Alastor arrived promptly the next morning. He made his way over to the balcony, his eyes immediately spotting Millie at the table with her tea, breakfast, and book. He had found Millie the evening before to discuss their first morning meet up. She informed him where to meet and what time to be there. She spent about two hours each morning reading and having her breakfast before starting her day.
Now he would be joining her.
"Good morning, my dear," his usual transatlantic filtered voice was full of pep. "I see you've already begun." Alastor settled into the seat across from Millie, his ever present smile fixed in place. "A rather quiet morning with the delightful scent of sulfur in the air. And not a soul to pester us."
Millie responded to his greeting, her voice steady, but her ears and tail betrayed her discomfort. "Good morning, Alastor," she said, forcing a polite smile. With a practiced wave of his hand, he materialized a steaming cup of black coffee and the book Millie had gifted him.
"I couldn't forget the book that you so thoughtfully gave me, my dear."
His expression held a genuine interest as he held the book in his hands. It wasn't often that a piece of fiction managed to capture his attention, but this particular book seemed to have done just that.
Despite her unease, Millie perked up at the fact that Alastor seemed genuinely interested in the book she had chosen for him. It lifted her spirits somewhat, seeing him hold the book with a degree of curiosity. "I... um, hope you like it," she said. "I thought it would be something right up your alley, with its twisted murder mystery plot line."
Alastor observed the subtle twitches of her ears and tail, noting the signs of her discomfort. "Hmm," he gave her a closed lipped smile and raised his 'Oh Deer.' mug to his lips and took a sip of his scalding, bitter coffee. "Yes, dear, I must say a murder mystery, how riveting. Well then, time to dive into our books, shall we?" he stated, placing his coffee mug down with a light 'clink'. Millie nodded in agreement. She opened her book and began to read, doing her best to focus on the words in front of her rather than on the man sitting across from her. After a few sentences, Millie was fully immersed in the story, her discomfort with Alastor gradually fading into the background. She became completely engrossed in the tale unfolding before her.
Alastor picked up his book as well and pretended to read as he observed the little mouse in front of him. He watched as she became engrossed in the story of her book. Her eyes moved over the pages, her expression shifting with the progression of the narrative.
Alastor's thoughts strayed to their upcoming training session later that evening. He wasn't exactly sure how he was going to approach training her in an ability he wasn't familiar with, but that wouldn't deter him.
"Hmm," murmured Alastor to himself, "this training session will indeed be a challenge." He focused back on his book. The story proved to be engaging right from the start, and much like Millie, he found himself thoroughly engrossed in the pages.
Before they knew it, their morning reading time had come to an end. The tranquil atmosphere of the reading session was shattered by a sudden and jarring noise that jolted Alastor and Millie out of their reading. Alastor's face immediately twisted with clear disdain as he looked at the source of the disturbance - Millie's cellphone.
He let out a scoff, his eyes narrowed at the offensive device. "Hmm, what a horrid contraption." Millie quickly shut off the alarm. She glanced at Alastor apologetically. "Sorry about that," she said sheepishly. "It's just my alarm to let me know it's time to start working."
Alastor, still slightly miffed at the interruption, replied in a slightly sarcastic tone, "Ah, yes, that little noise machine of yours certainly did its job. How very modern of you." His ears were pinned flat against his head, clearly indicating his disapproval. Millie was unable to suppress a soft giggle at the sight of Alastor's reaction and his quip about her phone alarm. "Sorry, I just..." she began, her voice tinged with amusement, "your expression...
Alastor's ears twitched further as he looked at her. "Yes, yes, laugh it up," he grumbled. "I assume this means our reading time has come to an end, then?"
"Ah... yes, I suppose it has." She placed her phone back into her pocket and stood up. She seemed reluctant to end the peaceful reading session. It was surprisingly enjoyable to have company while reading. Even if that company was a cannibalistic serial killer.
As Millie began to gather up her belongings, a clawed hand reached out to stop her. She looked up to see Alastor's clawed fingers resting atop her own. "I'll take care of the dishes," he said, his hand still lightly on hers. "Run along."
Millie's eyes widened slightly in surprise. She wasn't used to having someone offer to help clean up after her. "Are...are you sure? I don't mind. And besides, it's...it's my mess." Alastor gently removed his hand from hers and chuckled softly. "Nonsense," he waved off her offer. "A gentleman always offers to take care of such things," he added, a smirk playing on his lips. "I wouldn't dream of letting you handle these chores when I can easily manage them."
