Chapter XI-The caretaker's nest

Italic-Flashback

No One's POV

Lizzie had gone scouting the mansion, so she could calm herself after seeing her younger brother for the first time in centuries. How did he survive that long and why did he look just like the last time she saw him? The only person that could answer her was himself, and last time she checked he couldn't see spirits.

Oh well, maybe Evie could make a seance between them so she could contact him...They usually took a large toll on her but she would ask her later. The green-eyed young lady fazed through the wallpaper of her friend's room.

She felt sheepish for leaving her just like that. Just when Evelynn needed her the most, she left to collect herself. And to worsen everything, Evie must have found out that her friend kept things from her.

Ohhh, what was she going to do? Keeping her feelings in was what she was taught her whole life, as any proper Victorian lady. Perhaps that's why she and Evie were such good friends. After all her friend always wore her heart in her sleeve and was never afraid to be vulnerable around her.

Slapping lightly her cheeks before she reached the middle of the room, Lizzie cleared her throat and readied herself for the flurry of questions that would soon follow. Yet, she heard thrashing in front of her and looked up.

Evelynn was grimacing while she gripped into the edges of her black mirror. Black thorny vines wrapped themselves around the witch as they pulled her inside the mirror.

The ginger-haired girl noticed her friend and her eyes widened. She outreached one of her hands and wrote: "LIZZIE!" Her spiritual friend dashed to try to grab her but the thorny entity pulled her inside the mirror as the mirror turned white and EVE appears engraved on top of the mirror in bold dark letters.

"Evelynn!"-Lizzie hits the mirror and tries to hit the mirror with her fists however she didn't have a physical form so it did nothing. Looking around as if to find something to help, she saw something laid in front of floor length mirror. It was a chipped pastel pink china teacup.

A teacup? Maybe it was left by the kidnapper. Oh, she had to do something or to try to warn someone! But how? Floating around the room, she thought to herself when she remembered something. On top of Evelynn's nightstand stood a small brooch. It was in the shape of a moon with incrusted stones and a star in the middle.

Looking at it made her remember something Evie once had told her: "Lizzie if you ever need to contact someone or to interact with the physical world, touch this brooch. I charged it with moonlight during a red moon, so it should give you enough energy to touch and move things. Use it only in emergencies."

This was an emergency, for sure. The spirit approached the brooch and placed the see-through hand on top of it. Warmth filled her entire being as she felt the energy course through her. Crack. The brooch broke in half after having lost its purpose.

Lizzie bit her lip and shook her head at the broken jewelry. She had more important things to worry about now. The older Liddell dashed through the wall and then down the corridor, hoping to see someone in her path.

It was almost time for supper so most of the residents were already in the dining room. Where are people when you truly need it?! Passing door after door, Lizzie was getting impatient till she saw a dark brown door with a plaque which had written in blue letters:

Alexander J. Liddell

Video game entity

Killing officially since 2000

Seeing that her brother was a killer shocked her deeply but how could she blame him? Lizzie had left her brother all alone, just after he lost everything. His sanity was already so scarce, poor Alex.

Did she have the strength to talk to her little brother after so long? What would he say? These questions would have to wait. Evie needed help after all. The female ghost fazed through the door to his room. It seemed like he wasn't there yet.

Elizabeth awed at the bedroom. It seemed like an adult version of his old room in their home. The walls were dyed dark blue, whereas the floor was white with a gold 4-candle chandelier. It jiggled back and forth at her closeness.

On the right side of the bedroom stood a large bookcase, the same shade as the walls, which covered the entire wall. It was filled with all types of books. A shelf, right in the middle, caught her attention because it had many hard-cover book editions of "Alex in Wonderland".

She had heard about it but she never expected her brother to be its author. The books called to her attention. Maybe Alex would lend Evie one, and they would be able to read it after 5'o clock tea.

At her left stood a queen-sized half-tester bed with 4 mahogany posters. It had a dark blue mattress and pillows with golden details, the same shade as the curtains that draped over the headboard of the bed.

Just next to his bed, he had a wood-burning fireplace with a marble mantle around it. A velvet blue sofa and an armchair were placed facing each other in front of it.

There was a misplaced sketchbook and multi-colored pastels laid on top of the sofa. The soft curves and lines made by the pastels depicted a younger Evelynn asleep in a field of wildflowers with a soft pink lace dress. After all these years, he never forgot her.

