Chapter 14: Discovered
There I stood; still as a statue... silent; as soundless as I could possibly be given the situation and the way that everything had happened so very quickly. I heard every sound around me-- every whisper; I was alert.
I stood in silence for what seemed like a century, before an angry voice penetrated the dark silence of the world, "GIVE ME THE CHILD!" Jacqueline's voice roared from somewhere just outside the door to the cottage; and though I had not seen her in well over a year (save for the memories and the dreams), her voice still sent eerie chills up my spine, and my heart instantly froze in my chest. Just like that night in the hospital when my life had been changed forever; Jacqueline wasn't full of crap right now. She meant business, and she wanted me to die.
"You'll never find her here," my fairy godmother whispered, trying to sound confident, although I knew she did not believe this in the least-- neither did I.
Jacqueline laughed, "Where is Beatrice?" she asked, her voice becoming more demanding and impatient with each syllable.
"Don't flatter yourself anymore, Jacqueline... You won't find her here."
"WHERE IS SHE?" And then, the world was filled with hundreds upon hundreds of strange sounds; the wood of the door being broken open, a body being heaved to the floor. Grunts and screams... it was such an unnecessary commotion that I could barely restrain myself from throwing all cautions to the wind, and joining in.
Elaine's breaths were heavy as Jacqueline continued to speak; I knew that she was dying-- and fast, "What, Elaine? Do you honestly think that that moth ridden old thing will actually save you now?" she asked, her voice filled with mirth at seeing that she was winning, and I felt all my hopes dashed, as my fairy godmother's walking stick was broken in half, "Just bring me the child," Jacqueline hissed; tossing the broken halves of the walking stick to the floor, and laughing as they clattered noisily, "Bring her now, and I promise you that I'll kill you last-- and I won't enjoy the deed as much," and I could tell from more than a hundred feet away that Jacqueline had raised her eyebrow-- the left one to try to seal the deal.
"You don't frighten me, Quenilecauj," Elaine hissed, and then, I shuddered again, as I realized why the evil woman had entered my life for a second time; She's come to kill me. I thought; She's come to finish the job! And I was trapped; I had known that Jacqueline would come again; her cold words echoed in my mind again; 'I'll be back for you.' She had kept her promise at least; I smiled, grimly, trying not to let my panic worsen, although frightening thoughts would not stop entering my mind… There's no way out, a voice echoed in my head, She'll get to you… she's the big, scary monster, and you're the child… trapped in the closet; waiting to be devoured. Hot, wet tears of frustration began pouring down my pale cheeks, and I nodded to the invisible speaker; she was right. Today would be my last day alive.
"TELL ME WHERE SHE IS!" an inhuman voice suddenly roared; its sound reverberating; bouncing off of the very walls of the cottage, and then echoing back in my brain even one thousand times louder; just hearing it gave me a headache. My head felt like it had been sliced in half; The voice of the shaska, I thought, shuddering once again-- everything had changed so quickly. Just ten minutes ago, I had been sitting with Elaine, learning about the shaska-- and now Jacqueline had reappeared. Could it be a coincidence? Elaine must have known; that's why she had told me that we were leaving-- and there had been a name. She had uttered a name, but had been cut off. What had that name been? It had started with an 'R.' I smacked my forehead; if Elaine had had that seizure-thing five-- ten minutes before, we could have been safe somewhere, as opposed to being killed by Jacqueline... I wonder if it'll be painful, I thought, my head swimming, and then I realized the painful truth. I didn't care anymore. Jacqueline could kill me. It didn't matter. Sure, being murdered in cold blood by my worst enemy wasn't the ideal way to spend a nice afternoon-- but it had been inevitable-- ever since I had been sent to D'Nalge. Jacqueline spoke again, "Or I shall find her myself. Your choice. Either way, she dies. She must die. You know that."
"Frightened of a child, Jacqueline?" my fairy godmother suddenly whispered; clearly mustering up false bravery from an unknown source; I could tell that Jacqueline didn't buy it, "That's just not like you."
There was a moment of silence before Jacqueline answered, "You know that she is a threat to--"
A threat to what? I wondered, as my fairy godmother suddenly cut her off, "You're nothing but a coward, Jacqueline-- what can I say? As long as I've known of you, I've always known this."
"How you think of me does not matter. You're nothing, Elaine. You never were; if you give me the child willingly... Who knows? Perhaps, I shall allow you to live-- for a little while; lead the way to Beatrice, and I'll have my followers come here tonight, and murder you peacefully in your sleep-- I'll even let you leave D'Nalge. Who knows? It might be fun tracking you down. So, answer this, Elaine: Where is she?"
"That child is safe while--"
"That's right, Elaine... Beatrice is safe as long as you're alive."
Elaine, finally defeated, used her last defense, "Sh-She's dead," my fairy godmother said, stumbling over the words; I shook my head at her stupidity. Even a toddler wouldn't believe this.
"No- she- isn't- but- she- will- be- when- I'm- through- with- her. As dead as her father. As dead as her mother. As dead as you!"
