Blood Moon

Chapter Seventeen - The Last Nightmare

Albie found herself leant against Lilo's tree. As always, the nightmare unnerved her more the longer she was forced to stay.

The blood red moon from the night Lilo collapsed had cast a red glow over the whole place. Yet, the scene still felt soft, as if the trees had perfectly rounded themselves to appeal to her. Mostly though, she hated the ways the corners of her view were pixelated. Worse still, it was impossible to test this theory as every time she looked at the blur, everything converged back into focus.

For example, just as it occurred to Albie she could not smell anything, the smell of oak filled her nostrils so strong her memory of the past minutes changed.

There was barely any time to interrogate the surroundings before a faint scream echoed through the woods. She stood, her ears pricking. It was most definitely Lilo's. After all you don't hang out with Lilo and Nina without learning to recognise their screams, the two were like a pair of jumpy hyenas. "Lilo!"

Then, Albie was running into the now jagged trees. She hopped over roots and half tumbled, half jumped down the winding forest path. The shout sounded again and she turned her body to the sound before, not even pausing for a moment, she plunged through the undergrowth away from the path.

Brambles clawed at her now, leaving both her clothes and skin torn. Her breath too, was ragged and a tight knot had begun to form in the base of her stomach. Only the urgency of the shout kept her going and when she finally reached the clearing - the one with the terrified trees and mushroom circle. "Lilo?"

There were no more guiding screams.

Her leg at last gave way, the pain so sudden she screamed too. It was only cramps though and when she could finally focus again Albie was still alone.

It was only then that she wept, in frustration if anything else. She had hoped perhaps that Lilo had come to save her.

"Albie?" The softest of voices came from the clearing and Albie looked around for Lilo again but found the clearing still empty. "How did you find me?" It was strange, for the voice was only sometimes Lilo's - there was another quality to it too.

Maybe, the creature had been mimicking Lilo this whole time. Her hairs stood on end and something shivered up her spine. She was, however, careful to keep your voice even. "I haven't found you yet, where are you hiding Lilo?"

There was a high giggling, the kind that stung the ears. "I'd forgotten your jokes, I'm right in front of you."

It was only then that Albie actually looked at the mushrooms. She couldn't put a finger on how but they wiggled in a very Lilo-like way. "You're not-"

"No." Lilo's voice was even quieter now. "I'm not in human form no. They stole that from me."

Albie's brain hurt, however the confusion clicking into place solidified as she stared at the mushrooms. After all, the Lilo she'd been with the last two weeks hadn't even moved like her. "Ah ok. Why were you screaming?" For now the questions could wait.

"I wanted you to come."

"Oh." She tried her best hopeful smile but it came out as a grimace.

"Can you come back again, Albie? I've missed you."

"Yes." This comforting, that had always been Nina's domain. Actions, however, Albie could do. "I'll bring you home. I promise."

Suddenly the wood was alive with more whisperings and Lilo came out from the edge of the clearing. Albie almost called out to her but stopped when she saw the gleaming knife in her hand. This was just the Lilo shell.

Only just in time did Albie dart into the undergrowth.

"Hello my sisters." It said with Lilo's voice. The whole clearing was filled with greetings and some truly vulgar insults, as well as some more baffling ones. Mould fucker, for example. The shell's face remained tactfully void of emotion and it seemed as if no conclusion would be reached as the voices got louder and louder, squeezing over each other.

Behind the not-Lilo stood a whole host of things, none of them human. Albie was not certain but thought she had noticed her creature. After all over the last year they had become very well acquainted.

Finally there was silence and then a booming voice spoke. "Hello, what is your report of the climate march?"

The bomb had been the not-Lilo? Too many times Albie's understanding of the world had shifted today and she felt suddenly very weak. Gently, she let herself squat down on the floor. If she fainted right now, there would be no Nina chocolate and Lilo's disembodied voice wasn't exactly going to be a load of help either.

Oh God, Lilo was a disembodied voice. Her skin crawled in disgust that for two weeks, the not-Lilo had fooled her. Albie had grown up with Lilo, she could pick her cough out from a crowd, she knew the shape she made in the dark. The problem was, Albie reflected in a mostly loving way, Lilo had always been very weird.

"My report? I did everything as asked, only at the last moment Albie became... momentarily ill and I had no choice but to evacuate with them. They will be dead by tomorrow morning though."

It was clear the silence of the network, made the not-Lilo very uncomfortable.

"You understand, Nina is now a witch?"

"She was always one."

Perhaps, it was the strangeness of the night but the fact Nina actually was a witch came as no surprise. Until now there had been no explanation of how the people around Nina at the march had appeared to rise from the brink of death.

"Even more reason to have killed her, if you have been compromised sister-"

The not- Lilo flinched. "I am perfectly fine thank you, the human world simply has unique challenges that's all. It has only been two weeks."

"Make it no longer. The witch is too dangerous, kill her first."

If Albie hadn't known better she would have sworn there was a flash of sadness in the not-Lilo's face before it spoke. "Whatever you think is best. I need to leave now, hopefully we will be reunited soon."

The crowd of voices, yelled their goodbyes and the not-Lilo disappeared again into the undergrowth. The other creatures did not move.

"Well done to the rest of you, we are truly proud of your achievements."

There was an uneasiness to the crowd. "When can we leave these bodies and rejoin the network once more?" It was definitely Albie's creature that spoke but to her surprise it's voice was clever and gentle. She had always imagined a rasp.

"Soon, my sisters, soon. Leave now, I'm sure we will be reunited soon." Even Albie did not believe them.

After a few minutes in the silent clearing, Albie spoke. "Are you still there Lilo? How can I bring you back?"

Nothing happened.

Albie stayed still as a mouse, meanwhile her body frantic in it's fear tensed. It begged her again and again to run but who knew how she'd got here and if she could return again. There would be no helping Lilo if she didn't get an answer now.

The whispering of the others began. "Sisters, can you hear an intruder?"

Perhaps if she remained still, they would move on. What could voices do to her? Her body shook with anticipation or fear she wasn't sure. Something was coming.

"Yes, I believe she heard us too. This intruder has stalked me even as I killed the targets. Perhaps together, my sisters, we could deal with her." The creature's voice had transformed to a deep rasp now.

Only then did Lilo speak but it was not to reply. "What are you waiting for? Run!"

Albie didn't need to be told twice.