Water-colored paintings representing his old life littered the room's walls. He had always had a knack for the arts. It seems that having a long life gave him enough time to explore with different art supplies.

After inspecting the entire bedroom (curiosity ran deep in the family), Elizabeth searched for a glass surface to write a message. Being a ghost meant she had probably decreased the temperature of the room as soon as she entered it.

Seeing as the fireplace was still burning some small logs, any glass surface would have become fogged up by now. Then she spotted a medium face mirror on top of the bedside table where a stone bowl with water lay. It would have to do.

She poked the mirror and removed her finger to see if she could touch it. A small fingerprint remained. Lizzie released a soft squeal from the excitement, but as soon as she did, she cleared her throat and straightened her back. She would celebrate later. Now, what should she write?

5 min later...

Alex POV

After leaving Evelynn's room, I went to the loo, to wash my face for I can't still believe that any of this is real. Evie is alive. The love of my life lives. I want to scream from the top of my lungs to thank whoever brought her back but at the same time, I feel dread deep inside of me.

No one revives just like that. From what I hear and see from my housemates, coming back from the dead either requires a third party doing it or a lot of resentment. Listening to both her and her brother, it seems it was the first option.

Their father. Another person for my kill list, so it seems. Despite their bravado, while insulting their parent, I could sense fear and a deep sense of paranoia in their words. What did that bastard do to them?

I don't know about Everett but Evelynn had suffered so much when she was a human and now when I saw how excited he was to have her remember him, I just felt like stabbing him.

Sure, I didn't go into details about her murder, but how could he be that egotistical?! That impulsive piece of-! (No...no. Calm down, Alex. You can't kill the brother of the woman you love. No matter how much of a dick he is!)

Of course, I would love to have her remember me, all our memories. However, the bad memories would also come along and I don't want to sacrifice Evelynn's sanity for the sake of my happiness.

I was almost reaching my bedroom to leave my jacket before I went to pick up Evie for dinner. My lips drew into a soft smile. She might not remember me, but she still acts shy to my flirtations just like before. (Cute...)

My hand reaches for the doorknob as I turn it and go in. (Brrr, why is it so cold? I left the fireplace working. Looking at the burning logs, I noticed that there were still some embers, so this made no sense whatsoever.

I look around for any open window I might have forgotten, yet there was none. Where was this draft coming from? Intertwining my hand with the other, I blew hot air into them, as to warm them to the best of my ability.

Walking around I tried to look for the source, so I looked for the place where it was colder. It took me to the front of my bedside table. Lifting my head, I noticed something written on my fogged mirror: "ALEX"

I threw my head back with a small grin, I turned around and searched in every cranny of my bedroom: "Ah ah guys. Love the prank, but you can come out now!" Pillows jumped around as I looked for the prankster: "Sally, poppet. Is this revenge for me missing the tea party? I already said I was sorry..."

A glass squeaking broke my line of thought. I returned to my mirror and saw as more words were written on it. As the last word appeared, my heart started thundering inside my chest and my eyes popped open as I took a step back: "Little brother, it's me. Lizzie."

"It can't be...but how? Only Slender knows about my past... Prove it."-I crossed my arms while waiting for an answer. There was a small pause until the person started writing again: "When Evie disappeared, you begged us in front of our family picture to protect her...I got there too late. I failed both of you. I'm so sorry..."

Reading these words broke the little control I had left inside of me. This was just too much. First Evelynn appears as if she never left and now this. I just can't. I can't...

My lips started trembling as the tears I'd tried to keep at bay just came out in long streams. I reached for the mirror and felt her arms wrap themselves around my torso: "Oh Lizzie, no. I'm the one who failed to protect you. If only I wasn't so damn blind!"

Something soft touched my forehead and I felt my cheeks being rubbed just like when I was a young lad. The weight on my cheeks disappeared as a new message was written in my mirror: "We never blamed you. Not once. However, I am not here to fall in memory lane. Evelynn is in danger!"

Biting my lip, I felt my mind racing a mile a minute: "What do you mean? I've just left her in her room." What harm could come to her inside this mansion? We aren't allowed to fight each other inside it, or we will be punished.

My white shirt was being pulled toward the door but the last thing I read in the mirror was: "Something pulled her inside the mirror. We have got to save her!"