"Oh...Thank you," she managed to squeak out. Millie nodded appreciatively and thanked Alastor once more for handling the clean up. However, before she could make her exit, he spoke up with a slightly commanding tone. "Ah, and Millie, don't forget. We have our first training session scheduled for 8:00 this evening, in the garden." Millie's ears perked up at Alastor's reminder, her mind momentarily forgetting their earlier plans. "R-right," she replied, her voice slightly nervous but determined. "Training, garden, g-got it."
Alastor watched Millie leave, his smile growing darker. He had a plan in mind, a twisted scheme to push her to her limits and see just how far he could test her.
"This training session will be quite interesting," he thought to himself with an evil grin. "Let's see how my little mouse fares when pushed to the brink."
Alastor returned to his room and skimmed through his extensive collection of magic books. He stopped on the book he was looking for. The book he pulled from the shelf was one specifically on casting illusions. Normally, the great Radio Demon would have no terrible casting something as simple as an illusion, but for this one, he needed a little extra help to make it truly entertaining.
He leafed through the pages, humming a jazzy tune as he scanned the text. He bookmarked different spells that would be useful for the illusions he planned to use on Millie during their training session. Alastor recalled the pitiful story she had told about never having anyone care enough to throw her a party. Based on that information, he concluded that she probably didn't have many friends, if any at all, when she was alive. If she did have friends, they undoubtedly weren't particularly good ones.
He mused that he could utilize this to cast an illusion that would make her re-experience those memories of loneliness and isolation, twisting and distorting them to further push her. Obviously he wouldn't torture the poor dear, but he could create illusions that would stress her out hopefully to the point of shrinking, then guiding her on how to manage and control the ability.
Evening came and the hotel was silent and uncharacteristically quiet. Charlie and Vaggie were enjoying a rare date night. Husk was likely passed out in his room, taking advantage of the night off Alastor had given him. Meanwhile, Angel was forced to work late, leaving him absent as well. After working in the library, Millie made her way to the kitchen for something to eat. She just couldn't stomach a full meal, so she settled for a light dinner, nibbling on what little she could manage to stomach. Sitting by herself, she picked at her food, her mind occupied with the upcoming training session with Alastor.
She wasn't exactly sure what to expect, and that uncertainty made her stomach churn with anxiety. Millie hastily changed into a simple and comfortable outfit for their training session. She wore a plain black loose-fitting shirt, paired with a pair of loose-fitting gray yoga pants. The fabric was soft and comfortable, perfect for moving around easily and avoiding any unnecessary restrictions. Her hair was braided to keep it out of her face, and on her feet, she wore a pair of neutral-colored sneakers.
Millie made her way to the garden area of the hotel. During her tour with Charlie and Vaggie, she had learned that Vaggie had been converting part of the garden into a training ground. With the memory of the previous Extermination Day still fresh in their minds, Vaggie wanted to ensure that everyone at the hotel was ready to defend themselves if the need ever arose again. As Millie grasped the door handle, a sudden jolt of energy coursed through her. The experience was unexpected and slightly painful, causing her to withdraw her hand almost immediately.
"What the...?" she muttered, rubbing her fingers from the mild stinging sensation. Her brow furrowed as she cautiously reached for the door handle once more, bracing herself for another jolt. This time, there was nothing. She breathed a sigh of relief. Millie tentatively pushed open the door and stepped outside, and looked around, taking in her surroundings. Everything looked normal, thankfully. Millie took a few steps into the garden and looked for Alastor, but the deer man was nowhere to be found. She was sure she was on time and he didn't seem the type to be late for anything.
"Maybe he had some radio stuff to finish up or something for the hotel." Millie reasoned to herself. She decided to sit on one of the benches and wait for him. The mouse demon looked to the red sky and thought about how her after life had changed in the last few weeks. She met and now worked for the princess of hell, made some new friends, one of them being the most famous pornstar in hell, and met the radio demon. Being able to meet someone she was a fan of was surreal. He even gave her a radio so she could listen to his broadcasts! Well, the musical part of his broadcasts.
It was...nice. She hoped that they'd still be her friends after she was done with the library.
"Well, that's enough of that! Let's not get gloomy. Let's enjoy the good things while they last." Millie sighed. She tried to distract herself by thinking about what Alastor had planned. Speaking of Alastor, where was he? She pulled her phone out of her pocket to check the time. "Ugh, he's 30 minutes late." She groaned and stood. "If I have to wait for him, I'll wait inside. The hotel's pretty safe, but this is still hell."
