The Patron Saint of Monsters

Chapter Six Part Four

Oleander stood in the cul-de-sac down the street from her house. The one she and Valerie had sold lemonade from, the one they had thrown a makeshift car wash from. Valerie was standing with her, so was Ian, Trina and Rebecca. Normally Valerie’s house was in front of the cul-de-sac but now things were far too dark to see anything. Anything except for what was in the cul-de-sac.

“The witch controlled darkness. That’s how she got the children.” Trina said in a weird voice.

Something was wrong, it felt wrong. Oleander looked around, Trent was gone. She was more alone than ever before even though she was with her group of friends. Where was Trent and what witch were they talking about? Oleander felt like she had come into consciousness in the middle of everything, she couldn’t remember how she had gotten here or what they were doing. Everything was wrong.

"Fènwa a menm te kouvri nou.” Oleander heard children whisper. She moved her head to follow the sounds.

“Je yo, yo senyen.” She heard Ian hiss to the disembodied voices.

“What?” Oleander asked.

“What?” Ian shrugged innocently.

“The witch covered them in darkness. The skies were so black that they wrapped around them like heavy wool blankets. They couldn’t move, all they could do was whimper and cry. They cried until their eyes bled.” Oleander told her group, she wondered where the knowledge came from. She wonder how she could understand the language the children were crying in.

“We should have worn makeup.” Ian said, “To cover our faces.”

“Kouvri, kouvri,kouvri,kouvri” The faceless children chanted.

“Sòsyè.” They accused.

“She’s in you!” Oleander screamed at Ian. “The witch is inside you.”

She grabbed Rebecca and Valerie’s hands calling for Trina to run with them. They had to escape.

The darkness deepened, it was as if the shadows outside where shoving their way into the girls’ throats, slowly suffocating them. The reached a frightening house. Oleander pounded on the door begging for help. “Help us! Please! We need you. Please.” Oleander cried.

Her friends were shaking and Ian was quickly approaching. Oleander didn’t know what to do. She was going to die, her friends were going to die, but then the heavy door opened revealing a shirtless Trent. He looked confused, Oleander had never felt more relieved.

“Trent! Ian is possesed with the bleak witch! You have to save me! Please.” Oleander breathlessly begged.

“I’ll always save you my Oleander.” Trent assured her.

Oleander sat up abruptly, panting with fear.

“You okay?” Trent asked Oleander, looking worried.

Oleander wrapped her arms around Trent, “Nightmare.” She mumbled.

“Thank you.” She said.

“For what?” Trent asked.

Oleander leaned up and kissed Trent on the cheek, “For always saving me.”

She was mildly curious about why she had a nightmare about Ian, but once again she decided to put off thinking about it until tomorrow