City of Witchcraft

Powerless

Laura was struck with fear the moment she came home to find all five locks on her door completely unlocked. She had just been out grocery shopping, but she knew she'd locked the door. She always locked the door.

With shaking hands, Laura set her overflowing grocery bags on the doorstep before cautiously wrapping her hand around the doorknob. She twisted it slowly, wearily, before pushing it open nearly pressing her chest to the door as she followed it in. Her heart beat fast in her chest, and she was filled with complete and utter fear.

Once she was solidly through the doorway, Laura finally stepped away from the door. She took in the dim room, the only light coming through the doorway- she had yet to turn on the lights, and she'd boarded up the windows years ago. Her eyes slowly made their way across the room, eventually having covered the whole thing and concluding that there was no movement in the room. Laura released her breath in a loud sigh.

The door slammed loudly shut behind her, and she couldn't help but jump. The room was engulfed in darkness. Then, a singular candle lit in the middle of the room, seemingly on its own. Its flame was a dark purple. A shadowy figure stepped into the candle's light, their features cloaked in shadow.

"Hello, Laura, welcome in."

Laura felt their muscles tense as they lost control of their body, soaring through the air and falling into an old chair. A cloud of dust flew into the air. The flame at the tip of the candle expanded, casting light further into the room, and illuminating a couch across from Laura that the other person took a seat on. Laura didn't say a word, completely frozen by terror.

"I'm assuming you know why I'm here?" they asked Laura. She did nothing for a moment, before slowly shaking her head. The person before her's head dropped. "Pity. But unsurprising."

The light expanded further, playing at the shadows that still hid the person's face. But one thing was clearly visible- a broad, toothy smile had taken place on their face.

"You haven't lived up to your potential, Laura. You have gifts. Incredible gifts. And yet you don't use them. Why?"

Laura was surprised to hear herself speak. Her voice did not feel like her own. "Because people hate me for them- so why use them? I'd rather not have that attention."

Laura watched the other shake their head, clearly disappointed by her answer.

"People hate me for my gifts, too. Especially people with yours. But that doesn't deter me, does it?"

Laura remained silent. The other sighed.

"You aren't going to use your gifts, no matter what I do, are you?"

Laura still didn't say a word.

"Well, if you don't use them, then I suppose they should go to someone who should. Like me."

Laura's heart stopped. "Wait-"

The other raised their hand, and Laura felt her power and her life force begin to be drained from her body. She grew weak, and her vision began to blur and darken the longer it went on. When she felt she had nothing left within her, the other finally came into the light, but through it all she still recognized the face she saw. It was a face she would never forget.

"You-" Laura whispered, her voice nearly taken from her alongside everything else.

"Thank you for your contribution to the greater good, Laura," the other said. Laura tried to hold on, to fight them off, but despite her best efforts, she felt herself fade to nothingness.

~~~

When Penni got home from school, she was surprised to see her front door open, with groceries on the doorstep. She found this sight incredibly odd, considering how protective and cautious her mother tended to be. And yet, despite this being a clear sign that something had gone wrong, she still shrugged it off and walked inside, having already let down her guard.

So when she saw her mother as a lifeless husk on the floor, she screamed. In her terror, she was only dully aware of the feeling of something latching onto her mind, and her soul. The candle in the center of the room went out before she could register the color of its flame.