The Hostess' Party

Prologue

That was the last time she would ever let someone take advantage of her like that. Never again would she bear to sit and endure this type of pain, full of manipulation and lies and playing her like a pawn. The only thing she was focused on now was her harsh breathing and the sound of her shoes slapping the muddy ground below her. The sky lit up with bright lightning and her heart pounded every time the trees shook with the fierce threat that they would collapse onto her smaller body. The rain soaked through her dress and dampened her hair and left her freezing against the wind. The only place she craved was somewhere, anywhere where she was allowed to be herself and be happy without the impending fear of it all going south.

The girl stopped underneath a large tree, hugging her body close to the trunk before slumping against it and starting to sob, although not a word could be heard over the storm. She trusted them with everything and they took advantage of it in the most sickening way, and with so many people on their side, there wasn't a lick of hope that she could convince them she wasn't to blame.

What was she supposed to do now? She had nowhere to go to after that. They were her home, her sanctuary. Now it was gone. She couldn't go back to that. It was ruined. She had no job, no money, no food. No family. No friends. Nothing. She closed her eyes and slumped to the ground, uncaring to whether her clothes were dirtied from the mud. She held her head in her hands, listening to the rain and the distancing thunder.

When she peered back up from her mourning, there was a dark figure standing at her feet. They were cloaked and quite tall, easily standing at least a foot taller than what she would have been if she were to be standing too. This person did nothing, they only- from what she could assume- stared down at her, and she found herself staring back.

"W-What do you want..? Whatever you're going to do, just d-do it... Get it over with."

"You wish there was a place, perhaps a sanctuary, where you could always be happy. Be safe. Be loved."

The stranger's words caught this girl off-guard, making her blink back her tears and force herself to stand up.

How on earth did they know what I was thinking? She thought.

"T-That's right.. How did you know?" She asked with curiosity. Of course, she was scared also. This person had such a strange aura to them that made her shiver, sending goosebumps down her spine. But the fact they could do easily read her seemed far more important than the imposing threat to her safety.

"I know lots of things, and I know that I can help you," they held out their hand to the girl, waiting patiently. She could only stare silently before they spoke up once more, "Are you going to take my hand? We can't make a deal unless we shake."

She bit her lip. This was all too creepy for her, and it left a bitter taste in her mouth. Her brain was telling her no, trying to force her mouth to open and utter anything but a yes. But her stomach tightened, and she gripped at the skin. She wanted to say yes.

When the lightning flashed again, it was enough light to provide the slightest glimpse at the stranger. The only thing that could be seen was a sharp-toothed grin on their hooded face, as if she had already said yes and they were given the satisfaction of having been given a new deal.

The girl looked back at their hand, still outstretched and awaiting her grip. Despite the frigid temperature, she was sweating, "I..."

"What do you have to lose?"

What do I have to lose?

With that revelation, the girl and the stranger agreed on this deal together, and shook hands, changing the course their lives forever.