The Wolf's Den

Path 1: Adrieve, Chapter 6

        Mr. Catly was dead, that much she knew, but was there a law violating that? If there was, she's have to flirt he way out, and if not, then that was a win for everyone, now wasn't it? What did she do with the doorknob now, and where was she? Everything shifted so drastically when anything drastic happened, and that was a problem if she wanted to live free again. One couldn't break all the rules, now could they? Staring at the blank space before her, the sound of velvet footprints and sharp scraping claws entered her ears, making her pause, looking around her, and keep walking. Well, she'd done something awful now, hadn't she?

        We have rules for people like you, a familiar voice echoed, bouncing around in her skull without warning. It was the unmistakable sound of Mr. Wolfe, the snide remark, the horrible tone, and that awful purr in his voice all at once.

        "Then find me if you want to return the favor I gave Mr. Catly. You never told me I couldn't murder someone."

        She was talking to herself, wasn't she? Mr. Wolfe didn't follow her around. That was to say, he didn't before. He probably did now to make sure she harmed no one else, didn't he? There was no response to the Mr. Wolfe in her head, purring at her like a pleased animal getting a meal, all while snarling viciously and grasping at her fingers to make sure she didn't repeat her actions. The feeling on her fingers tingled with pain.

        However, when she'd walked past the handle-less door five time, the voice spoke again. Repent or your actions and I won't sent you away again. You remember when I sent you away before, don't you? Your sisters died without you here to save them that time.

        "I've never been here before. None of use have."

        You've been here ten times before, and you never learn to do no harm unto others. This marks a decade since we've met, and it all ends the same. Maybe you've learned something this time.

        "Stop it! I won't have this. I don't repent, I don't know what you're talking about, and I don't care what you say! I don't, I don't, I don't!"

        Falling to her knees, she felt tears leave her eyes, eyes widening before hastily drying her eyes and holding the flashlight to her chest, which was now turned off (when had she done that? It was dark in the hallway). There was silence in the aftermath of her reaction, and the cruel laughter receded in her mind. What she did notice in the silence was the sound of quiet, sock-covered feet.

        "You shouldn't be here," the voice of a child said. It was a boy in rags, holding a large flashlight right in her direction, slightly shaking without meaning to nor noticing it.

        Adrieve said nothing, only listened, and it was only when she felt the small hand of the boy in the rags on her shoulder that she began to sob into his shoulder. The worst part was, he let her, even when he was so much smaller than her, so much younger, so... Sad and lonely.

        When she stopped crying, he stood with his hand still on her shoulder, looking to her curiously, still saddened but less so. "You've lost someone," he said.

        "I... Yes, I have, I've lost my sisters."

        The boy nodded once, turning away. "I hope you find them before it's too late, then. This place is scary in the ever-present dark." Looking over his shoulder, his eyes seemed less sad and more alert than before. "Maybe you deserved it, though."

        When the boy was gone again, she crumpled to the ground and closed her eyes, needing to sleep.