She walked back to the door and tried to open it, but the handle refused to budge. "Wait... what...?" she muttered, confusion etched on her face. Millie tried to open it again, but it remained firmly shut. "No one said this door was auto-locked! I guess I can go through the front."
Millie turned around, only to see that the garden had transformed into a hallway. Her ears perked up atop her head, their sensitive tips twitching at the unfamiliar surroundings. Her tail swished anxiously behind her as if mirroring her panic. She took a few steps forward into the hallway, looking around in disbelief at the sudden change in scenery.
Millie's voice trembled slightly as she spoke, "What the... this isn't... how is this possible?" she murmured, her eyes darting around the endless corridor. "Where's the garden? How... how did I get here?"
She turned back towards the door, her hand reaching out to try to push against it once more, but the door remained shut. Frustration and fear bubbling within her, Millie pounded her fist against the unyielding door, desperation seeping into her voice.
"Hello?" she called out, her voice echoing in the empty hallway. "Is anyone there? Please open the door!"
No answer came. The banging and her pleas were met with only silence and the cold, hard surface of the door. She pressed her forehead against the door in defeat. There was no way she was going to get the door open. "This has to be Alastor's doing. Is this what he had planned for my training?" Millie turned around back towards the hallway. "I'm assuming I'll have to find him to get out of here." She took a deep breath and headed down the strange hallway.
She didn't see the glowing red eyes watching her from the darkness.
As Millie continued to traverse the endless hallway, she pulled out her phone to check the time, only to be met with a glitchy screen. The device was malfunctioning, making it impossible for her to know how much time had passed.
"How long have I been walking? How am I supposed to find a way out?" she whispered to herself in desperation. She walked a few more steps before she spotted a bend in the hallway up ahead. After what seemed like an eternity of walking in an endless straight corridor, this turn was a ray of hope. But as she raced towards it, her spirits shattered when she realized that the hall had transformed into the exact layout of her old high school.
Panic and unease washed over her. "No... this can't be real," she mumbled, her voice barely above a whisper. There were shadowy figures standing around that looked like students and teachers. Millie felt her throat clog and her mouth go dry. There was no way this could be happening! This was her high school! How was Alastor able to do this?! She felt a shiver run through her body and looked down at herself and nearly screamed.
Her hands looked...human!
Millie's trembling hands shot to her mouth as she looked down at her transformed body. The rest of her seemed to be human, too. She patted her head and didn't feel her oversized mouse ears and her tail was gone, too. Terror and confusion flooded her senses, her eyes wide and filled with anguish.
"My hands... they're human..." she gasped, her voice quivering with disbelief. "How... how is this possible...?" Her breathing sped up. She could feel the panic rising and ran blindly through the shadowy figures that resemble her former classmates and teachers. She could hear the whispered words that echoed around her became more distinct.
Panic surged through her, her heart racing, and she desperately tried to block out the whispers that seemed to follow her every move. Millie fled, her legs carrying her until she found a bathroom and quickly locked herself inside. She crumpled against the door, sliding down to the cold, dirty floor, and buried her face in her newly human hands.
Tears pricked at the corners of her eyes, and her heart thundered in her chest. She rocked back and forth, nearly succumbing to a full-blown panic attack as the memories came back to her. Millie's time in high school hadn't been filled with the typical experiences of bullying. Instead, it was marked by a peculiar sort of isolation. Teachers and students alike often seemed to forget her existence, as if she were simply part of the background noise, unnoticed and unacknowledged.
The realization that she had been so utterly forgettable throughout those years struck her like a blow, adding to the emotional turmoil she was already grappling with. No one had taken the time to truly get to know her. They didn't even see her as a real, complex person with thoughts and feelings. They simply looked right through her.
Millie took a deep breath, her eyes closed, as she attempted to calm herself. She repeated the mantra, "This...this isn't real. This is j-just Alastor's magic. I need to s-stay strong," over and over again in her mind. She needed to stay calm so she wouldn't shrink. This was bad enough, but being tiny would make it worse. Millie stood up, dusty herself off, and walked to the sink. She looked in the mirror and her human face stared back at her.
She hadn't seen that face in a long time. Her skin was a warm, deep brown, and her hair was full and curly, framing her face in a halo of tight black ringlets. Thick lashes framed her wide brown eyes. She lightly touched her face, still stunned. Backing away from the mirror, Millie looked down at herself and realized that she was dressed in an outfit that she definitely wore in her teen years. She was dressed in a gray oversized hoodie and black jeans with white high tops.