At these words, I stood up straight and pulled my ornate knife out of my basic sleeveless dark blue vest: "What are we waiting for? Let's go!"-I couldn't see her but I knew my sister would follow right behind. Slamming down my door, I ran as fast as I could to her room, leaving my dark blue jacket forgotten in my room. (Evie please be alright...)

It took me simply a few minutes to get there, when I reached her door it was partially open which made me decrease the speed of my movements. I grabbed the hilt of my knife tightly and opened the door slowly.

A sigh of relief left me when I saw her brother and familiar staring with open eyes at a floor-length black mirror with its reflective surface whitened out and cracked. They shifted towards me and I saw Everett was trembling with a chipped soft pink teacup on his hands.

"We were too late..."-he whispers. Edgar was the only one who seemed calmer than any of us, or so I thought. I saw him clench his fists till they whitened. He must care for her.

He towered over any of us with me being the shortest in the room. If someone told me back then, that being as malnutrition as I was when I was in the asylum would disrupt my growing process, I would have probably laughed. I don't feel like laughing now, though.

"I knew it! As soon as I felt our connection diminish I should have come right away. Damn it!"-Edgar punched the wall in frustration. Everett sat against her bed with his head onto his hands: "Even I felt it and we don't have our bond anymore."

Stranding towards the mirror, I look up and see engraved on top of the mirror: EVE. This isn't just a mirror. Oh shit! This is a door. A door to her inner world just as I have mine. However since she doesn't control it, we can't enter it unless she lets us.

"She started seeing her memories. Her mind pulled her inside its depths."-I answered in disbelief. If she was going to remember that means she would remember...that day. This terrified me deeply.

Stomping towards her shivering twin, I pulled him by the collar of his coal-black blazer: "Listen here. Evelynn will start remembering and right now she needs us to support her. Despair won't take us anywhere. Am I clear?"

His sharp grey eyes meet mine and he nodded weakly. I felt Edgar approach us and grab both of us by the collar as if we were two pups: "Now, now lads. Calm yourselves. We'll find her. I can track her."

Squinting our eyes at him, I just sighed. (Says the person who punched the wall.) He finally released us and I started looking around for any spellbooks which might help.

Everett was trying to sense something until he hit his head against a wall which gleamed with a red symbol when he touched it: "What in the actual fuck?!"-I approached him and tried to touch the wall but it shocked me: "Ouch...! What's behind this wall that is so important?"

Edgar rolled his eyes and walked between us with an old world map in his hands: "That place is my mistress's study. She has her ingredients and remaining familiars resting there. It's also where I sleep so I'd ask you to refrain from trying to enter it, understood?"-he pressed his lips together and narrowed his eyes at us.

(Something tells me that I should be careful around this guy. Oh well, we both have an equal goal: protecting Evelynn, so he can't be that bad.) We gulped audibly and nodded: "Un-understood."

The behemoth of a demon walked to the tea-table Evelynn had in the corner of her bedroom which still had the dirty dishes of our tea. She must have been pulled right away, not leaving any time to organize her things.

Her familiar slid the plates to the left side and unrolled the map on top of the table. It was very old with folded corners and yellowed paper. Despite the familiar sight of the continents I knew, some weird white lines were crossing across the map, connecting.

"What are these?"-I asked. "They are called Ley lines. These bring energy and magic across each country. Some have more and others have less. Each magical being has a unique signature. I'll try to find my mistress's."

Awing at all this information, I examined further the map as I saw the raven demon pick out a pendulum. I sat on one of the chairs in front of him and saw him send a small shock towards the chain he carried. It started spinning around in a frenzy.

"Lad, you might want to sit down. This might take a while."-Edgar looked toward Everett who stood in the middle of the room tapping his leg. He sighed and dragged on a chair with him. Sitting with his legs around the back of the chair, he placed his crossed arms on top of it with his chin sitting on top of them: "Fine..."

20 minutes later...

Everett was snoring into the back of his chair while I was sketching the boredom away. Flowers filled my smaller sketchbook which I always kept inside my vest.

Then it stopped abruptly in South Wales, making Edgar's eyes pop open. His large hand was shaking: "What is it, Edgar?"-he shifted his eyes to me, and just as he was going to answer, something cracking woke up Everett.

Iron bracelets, which were around Edgar's wrists before, broke: "It can't be...mistress." Everett and I approached him and he turned towards us: "Out of the house, now!"

