Trapped and Desperate

Red

Have you ever found yourself in a suffocating situation, where the weight of the world presses down upon you, and the only options that seem viable are to vanish into thin air or simply cease to exist?

Well, If you haven't experienced such an ordeal, then consider yourself remarkably fortunate. As for me, I yearned for luck's embrace more fervently than ever.

The room felt like a prison, its walls closing in on me with a vengeful determination. I imagined them splintering, crashing into a thousand shards, ready to pierce my fragile form. Or perhaps the floor would yawn open, a merciless abyss eager to devour my soul and bring an end to my darkest miseries. But alas, none of my fanciful dreams transpired, as reality sneered at me through the stranger's visage.

Surprise etched itself onto his features, swiftly overtaken by shock, and then a smoldering anger that sent shivers cascading down my spine.

These were no ordinary beings I faced. They were creatures caught between the realms of day and night, embodying the mystique of both worlds. One of them, aged with wisdom and weariness, probed me with a barrage of questions.

Yet, my ears, overwhelmed by the weight of my predicament, sealed themselves shut, and my pounding heart drowned out all sound. In that moment, my mind echoed a single refrain:

Why did it all go wrong?

A few minutes earlier...

"How dare he?!" I seethed, my inner voice awash with indignation.

"Just because he possesses some wretched powers, he lacks the audacity to leave me here alone? Only the heavens know how long he intends to keep me confined."

But expressing my frustration proved impossible. No, it was worse than that. I couldn't even move, trapped in a maddening stillness that threatened to consume my sanity.

And if I dared to utter the word 'fuck'-oh, trust me-I must have shattered the fragile barrier of my composure. It was no laughing matter. Not in the slightest.

My body contorted into an unnatural position, leaning forward, while my head twisted to the side, fixated on the door he callously slammed in my face. He had the audacity to explain things to me, as if that made it all better.

"It's for my own good," he had said, his voice dripping with a twisted sense of righteousness.

"It's the only way," he said!

The very notion that those in power would allow hunters like him to wield magic, without considering the consequences, left a sour taste in my mouth. If I could only get my hands on him...

"Red, could you keep quiet? You're disturbing my eardrums," a voice resonated within the depths of my mind, jolting me out of my inner turmoil.

An icy chill raced down my spine. Who in the heavens spoke those words? Was I on the brink of death, fumbling through the clutches of a malevolent entity, awaiting my gruesome demise? why did I block out Uncle J?

"I thought you were planning to harm your uncle. Why so scared then?" the voice continued, its tone laced with a sly curiosity.

For a demon, he seemed to possess an uncanny ability to stretch out the suspense, to prolong the torment.

I strained to listen to the orientation taking place in the hall, desperate to catch any sliver of information. So, I implored the voice to remain silent, to allow me a chance to decipher the chaos unfolding beyond my prison.

And then it struck me. That was precisely why he had left. He didn't want me to be surrounded by them, ensnared in their web of danger. But why couldn't he have just told me?

"Red, my dear, please stay here till I figure a way to bring you out," I grumbled, my neck protesting against the unnatural angle that threatened to leave me with a permanent ache.

He must have foreseen the storm brewing, the impending chaos that lurked in the shadows. No wonder he had scanned every corner, his gaze darting nervously, vigilant for any signs of impending doom. I had to adjust my posture, to release the tension that threatened to leave my neck twisted and broken.

"That will be fun to see," the voice interjected, a twisted hint of amusement weaving through its words.

"So now you decide to speak, huh?" I shot back in my mind, irritation dripping from my words. "Hey, mister, why don't you go rummage through someone else's thoughts? What's wrong with you people invading my mind?"

"Why should I? You are quite entertaining to read," the voice responded with a touch of smugness. "At least you're making this less boring for me."

"Ohh, the nerve of this guy," I muttered under my breath. I should be trembling with fear, paralyzed in disbelief and terror at the fact that I was engaged in a mental conversation with an unknown entity. Yet, in this surreal moment, my mind refused to dwell on the peculiarities of the situation. Survival took precedence.

"Mister, are you still there?" I projected my thoughts, desperately seeking reassurance, a glimmer of hope that he held the key to my escape.

"Of course, Red," the voice responded, this time in a soft tone.

The knowledge that he knew my name sent a shiver down my spine, but I needed his assistance, his guidance to navigate this treacherous path.

"Could you help me escape? My neck is on the verge of snapping," I pleaded silently, my thoughts laced with desperation, hoping beyond hope that he would offer a solution.

"I wish I could, but I can't. Only the one who spelled you can unspell you," came the disappointing reply, crushing the flickering flame of optimism that had dared to ignite within me.

What the heck?!

"Are we trapped in some twisted fairytale?" I asked incredulously, a mix of disbelief and frustration coloring my words. I yearned for him to jest, to reveal that this was all a ruse, a figment of my imagination.

"You must be joking, right? Just messing with me?" I pressed, my voice tinged with desperation, longing for a different answer, for a glimmer of hope.

"Kinda, but I can't help you. You'll have to save yourself," he stated matter-of-factly, his words a disheartening admission of his limitations.

"I'm not Fiona from Shrek, okay?" I retorted, my voice tinged with a mix of defiance and exasperation. But this time, he remained silent, leaving me to grapple with the reality of my predicament.