To my surprise, Elaine suddenly let out a bloodcurdling scream that caused my heart to drop into my stomach. I realized that I could not save her; Jacqueline had won the battle-- again. "No," I murmured, gently; hardly louder than a whisper. Jacqueline laughed, and pretty soon, my fairy godmother's screams ended so suddenly it was as if someone had hit the mute button on the TV-- her life had been cut short. I had not expected this. Everything that had happened today had seemed like a dream; I hadn't expected Jacqueline to actually kill Elaine; maybe Jacqueline had already sensed where I was in the cottage... She had the powers, after all. Jacqueline's laughs soon subsided, and I fell to my knees in fright, "Beatrice," Jacqueline's voice echoed sweetly; the same sweet voice I had known and loathed for so long in my life, "Come child. We can go home together. Hurry; the mortal world is practically at our feet. Come with me. Your mummy and daddy are waiting for you. They've been waiting for a very long time, remember?"
I shook my head, angrily, and the door that led into the bedroom gently creaked open, as Jacqueline took a slight step inside, "Beatrice?" she called from the threshold, as her blue eyes darted about the small room; she frowned for a moment, and then, just as quickly, it became a fake smile again. I could tell that she was just as conniving as ever, for I could see part of her form from the spaces in between the wood that made up the door; She hasn't changed at all-- it figures, I realized, dumbly, as her red lips opened once again, "You don't want to keep them waiting, do you?"
Leave me alone, I thought, frightened, Don't see me-- I don't exist anymore. I'm dead. I'm dead. Don't find me here.
"I know you're here somewhere, Beatrice... Don't play little games with me. I mean it. Do you really want to keep your parents waiting?" and I stared at her sweet face, and suddenly, my terrified thoughts were pushed to the back of my mind, as my lips formed a wide, stupid smile, "Mom? Dad?" I asked, my voice hardly higher than a slight whisper; actually believing the utter lies that Jacqueline told, or at least wanting to believe them. Here she was; just outside my closet door; her back was now facing me, and she was offering me what I had hungered for for so very long… she had the powers, and she could resurrect my parents… we could live happily ever after… it was as simple as the black, lacy dress that she wore. My mind was filled with images of the utopia in which my parents and I could live together forever; I wanted so much to believe her lies, but in the end, my commonsense caved in, as it always had, She's lying… I thought, …Nothing but filthy lies are coming out of her scum-filled mouth! "No," I said, finally.
Damn! I thought; my tiny sound had caught her attention. I buried my face in the palms of my hands as a last attempt oa actually elude her, but I could not, for she whipped around; facing me, "Beatrice! My child! Are you hiding?" she asked, walking towards me, each step she took echoing in my ears one hundred times louder than they would have normally; I felt like I was choking. I couldn't breathe anymore... She was choking me; I gasped for breath... It was another spell, "It's all right, child... There is no need to be frightened-- not anymore," she whispered, walking nearer and nearer towards me, "Elaine had to die, sweetie. She was a nuisance; a little fly buzzing in my ear. She was a troublemaker."
The spell ended; I could breathe again. I breathed in the fragrance of the musty closet deeply; realizing that this would be one of my last breaths. I whimpered at the sound of her false voice which was still trying to trick me; She's just like a siren! I finally realized; shuddering at the thought of the women from The Odyssey.
"Come out, come out, wherever you are!" Her long black fingernails gently clicked as they came into contact with the metal knob of the door; her sweetness now gone; the ruse had been seen through-- as it always had, "Come out, now, Beatrice! The game is ended, and now you must die!"
"Please," I whispered; nearly pleading, "Please just leave me alone."
"I'll never leave you alone until I see your pale face six feet under in the cold ground... rotting-- just like your father," she hissed, "Come out now!"
"NO!" I screamed at the woman who had caused my life so much pain; I no longer wished to die. I was going to fight. Jacqueline wouldn't win this time.
"I promise that your death won't be too very painful. Maybe it'll be like your mother's… the little whore that she was."
"Don't call her that!" I screamed, "You never knew her!"
"You don't know anything, do you, Beatrice?" and then, the bitch laughed; causing my blood to boil; I need to get out of here, I thought; looking around the closet to find an escape, "FUCK YOU!" I screamed; trying to sound confident and calm, as my back hit the wood that paneled the back of the closet, hard! But as soon as my back had come in contact with the wood, it seemed to melt away, and the next thing I knew, I found myself on my back in a totally different room; a strange room that I had not seen the likes of in what seemed like centuries; it was large and roomy with piles of boxes covering the bulk of the dusty floor; everything was coated with a lair of brown dust, and it appeared to be evening, for no light streamed in through the old window that was raised high above the floor; I stood up; the place looked familiar, though I knew I had never set foot in it before. It was pitch black; I blinked, as Jacqueline began screaming at me again. Somehow, I knew that I was now safe.
My heart began beating with less and less ferocity, as I slowly calmed myself down, and repeated over and over in my head that I was safe; all the while trying to ignore Jacqueline's persistent screams of, "BEATRICE! YOU HORRID SCUM BAG! YOU RETURN TO ME THIS INSTANT!"
She paused, as if expecting to hear me clamoring back to her, instead I gave the wall that led back to her the finger, and then she spoke, as if discovering my weakness; "Beatrice, I'll kill your father if you don't come out."
