victims who has reached this level of intimidation lacked the faculty to cook up convincing lies. But if this Ben Mott was telling the truth… then she was no step closer to finding Hermione. Disappointment met despair and it needed an outlet. She threw her head back and let out a piercing shriek of frustration.

"Are you…" she started with a low and dangerous voice. Every every step taken the frightened man cringed harder. "… telling me that… you've made me face death against the shadows in the forest. FOR NOTHING?! You made me traipse across the county in the dead of night FOR NOTHING?! My niece ended up poisoned FOR NOTHING?! AND I AM NOT A SINGLE STEP CLOSER TO FINDING THE WOMAN I LOVE?! THE WOMAN I COULD HAVE BEEN LOOKING FOR RATHER THAN MUCKING ABOUT WITH YOU?! GIVE ME A REASON! GIVE ME ANY REASON NOT TO THROW YOUR BLOODY ARSE DOWN INTO THE LAKE AND WATCH YOU FUCKING DROWN LIKE THE RAT YOU ARE!"

"Please…" he pleaded with her, tears in his eyes. "Please… I'm sorry…"

"We…" Bellatrix spoke with a softened tone. "You said 'we'."

The man started blubbering. "Boss didn't know who he was fucking with! I swear I didn't know! I swear I don't know where your girl is. We just said we had her to get you to play ball! To get you writing for us!"

"Writing?!" Bellatrix spat. "What does that even mean?! Why the bloody hell do you want me or my diary?! And that thing in the woods. You know what it is. TELL ME!"

She was finally going to get some answers here. Or so she thought.

An incomprehensibly loud alien shriek came out of nowhere and shattered every glass pane in the cafe. Wind whipped across them as the cafe groaned under the pressure of the onslaught. Bellatrix could barely keep standing, let alone try to find cover.

"OH GOD!" shouted Ben Mott. "OH GOD, IT'S HERE! UNTIE ME! UNTIE ME!"

Even if she wanted to, she never had the chance. The doomed cafe came apart at the seams, the Dark Presence looming above them and around them. There was no escape. There was nowhere to run. With heavy heart, Bellatrix realized that the Dark Presence had once again elected to change its tactic. Glass, wood and stone flew up onto the air, into the darkness of this living void, as did the man tied to the chair. He screamed as he was snatched up by the churning dark winds, crunched up into a hail of blood and bone within an instant.

The darkness then surged towards her, sucking everything loose from the ground into its depths, tugging at her body. Then… an opening. Bellatrix saw the bundle of flares the kidnapper had once wore and threw herself towards it just as she felt her feet leave the ground. The darkness embraced her with the force of a tornado. Somehow, she managed to twist the flares' tops. The flares flew from her hands and went off inside of the thing's core. The void exploded with light. The darkness roared and swiftly threw her away from it.

Bellatrix found herself among the rain of debris from the shattered cafe, falling. She fell, toward the lake below, letting out a cry as she realized what was happening.

She hit the lake as if she'd landed on block of cement. Her entire body went numb. It was hard to move. She tried to breathe, but only succeeded in filling her lungs with the dark waters. She couldn't feel her body. She couldn't feel her limbs. She couldn't do anything but slowly sink down into the endless depths of the lake.

Hermione...

Hermione...

Hermione...

Soon she would be with her again.

Her heart slowed. And slowed.

She closed her eyes and felt Hermione's gentle embrace.

Then… light.

A hand reached out to her.

Air.

A shudder.

And then darkness.