Furrowing my eyebrows, I tilted my head: "What happened?"-The red-haired demon nodded in confusion: "Do you know where she is?"Edgar pulled us by the back of our collars and dragged us out of the house: "Hey, watch it!"-screamed the hothead.

"We need to get there before he does."-Edgar warned. He must be referring to Evelynn's father. As we let ourselves be carried by the older demon, I saw Slender approach us when we reached the foyer but there was no time so I quickly answered: "Go on without us. We'll be right back!"

Despite his lack of face, I could almost see him sigh with furrowed eyebrows. Even though I didn't explain what happened, I heard him say as he left the main door: "Bring her back, safe and sound."

I peeked at Everett who had his eyes wide open. Tapping him with my shoulder, I answer: "You get used to it. He just knows everything." I felt the chill of the night as Edgar placed us on the floor while he moved away from us: "Stay there, I'll need some space."

We stood up and brushed the dirt from our clothes as we watched: (I wonder what's going to happen.) The wind started building up as it surrounded Edgar. He opened his arms widely and started reciting: "Cnámh ina cleití, airm ina sciatháin agus na peacaí ón am atá caite a bheidh mo shaobhadh ón taobh istigh. (Bones into feathers, arms become wings and the sins from my past shall enchain me from within)"

An unforgiving start joins up and flies around him in circles. A triquetra appears gleaming black at his feet. Soon enough we observe as a dark wave starts surrounding him and we just hear pained unhuman screeches from within it: "What's happening?"-I ask.

"He's turning into his true form. It's quite painful because our entire body molded into the shape, each time we do it." And as soon as Everett explains it, I observe a dark large shadow dash through the sky. A deep screech and clanking approach us.

(What in the actual fuck-?!) In front of us stood a large bird-like creature, reminding me of my old enemy: the Bandersnatch. It was bigger than the mansion we lived in at the moment. His eye sockets were empty with only a murky slimy black liquid dripping from them.

The same liquid dripped down his sharp dark beak. It reminded me of a plague mask. There were multiple silver chains wrapped around his torso. He was clenching in his talons a silver ornate birdcage, big enough to hold 10 people inside it.

Even though I couldn't sense spiritual energy, this creature emitted such pressure that almost made me lose my breath. It cawed amusedly and dropped the birdcage slowly into the ground. And when I thought this creature couldn't frighten me anymore, it spoke: "Feeling alright there, lads? Need to use the loo?"

We refused shakily."Very well then. Hope you're not afraid of heights..." At the word «fly», I felt my heartbeat increase and I clapped my hands: "We're flying on that?"

He nodded and I heard Everett gulp audibly as he rubbed the back of his neck: "Huh, can't we just teleport there?" (Ohohoh, no. Is he afraid of heights?) The corners of my mouth twitched upwards as I smirked with crossed arms: "Is Sir Fearless himself scared of messing up his hairdo? Don't worry, I'll bring Evie back better than you ever would."

His face flushed as he stomped past me, bumping me aggressively with his shoulder. He enters the birdcage and sits next to the bars: "As if..." Just as he sat his red face whitens and turns shivering like a leaf to grab the bars.

Chuckling at his state, I enter the cage and close the door behind me. I'm on my feet grabbing the bars, excited for what's to come: "Are you ready?" I nod vigorously. Everett breathes rapidly and shakes his head frantically: "No!"

Edgar opens his wings widely and takes flight into the night sky: "Hold on...!" A portal opens into the sky and I holler: "Let's go!" He dashes towards it and Everett places his head between the bars and throws up: "Let's us not-!" (Hold on Evelynn, we're coming!)

Evelynn POV

Few minutes before...

It was so dark, but I felt warmth coursing through my body. Have I passed out? Whoever pulled me inside the mirror must have knocked me out. A bright light peeked between my eyelashes, rousing me out of my sleep. Slowly, I opened my eyes. What I saw amazed me beyond compare.

Sitting up, I realized that I lay on a green meadow, with tall grass and wildflowers. The smell of fresh lawn mowed overtook my senses. It was quite warm, so I slid my sleeves up my elbow and observed my surroundings.

Where am I? I don't believe I've ever been to a place like this. When I wanted to pick up flowers or magical herbs with my sisters we would use the castle's greenhouse. So peaceful, it almost seems like this is a dream.

