Heartlessness (finished)

Chapter 9

Walking with the sisters felt oddly like a finality. Something dark is coming ahead.

We get to the assigned area of the tea party: A blank spot in the middle of a dark forest, four rusty chairs sit at a long table, a kettle of steaming tea, and four mismatched tea cups. And most significantly- some of my pastries. The latter caught me off-guard but I didn't say anything.

"We've been awaiting your arrival" said one of the sisters. 

"I'm glad that I can please you with my presence at your tea party"

they sit down in their spots at the table, leaving one final spot for me. I hold my pink teacup with both of my hands, using it to relieve the stress of being in the situation. 

"So missy tell us, how are things now that Jest is gone?" another sister said.

"I thought you'd already know about that, you seem to know about everything that goes on in my life." I say grimly.

"Very true." the last one says.

The tea is then poured. A dark liquid with an overbearing bittersweet smell.

"Thank you" I mutter

"You're welcome" I hear one of them say.

I awkwardly drink my tea, avoiding the glassy gazes of the sisters.

"Cake?" I look up to take the offer, but my attention is snagged by the writing on the cake 'eat me'

"That looks awfully peculiar Lacey."

"Says the awfully peculiar girl."

I shrug, there is no way out of the argument so I decline.

"If you do not eat the cake, we will not take your heart."

I give in and take the cake forcefully, earning a smug smile from all three of them.

I take a bite...

I'm spiraling, everything in my life flickers in front of me like fireflies. My mother yelling at me during my childhood because I didn't want to wear a dress, so silly and juvenile. Then the night that Jest came to my window, yellow eyes perched perfectly in their sockets to look at me.

Then more dreams and memories came, taunting and scaring me. I scream out clawing out in front of me, but then a mirror is floating in front of my face. Depicting an awful sight of a face, my face, wrinkled and aged, on the verge of decay. I scream louder and louder. The memories move faster and faster yellow eyes and loud voices and hats and pastries swirl past my head like obnoxious bees.

Then it stops, I wake up. I'm in my bed in my castle. I scream.

....