"You can take your bag of tricks elsewhere, Jacqueline. They don't work anymore on me," and then I felt my anger reach a new high, and I roared, "HE'S ALREADY DEAD! YOU KILLED HIM, YOU EVIL WHORE!"
"I knew that she would help you live! That's what fairies are. Meddlers. Helping you escape to the mortal world! Let me in!" she screamed, as she rushed into the closet, and began pounding on the wood of the back of the closet with her fists; and with each pound, the room shook violently. Boxes were knocked over; their contents spilling out onto; I was heaved to the floor once again.
"I'll never give up, you pig!" I screamed at her, "I'm not a child anymore! I'll keep my own mind, get out of my life, you whore. Go to hell!"
"I'll leave you… for now. I can not get to you. For I cannot penetrate the portal… the magic in this cottage has already begun to cancel my own out. Elaine might have been an interfering bitch, but I must admit she was a powerful sorceress. You're safe, Beatrice Horowitz-- but not for long. And I'll wait… I'll wait to cut open your tender little throat, and watch the blood pour out with ecstatic eyes… I can wait. Time is not of the essence here; but you can bet that you'll lie dead in the forest by the morrow," and then, with the echoing sound of her laughter, she disappeared in a cloud of red smoke, or so I reckoned.
I lay down my head in silence, and then I began to cry; my warm tears trickled down my cheeks and onto the floor; mixing with the brown dust, and creating a disgusting brown liquid.
I'm not safe... I'm not safe anymore, I realized; Everything I touch dies; how many more will die? I wondered, and a small voice answered in the back of my mid, making perfect sense to me; Many.
But all that mattered was that I was safe-- as safe as I could be; I had escaped Jacqueline for the second time in my life, and I would make sure I never gave her the chance to kill me again; I yawned. I couldn't believe I was tired now; so much had happened today, though, and I was worn out.
I closed my eyes, and slept.
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I had not realized how tired I was that evening, for I slept for many hours. Sleep had overcome me, and I had slept a blank sleep. There were no thoughts-- no dreams-- no nightmares. My strength was brought back to me, and I awoke on what I believed to be the third day; my eyes snapping open at the sound of a honking car-horn a few miles away... a sound which I had believed to be dead to me forever; I felt a icy cold stab in the very center of my heart as I remembered what had happened to Elaine right under my nose... It's all my fault...
But I couldn't blame myself. Jacqueline had killed her. I hadn't. It was as simple as that; she would want me to blame myself. Blaming myself would bring about disorientation once again. She wanted me weak.
My dark hair was matted to my forehead with swear, and I let out a groan, as I saw that golden sunlight was streaming in through the cracked, filthy window; burning my pale face.
I stood up; feeling woozy, as if I had been doped up right after being knocked out, or something to that extent; She's almost killed me… again, I thought, staring around at my familiar, yet unfamiliar surroundings. I walked over to the nearest box that had not been toppled over in Jacqueline's blind rage, only to find it empty; realizing at once where I was; a modern-day attic.
This must be the earth again, I realized; feeling queasy. My stomach was empty, but I felt like I was about to throw up. I found a small mirror hanging on the graying walls, and I found that my eyes were red and puffy-- I must have been crying while I slept, Weird, I thought, taking a step back from the mirror, and deciding that time could no longer be wasted standing idly by. I had to get ready-- though for what, I was still unsure. That was still in the distant future.
I walked over from box to box, searching for items. Though many were empty, others were full to the brim with useful items. Here's what I found; a shiny dagger, a pocketknife, an old necklace with a beautiful, dull stone set into a golden frame, and a small piece of rope. I set the objects before me, and held the stone; it was freezing cold, but it warmed at my touch, and sensing its power, I fastened it around my neck, and found an old quilt in which I put the remaining objects into. I tied it up with a knot, hoisted the small bundle over my shoulder, and walked over to the wall. Saying a small prayer in my mind that I would not find Jacqueline on the other side-- or any of her 'followers' as she had referred to the other shaskas, I passed through it, and into the closet; not risking a single glance out of the window, for who knew what sort of street that I would find? Any would seriously make me homesick quite easily. When I had exited my bedroom, I stole into the kitchen, and took some provisions from the nearly bare shelves of the larder; there wasn't much; only a small loaf of bread, some cheese, and a few apples; I hesitated for a moment with taking them with me, but after deciding that the apples were food, I threw them into the knapsack, and retied it. After having exited the cottage, I crossed the path, journeyed into the woods, and did not stop until I had come to my oasis. It was much too dangerous to stay in my now dead fairy godmother's cottage, whose body I had found sprawled on the living-room floor. I had kissed her already cold blue lips, as a thank-you, and had come to find refuge once again in the forest; her blue eyes had been open-- staring up at me; almost accusingly. I had gently closed them so that they could look upon the horrible world no longer. I hoped that she could forgive me-- wherever she was now.
Her broken walking stick had mysteriously disappeared.
I came to my tree, sat beneath its shade, and waited for what was to come. Whatever would happen, I hoped that I would be ready.