While I took in the sight in front of me, I heard what seemed like a group of girls laughing in the distance. I shifted towards the sound and down a path void of flowers, there was an ancient tall oak, with a wooden swingset.

The sound seemed to come from the other side of the tree's large tree trunk. Before I knew it, my legs started moving by themselves, running towards the sound. I picked up my knee-length black skirt to walk faster.

Some minutes later, I finally reached my side of the tree and placed my hand on the trunk. Even though my heart could beat no longer, I felt a weight on my chest. Why was my body so unwilling to find out what was behind this tree?

It didn't matter. I wanted to know, and my curiosity couldn't take it any longer. Taking a deep breath, I walk around the tree, and then I see it. It can't be! Raising my hands towards my mouth, I draw a soft smile. In front of me, there were my five sisters: Anna, Bella, Camilla, Daisy, and Emily.

"Finally! I almost fell asleep on the muffins."- whined Camilla, my third younger sister. She had her arms crossed and her honey brown eyes narrowed at me. Looking like an 11-year old, Camilla had her long auburn locks in two braided low space buns, tied with two black bows. Her black and white dress fluttered in the spring breeze, while her black mary janes crunched the grass underneath them.

A little longer and she would probably burn the spot of grass where she stood. Controlling fire was very fitting for her. Besides being a small ball of energy who couldn't stand still, she also only did as she pleased, just like a little fireball.

"C'mon Camie, big sister was busy. You know that."-answered Daisy, the 13-year-old, in appearance only. Her name was befitting of her hair color, snow-white as daisies' petals. The albino girl rubbed Camilla's hair with a small smile, which vexed the younger girl who kept trying to remove the hand from her head.

The white long-haired girl downed her usual white shirt and pleated skirt, with only a small red ribbon around her neck. She summoned a ball of light and lighted a thread of small lights around a long white rectangular table, with a soft pink embroidered tablecloth on top and a matching tea set.

The sides of my lips turned upwards and I released a chuckle. Oh, these two never change. I felt something pull my skirt and looked down. It was Anna, my second youngest sister which looked 9 years old.

Her sandy blonde locks in a short bob had only a black bow on the right side as decoration. I see that being keen on monochromatic colors runs in the family. The younger girl's pale green eyes stared deep into my soul. She didn't speak much but I could see what she wanted by her facial expressions alone.

"What is it, honey?"- I asked her. She shook her head and pulled me by the hand towards the table. "Okay, you want me to sit next to you?" Anna denied once again and took me to the left head of the table.

Anna slid a white dining room chair with a tall back and soft pink cushions. It had Eve written on the back.

I sat on it and observed as Anna sat on the second chair to my right. She grabbed a small china bowl and as her eyes turned blue, ice cubes formed inside it: "I don't like hot tea."-she explained.

Nodding, I looked around and saw that on either side of me were my other sisters: Bella and Emily, with 15 and 16 years old respectively. They smiled softly at me and saluted me: "Good afternoon, Eve. Glad you were able to join us, today."-answered Bella, the chocolate-haired one.

She threw back her waist-length wavy chocolate locks and I saw her offer me a confident smile. "Would you like a sugar cookie?"-she asked while presenting me a smaller plate with them.

I shook my head nervously and waved with my hands: "Thank you but not this time, Bella." Her toffee brown eyes gleamed purple: "Eat the cookies."-she ordered and as soon as she said it, I felt my hand reach for as many cookies as I could and I started nibbling on them: "I hate when you do that."

She chortled with a hand covering her mouth: "No one can resist my womanly ways, haha." Her lavender and white checkered long-sleeved dress tightened around her chest while she threw her head back in laughter.

"Bell, everyone knows that if you had not your powers, you wouldn't be able to do that. Don't be mean towards Eve, she came to visit after all. Haven't you, big sister?"-asked Emily, who was younger than me by 2 years.

Her wavy golden locks were intertwined into a french braid and behind her sky blue eyes, I could see a small glint of mischief despite her angelic appearance. Emily was my opposite in powers, whereas she controlled life, most specifically flora, I controlled the dead.

It helped a lot to have her around when I kept killing the herbs we had planted in the greenhouse. She always laughed when I appeared in tears with a new recently killed plant, but seeing her happily bring it back to life almost made me forget about the dead plant.

