in the cards | marlene mckinnon

12. what a killjoy

The forest was dark, only traces of moonlight slipping through the cracks provided by dead branches. Pandora felt lost, yet she knew exactly where she stood.

She felt the draw of magic she usually felt when near the school, but none of the towers or pillars could be seen behind the thick layers of broken boughs and ominously darkened clouds.

Footsteps surrounded them, was she running? Was there someone else there?

The crumpling of leaves was off setting, it was June after all. 

It had to be a dream, the rational part of Pandora's brain told her. But it just felt so real. 

The forest smelt burnt, but there was no fire, no smoke to be seen. With the charred feeling, the trees and plants all felt alive. Burning the living alongside themselves. 

Blue flecks of light shone bright across the sky, like comets ablaze rained all around them. Instinctively, they reached out to touch them, like a moth to the flame. 

Just as her fingertips came within reach they disappeared, only to appear in front of her again, only this time, far off in the distance. They were larger now, far bigger. They had no body, no mass. Just light, pure energy.

She tried to move, run away, back to the castle. Back home. But her feet remained still, unmoving no matter how she strained against her invisible shackles. It was a devious torture, designed perfectly for the likes of them.

Stark blonde hair whipped their face as the wind picked up, whatever was left of the leaves on the nearly barren trees falling down and getting caught in tangled tresses.

Their eyes traced the branches, the roots sprouting from the ground in a menacing manner. The way the ground flattened out and the patterns of the trees.

A low growl broke her out of her reverie, directing her to look toward the light yet again.

As if right out of a movie, a large black dog stood. It was surrounded by light, making it impossible to differ any details of the beast.

The dog never advanced, no calculated steps leading to the blonde's demise. It simply stared and growled, hanging its head low.

It had no malicious intent, that much was obvious. But it was clear the animal was hiding something, binding her to fall for its deceit. 

Just as a scream was building within them, the dog let out a loud howl, tipping its head backward and toward the moon.

The noise was so blinding it obstructed her field of vision. large black dots multiplying everywhere she looked. Then all sense of touch disappeared, along with the smells. Every sensation escaping her fleeting grasps.

The only thing left for them to rely on was their hearing, which was impaired by a shrill incessant ringing, building insurmountable pressure within their head.

Just as everything became numb, something pulled at her, enveloping her in darkness.

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Breathing heavily, Pandora shot up in her bed. Her covers were sticky with sweat, her pillows long gone and laying astray across the room. She clawed at her shirt, feeling suffocated as she struggled to catch her breath.

Tinnitus rang heavily in her mind, unceasing. In reflex, their hand flew up to the side of their head, hoping to satiate the pain. But it was to no avail.

As she brought her hand back down, the tips of her fingers were coated scarlet red. The rivers ran quickly down her wrist, and the more she hoped to stop the bleeding the more came.