Make Quiet Things Heard

Chapter 54 : Change The Story (Ep. 16|Part 2)

Hope's POV

After a few minutes, Pig leads me to a house in the middle of the woods, the door was open so we slowly walk inside.
"That's strange. He's always home. Hello? Mr. Huntsman. I brought a nosy friend." he gestures to me walking to the fireplace while I walk over to the other side of the room where weapons lie.
"Oh, stew's on. He must be nearby." pig says. I see an axe and grab it. "Ah. Nice."
"Sweetie, if you think that's enough to stop the Darkness, you are crazy."
"Probably, but I'm not going down without a fight. What do you say? Are you in?" I ask and try to hand pig a knife but he doesn't take it and declines.
"I-I could finish the stew, though. Maybe find some bread. Uh, make you a nice meal before you go off to die." he offers.
"That'll do, pig." I accept. He walks over to the cauldron and he screams when he opens the lid. "Ah... It's a trap!"

Just then the door bursts open revealing the wolf outside. Luckily I react quickly and cast a spell to lock the doors. but I know for a fact that spell won't last long.
"Little witch, little witch, let... me... in!" The wolf growls. I try to look for other exits but there is none and eventually, the wolf busts the door open. He roars and casts a spell to spin me in the air and launches me to the side, I hit the wall and fall to the ground. When I'm able to stand to my feet I see that the wolf ate Pig. I grab my axe and swing it right to the wolf's chest and try digging to look for Pig since that works in fairy tales like the red riding hood. Then a human hand emerges out from the wolf's stomach and out pops... Josie?
"What's going on? Where's Pig?" I ask.
"Oh, uh... I-I was the pig. I thought if I disguised myself the Darkness would
leave me alone." Josie explains.

"You were the pig? You do realize he said some really patronizing and-and sexist things to me." I say trying to understand the whole situation. Josie moves forward and takes both my hand in hers.
"No, I know. I just didn't want you to suspect it was me, because I need you to leave. Okay? I don't want you to get hurt." she explained, worry in her voice.
"Josie, I'm not going to leave you behind"
"No, you don't understand. I can't have somebody else get hurt because of me."
"No one will." I reassure her. She almost believes me but just then a black mist appears behind her and reveals dark Josie. How did she know I was here? Dammit. It must've been because of the wolf. I wish I listened to Josie. I go in front of Josie, on instinct, shielding her, and slowly move back to the door.
"I love that you thought it would be that simple." she says. "Oh, my God, run!" Josie says frightened and runs away holding my hand, taking me with her.

Josie's POV

"We have to keep moving." Hope says running away holding my hand. I pull my hand and walk further in front of her.
"It doesn't matter, we're never gonna get away from her." I say. Hope looks around before coming to stand beside me.
"Jo, while you've been trapped in here, she's been rampaging in the real world. Okay, she even tried to Merge with Lizzie." she says. "My God, is she okay?"
"For now. But that's why we have to stop her." Hope explains. I sit down on the ground, defeated. When I briefly broke through my evil self and saw her fighting with Hope, I tried my best to take back control of my body, but I couldn't no matter how hard I tried. She's stronger than me. And because of it she tried to merge with Lizzie and hurt everyone I love. "She's more powerful than I am."
"Jo, she is you. Or some part of you. You can control her somehow. I don't know how... Pretty messed-up subconscious you got here, by the way." she adds.
"Are we surprised? My mom used to read us fairy tales for bedtime stories. They were so calming." I state.

"There was good guys and bad guys. Very clear rules that you had to follow. It all made sense. Unlike my life." I say. "Well, this fairy tale sucks." she remarks.
"It's accurate. I'm either the powerful, petty bitch or the good, weak victim."
"That's the story that you're telling yourself. I mean, your subconscious made a fairy tale that the good you is weak and the powerful you is evil. Tell yourself a different story." out of nowhere Hope is launched back. I look forward and see Dark Josie. She does the same to me "Boring. Let's fight." Hope does her best to fight back but Dark Josie is always one step ahead. Hope turns back to face me.
"Josie, you can fight her." she says.
"Hmm, that's strike three." Dark Me cast a spell to pin Hope to a pile of rubble. "Josie! Change the story." is the last thing Hope says before she turns to stone. I don't want to leave her but I need to get away. So I run.