"I think so, but I didn't teleport here. Something pulled me."-I tried to explain. In front of me, on the other side of the table, there was another chair that was identical to me except for one small detail. On the back of the chair, I read: "The Caretaker."

A very familiar voice appeared from behind my chair: "You called?" I jumped out of my seat on the floor from the sudden appearance, yet what frightened me more was the person who appeared from behind my chair. It-it was me! A talking me, but me nonetheless!

She stood up straight and her grey eyes crinkled: "Oh silly girl, it's almost like you've seen a ghost. Oh wait, if you did you probably wouldn't act like that."-the other me giggled while she carried around soft pink teapot on her hands.

I heard the rest of my sisters join her in laughter. This can only be a dream, right? Why does she look like me? The other me wore a long-sleeved soft pink dress. It had white lace around the chest area and in the sleeves. Her ginger locks were tied in two low space buns. Yet, what caught my attention was the beautiful flower crown made with white daisies, at the top of her head.

White daisies- purity, innocence, harmony

I stood up and watched her with narrowed eyes: "Who are you?" She chuckled, placed the teapot on top of the table, and wrapped an arm around my right arm: "I am the Caretaker, as you have called me before. Now, sit. I'll bring you your tea."

Looking at my sisters who rushed me to sit, I felt like this wasn't a dream anymore. This is so weird...but I'll bite for now. I sat slowly on my chair and let her pour tea to everyone, leaving me for last. "Are you me?"-I asked her while she poured the steaming hot beverage onto my teacup.

She stopped pouring and looked at me with big doe eyes: "Hmm, yes and no. I am just a part of you. The part which carries your desperate need to care for others but never yourself. It was quite hard to reach you, you know?"

My eyebrows raised at this information: "What do you mean?"-Other me pouted and ushered me: "You'll see, you'll see. Why don't you take a sip? The tea will get cold."

My sisters were eating and drinking happily and they were reacting as if nothing had happened: "Go on, go on." I shrugged and took a deep breath. Ah, what the hell, it's not like poison is going to kill me. Believe me, I've tried it before.

I took a small sip and tasted ginger with hints of cinnamon. As soon as I swallowed the tea, images of a young ginger-haired boy appeared in my mind. I saw us playing, laughing, and even sleeping together.

What shocked me at the end was the name of the boy: Everett. So, he really is my twin brother. Oh, brother, yes I recall him now. I remembered that we never parted from each other, no matter the circumstance. There was a time when we only needed each other to survive.

A small tea of joy ran down my cheek, which the Caretaker wiped with a white handkerchief: "It's okay, now you can do everything together once more." I nodded weakly and she poured another teacup for me. This time I drank it willingly. If this tea was giving me back my memories, it couldn't be that bad, right?

This time the tea was a classic earl grey with more milk than tea, something which brought me back to the brothel I had been raised. I used to drink tea like this before. Nan always left the tea boiling for too long and we had to pour more milk to remove the bitter taste of the herbs.

It made me laugh while pictures of my tutor and sisters appeared in my mind. Long Tim appeared after. He was the security guard of the brothel who treated me like I was his daughter. I saw him one day teaching me how to hunt and how proud he was when I killed a goose for the first time. He had been the father figure I desperately needed, just like Edgar was now.

When I open my eyes once again, I notice now a spot of color amidst the flower crown. It was a dark crimson red rose. Was it there before? I don't remember seeing it. The Caretaker walked backward with a tight smile as she hugged the teapot to her.

Dark crimson rose- mourning, in the Victorian era

"Where are you going with the tea? I would like another teacup."-her eyes popped open as she shivered. "I'm sorry but you can't drink more." I turned my head to the side: "Why not? I want to remember more."- my hands reach for the teapot and I pull it from her arms.

"No! You can't drink anymore tea."-she begged while she pulled on my arm. I filled the teacup and grabbed it with both hands: "Please, I am so tired of not remembering my past. I just want to know who I am."- And as I said it, I lift the cup and take a sip.

The moment the liquid touched my lips I heard a deafening screech which made me open my eyes and look ahead. The other me was now on her knees holding her bleeding head.

The once fully white crown was now made up entirely of dark red roses and thorns were digging into her flesh, dying her ginger locks and clothes with her blood.

I kneeled and went to touch her shoulder: "We failed them...We failed them. What have you done?!"-she looked up and blood ran down her face, almost like she was crying.