"How does Alastor know what I wore back then?" Millie couldn't help but be a bit impressed by the amount of thought Alastor had put into this whole illusion thing. The level of detail was pretty crazy. Even down to the clothes she wore back in high school, he got it spot on. It was creepy.
As Millie tentatively stepped out of the bathroom, she found herself standing in what appeared to be a classroom. Her steps faltered, and she swallowed, trying to stay composed. But her voice was a soft whisper. "No... not here..."
The shadow figure, taking the form of a teacher, looked up at Millie, its eyes glowing ominously in the dim classroom. The desks were full of shadowy students, their glowing eyes fixed on her as well. With a strange, hissing tone, "Are you in the wrong class?" The creature's eerie voice only added to her fear and confusion. Millie felt her body stiffen, 'How many times did this happen in school?' she thought. Teachers would forget that she was in their class and ask her if she was lost. She'd tell them no that she was, in fact, in their class and had been for a while.
She remembered how the teachers would often give a nervous laugh or even just huff at their own forgetfulness when reminded. They would then say that if only she would speak up more, they wouldn't overlook her so easily. Each time chipped away at her self-esteem. Before she could even think of what to do, her mouth moved on its own, giving the same answer she gave back then. Her body moved on autopilot and walked to her old seat in the back of the room. Once she was seated, Millie could only stare at the desk in shock at what had just happened.
This whole situation was seriously messing with Millie's head. Alastor's powers were off the charts, being an Overlord of Hell and all. But creating such a detailed and real-feeling illusion was just plain crazy. Millie's thoughts whirled in frustration and confusion. How did this elaborate illusion tie into her struggles with controlling her shrinking powers? In a burst of uncharacteristic anger, Millie pounded her fists on the desk, the sound echoing through the classroom. "What is this supposed to accomplish, Alastor?! How is this going to help me control my shrinking powers?! Tell me!"
Millie's outburst was abruptly interrupted as she gasped aloud, her eyes widening in disbelief. She looked up and realized that she was no longer in the classroom, but instead standing at a cash register. The sudden change of scene left her momentarily disoriented and confused. This was one of the first jobs she had after college. It was some big chain bookstore. She shuddered at the thought of her college years. It was just like high school but more lonely.
She had hoped that with age, she would become more skilled at socializing, and perhaps finally make some genuine friends. But even in college, she found herself sitting quietly in the library, surrounded by classmates who also kept to themselves. She had still been unable to overcome her social anxiety. Millie was interrupted by her thoughts when a raspy voice asked for attention to be checked out. The shadowy customer placed the books on the counter. Once again, her body moved on its own and started scanning and bagging the books. Things continued like this for a few more 'customers'.
She remembers how her colleagues would focus on selling bestsellers and maximizing profits, Millie frequently recommended titles that she thought would suit the customers better. With all the books she had read during her teen and college years, she definitely had enough knowledge to recommend the right book to the right person. Talking about books was the only time she was confident and a bit chatty. The customers seemed to appreciate it, but her boss, however, consistently overlooked her input and pushed her towards more commercial selections.
A large shadow figure materialized beside her, it's glowing eyes narrowed. It was no doubt her old boss. The creature began yelling and demanding she sell more, do more, work harder. The rants she heard during her human days working for the prick. Millie could feel the familiar, suffocating tightness in her chest as stress and panic began to crawl through her veins. The sense of helplessness was overwhelming as her body continued to function on its own, moving through the actions of the memory. As the panic heightened, Millie felt an all-too-familiar sensation wash over her. Her powers were activating, a clear sign that she was starting to lose control. Her thoughts were a tangled mess, and she could feel the fear and stress pushing her towards the edge. Trying to focus her breathing and calm down, she reminded herself that this was just an illusion, a memory that wasn't real.
Surprisingly, Millie's efforts to calm herself seemed to have an effect. The overwhelming panic and fear began to recede, allowing her to regain a measure of control over her emotions. Despite the unsettling situation, she was able to think more clearly, and the sensation of her powers attempting to activate subsided. She had to remember that even though she lived most of her human life in insolation, she had friends now. Friends who seemed to really care about her.
"But do they really?"
Millie stiffened as a voice, dark and twisted, echoed in her head. The voice was eerily familiar, yet there was something wrong about it. The words were laced with doubt and malice. Alongside the voice, she felt sharp claws dig into her shoulders, and a dark shadow version of her own shadow loomed over her shoulder. Millie clenched her fists and took a deep, shaky breath, attempting to stay calm. In a softer, more timid voice, she said, "They... they do care about me."
