Opposites: The Staff of Light [Book One]

35. Never Leave the Cat Outside

Alice

In my dreams, there wasn't anything much horror on visual but the audio was completely terrifying. I had to deal with goosebumps when I woke up. And of course, I had to shed a few tears.

"Hello, Alice Candum," a man's voice echoed. I opened my eyes. All I could see was darkness. I looked around then down at myself. I stood on pure darkness whilst my skin glowed with a light blue aura and I had worn the clothes I had on my first day at Camp—the same iced dress and flats. "Do you like what you see?"

"No," I replied as if that would be obvious. "I'm standing on a void with a voice talking from nowhere. I'm literally looking at nothing but darkness."

The voice seemed enjoying my misery. Could he feel my fear? He chuckled. I could nearly see a mental picture of a man in black with an evil grin playing at his lips. I flicked the horrid thought away. Although in a dream, I felt the hairs at the back of my nape standing up. "Yes, well—" Suddenly, something was choking my neck. I gasped for air, nearly yelping. My strategy was almost useless as another invisible force threw me down to the floor. My legs were now folded over each other, my forearms carrying my upper body as I wheezed for air. My neck flared with pain. "—do you like what you feel?"

A tear streaked down my cheek as I shook my head vigorously. Who is this invisible man?

"Yes, I thought so, too!" he cried out cheerfully. Suddenly, his voice hardened. "And your pathetic sister has gone through the same torment from me, dear, only she suffered worse. I have a lot of plans for you, too, Alice Candum. You do not have to feel so out of place. I will have you and your kind dead. I'll start with three, then you and your sister. Would you like for your brother to join in the execution the same time as you?"

I shivered. No... please... no more... No more pain... no more fear...

He hissed. "Now, I'm willing to give you an offer. Your psychotic sister has the Staff of Light. If you get that for me, turn it over, I will spare all your lives and perhaps I could let you return to your own world. But if you don't—" Something harder than iron coiled around my waist, raising me into the air as I struggled. Spots danced before my eyes. My entire body erupted in pain. I yelped. "—I will kill you and all your friends."

I let out one last yelp before my eyes opened with the sunlight greeting the back of my head. I was gasping for air. My body quavered. What kind of dream was that? "Alice," Tyler immediately called me. I found myself in his arms—both of them wrapping around me as if the boy had turned me into a human-sized teddy bear. I dug my face into his chest as tears began to fall down my cheeks. "Alice, what's wrong?" He still held me. What is wrong with you, Candum? You're being a baby! Tyler sat up, dragging me with him, I kept sobbing. I couldn't stop. He laid my head onto his shoulder. "Shh... Alice, stop crying please... I can't bear to watch you being like this..."

I smirk as I watch you tremble in fright. Finally, I have spotted you, Alice Candum.

And now that I know your location, I will haunt you until you are forced to give me the Staff. You will betray your sister when you find her. She will tell you about her precious possession, how she's prophesized to hand it over...

But now I have found the twist. It is not Annabeth who will give the weapon of Light. It is you.

Alice

Stop crying for Pete's sake! I had chided myself that over and over as I was rocked in Tyler's arms. It was humiliating. I never liked being treated like a big baby. I slowly calmed down, but all that was in my head was the words of that dark voice. He was coming—whoever that cloud of evil was. I had to find Annabeth and the others soon. "Alice, are you good?" Tyler asked me one last time. I nodded, stifling back more sobs. I knew I was torn between two decisions. That was a horrible problem. It was either I chose to give a weapon that dark figure was obsessed about or I kill everyone of our team, which preferably hadn't been my choice of answer.