The Destined

Chapter 16: Anna

    Anna    

Melissa looks at me like she was just punched in the stomach. The hairs on my neck rise. Avani looks at me like she's saying, "Let's get out of here."

We all run out of the house. It isn't cold. It isn't raining. It's a perfect day. I hear two more continuous screams. Except, they sound more like cries. I look back at the roof of the house and my heart drops. We see an old, ugly woman, shrieking with rage. Her hair is dead white and knotted; her face full of wrinkles and deep creases. Her mouth is full of yellow teeth. Her eyes and cheeks are filled with tears. She wears a long, black cloak stained with large spots full of blood, both dry and new.

I back away, pulling Melissa and Avani with me as she shrieks and cries loudly, the sound she emits full of pain. I almost think we can escape until she spots up, her eyes strained on us. Fear shoots all the way up my body.

The woman smiles a wicked smile, and then she disappears into a thick, black fog. I have to blink to make sure I am not imagining this.

"We need to run," Avani says. I ignore her. Instead, I watch the fog slither down the sides of the house like a black snake. The fog circles us a couple of times and then comes to a stop, shaping back into the woman, the real hag that she is.

"It's a banshee," Melissa says.

"That's correct!" The woman says wickedly, her voice hoarse from the screaming. "Melissa of earth, you are quite the clever princess."

We all back up slowly, but the banshee woman steps towards us again.

"Who are you?" I stammer.

"No need to ask me, Anna of light, air...weather..." The woman says, her eyes staring at me like they are trying to steal my soul. I don't say anything. I feel like I know her. I probably do know her, but I do not say anything. "C'mon, child. We met a long, long time ago. You must remember?"

"I do know who you are." I say, my voice trembling. The woman smiles when she recognizes my fear.

"Say my name aloud, child..." Her voice trails off, just like the fog she was a minuet ago, and it feels like it is crawling up my body and implanting itself in my head, refusing to leave.

"Merola." As soon as I say her name, I feel like fainting. Her eyes look at me like they are sending blades and knives towards me.

"Ah, yes!" Merola says. "You do remember me, Anna of weather. Now I can do whatever I want with you!" She cackles like a witch.

"Anna?" Avani looks at me, frowning like this is my fault, like she wants me to explain. But I can't explain. I don't have time. I watch as Merola pulls out a bloody knife from her cloak, a wild smile on her face, even with tears streaming down. She uses her fingers to wipe of the blood.

"No!" Melissa screams. Avani and her stand in front of me to protect me, but I step away. Melissa grabs the pack and fiercely takes out the pocketknife. It is small compared to Merola's knife. Merola cackles and grins. She can't wait to watch me die.

"Nobody is dying today!" Melissa yells. She uses the pocketknife like a real weapon and slashes it across Merola's body. The banshee turns to black fog at the touch. Melissa tries to stab it out of fear, but the fog grasps onto it and throws it out of her hands. She tries to run for it. It's gone. The fog wraps around her waist and lifts her up.

Avani screams out of fear. I would scream, too, but another arm of fog slithers towards me. I can't escape it. It first wraps around my legs, and then it wraps around my waist and stomach. Finally, the fog reaches towards Avani. She gets wrapped up too, and we are all in the air, in Merola's grip. This isn't how I want to die. Not in the maze. Not without family. Not like this.