Once Upon A Nightmare

- TWENTY EIGHT -

- Facilier-

Well, well, well, what do we have here? Two annoying, little pests, running about. Can't have that happening, now can I? I guess now is the best time to serve them on a plate to my friends on the other side.

"Shadow, snatch them up and drag them back to the shop. We've got guests to feed."

It slithered through the hall and just when the little princess laid eyes on it, she was too late. Shadow caged them up and hauled them off to the shop right where they were meant to be. I took my time to walk into the back room of the shop, rallying up my friends.

"Ladies and gentlemen, are you ready? Are you ready for the feast of your dead lives?" waiting a moment, I listened to their screams of joy. "Today, I have brought you the two souls I promised. Here, we have the happy, merry prince, Naveen! He happened to sell his selfish heart to you to become a little ol' froggy and in that time, he turned a hard-working, small-town girl like Tiana here into a frog as well. She was the one that broke your little talisman, remember? Oh, I bet you do."

I paced myself to come face to face with the little girl. She fought with the cage shadow threw her and her little boytoy in.

"It's no use, Tiana, these bars are made with the bones and fire of my friends on the other side. You'll never get out." I chuckled. "I bet you wished you took my offer way back when."

I turned back to face the many dolls and masks. You could see the glee in their empty eyes; the hunger waiting to be fed. Ooh, I could almost taste my freedom now. I was this close and with these two pathetic souls waiting to be served on a platter that I could feel my freedom and the burden of being the voodoo slave lift off my shoulders. Mmm, freedom tasted so good right about now.

"Now, as we discussed before, these two souls in exchange for my freedom from you, right?" They agreed. "Good. Shadow! Open the door and shove them in. Our guests are hungry!"

The top-hat wearing silhouette grabbed hold of the two doomed lovers and threw them into the portal to the other side of life. I listened to their screams as they went in and listened to the bells of freedom chime. Ooh boy, was I now a free man. Free to roam around and explore the world without a second agenda. Life was going to be great.

Or so I thought. Just when the portal's mouth was about to closed, a hand reached out, grabbing onto me.

"Hey, let go of me! I gave you all that you wanted. I'm a free man now, just like you promised."

Someone chuckled. "Are you really a free man, voodoo man?"

"I don't think we promised him that, now did we, honey?"

I watched as a purple-clad leg emerged, then watched as two pairs blurred into this world. What? No! This wasn't real. This couldn't be happening!

"I don't think we did, but if he wants to be a free man, well, that takes a lot of green. And freedom always comes with a price," the man finally said as he fully stood in front of me.

His little lady laughed at me. "Thought you would see the last of us? Oh, no. We are like frogs, slimy and smart, just waiting for the right moment to strike."

Just as the last word left her mouth, something grabbed hold of me and my shadow man. They both chuckled and laughed at my misfortune. I fought as best I could against the hidden forces but nothing worked.

My heart began racing. Panic began filling me. I could hear the blood filling my ears; the beating of my heart matched the drums of the tune playing in the background.

No. This wasn't how it was supposed to be. I was supposed to live out my life. I was going to travel the world. Go to Bora Bora and ―and China. I was supposed to get married and be happy. I was gonna settle down with a nice girl and have a family, not this.

"Wait, wait! I can help you― work for you! Please, don't do this to me! I don't want to go back! Do you know what they'll do to me?"

The prince stepped closer to me. "Oh, we know. But we also know you brought this upon yourself and there's nothing we can do now. You see, our friends are hungry and you owe them big time. It's time to pay your debts, Facilier."

"Have fun." Tiana waved goodbye.

"No! No! No! I'm not supposed to die like this! I don't want to die! Help, help me! Please!"

Your time has come, m' boy. It's time to suffer your fate.

"No! I don't want to go there! I don't want to see him! Please!" I kicked with all my might; fought back will everything I had. I wasn't going to die, not like this.

Stop fighting the inevitable, son. You chose your path, you chose your ways. You must pay for all you have committed.

A man appeared on the portal's front. He smiled down at my fighting body. No, not him. The man opened his arms as I stood in front of the portal.

"Welcome home, son."

With that, I was thrust into the burning pits of the portal, feeling my skin and muscles peel off; inhaling my flesh that burned at the high temperature. My insides felt like they were melting. I came face first into the hard, burning hot ground. I turned to look at the gate above me, watching it sparkle with fire.

Welcome to hell...

🔽🔼🔽

► Wasn't that one hell of a chapter?  ◄