𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐧𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐠𝐮𝐚𝐫𝐝 | 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐠𝐨𝐥𝐝𝐞𝐧 𝐠𝐮𝐚𝐫𝐝

8 - [𝘾𝙧𝙤𝙨𝙨𝙛𝙞𝙧𝙚]

𝘊𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘶𝘱 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘺 𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘺,
And all Georgia had to do was wipe up the crimson droplets, put her uniform back on, grab her staff, and head on over to the petrification ceremony. Hunter was already there, so she just had to meet up with him.

The girl swept her bangs back, her hands lightly touching the hairpins her father had gifted her all those years ago. She stared at her reflection, frowning slightly as the gold pins glinted in the light, like her father's mask.

"It's all for the best," She muttered to herself, smiling a small, sad, smile before glancing down at her silver mask, hesitantly picking it up before placing it on top of her face.

The girl walked out, passing the scouts with the least bit of interest. The girl halted, spotting two familiar double doors from the side of her eye, turning her head to see the coloured light from the stained glass that stood on the other side.

She sighed under the mask, the coloured light reflected off her silver mask, the girl staring at the window with a frown.

She felt as though she were living in his shadow. Or maybe Hunter's. After all, silver was never as valuable as gold.

Georgia shook her head, frowning at herself as she gripped her staff, telling herself off.

She wasn't going to think of Hunter that way, after all that he had done for her. He had stuck beside her, helped her through thick and thin. She wasn't going to be mad at him, no. 

She was going to be mad at her father.

He clearly favoured Hunter over her, constantly checking up on him, never making sure that she was alright after she had turned twelve. Did he even need her help? Was the blood all that he needed her for?

"No," Georgia shook her head, clutching her upper arms close to her.

"He... H-He loves me as any father would," She teared up, glancing up at the stained window.

"You love me, don't you?"

At that moment, a screaming rang out, the girl snapping her head towards the noise as her eyes widened.

Right, the petrification ceremony.

The girl walked away, glancing one last time behind her before she walked away, following the screams as she felt a sting in her head. A headache had begun building as she brushed it off, assuming that she was just tired from the extraction.

She continued walking in the direction of the green light, the girl covering her eyes as she watched from a distance, standing on the left to Hunter as he smiled at her under the mask, the two behind Kikimora.

"You feeling better?" He questioned, Georgia nodding.

"Yeah, I think," She muttered, leaning on her staff slightly. "I had a headache on the way here."

"Tired?" He questioned, nudging her side.

"Yeah," She nodded before the green light flooded her vision, her headache from before had returned and the pain had increased, Georgia hissing as she leant onto her staff.

Hunter noticed his friend's anguish, placing a hand on her shoulder as he offered support, the girl waving him off.

"I-I'm fine, I swe–ARGH!"

The girl gripped her head, staff clattering to the ground as images flashed through her mind, the Hathway's faces appearing as she cried out, clutching onto her mask. Hunter rushed over to her, placing his hands on her shoulder as he looked down at her, worried.