Once Upon a Girl

XVII - a brimming glass of spiders

I run to English class, desperately hoping that Mrs Nightcast doesn't notice my lateness. However, when I arrive, no one else is there.

Hm, this is odd. This appears to be not a classroom, but a kitchen... indeed, I have been transported to Mrs Nightcast's house. This is terrifying.

She walks into the room in her dressing gown. "Oh, Sunita! What I lovely surprise!"

...wut.

"I took the day off as I'm feeling unwell. It's so lovely of you to come and check up on me."

Pluswut.

"Can I get you something to drink?"

Doublepluswut.

She opens the fridge. "We have water, milk, juice, spiders, Dr Pepper..."

My eyes widen. "Spiders?"

"Spiders it is, then."

"No, that wasn't-"

But she is already pouring me a brimming glass of spiders. She gestures for me to take a seat as she puts the cup of arachnids on her dining table, and I awkwardly oblige.

She sits down opposite me. "I know why you're here, Sunita. It's because I summoned you."

Omg, this is megaspook.

"I feel as though you probably already know of my plan, correct?" I nod. "Good. I can only take explaining it to a certain number of people before it gets tedious."

I think about this for a moment. "You tell that story a lot?"

"I need your help," she says bluntly. "I don't have enough power on my own. The magic of two witches must be combined in order to complete the ceremony. I sense that your powers and mine are strong enough together to bring forth the age of darkness."

I raise my eyebrow so high it detaches from my face. "What happens if I refuse? We need the sun. It's the light of our lives." *laugh track*

Mrs Nightcast looks at me in disapproval. "I think you're making a mistake. Just think about it. We'd be in complete control of the world. Well, we'll split it 75, 25. Everyone would look up to us. They would worship us, knowing that one day, we might return their precious light."

I don't know if she has thought this plan through. "But everyone would, like, die."

Her eyes turn red. "I was afraid you'd dare to oppose me. Well, it looks like I'll have to find myself another witch. It's a good thing I still have a use for you."

Worrying, I try to stand up. After struggling, I realise that I am wrapped in cobwebs. Little did I know, whilst Mrs Nightcast was trying to negotiate, the spiders had escaped the glass.

The spiders spin around me and wrap me in their sticky silk, my resistance becoming more and more futile. I'm unable to use my magic as my hands are tied. Soon, only my head is free to move at all. My teacher shoots me a crooked smile.

"Don't worry, child. I'll take care of you here. Your time will come."

She lifts up my chair and carries me to a mysteriously locked door. She puts in a twisted key, turns it, and the door swings open, groaning. The room on the other side is pitch black.

"Feel free to make yourself at home, my dear." She tosses me in, despite me still being attached to my seat. The chair lands on its side, causing me to smack my head against the cold, hard ground. I hear the door swing shut, and then, the turning of the key. 

All I have to focus on now is the searing pain of my head injury. I think I may be blacking out, but the room is so dark, it's hard to tell whether or not my eyes are still functioning. I feel myself drifting...