Loki drove the car as I gave him the directions. By the time that the sun had fallen over the horizon we had arrived somewhere in Vermont where the dense forests cast ominous shadows over the both of us.

I hoped that these coordinates were true as I got out of the car, stepping onto the gravel.

"I'll be right behind you," he said giving me back the car keys. "If anything happens I'll be right there."

"Concern doesn't suit you." I said tucking the keys into my pocket. "But thank you, Loki."

"Just be careful, Maya." Loki said complete serious and then he vanished before my very eyes.

Typical.

I turned around and took a deep breath as I walked into the forest. The only sounds I heard was the crunch of the gravel and the wind as it howled through the trees, it silenced the birds making their chirps almost non existent. I was only a few hundred feet into the forest when I saw the heavy fog drift towards me. I had read Hunger Games enough to know to stay away from the fog.

This fog had eyes, glowing and demonic red eyes that laughed at me. They spoke to me, some screeching and others preening to gain my attention. I could see my disgusted expression reflected in their eyes.

How about a no?

"Get the fuck away from me!" I hissed at them as I drew out my gun. I knew it wouldn't do anything to hurt whatever piece of hell  that Miriam conjured up but it was satisfying enough to have a weapon on me. "Miriam, you bitch!"

I backed up one step and then two more before I scrambled back as the fog tried to envelop me. I backed into something hard, nearly falling over.

"It's just an illusion." Two hands hauled me up setting me back on my feet. "Your sister?"

"Yeah."

Loki materialized in front of me in a green haze as he looked at the fog that had gathered around our feet. They had arms now which clawed greedily at my legs. I knew they were illusions but I could feel them there as they scratched my skin, tearing through the denim of my jeans. I could feel the pain and see the blood even though there wasn't anything.

"Maya." Loki placed his hands on my shoulders, slightly shaking me. "Look at me."

I turned to him, staring into his eyes. 

This was Miriam's work. She knew my fears and she knew exactly how to get underneath my skin.

"It's an illusion. Nothing more." He said firmly. "This is what she wants you to see."

"I hate her." I seethed, my fear rapidly fading into anger. 

"I know."

"I want to kill them."

"I know."

"What do I do?" I asked.

"Just keep going. I know you're strong enough to face her. You've done it once and you can do it again." Loki said. "Okay?"

He pulled out his knife from his jacket and handed it to me.

"Take it," he pressed the hilt into my hands. "I trust this knife to work more than I trust that gun in your hand."

I nodded and continued to walked forwards. When I turned back, Loki disappeared but I knew he was close by keeping an eye on me as I passed through every illusion Miriam threw my way. Each more terrifying than the last but I pushed through.

"It's not real." I kept repeating to myself. "It's not real."

By the time I had reached my destination, the sun had given way to the moon. It dimly illuminated my path so that I could see. A shack came into view and from the looks of it someone was home. I could smell the scent of burning meat from where I stood on the clearing.

It wasn't just the shack though, it was a small army of soldiers who stood straight and still as the snow began to fall. If they were cold, they didn't show it. They just stared straight ahead with dead eyes. These soldiers had no souls and instead where filled with something that was beyond rage or hatred. It was something dark, the stuff of nightmares.

I walked past the rows of soldiers. Thankfully their guns were pointed towards the sky rather than at me. They must have knew that I was coming because made no attempt to hurt me.

The door swung open, my father's shadow crossing over me as I saw him emerge from the warm orange light of the cabin. The smell of food, something homily and delicious wafted through the air. My father stood there with an expression that I could only describe as smug.

Gods did I want to punch that smug expression right off.

"Maya," he purred.

"Dad."

"You came alone." It was a statement, not a question. That meant that he had spies in the woods or Miriam could've just reported back to him. "And with a dagger?"

"You didn't say unarmed." I pointed out. 

"That is true."

He had changed in the few months I've seen him. Gone was the gentleman look with the suit and groomed hair. It was just my father with a grown out bear that was tinged with grey and his eyes that were bloodshot, no doubt from many nights without sleep. His clothes looked disheveled as if he hadn't bother to iron them. This was the man who wanted to take over the world, the man who had gone mad for more than just power. 

This was my father but he no longer had an humanity left in him.

"I'm done with the small talk." I pulled out my copy of the USB drive I stole. "Where's mom?"

A/N: Sorry this is short