Chapter 13: Something In The Water
Flint, Dash, and Sapphire were all in the living room. Flint and Dash were sitting on the couch watching T.V. while Sapphire was in the kitchen area eating an apple.
Dash sat sideways at the edge of the couch while one leg was propped up on the coffee table. "Where's your sister?"
Flint, sitting on the other corner of the couch, leaned forward and placed his elbows on his knees. "She's been asleep. Every time I go and check on her, she is still sleeping."
"Oh..." Dash said.
The door near Sapphire opened. Willow strolled out the door with a huge smile on her face. Her eyes were closed and she began to hum happily.
"Willow!" Flint said as he turned around, "We were just talking about you! How did you sleep?"
Willow gave no response. She continued humming as she walked over to the front door.
Dash stood up. "Where you going Will's?"
Willow turned to Dash, eyes still closed, and sang happily, "Going on a date with Dash~"
"W-what?" He said in response. He looked over to Flint who just shrugged.
Willow opened the front door and walked out. She then skipped down the stairs. Dash, Flint, and Sapphire all followed Willow out the door.
As the group followed Willow, Flint nudged Dash. "Since when did you like Willow?"
"Shut up." Dash said as he punched Flint.
Sapphire walked behind the boys. She felt so left behind. She wondered if Dash really did like Willow. He definitely showed it.
"What do you think Sapphire?"
She looked up to see Dash wanting an answer.
"Can you repeat that? I spaced out."
"He asked if Willow is a sleepwalker." Flint said. "I didn't know and I told him that you might know."
"I have no idea." she said as she walked closer to them.
From a distance a black hedgehog waved his hand. "Willow! Long time no see!" He shouted.
"Hey, Cole, haven't you heard that you shouldn't wake up a sleepwalker." Flint replied.
He slowly lowered his arm. He picked up his pace and finely met up with the group. Willow kept on walking with her eyes closed, happily humming as she had a little skip to every other step.
"Whoa,'" Cole said. "She really is asleep."
"Yup," Flint answered. "She's going on a date with Dash." Cole gave a puzzled look towards Dash.
"Hey, I said nothing of a date when I saw Willow yesterday."
Sapphire butted in, "When did you see her? She was home all day."
"Not important right now." Dash said as he pushed her question aside.
Willow suddenly stopped and had a puzzled look on her face. "Where do I have to go? I don't know where it is." She said aloud to herself.
***
"Over here Willow!" Dash came out from behind a tree. "Catch me if you can!" He then ran into the forest, beckoning Willow to follow.
"Don't leave me Dash!" Willow said as she began to skate towards the opening of the woods.
***
"Willow, I'm right here." He said as he was about to grab her hand, but she was already after the other Dash.
As Dash followed Willow through the forest, Flint came up behind him.
***
"Willow, you're too slow. You'll never beat me!" Dash said as he was several feet in front of her.
"How am I to beat you if I don't know where I'm going?"
"We're going to Reflection Lake, remember?" Dash said as he began to run backwards.
"Oh, that's right, but I still have no idea where that's at!"
"It's up ahead." He said as he turned around and pointed. He then raced off in front of her into the opening.
***
Willow was giggling silently to herself as she skated. Flint then nudged Dash, "She must be having a good dream about you."
"Will you cut it out?!"
"Never." Flint said in a serious tone. "Look up ahead."
In front of them was an opening leading to a large round lake whose surface reflected like a mirror. Willow began to slow down as she entered. As they came closer to the opening Willow began to whimper.
***
Dash held Sapphire in his arms. "You are the love of my life."
"Is that true? What about Willow?"
"Her? I never cared about her."
Willow rubbed her eyes. Why would he bring her here to see this? As Dash brought Sapphire into a hug, he looked over to Willow with a hateful expression.
***
Willow broke down, "Why would you do this to me? All I have ever been is nice!" Willow pleaded to an empty space.
"Looks like you made her mad."
"I didn't do anything!" Dash said as he looked at Willow.
***
"Didn't that kiss mean anything? Am I just your toy? You're a monster. To play a game like this for several weeks just to do this to me."
"But Willow," Dash began. "I do care about you," He then to cuddle Sapphire in his arms. "But I care about Sapphire way more." He then leaned in and kissed Sapphire passionately.
***
Flint and Dash looked over to the lake to see something submerge the water. First a white head popped out, then slowly the rest of the body. The boys were shocked to see another Willow. The Willow in front of them turned to the other Willow who was standing on top of the water.
"You were right Hallow! I should have listened to you. How could I be so blind."
"Oh Honey. I'm here for you, I always will be." Said Hallow as she beckoned the Willow.
Dash and Flint's mouths dropped.
"I think I caught my sisters craziness."
"Yea, me too!" Dash said as he looked back and forth from the one Willow to the other.
