Close your eyes

Chapter 16

"It's a secret" she says as she keeps walking
"Bullshit" Phoenix says "I bet you're just embarrassed by it"
She just laughs and her deep voice echoes through the corridor in an eerie way
"Please?" I ask the woman and giver her puppy dog eyes
"Sorry kid" she says as she keeps walking
"Why not?" I say pouting and she just rolls her eyes
"Because I'm cursed" she simply says and doesn't elaborate
"By who?" Phoenix asks urging her to give more information
"A witch" she says
"Why?" I ask eager to find out more about the white haired lady
"Pissed her off" she said and this made Phoenix and I laugh
"So you can't ever say your name?" I ask curiously
"They have to guess it" she says
"But there's soo many names!" I complain and she just laughs, her voice like a soft thunder
"Just pick an name and stick with it and I'll respond to that" she says
"Ebony!" Phoenix says smiling
"Ebony?" The lady says sounding out the word
"Yeah" I say "I think that suits you"
"What's it mean?" She asks showing curiosity on her stone cold features for the first time since I met her
"Black" Phoenix replies and she just shakes her head smiling to herself
"How long have you had this curse for?" I ask trying to be respectful of her privacy despite my burning curiosity
"Two hundred years" she simply says
"Wow" Phoenix says lost for words while I just walk with my mouth hanging open
"In all those years you have never once heard someone say your name?" I ask shocked
"It was said a couple of times" she says smiling
"What do ya mean?" Phoenix asked furrowing his eyebrows "Did they guessed it?"
"Yes" she says
"Were you able to say it once they guessed it right?" I ask
"No" she says sadly "But I was able to grant them a wish" she says softly
"Like a genie?" Phoenix asks raising his eyebrows
"Sure" she says " but only a half wish because the witch changed my name and for the longest time I didn't even know it myself but when someone says it right I get my normal voice back to grant their wish" I nod my head and find myself imagining what her voice would be like

At least that explains why her voice was soo deep

"So if I asked  for....um....I don't know....a flower....you'd give me one with thorns?" I ask trying to make sense of what she said
"No" she says shaking her head "I'd give you a dead one"
"Oh" I say somewhat understanding
"So how old are you?" Phoenix asks
"How old do I look?" She asks him and turns her head to look at us
"20?" He guesses
"23?' I say
She shakes her head and says "350"
"Oh my god" I say in shock "how come?"
"The oldest person we know is about 95" Phoenix says equally shocked "I mean I didn't really believe you when you said 200 but this is crazy!"
"I know!" I say agreeing "Why haven't you crossed over yet?"
"I was in Limbo for a bit" she says softly
"Oh" I say unable to imagine how much pain she would have gone through

She stops when we reach a wall and she crouches down near the bottom left hand corner of the tattered wallpaper and pull it up revealing an open doorway. She ushers us to go in and Phoenix bravely goes in first, taking the candle from Ebony.

He takes a few steps and then falls, completely disappearing from view. I immediately put my fear aside and run in after