The darkened shadow figure leaned in closer, its voice dripping with skepticism. "How do you know they care? You haven't known them very long, after all." Her shadow curled around her like smoke. Millie's heart clenched with each cruel remark from the shadowy figure. It continued to plant seeds of doubt.
"Charlie is kind to everyone; you're not special. Vaggie is only nice because she's loyal to Charlie. Angel? Yeah, he's just feeling sorry for you. Husk? He's just a drunk, and Niffty...well, Niffty's just Niffty. But she'd probably like better if you were a bug."
The shadow's words cut deep, each one a cold, hard truth that Millie tried to deny. But the voice was relentless, pressing on ruthlessly.
"None of them truly care about you," it hissed in her ear. "They're just being polite." It dug its claws deeper into her shoulders. "You'll finish your little library job, and what then? Back to your sad, insignificant life in your even more sad, little bookshop. They'll forget about you just like everyone else did, because that's all you are. Forgettable."
Millie desperately tried to refute the shadow's hurtful words, gathering up the last shreds of her waning courage. But it was like trying to shout against a storm, her voice becoming weaker and softer with each attempt.
"No. That's not... that's not true," she protested, her words barely above a whisper due to her growing anxiety. Millie's mind latched onto the one positive thought she could reach for - a lifeline against the shadows' onslaught. She remembered what Charlie and Angel had said, how they had told her to text them anytime. Friends did do that, right? She grasped at this hope like a drowning person would at a floating piece of driftwood.
"Charlie... Angel... They said... they said I could text them anytime," Millie whispered weakly. Each whisper of doubt fueled the magic of the illusion, and with a sudden lurch, Millie felt her body shrink and grow smaller. The feeling of wanting to disappear, to vanish completely, was growing stronger and more intense by the second.
The dark, twisted shadow of Millie laughed cruelly at her, seemingly relishing in her despair.
"You real thought they meant it? Look at you," it jeered, its voice laced with sadistic amusement. "Shrinking away like the insignificant little mouse that you are. You'll always be alone, forgotten by everyone. Just disappear already. It's what you're best at."
The last remnants of courage fled as Millie's form shrank down. The chilling laughter from her shadow was abruptly replaced by the familiar, staticky voice of the Radio Demon. His voice seemed to come from all around her, the static crackling along the edges of his words. Alastor's amused voice crackled through the air, a hint of mockery laced through his words.
"You know, you lasted longer than I thought you would," he chuckled. With a snap of his fingers, the elaborate illusion melted away, and Millie found herself once again standing in the garden, the real world crashing back into focus. She glanced down, relieved to find that she was back to her normal size. Millie's voice trembled slightly as she turned to Alastor, her eyes wide with surprise. "Y-You... you were able to return me back to normal size?" she stuttered, her head still reeling from the recent events.
Alastor responded nonchalantly, casually waving away her surprise.
"Of course," he replied, his voice tinged with pride. "I'm an Overlord for a reason. Returning you to your natural size is a simple task." She took a deep breath, steadying her voice. "Why did you..." she trailed off, unsure how to ask the right question. Alastor tilted his head slightly, his eyes never leaving her face. He seemed to understand what she was trying to ask.
"Why did I cast such an illusion?" he responded, the corner of his mouth twitching into a sly smile. "It was to see how you'd react, my dear." As he spoke, he stepped into Millie's personal space and leaned down until his face was in hers. Millie instinctively leaned back, a bit startled by Alastor's sudden proximity. His grin only widened as he continued, his voice dropping to a mocking tone.
"I wanted to see how you'd handle the pressure, how you'd react under such distress. And I must say, you put up quite the show. Such a delightful performance." Alastor's smile widened further, his hand moving in a theatrical gesture. "Ah, yes," he continued with the theatrics. "Your reactions, your fear, your desperation - all of it was delicious to witness. You made for quite the entertaining spectacle, my dear." His gleeful tone was almost scary, his enjoyment in her distress clear as day. She forced herself to take a deep breath, trying to steady her racing heart.
"Is... is that all you wanted from this? Just... to see me react?" she asked, her voice coming out in a shaky whisper. "Did...did you even mean it when...when you said that you'd help me?" Alastor's smile remained, and he confirmed with a nod. "Of course I meant it, my dear," he responded. "I need to know what else might trigger your abilities. I suspected that it might be related to mental stress, so I decided to put that theory to the test."
