(formerly "Halloween Prince")
After a tragic incident, Emily Scott started hearing a man's voice in her head. Something about it was eerie and yet so frighteningly familiar. In the hopes of erasing the 'voice', she started seeing a psychiatrist--but...
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I was rather convinced that yesterday was all a dream. I was certain that whatever nonsense the caretaker said was a figment of my imagination, I was sure that the black cat following me all the way home was not real. Oh yes, I really was rather convinced—until I plodded towards my bathroom and saw a black cat perching on the sink, a look of disinterest gracing his features.
I stood in the door, completely and utterly horrified.
Suddenly I wasn't so sure everything was a dream. To make things certain, I ran to my desk, viciously rummaging through my things until I saw the black envelopes lying idly, still quite intact and still quite strongly scented.
I sank on the floor, remembering everything.
"Mrow," a small voice said. I turned to see the black cat jumping skilfully, it's footing so nimble and it—no, he—trotted towards me, chin up. He sniffed the letters, purring softly.
"I suppose you mean to tell me that I should send a response?"
He mewed.
Why am I even speaking to a cat?
Questions were bubbling inside my mind, threatening to leak and spill. So much of it, if not everything, didn't make any sense. If I were to write a list of all my confusions, I won't be able to finish in a day.
I reached towards the invitation letter, tracing my fingers along its silky surface. I reread it again, trying to fully understand the words. It said here, "invites your return to the Kingdom of Halloween" thus implying at some point I have been there before, which is ridiculous. In fact, the name of the place itself was ridiculous. The Kingdom of Halloween? Maybe I'm reading too much into it. Maybe this was a fancy Halloween party somewhere outside Russel Green.
Despite receiving creepy letters, it didn't excuse me from going to school. With a heavy feeling, I propped myself up and forced myself to shove everything at the back of my mind and continue on with what was left of my normal life.
Once I was decent looking, I went downstairs to eat breakfast. What awaited me there was not what I was expecting.
My mother was carrying a tray of coffee and cookies, placing it on the table.
"Thank you." Melanie, my psychiatrist, said. "I'm sorry for barging so early in the morning."
Mom smiled. "Don't worry about it. It must be so important."
My mind was always in a state of shock so much that I couldn't even be more surprised. I gingerly stepped closer, making myself known. "Mom? Melanie?"
Both of them turned to look at me. Mom hesitated, then, "Honey, Dr Melanie is here to see you."
Melanie sipped her coffee, looking solemn. "Okay." I said.
"Then I'll give you two some privacy." she brushed past me, smiling encouragingly. As soon as the door shut, I said "I'm not going through hypnotism again, if that's why you're here."
