Arachna Gray

Chapter III: ...Arachna...Gray...

"Charlotte!"

His voice was all I heard. All I wanted to hear while battling for control over my own body. Explosions and pints of red and orange were displayed over my blank eyes. Ones that only viewed a world in grayness, where it is devoid of color. Something that should be irrevocable, yet kept in stasis. There was so much that I never got to do, see, accomplish, or rejoice over.

"Charlotte, wake up! I can't lose you!"

The battle between him and whatever remained outside my vision was a mystery. The webs that clattered the floor stuck onto my back. They kept me down when all I wished to do was stand up. To see the person whom I loved dearly.

Closing my eyes to not see the world devoid of color, and opening them again I found myself in a world full of webs. One that contained only me. With the occasional blast of orange and red in the sky, it remained ever so blank. With stars littering it.

"Stay with me, Charlotte!"

Ahead of me was a woman in a jester's outfit, one side gray while the other was black, her 8-legged cap 'n bells with golden bells at the end of them, and her long gray hair resting whilst she stood there. Glaring at me with these swirls in her eyes, the stars in place of her pupil. Holding a copy of the scythe I hold in my hands. Although she holds it with one hand while it takes me two to hold it up.

"Charlotte?! Why is the scythe glowing?!"

The woman began to laugh this horrid laugh, one that was wicked before charging right at me. I ran away from her though I couldn't create distance between us, it was as if this world wasn't allowing me to flee from this fight. Her laughter blaring, echoing in this void. I weaved around the webs and attempted to use them to my advantage, yet she had traversed them with ease. Never rethinking her steps but endlessly persisting in her attack.

Peering behind me, she had already closed the distance between us. Swinging her scythe at me, I took a step back to dodge the incoming attack. Though she followed up with a gut punch. Falling in pain, I peered up at her once more. Begging for mercy. Sending another punch my way, the white spark in my eyes upon the strike.

"Charlotte! What's going on?! Speak to me!"

Opening my eyes once more, I peered into the home of my childhood. Where I can hear my mother cooking whatever it was that she was cooking. My room was opened and everything seemed as though nothing had transpired within these years. Why am I here? What happened? Why did she send me here?

Walking to mother who was cooking up with nothing, just weaving and attempting to cook. But it was nothing but webs. A chair falling over alerted me of what was happening, I turned around to see Arachna standing before me. Picking up the chair before slamming it back down again. She rushed toward me, where I ran away in reaction, the swift swings of her scythe, damaging the surrounding furniture. Mother had not reacted to her presence. Arachna grabbed hold of the scythe in my hands and ripped it out of my grasp before tossing it to the side. Headbutting my chest, that which sent me flying toward the cellar door.

"Hang in there, Charlotte! We'll find something to help you out, okay?!"

Tumbling down the stairs before landing on solid ground. The cold stone sent shivers down my spine, they had enhanced the pain that coursed through my body. Struggling to stand up, I peered up the stairs to see the silhouette of Arachna. The scythe by her side. When I attempted to stand up, something stuck onto me, keeping me on the ground. I tried relentlessly whilst Arachna had taken small, yet powerful, steps toward me.

Webs. I was stuck on webs. Like a prey, the spider was going to feast upon! I panicked at that realization, I needed to stay alive, to stay in control over my own body. I wouldn't let her take over and roam free! I couldn't let her do this!