When I touched her, I saw as she faded into petals leaving only a crimson rose on top of her flowery remains: "What have I done?" Concerned about my siblings, I stand up and look for them. The table was empty, with only broken plates and the cake's crumbs left on it: "Girls? This isn't funny... Where are you?"

What was left of the sun was covered by dark clouds and a very chilly wind started to pick up. As weird as it might seem, I could feel it and yet I did not feel cold.

Looking around I tried to find some evidence of what happened to them when my eyes picked out a mahogany door in the oak next to our tea table. It said Eve and made me very curious. (Why does everything have my name in this world?)

Walking towards it, I wrapped my head around the doorknob and opened it. I entered it and the last thing I saw from the place I left was snowflakes falling on our tea table: "Snowing in Spring? How is that possible?"

Darkness overtook me once more and I passed out. Some minutes passed till I opened my eyes. When I opened them, I seemed to be in a forest with very tall trees. (This is the Wentwood Forest. Our castle is quite near here, but what am I doing here?)

A hunting horn sounded in the distance and my body started moving by itself. (Wait, hold on! Why am I running?) It was a chilly night and I realized that I was only wearing a thin cotton nightgown.

From the corner of my eye, I see Emily running away while she tried to manipulate the roots of the trees around us to prevent whatever was pursuing us. A dark shadow with gleaming eyes grabbed her and pulled her by the hair towards the trees: "EMILY!"- I screamed with tears running down my eyes.

My legs kept running and I heard a bloodcurdling scream coming from the woods. (This isn't real... This isn't real...This isn't real.) Ahead of me, I saw Bella's corpse laid on the ground with glass-like empty eyes and five deep puncture wounds on her torso.

(Please not Bella too. Please.) I stopped to close her eyes and place her back against the tree, making her seem like she was sleeping: "May we meet on other life, sister. I'm so sorry."

Then I kept running as the tears kept flowing harder. Anger filled my entire being. (Whoever was doing this was going to pay tenfold.) On the way, I saw both Daisy and Camilla. Daisy was dangling from one of the trees with a rope made of light around her neck.

Camilla was trespassed in the many branches of the same tree. The lower part of the tree seemed scorched. Their eyes had lost their shine just as my other sisters'.

My breathing became shallow and rapid as I clasped my hands over my head: "No no no no no no no!"-I muttered as I sobbed. "HELP!"-I heard Anna scream and I quickly forgot everything as I rushed towards the sound. (At least let me save one, please.)

She was cornered to a tree, ice spikes surrounded the area where she stood, serving also as protection but I could see that she was getting tired. She spotted me and sobbed: "Big sis, help!"

I quickly reached her and lifted her into my arms: "Everyone-everyone is...hic...hic."-I rubbed her head as I cried with her. Then, from among the trees, a very familiar man appeared. It was our father.

(How could he? His own daughters. As if I hadn't enough reasons to hate him.) "I won't let you touch her. I won't."-I threatened him with Anna close to my chest.

He chuckled maniacally: "You'll do nothing. She will do it herself."-and as he spoke Anna became increasingly cold in my arms. "Anna, honey?"-she became heavier and her eyes looked empty: "It's so hot, big sister. I don't like the heat."

Her skin was becoming hard like ice and I saw as she turned into an ice statue: "No! No no no no! WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?!"-I questioned as I saw my sister's body crack in my arms.

I heard him approach me: "I told you. I have made you, so for as long as you carry my blood inside you, I can make you do whatever I want. Isn't it amazing, Eve? Don't worry, you'll join them soon enough."

My hands grasped the broken pieces of my sister and words appeared in my mind while I had my head down: "Ph'nglui mglw'nafh...-!" He quickly approached me and from his face, it seemed that whatever he was trying to do wasn't working: "Why can't I control you like the others and how do you know those words?!"

I was going to keep reciting the spell which had come from deep within my mind when a shadowy tendril trespassed through my neck: "Can't have you call that."- Even though I'm choking on my own blood, my hands try to press on the wound.

"I- will be...gasp-one...gasp-ill you."-I said between gasps and many more tendrils trespassed my torso, making me fall flat on the ground. Hatred was all I could feel.

The last thing I saw was my arms becoming black and I heard my father screaming in pain. When I open my eyes again, I'm laid in my old bed with a new nightgown. While I was still drowsy from sleep, I heard my father in the hallway speak to one of his minions: "What happened today can't happen ever again, understood?"

