• 𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝙿𝚛𝚒𝚌𝚎 𝚘𝚏 𝙻𝚘𝚟𝚎 • | 𝚀𝚄𝙴𝙴𝙽 𝚁𝙰𝚅𝙴𝙽𝙽𝙰

𝟻

I look down shifting my feet,

My eyes lay upon the whitest snow I've ever seen. The sky is dark, yet a sliver of light is leading my eyes down a snow covered path. I twitch slightly as a dark shadow is seething it's way towards me, yet I'm not scared.

A sense of calmness overtaking my body

The figure has made it's way in front of me. A black cloak engulfing their identity. That's when I see it. A frail hand reaching out of the dark. The delicate hand littered with veins and age spots, reaching for me to hold it.

I look up, tears forming in my eyes, "Grandma?" I whisper. My voice as hopeful as ever. There's a pause.

The figure tilts it's head in a sinister manner, diminishing me of any calmness I felt only a second ago.

The hand suddenly gets a firm grip on my wrist. I jolt back, but to no avail. The clutch becoming tighter and tighter, more painful by the second.

"Let go of me" I shudder becoming more and more frightened.

"Your're mine" It hisses.

My body jolt's with force. I place my hand on my chest, to see if I'm still breathing. My lung moves up and down like I'd just ran a million miles.

"Astrid?" A weak voice whispers from the other side of the room.

My eyes begin to focus in the dark. Edith turns her head to me. "It's ok, it was just a bad-"

"Bad dream..." Edith finishes my sentence looking down. Although I can't see clearly, I know she's been crying.

"Astrid...I'm scared, what if its my turn tomorrow? What if I turn out like Penny?" She becomes more animated, throwing her face in her hands.

"I promise you, as long as I'm here, nothing will happen to you" I nod my head, though I didn't seem as convincing. I'm just as scared. Ravenna is getting into my head. Aparasite unable to be washed away. I feel like a prisoner in my own mind.

Edith sniffles and turns her back to me. I fiddle with the nail between my fingers under my pillow. Determination is kicking it's way back into my bloodstream. I get out of bed and look out the small barred window. The few torches lighting up the courtyard.

I grab a hold of the black steel bar, pulling with all my might. Agitated as its not budging, I slide my back down the wall. I will survive this. My grandmother taught me too well than to be a nameless victim in a scary story.

I am my grandmothers grandchild, and I am Astrid Fletcher.

And I am not,

going down without a fight.

𖤐

The light streams in slowly as the sun awakens. I sit up, nearly forgetting where I was.

Edith's chest is rising slowly, her dark curls sprawled across her pillow. I quickly kneel and shake her lightly.

Edith's hand raises to rub her eyes. "Edith listen to me-" I whisper trying to get her attention.

She blinks a few times but eventually she finally seems to have woken up properly.

"I have a plan."

"Don't say anything until I'm done."  I nod.

She nods in sync with me.