Willow's cries began to get louder and louder. "Come here Willow, I will comfort you." Willow did so and walked towards the lake as she rubbed her eyes. As she made it to the lake she continued walking right into it. Her feet smoothly walked across the surface of the water towards Hallow.
"I'm so sorry..." Willow grew nearer to Hallow.
"No need to be sorry child. You didn't know better. Hush... Time for you to rest... for a long time."
Willow came closer to Hallow. Her feet felt like she was walking though mud. Then suddenly, she felt like she was trudging though two feet of snow. She was sinking. She reached up towards Hallow.
Flint stood in front of Dash and pointed towards the lake. "Go save her!" He began to push Dash towards the lake.
He resisted. "No. Stop! I-I'm not going in there! You can't force me!"
"Are you freaking serious?! You'll never be as good as your father."
"Then you go and save her!"
"You of all people should know that I can't swim."
Willow was fully underneath the water. She reached for Hallow to pull her up. "No touchy." Hallow said as she waved her finger and carefully walking around where Willow was. At her last attempt, Willow tried to break through the barrier that laid upon the water's surface. Willow stopped hitting the barrier and began to clutch her throat. As the air bubbles escaped her mouth, Willow slowly sank. "How is it that I can still breath and talk?" She began to fling her arm around crazily. "It feels like water." Willow looked up and saw Hallow.
Hallow began to walk towards Flint and Dash, who were bickering. As she stood on the edge of the water, she inhaled deeply, and exhaled slowly. She took her first step upon land. As she stood outside the lake's edge her body changed ever so slightly. The very tips of her quills began to turn dark purple. From underneath her muzzle two thick purple veins popped out. The red from her outfit turned green, while the white strips turned black.
She cracked her neck as she rolled it from left to right. "Hello boys." Hallow bowed. "I am Hallow. It's a pleasure to finally meet you both." From behind Dash and Flint, Sapphire and Cole came running in.
"Willow, you look different." Cole said cunningly.
"That's not Willow!" Flint yelled. "Willow's in the lake!" Cole immediately ran towards the lake.
From out of nowhere, Hallow kicked Cole in the side of the stomach. He then tumbled to the ground. Hallow stood over him. "No one goes by, or in, that lake." She turned to everyone, "You'll never see your precious Willow ever again." Hallow said coldly.
Cole fought to get back up. "You wanna bet?" He held his arm up, clenching his fist. As Hallow looked up, she saw a large boulder-like-rock hovering above her head. Cole unclenched his fists and dropped the rock on top of Hallow.
She began to slowly crumble from underneath the bolder as she tried to hold it up. Her legs finally gave out. She was crushed by the rock. As Cole slowly stood, he rubbed his stomach
as he stood.
A black liquid oozed out from underneath the rock. That liquid then began to form upward. It then took it's shape. The arms reaching out and a head rolled. In the end, the black liquid finally turned into Hallow. "You can't get ride of me that easily."
Hallow then started to run towards Cole.
"Hallow!" Dash stood out as he pointed her finger at her. "This fight is not with Cole."
"You know, it's impolite to point."
"Shut up! You just killed my... my best friend! I'm not going to let you just walk away from that!" He said in a serious tone.
Hallow slowly walked towards Dash. "Whoever said that I killed her." She then threw her hand up in the air as she continued walking. "Your friend, Cole, might as well have killed her."
"Don't you blame this on Cole." Dash pointed at Hallow again. "He did nothing!"
"There's the pointing again. How rude." There was a sudden splash of water. Hallow turned to see Cole missing. "Damn it!" She whispered under her breath. "You made me loose my concentration." Hallow scolded as she pointed at Dash.
Sapphire stepped in the conversation. "You're the one who's being rude!"
Hallow, without looking at her, said. "Do I really need to shut you up again? Because if the medication won't do it, I will." Hallow lunged herself towards Sapphire. Flint stood by her side getting ready to protect his sister.
Dash suddenly appeared in front of Sapphire holding his arms out. Hallow then stopped attacking. "So you do love her." she stated.
"I-" He began
"Dash and Sapphire," Hallow started to walk around the two. "sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G."
Flint jumped in, "You have no business being here!"
"Oh, but I have business to attend to. I'm still Willow."
Dash grew angry. "You're nothing like Willow! You're her complete opposite." he spat.
"Exactly." Hallow commented.
A sound of water ripples made everyone look towards the lake's edge. Cole carried Willow out of the water. When he set her down, She was on her hands and knees coughing up water and blood. Her skin was all scratched up and bruises began to form.
Hallow took one step towards Cole and Willow. Then suddenly Dash stood in font of Hallow. "Your fight is with me! They had nothing to do with what ever you came to do."
"If you want fight me, so be it. But remember, I'm not the one you're hurting."