He chuckled softly, his eyes locked on her face as he continued. "And it seems I was correct." The full weight of Alastor's words sinked in. He had intentionally pushed her near to her breaking point just to see what would happen. It was both terrifying and slightly insulting.
"So, you just... wanted to see how much I could take before I cracked?" she forced out, her voice betraying a hint of irritation. Alastor nodded, his expression betraying a hint of feigned innocence. "Oh, my sweet, it wasn't just for fun and games," he clarified, his tone maintaining its patronizing edge. "I was trying to help you, darling. If I don't know how much strain you can handle, how can I help you train properly?"
Alastor's eyes twinkled with mockery as he reached out and pinched her cheek, his hand surprisingly gentle given his actions earlier. "Besides," he smirked, "You looked so cute when you panic." Millie's face reddened at Alastor's gesture, her irritation mixed with a touch of embarrassment. She swatted his hand away. "I'm afraid to ask how you plan on helping me at the next session."
"Now, darling, no need to deny it. You're absolutely adorable when you panic." He paused for a moment, pretending to think. "As for how I can help you," he stroked his chin in thought, "I have no idea! But that's part of the fun, isn't it?" He responded with a nonchalant shrug. "But as for your emotional triggers, my dear, those are a different matter entirely. I'm not in the business of hand-holding or addressing personal problems."
Millie's eyes widened in disbelief. "You... you have no plan? You're just expecting me to figure it out on my own?" she yelled, her irritation rising. "How is that supposed to help, when you don't even know how to train me?" Alastor's eyebrows rose in surprise as he observed the change in Millie's demeanor. She had gone from being close to tears, terrified by his previous illusions, to now standing up to him. It was an unexpected, albeit amusing, show of strength.
"My, my," he commented, his surprise evident in his voice. "Look who's gaining a backbone all of a sudden. Gone is the timid, shrinking mouse from just a few moments ago." Millie squeaked as she remembered who she was yelling at. She struggled to find a response. "Ah, well, your moment of defiance was short-lived, I see. Still, it was almost amusing to see you try," he jeered. Millie reflexively wrapped her arms around herself in a protective gesture at his jab.
Alastor spun his cane nonchalantly, his gaze settling on Millie. "Hmm, well, that's enough for now," he declared. "We'll take the next day off from this little training session, my darling. Can't have you getting overwhelmed, now can we?" Alastor finished spinning his cane, the sound of it thudding against the ground serving as a punctuating beat to his words. "And tomorrow, I won't be joining you in the morning either," he added, his smirk widening. "I have other matters to attend to, and your mental state seems too fragile to handle another round just yet. Though I suggest that you figure out how to handle your emotional baggage"
Alastor gave a courteous nod. "Good night, my dear," he called out as he made his way towards the door. "Sleep well, and try not to shrink in your dreams. Though it would be quite amusing if you did."
Millie was left standing in the garden, feeling an odd mixture of relief and frustration. Alastor was gone for now, but his parting words echoed in her mind. She clenched her fists at her sides, a small flicker of anger beginning to spark within her. Her emotions were a mess. Millie made her way to her room, her mind still racing. She went through the motions of getting ready for bed.
As she slipped under her covers, she grabbed her phone from the nightstand but hesitated. She could still hear the words of her shadow self. "Charlie said I could text her when ever I needed her." Millie sent a text to Charlie saying she didn't feel well and asked for tomorrow off. Charlie replied almost immediately with concern and told her not to worry about it with several 'get well' emojis. Millie smiled at the text and placed her phone back on the nightstand. She rolled over and pulled the blanket over her head, the images from the illusions flitting through her mind like a cruel slideshow. The way the shadows had whispered to her, the fear she had felt, the sense of being trapped - it all came back in a rush of memories.
She squeezed her eyes shut, trying to block them out. The memories persisted, and with them, the emotions they provoked. The tears came unexpectedly, a wave of emotion breaking through the dam she had tried so hard to hold back. As she cried into her pillow until she felt the familiar sense of exhaustion sinking in.
The tears seemed to drain the last ounce of energy from her, and slowly, she slipped into a restless sleep, her emotional turmoil evident even in her dreams.
Note:
Hi everyone! I hope you enjoyed this chapter. It took me sooo long to write this and figure out just how I wanted it to go. Sorry for the slow update but it'll probably be let this for a while. I've so much piling on my plate irl and draining. I'm trying to squeeze in as much writing as I can in between work and appointments and everything else going on. I'm also trying to stay motivated to continue writing. I feel like I'm losing steam but I will finish this story and the others I've started. It will just be slow going for a bit. Thank you for understanding.