"Shit. Shit. Shit. Lucas what do we do? I can't go through that kind of pain again, I just can't."

Lucas's look matches mine, one of panic. If his mother is coming back I'm done for. I'd sooner welcome death than be tortured by her again. 

My whole body trembles. The footsteps continue to get louder. Alarm bells are going off in my ears. What can I do?

Lucas's struggling becomes more intense. He is trying harder than ever to escape so he can help me. He's shaking too. Terror is radiating off of both of us.

Holy mother of fuck what do I do? Adrenaline rushes through me to try to help me escape but it's still no use, these bounds are unbreakable. When I am certain there is no escape I just freeze. There's no point wasting my energy. I'm doomed.

I close my eyes. I'm not going to focus on anything, I'm just going to clear my mind. Deep breaths Luna.

You're calm, you're safe, you're happy, nothing is going wrong in your life. You're at school, sitting around your usual table at lunch talking with Steph, Lucas and Tyler. You're chatting about random things and having a great time laughing with your friends.

If only this were true. Instead I'm tied down by bounds that are impossible to break. I have no clue who Stephanie really is. I don't have the faintest idea of what Tyler is thinking and doing. And Lucas is tied up as well, terrified just like me. I doubt any of us are happy and laughing. I wish that I could go back to a few weeks ago, sadly that's impossible. I just have to accept that my life is this complicated, messed up, shit hole. 

I was never supposed to be here. My siblings all have magic but then there's me: alone, isolated, unwanted, forgotten and disgraceful.

Sometimes I wish I was never born. It would have saved people so much hassle. I'm miserable anyway so what does it matter. My life is insignificant, it's not like I do anything with it. I'm a waste of space and a burden on everyone. Everyone would just be better off without me.

No! I can't end it all, I'm stronger than that. I have to fight. Nothing in life comes for free. I can do something with my life and make it worthwhile. Why else would I want to do medicine? Even saving one life would give my life purpose. Helping people, that's what I want to do. However I can't do that until I help myself.

You're strong Luna.

I can make it, I will. I will endure all the torture I go through with my head held high. It might hurt like a bitch but I'm a survivor. My life is what I make of it. In the end things will work out, I'm sure of it.

I'm strong.

I can do this.

I will never give up.

She won't break me.

I will survive this, I have to.

I kept repeating these words in my head, like my own personal mantra.

This hag will not be my end, that's all I know. I've no idea how I will evade death but I will. I'm Luna Krystal Praecantatio and I never give up.

I hear the footsteps getting louder. I gulp, fear being to show again. I can't let it consume me. I will not be frightened of her, she won't win, I'm damn stubborn so I'm not changing my mind either.

Clip clop, clip clop, clip clop.

Clip clop, clip clop, clip clop, louder this time.

Clip clop, clip clop, clip clop, louder still.

I repeat my mantra. Fear is starting to take control but I won't let it. I have to believe in myself, I have to believe that I can win. If I don't think I can I won't achieve. The first step to overcoming something is believing in yourself. Stephanie always told me this, I thought it was total bullshit at the time but maybe she was right.

I do believe in myself.

I'm confident in who I am.

It doesn't matter what others think of me because I know I'm great.

I don't have to please others, as long as I'm happy with who I am nothing else matters.

I guess I've never truly accepted that I'm normal, I could never come to terms with it. I wanted to fit in with my family but I guess that doesn't matter. I'll always be envious of the life I could have had with my family but it wasn't meant to be. I can accept that and I will. I accept myself for who I am. It doesn't matter that my parents couldn't, they don't define me, I do.

You might be wondering why I'm finally accepting myself now. Well you see I might not live to see tomorrow. I know I said that I will get through this, and I damn well will try my hardest, but there's no guarantee. I want to die knowing that I was fully happy with who I am, it would be my biggest regret if I wasn't. I want to die content with myself, not upset that I wasn't who my parents wanted me to be.

