The Roar In Her Voice

A New Friend... Actually, ally

Dedicated to the awesome artist thethreesisters! She's amazing and talented in graphics. She was the one who made the beautiful banner to this not-so-beautiful story. Thank you!

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Madame Paray was sitting on a chair, back straight and chin up, face frozen into a smile. Her eyes didn't blink. I felt my knees tremble just by looking at her.

Rencee immediately flew over to Madame Paray, knocking me down. I landed on a stray pillow, much to my luck. I rushed over to Madame Paray, Frankie right behind me.

Rencee closed his eyes and started to croon. Madame Paray's eyes closed as she slumped over, but she didn't stop smiling. It was too creepy, I was tempted to cry all over again.

I didn't know Madame Paray, and I didn't like her, but seeing anyone that way made my eyes moisten.

I felt like such a weakling, but it's just the way I was. However, in this situation, the weak won't win.

Rencee opened his eyes, clearly exhausted. 'I cannot stop her smiling. Something is controlling her.'

I hiccuped as I spotted Madame Paray's back. I lifted a trembling hand and pointed it. Frankie and Rencee immediately turned her around.

It was a message written in blood, staining her lovely coat. The coat I wanted to rip, wanted to see ruined. And it was. It said:

DO NOT BRING THE GIRL TO THE HOUSE OR THE OLD MAN IS NEXT.

Rencee and Frankie stared at me. I was staring at Madame Paray's arm.

The eagle noticed what I was staring at. He turned Paray's arm to the sunlight. Another message, written in black ink with a lovely handwriting:

KILL HER.

Frankie muttered, "In Madame Paray's own handwriting."

I stepped back. "Um... What? What did I do? Wh-Why would she want to kill me?"

Frankie looked deeply suspicious, but he told me, "Calm down. She must have a logical reason."

"A logical reason to kill me?" I shrieked.

Rencee was observing Paray's body, paying no heed to either of us. Meanwhile, Frankie advanced toward me. "Calm down."

"How am I supposed to calm down?" I demanded. I was crying for real now.

"We're gonna do what's right, okay?" Frankie's attempt at soothing me scared me even more. I could see a crazy fire returning in his eyes, the same fire that burned when I first met him.

He's on the brink of insanity, I recalled. And only Madame Paray's magic kept him at bay.

Was Madame Paray's magic still working?

"Come here, little girl." The insane smile that occupied his face made it clear that he was too far gone. "I'll do what's right."

I knew an exit cue when I heard one. I grabbed a knife and blew sawdust into both Rencee and Frankie's eyes. Not waiting to see if the trick worked, I turned around and ran.

I ran right out the shed and into the green grass. There was only one escape route here: the Tree Wall.

I could never outrun the eagle, so I'd have to hide in the thick masses of trees. Hopefully they'd leave. Even to get reinforcements. Maybe I'll get some blood from myself and cover my knife in it, so they'll think I was gone.

Oh, maybe I'll burn down the Tree Wall too, once I've escaped it, so it'd be a pretty good distraction and I can run.

Run to where? Away. Doesn't matter. I need to live.