The Castle of Forgotten Souls

Re-United

Anna woke up in another room this time. It was a familiar room, it was a familiar cell.

"No, No, No!"

Anna pressed two shaky fingers to her lips. She closed her eyes and exhaled softly.

"Anna?" Chloe's feeble voice rang out.

Anna's head snapped up and found Chloe sitting on an upturned bucket closest to the barred window. She was watching her with weary eyes. Tear streaks ran down her cheeks and her hair no longer looked like the carefully styled bun she had before. Anna tried to smile reassuringly at her.

"Are you ok?" she asked.

Her voice came back to her louder than she thought she spoke.

Chloe nodded hesitatingly then pointed to her ankle, "He insisted on doing that. Said you caused too much trouble last time."

Anna looked down and was surprised to find a rusty chain clamped to her. Once she knew it was there, she could feel it digging into her ankle and the rust scraping her skin raw. She cringed.

"Last time? Anna, has this happened to you before?" Chloe spoke softly, still watching her like Anna was a spooked animal.

She looked down and bit her lip. When she looked back up Chloe was looking away. She nodded and when she glanced back her eyes were welling up with tears.

"I'm getting you out, Anna. You're getting out again."

Anna smiled softly. Blonde hair and a floral dress popped into her head. She looked away.

"I wouldn't be so sure, Chlo," she whispered back.

Metal clanged through the cell and then Chloe was sitting in front of her with a determined look in her eye.

"We're getting out," she repeated in a deadpan voice.

The temperature dropped and the locked cell door started to creak. The cell started to grow brighter. Anna cursed and stood up, ignoring the pain that shot up her leg. She pushed Chloe behind her, ignoring the sense of deja vu.

"Do not let them touch you, Chloe," she murmured.

"Them?" Chloe exclaimed.

Anna's mouth grew dry. She started shaking. Her heart pounded. There was only one spirit this time. She looked fairly recognisable. She had small nicks on her arms, a black eye and was skinnier than she last saw her, but Leah looked mostly the same.

She smiled at them. Sadly at Chloe, like she knew the girl had no idea who she was, and brightly at Anna.

"I guess we found that demon, huh, Ann?" her voice wobbled and broke as she hovered there.

"You- you look-" Anna's voice was lost, she couldn't find any words.

Leah's smile grew grim, "Normal, undisfigured? That's only because I choose to look like that. It takes up a lot of energy, I can't be here for much longer."

Anna's heart broke. She stepped forward but got tugged back harshly. She let out an agonised shout. Leah floated toward Anna.

"That's why I'm here. You're getting out again, love."

The chain came off with a click and it clanged to the floor. Both spirit and girl looked out the cell, waiting with bated breath for the sound of a cane.

"Leah. About- I didn't," she stopped as Leah turned toward her.

A bone stuck out of her face. Anna covered a hand with her mouth. Leah moved one ghostly hand to her face, to try and cover it.