It might sound stupid to you but if you were going to die wouldn't you want to be happy with who you were before you did? Would you want to die thinking you're a pice of shit? I think not. Would you want to die hating who you were? I doubt it. Would you want to die thinking you were never good enough for anyone? No, you wouldn't.

I know I sound all philosophical but I guess the possibility of near death does that to a person, or maybe it's just me, who knows.

Even though I'm in mortal peril I feel a smile creeping onto my face. I'm finally happy with myself. I doubt you can even imagine how much weight has been taken off of my shoulders.

I feel different, confident maybe. I've always been a confident person but this isn't the same. I'm confident in who I really am, not just the fake me that people think I am. I'm happy with the real me, not the pretend one. All my life I've had to pretend to be someone I'm not, it feels exhilarating to finally be comfortable with your true self, I can't even begin to describe just how euphoric it is.

My insides are tingling in a way they never have before. Something about me has changed and it's not just my mindset. Something else but I don't know what, something just feels different.

Clip clop, clip clop, clip clop. My happiness is instantly replaced by panic and dread.

Breath. You'll be fine. Oh who am I trying to kid I'm going to be the exact opposite.

I can do this.

No I can't.

Let's be real, I'm not extremely brave and courageous, I'm not a timid scaredy cat but I'm by no means super brave. In my mind being to brave is stupid. Bravery can get you killed if you're not careful, you walk into a situation trying to be a hero and nine times out of ten that means you die. So it's for this reason I don't consider myself brave. I'm logical and realistic and I'd rather keep my life than risk it and most likely end up dead.

I was being brave by trying to save Lucas and look where's it's got me, I'm on deaths door.

I have a feeling that I won't make it through another round of sheer agony and torture but I'm be no means ready to put that theory to the test.

I need to escape and I need to do it now. How though, that's the question.

The hag's steps are getting louder and I'm completely terrified.

I feel something rushing through my veins. I doesn't feel like adrenaline, it's close but there is a subtle difference. It has to be that though what else could it be?

I can hear murmuring in the distance now, she's too close.

The strange substance in my blood intensifies and it hurts but the pain only lasts moments, now I know it's definitely not adrenaline.

I feel all hot and clammy the wounds on my arm begin to bleed again. The blood feels dangerously hot against my skin, something isn't right, no ones blood should be boiling the way mine is beginning to.

The burn doesn't hurt though, I'm aware of its presence but it isn't bothering me, if anything it makes me feel powerful, don't ask why because I've no idea myself.

Maybe it's night and that's why, I always feel more powerful when the moons out. It doesn't feel like that though. The power I feel is of a different kind.

Suddenly I feel my palms tingle and burn, it only lasts moments however. I look down at them but when I do I notice that the bounds are broken and I'm free, thank fuck.

I've no clue how that happened but I've no time to question it. I look up at Lucas and he's already getting up, his magic must of worked after all.

He looks shocked. "Luna I don't know what just happened. How did we escape?"

"I haven't the faintest idea but we haven't got time to ponder it. Let's go."

He nods and we begin to make a swift exit. We're so close to freedom I can almost taste it.

Suddenly I hear footsteps but not just one persons, it sounds like a whole group of people.

Fuck.

Their steps are getting louder and clearer. Shit, there's nowhere to hide except the shadows but I doubt that will work, they'll most likely spot us. It's worth a shot though, we've no other choice.

I yank Lucas back just in time. The group of people walk straight past us. I'm about to release the breath I was holding but I hear more footsteps. These ones I recognise, they're the same ones as earlier.

Into view comes Lucas's mother, a look of triumph on her face as she looks directly towards us.

"Fools, they're over here!" she calls loudly.

I can hear the rough sound of feet speedily making their way over to us, we're done for.

I turn my head back to the hag, I doubt she'll spare us, I don't think she even understands the concept of mercy.

~*~*~

I don't know what to think of this chapter. I think I waffle too much but oh well it ends where I want it to.

Do you think Luna and Lucas will escape? If so how? If not what will the hag do?

So this is what I imagine Lucas's mother smirk to look at the end:

That's another chapter finished, I hope you liked ☺️.

Until next time, byeeeee.