Puppet & Puppeteer

Chapter 4

In the dining room sat Astor, Dahlia, Olive, Cedric, and of course, Azalea. It was their first meal together and it did not seem to be going the way Azalea had expected. Now imagine yourself as her. 

When you turn to your left, you see Astor stuffing food into his mouth and Dahlia making a disgusted look at her food. When you turn to your right, you see Olive trying to start a conversation. You could also see a pair of crimson red eyes looking in your direction. "So... What are you guys gonna do tomorrow?" "Look around!!" Exclaimed Astor. "Yea, me too..." Dahlia continued making a face at her food. "I'll need to head to the church." Despite it being her second life, Olive was still as faithful to god as she was in the past. 

"I have personal matters to attend to." Cedric answered without breaking eye contact with Azalea. "I'll be at home." After all, it was the weekends and the only friend Azalea had was going to the church. Hence, she decided to stay at home. Azalea's eyebrows twitched at the loud noise as she slammed her utensils on the table. "I'm done." With an annoyed smile on her face, Azalea left for her room. In dramas, when that happens, the people at the table would quieten down. The thing is, they weren't in a drama. 

Astor continued stuffing food into his mouth, Dahlia continued making a disgusted look on her food, Olive kept trying to make a conversation and Cedric continued staring at the empty spot where Azalea had sat. "Hey, Astor." Dahlia called, shooting a secret glance at Azalea who did not notice it. "I'm sick, so I'll not go looking around with you tomorrow." 

"Sure!" With his cheerful personality, Astor agreed almost immediately, not knowing Dahlia's intention at all.

As she laid on her bed, Azalea closed her eyes, awaiting the next day. 

"Wake up~ You sleepyhead!!" Azalea yawned as she turned to look at whoever  was waking her up. Instead of seeing Olive, it was Dahlia. In her hand, she was holding a knife. Sharp and clean, her knife seemed to be awaiting to kill someone. Dahlia's purple eyes glinted excitedly as she dragged Azalea out of her bed. "What are you doing?" Azalea cried out as she tried to escape from Dahlia's grip. "Don't you remember ripping me to shreds with your beloved daggers?" She used her finger to touch the dagger she was holding. 

Somehow, her dagger looked like one that Azalea has. It was given to her by her maternal grandparents. However, she had left that dagger in their villa in the countryside. "Well, I'll kill you with this marvelous weapon!" She shrieked like a mad lady. Using her strength, Azalea grabbed Dahlia and flipped her. Her grip on Dahlia was tight enough to make Dahlia's hand tremble wildly. Dahlia's expression turned from crazy to crazier. She tried to pull Azalea down in an attempt to pull herself up, but, due to her weak physique, she failed. 

Azalea then dragged Dahlia to the balcony, before locking the door tight. She started running away as the sound of glass shattering could be heard. Sweat trickled down her forehead and she did not dare turn around. She ran into Olive's room and hid under Olive's blanket which was always huge mess. Well, as the saying goes, 'The most dangerous place is the safest place.'  Dahlia's footsteps echoed as her high pitched voice rang, "Oh... Are you afraid now? Huh... Freesia!!" 

Dahlia's voice was startlingly calm as she continued, "That's good!!! Ah~ Indeed, revenge is the best!" Her voice rang louder and Azalea recalled that no one was home. No one. Thinking that no one was in Olive's room, Dahlia stepped out of the room. I need to trap her, I need to trap her. Oh! Olive's phone rings at 10 am sharp. When it rings, I'll knock Dahlia out!!

Through a small opening in Olive's blanket, Azalea started a countdown. 3. 2. 1. RING!!! Dahlia stopped in her tracks. She turned around and stormed into Olive's room. Azalea jumped out, but realised that Dahlia was on the other side of the bed. Her heart started palpitating erratically against her ribcage as the icy fingers of fear grabbed her and tightened their iron fist around her heart.

Azalea was forced into a corner as Dahlia's expression changed from surprise to happiness. "Well, Well, you are far more foolish than her, aren't you?" Azalea staggered a few steps back, before reaching a wall. Knowing that there's nowhere else to escape to, Azalea pleaded, "Please, I'm not Freesia!! I'm-" Dahlia did not even wait for her to finish her sentence, and at the drop a hat, the dagger sunk into Azalea's flesh... at least, that was what they thought. 

An image rushed into Azalea's mind. She was in a battlefield. In her dream. [the prologue] In the dream, she recognised a girl to be Freesia. Freesia was holding a sword. There were many cracks on it, and suddenly, it broke. Then, she saw two daggers lying on the ground. 

"It recognises you... It doesn't matter." 

Vines with thorns started sprouting from Dahlia's palm and it started to strangle Azalea.   

Blood splattered on Olive's brown-ish walls, and Azalea slowly lost consciousness while hearing the ear piercing laughter of Dahlia.

When she opened her eyes, she found herself in a room. Strangely, the room colour and all of its furnitures were all red. In front of her, a girl covered in red sat. "Where am I?" Azalea questioned the girl. Like a puppet, her head turned. To Azalea's surprise, the girl was the spitting image of her. She was... Freesia Wisteria. "Hey..." Even her voice was identical to that of hers.

"I'm sorry..." The room crumbled down and Azalea shut her eyes, expecting something to fall on her. However, she found herself in a... throne room? On the throne sat the bloodied Freesia and Azalea was kneeling before her. "If not for me, your life would still be perfect... This cursed power of mine.... I didn't ask for it!!!!! NO, I didn't!!!" The girl yelled. The girl buried her face in her hands as she wailed in agony. "No... I'm not a miracle! I'm not!" She continued sobbing as she sniffled loudly. 

Again, the throne room crumbled and this time, Azalea was back in her room. Although her vision was blurry, she could make out Olive, Cedric, Astor and even Dahlia.