Restricted

Chapter 20. Halloween Pt. I

With a wave of his wand, Professor Karkaroff sent the ship down, down, down.

Madeline jerked at the rope that bound her hands behind her back. Still, the rope did not budge, the knots only seeming to tighten and further align her spine to the sail.

She kicked harder against the wooden mast under her feet, though her initial plan of snapping the beam proved to be useless now.

Below her, the deck creaked as it became engulfed with the murky water of the Black Lake. Every board and sail under her descended further into oblivion as the surface drew nearer.

Her vision, blurred by the tears, caught glimpses of those who watched from the dock as she continued to sink with the ship.

Reflecting from the setting sun, a tear rolled down Jolie's cheek as George's protective grasp on her shoulder pulled her closer.

Beside his brother, Fred was nodding. His deep cut frown and pinched brows indicating that justice had finally been served.

All of their faces besides Jolie's were etched in a cold smugness.

'Good riddance' their expressions seemed to say.

Her father's glare was the worst of them, his arms crossed firm over his chest in disappointment.

The last thing she saw before the water reached her chin was Karkaroff clapping her father's shoulder and turning on his heel before he and the others began following him from the shore and back to the castle.

In only a moment, Madeline had gone from screaming, begging for her life to—

Drowning.

She was drowning.

All the light from the late afternoon sun faded quickly into the inky water of the lake.

There was nothing but dark, black water. As if she was thrashing against the binds in ink itself.

The unfamiliar texture of scales brushed and scratched against her cheek, making its presence and claim on her known. She opened her mouth to let out one last dying scream, then—

Madeline's breath caught as she rose to sit up on her bed.

Her chest, still heaving, finally took lasting and long breaths of air—not water.

She scanned her dorm, relieved to find it instead of the depths of the Black Lake. Early light from dawn glimmered through the water on the other side of their window.

The sound of Jolie's soft snoring in the bed beside hers sent a washing ease of relief as her roommate's back faced her, continuing to sleep.

Madeline's hands shook in her lap before swiping at the coat of sweat on her forehead.

It had only been a dream.

A nightmare.

She couldn't remember the last time she'd had one.

Slipping her feet from the tangled pile of sheets and duvet at the foot of her bed, she planted them on the cool floor before heading to the bathroom.

She turned the knob of the tap, relieved again that the water ran clear before cupping a handful to run over her face.

Despite the aid of the night before, her dreams ran rotten with horror.

The ultimate punishment she faced. The look of devastation from Jolie, being comforted as Madeline faced her damnation. The effects of her lying, her deceit. All of them being pleased to watch her fade from existence.