"Sir? Mister?!" I called out, my thoughts reaching out into the void, desperately seeking a response. But it seemed that he had abandoned me, leaving me to fend for myself in this labyrinth of uncertainty.

Why? Why would he leave me to face this peril alone?

If I wanted to survive, if I wanted to break free from the clutches of this enchantment, I had to find a way out. But how? My uncle had spelled me, commanding me to freeze, rendering me as helpless as a fragile bird with clipped wings. It's not like I could just say unfreeze and magically shatter the invisible chains that bound me.

As I pondered my options, uncertainty gnawing at my every thought, my body suddenly crumpled to the ground, collapsing in a heap of limbs and confusion. It took a moment for my bewildered mind to process what had just transpired.

"This can't be real," I whispered, disbelief etched across my face as I reached out my trembling hands to touch my own visage, to feel the solid ground beneath me. Reality collided with my senses, undeniable and overwhelming.

"Okay, it's real," I muttered, a strange mix of hope and relief washing over me. If this was indeed real, did it mean that I possessed the power to free myself all along?

Hold up. Wait a minute.

A surge of realization coursed through my veins, electrifying my every thought. I could have broken free from this imprisonment back at home. The realization struck me with the force of a thunderclap, and I couldn't help but curse the enigmatic being that had led me astray.

Oh, this guy.

Without a moment's hesitation, I swiftly left his office, my heart pounding in my chest. As I flung open the door, a rush of anticipation coursed through me, propelling me forward. The corridors stretched out before me, adorned with peculiar portraits that seemed to fix their gaze upon me, their eyes following my every move.

A sense of unease began to settle in, and I questioned my decision to leave the safety of his office. Perhaps I should have stayed, surprising him with a sudden confrontation and even mustering the audacity to deliver a swift kick to his leg. But fear gripped me, paralyzing any such thought.

Realizing that my efforts were futile, I resolved to retrace my steps and return to where I had come from. Yet, as I turned to make my way back, a disconcerting realization dawned upon me-I had no recollection of how I had arrived there in the first place.

It felt as though my legs were operating independently, as if I were a mere puppet being guided by an invisible force.

Suddenly, a melodic sound reached my ears, its soothing tones reminiscent of a cascading waterfall. However, pinpointing its source proved to be a daunting task. The voice beckoned me, calling my name in a soft, ethereal whisper.

"Hathaway, come here," it implored. Startled, I responded, "I am here."

Driven by an inexplicable compulsion, I obediently followed the sound, allowing it to guide my movements. Step by step, I traversed the corridor until my gaze fell upon a portrait of a captivating woman.

Her beauty was enthralling, and her eyes seemed to penetrate the depths of my soul. A surge of instinctual fear urged me to flee, but an invisible force held me in place, rendering me powerless.

Mesmerized, my feet halted before the woman's portrait, and I comprehended the reason for their sudden stillness. Just in front of the painting, there stood a spherical glass object, radiating an enchanting glow. Its surface appeared to be imbued with magic, as vibrant colors swirled and morphed within it, mirroring the enchanting melody that had summoned me.

Compelled by an irresistible urge, I reached out for the crystal ball. As my fingertips made contact with its chilled surface, a paralyzing sensation coursed through my body, intensifying my apprehension.

The soothing melody abruptly ceased, replaced by anguished cries and haunting moans that reverberated through the air. The souls trapped within the glass seemed to claw at me, pulling me toward their spectral realm.

In a jarring shift, the woman's voice transformed from tranquility to malevolence, her words laced with a menacing tone.

"YOU SHOULD NOT HAVE COME HERE. NOW YOU MUST PAY FOR YOUR PARENTS' MISTAKES."

Confusion engulfed me as I grappled with the
meaning behind her words. Before I could seek clarification, a wave of weakness washed over me, threatening to consume my consciousness.

Refusing to succumb to her grasp, I mustered all my strength and heeded the only voice echoing within my mind-the voice urging me to release the crystal ball. With trembling hands, I relinquished my grip, and in an instant, a resounding explosion shattered the eerie stillness.

Smash!

As the echoes of the explosion subsided, a disconcerting realization dawned upon me-I had just broken an ancient artifact, a magical object of immense power.

Fuck.

Panic gripped me, and with a sense of urgency, I clumsily attempted to gather the shattered fragments. But the task proved arduous, and time was not on my side.

Suddenly, a voice rang out, cutting through the chaos. "Elder Shani, you have to see this!" Startled, I froze in place, my heart racing.

Elder? What new predicament had I stumbled upon? The urgency in their tone left me no choice but to flee, but where could I escape to?

In the blink of an eye, a group of individuals emerged from the shadows, predominantly students, accompanied by an elderly man whom I presumed to be Elder Shani.

"Who are you?"

My gaze locked onto Uncle J, relief flooding my being at the sight of him. However, his expression betrayed his displeasure, and his words dripped with skepticism. "Are you even hearing me? Who are you, creature?" he demanded.

"She doesn't smell like she's from this world, sire," one of the individuals interjected, their tone laced with uncertainty.

Shit. I still retained the scent of my human form.

Determined to evade dire consequences, I silenced the speaker before they could finish their statement. Deep down, I knew that allowing them to continue would only lead to my demise, for Uncle J's power in this realm was limited.

And so, with a calculated move, I intervened, posing a question of my own. "Where am I?" I inquired,my voice laced with fake confusion and desperation.

"Who are you people?"

...

Hope you enjoyed this Chapter ❤️