Araceli

3- Boundaries (edited)

-Joshua (third person)-

The little boy, still in a daze, blinked twice as Meredith awaited a clear answer, her hands planted under her chin. Despite his understandable doubts, he was ready to give in to his perplexing temptation. He wanted to dive headfirst into a sea of regrets right there and then.

"What do you say little one? Will you sell it to me?" She questioned him, this time her tone way calmer than before.

Yes, he was thinking. Racking his brain endlessly over a simple yes and a simple no.

His life was nothing more than taking chances and that's what he did. With his fists clenched the boy gave Meredith a firm nod. Meredith now had a satisfied grin on her lips and pecs of mute but exquisite delight in her shrewd, dark orbs. She got her prey right where she wanted to, feeling more excited with each passing second.

She could already sense the purity of his heart slowly dissipating. It was slowly becoming worthy of being put on the podium with thousands of others. Worthy of being fed on, of being consumed.

She made a game where two didn't play. It was just Meredith alone handling the strings. She would laugh to herself. She would play both her and her opponent's pawns. Her soft but sharp gaze followed the boy's eyes, the subtle expressions of fear and anticipation excited Meredith.

"Will you sign on my hand to seal the deal?" she presented her palm, his eyes fell on her fingers once again, laced with lunar jewels he had never seen before. Those colors were so distractingly vibrant. They could almost turn a mindful person blind. The beauty of those sinful stones was as raw and unique as the blood moon itself.

The boy made an imaginary signature on the palm of Meredith's hand. And just like that, she slowly pulled her hand away. It was still hovering midway in the air when Meredith closed her malevolent eyes. The boy, flabbergasted, noticed a ray of light emerging from the palm of her hand, right where he had signed it. The very letters he had written, danced in the air.

He was mesmerized.

The hand now held an emerald stone, floating just above her palm. Its shades flickered from darker to lighter in seconds. A small flame danced with spirituality inside the stone. It was the most beautiful thing he had ever laid his eyes on. Meredith grinned through her pearly white teeth and with a swift motion, the stone came spinning towards the boy and disappeared into his chest.

He felt a thousand needles pricking his heart at once. He screamed, scratching his chest, trying to get that stone out of his burning core. His eyes pressed shut in agonizing pain as his head fell flat on the table. The pain that lasted a few seconds almost made the boy pass out.

Still half-conscious, he looked through the haze straight at Meredith, taking long and deep breaths.

"Remember, little one," Meredith began.

"I've allowed you to go from rags to riches. Yes, I've made it happen. But you will be different. You will be mine-your soul and heart will be mine.

"And you will see how I rule over you and become the bane of your existence. It is your curse. Own it. Live it. Pay your price for the most valuable gift," whispering, she leaned in close, stroking the boy's head.

Her voice remained a fierce whisper in his subconsciousness, fading away with an awful siren that rang in his ears as his eyes twitched before he gave way for darkness to consume him.

"And when my spell is broken, there will be another price to pay." her last sentence was merely a hiss, he couldn't understand at that moment of dizziness. Meredith slowly faded away from his sight as he lost the last bit of his consciousness right there, on the restaurant's wooden table.