Amalgamate

Dustin and Maddox

She lost track of how long she laid there, red curls tangling around her face and clumped with slowly drying blood. She could tap into the tree she laid beneath and watch herself, but she hardly saw the point by now. What was the point? Dustin was alone. No one would ever know she was out here, and the man—if she could call him that—left her for dead. The little she could see from the surrounding trees indicated that night was slowly coming.

Maybe she'd pass out, just to be eaten by a wolf. Weren't there wolves out this way? At night, at least. Maybe? After the events of the previous hours, it almost seemed preferrable, at least. Would the wolves at least make it quick? Dustin couldn't imagine it being worse than her attack, a part of her recoiling as images of it flooded her mind again, images of her body flailing then growing strangely still as—Oh, was she dying? Was that why her body was so still, so calm?

You are not... You will not die.

The ginger girl jerked suddenly, unseeing eyes snapping open as she stretched her magic into the old oak that covered her. No one was around to have spoken to her, and the voice lacked the typical echo of her magical "hearing". Had she finally lost it? Was this a pre-death hallucination? Dustin had always thought death was supposed to be peaceful! Peaceful, not a voice in her head that sounded far too real, so loud yet so quiet.

This is not your death, Dustin, not our death.

"O-Our..?" Though she did not hear it, Dustin's voice trembled with anxiety, previously dried tears welling up in her eyes.

Our. But now is not the time for this talk. We are hurt.

"W-We're h-h-hurt," She fumbled, suddenly aware of the stabbing pain in her head and a strange ache between her—

Shh, Dustin. Don't concern yourself just yet with the how's and where's. There is a time for that, and it is not now. Now, we must get... home. We cannot stay here.

"H-Home... I c-c-can't... D-Don't know..," Dustin's voice was more whimper than audible words, yet the voice in her head—because she resigned herself to accepting that it did in fact come from her own mind—seemed to understand.

Shhh... It's okay. It is okay. I am here, Dustin. You aren't alone.

"I'm... s-sc-scared..."

You are, and that's okay. Listen to me, though. My name is... I suppose you may call me Maddox. I am here, with you, but I need you to relax. Take a deep breath for me, Dustin, yes?

For reasons she couldn't explain, Dustin found herself listening to the voice, to Maddox. Her chest expanded with a gasp of a breath, causing her to suddenly realize just how shallow her breathing had been. Without prompting, she took another deep breath, allowing her muscles to ease with her exhale.

There you go, Maddox seemed to purr. Now, pretend as if you are simply falling asleep.

That was easy for the young witch to do, her body and mind both begging for the peace that sleep always brought her. But she was outside! Dustin couldn't fall asleep here!

Easy, Dustin. Nothing will hurt you, I promise. You are safe... safe with me.

"S-Safe..?"

That's right. Trust me, darling. Sleep, and we will be just fine when you awake.

Dustin never fell asleep that quickly, typically laying awake for up to an hour just trying to quiet her mind, yet something about the way Maddox cooed to her had her consciousness slipping away faster than she could comprehend. As soon as the girl's eyelids fluttered shut, they snapped back open, the once white being replaced with a solid, haunting black. An almost feral grin spread across her lips, and the girl began to push herself to her feet.