"Ye-yes, sir! We blocked her powers with a 3º level seal around her neck. That thing won't come back anytime soon."-the imp answered back. "That bitch almost killed me. I never saw anything like it. It reminded me of- Never mind! Someone call a higher cleric; this vessel is bad enough as it is."

"Right away, sir! But sir, couldn't you just possess her body, now? We don't even know how she's alive."-it asked. Father roared and I heard him grab him by the neck: "And you think I don't want that?! This body is falling apart, but she needs to absorb two souls or more before, to make sure my soul doesn't destroy the body from within. How many times do I have to explain it?"-I hear the imp screech and run away from the room.

I hear father leave the room and I try to sit up. As I rub my neck, I realize it has a choker and all comes rushing in. The trauma of losing my sisters has made me see visual hallucinations of them even though they've been dead for years.

Feeling tired once again, I lay down with tears in my eyes after remembering what happened to them. Yet, there was only one question: How was I still alive? And into the dark, I fell again.

During my sleep, I saw an old forest, with most of its trees dead or broken apart as if a hurricane had passed by it. Either that or something sucked the life out of the flora.

It was quiet, too quiet. In the distance, I spotted a decrepit old mansion, overgrown by moss and vines. This mansion seemed like it was the only place where there was still some greenery. Atop the main gate, which was wide open, there was a rusted shield of arms which only said «Ó Flannagáin».

Despite the foreboding imponence of the mansion, I felt like I had seen it before. I felt like the mansion was inviting me in. A young girl with ginger locks brushed into coils and with a blue bow on her head appeared from the left of the gate.

She was crying. When she opened her eyes, I realized she had grey eyes like me. Was she a distant relative that I did not know of? Her clothes showed that must have come from a wealthier family, seeing that the blue fabric and lace were thicker.

The girl spotted me and stopped crying. I noticed that she had carried a thick dark green book in her arms. She offered me a sad smile and turned her back on me and left. "You need to remember, Evelynn. It's the only way to find out how you'll kill him."-I heard her voices in my head.

(Remember more? What more can there be? Haven't I suffered enough? I just want my sisters back. I don't want to lose anyone else. Please...) The mansion vanished from my view and I fell into a deep dreamless sleep.

Third POV

Edgar, Alex, and Everett finally reached the forest. The raven had turned into his human form once more and was following the pendulum alongside the younger boys.

The pendulum finally stopped as it pointed towards a big oak in the center. They spotted a black spot in the middle of its roots. "Over there! I think it's Evelynn."-warned Edgar.

They nodded and started running towards the black spot. When they got closer, they saw Evelynn lying on her side in a fetal position in what seemed to be sleeping.

The older demon crouched and placed a hand on her cheek to see if she was okay. She budged in her sleep and he saw something gleam silver clasped between her hands.

He parted them and realized she had her pocket watch the entire time. It was working, after all these years of being broken. Edgar inspected her for wounds when he observed that her choker had cracked slightly.

Gulping audibly for the future to come, he lifted her into her arms. He turned towards his companions who were biting their lips in anticipation. Everett approached his sister and bushed her bangs out of her face.

Seeing the dread in Alex's face, the older gentleman stretched his occupied arms towards him. He darted his eyes back and forth and his hands were shaking: "Lad, I won't be able to carry her while I take us there and Mr. Heights over there will be too busy throwing up. Can you carry her for me?"

Alex's eyes opened widely and a soft blush appeared on his cheeks. He took a deep breath and nodded with determination: "I will."- The raven-haired boy stretched his arms and lifted the petite girl into his arms.

His hands are sweating but he wraps his arms around her tightly. She unknowingly nuzzles against his chest which makes his blush intensify. His companions chuckled at his reaction and Everett examines the scene. It seemed that even though Evelynn didn't remember Alex, there was something inside her that pulls her to him.

He sees how Alex smiles fondly at his sister and something within him stirs. Maybe, just maybe, Alex isn't that bad of a guy. They walk back to a wider space so Edgar can transform again.

They set off to Slender's mansion, with Alex who carries Evelynn in his lap, and Everett spewing his guts out of the cage. Evelynn needed medical attention fast, despite her apparent sleep. Who knew what happened inside her inner world. Only she would be able to answer.

Chapter XI-END