"Hey, Perry, did all the rooms need vacuuming?" Laura asks on the phone.
"Yes, please," Perry replies.
The group is out chasing after some demon that's going after mermaids, and the whitelighters are being trained at some retreat, so Laura's alone in the coven house.
"Oh, I'll definitely want to retreat by the end of this," Carmilla had snapped.
"Okey dokey," Laura says, dragging the vacuum cleaner up the stairs.
"Thank you! See you later, Laura," Perry chirps before hanging up.
The call ends and Laura gets to the top floor, going to clean the hallway near the attic.
"Laura, dear? Is that you?" the Dean's voice calls out from within.
Laura clamps her eyes closed. Don'tgoindon'tgoindon'tgoindon't––
Her curiosity getting the better of her, she sighs and brings the machine with her, turning the doorknob.
Laura observes the Dean's surroundings. There's some bottles of water that the gang has carefully slid into the crystal cage, as well as books to keep her preoccupied and quiet so another mute spell wouldn't be necessary once the last one wore off. Laura tries not to laugh when she realizes most of the prizes from her first date with Carmilla at the carnival are arranged mockingly, pointed at the circle, with the cupcake plush front and center.
Clearly Carmilla didn't want her Mother to be lonely.
"Ah. All alone?" the seer smirks.
"What do you want?" Laura asks warily.
The Dean scoffs from the crystal circle. "My, my. Touchy, aren't we?" She laughs, but it's the most empty-sounding one that Laura's ever heard. "In case you haven't noticed, you kidnapped me. And I'm feeling a lot like a potentially abandoned plot device."
Laura rolls her eyes. "Fine. You want a conversation?" She pulls up a chair and sits on it, facing the Dean. "Why do any of it? Sacrifice the witches?"
The Dean seems amused, but indulges her, if only to keep the conversation going.
"I've seen a lot more of the world than you have. And do you know what makes it go 'round?" the Dean asks smugly. "Greed. Hypocrisy. Stupidity. Violence. The strong prey on the weak, the corrupt on the foolish, and even those with the best of intentions can hardly help but do more harm than good."
Laura shifts uncomfortably.
The Dean cackles, sending shivers down Laura's spine. "And why would I pass all of that entertainment up just for the gates of Hell to open up and swallow the world in endless torment? Talk about monotonous."
"So, what? You're saying we should agree with the sacrifice coz it's the lesser of two evils?" Laura asks incredulously.
"I'm saying, you asked me why I do the ritual. Forever is a long time to be immortal. The gates of Hell remaining closed means the spontaneity and chaos created by free will keep me tickled."
Laura clenches her jaw and crosses her arms. "How noble."
"You want to talk noble? By delaying the ritual to spare your life... You risk losing the entire world you goodies keep claiming you want to save," the Dean sneers.
Laura stares down at the floor, not having a reply ready.
The doorbell rings and she jumps to answer it.
YOU ARE READING
Forever Charmed
FanfictionLaura Hollis is a half-witch, half-human who's just graduated from Magic School. She joins her friends' coven, but they're overly protective of the newbie, especially since Laura doesn't have any powers. When her new guardian angel Carmilla shows...
