The Witch's Toy ✔

3: meeting dear raphael

A single puppet stood upright inside, suspended in the center by even more talismans. I didn't know what made me move forward and break the binds of off him. It was on impulse, something invisible that held my hands from behind and slipped them through the yellow talismans.

They disintegrated on contact, turning to what seemed like the thinnest paper, falling between my fingers. Then, they drifted onto the floor before curling up on themselves, blackening to ashes.

This was a different talisman — something that was completely unlike the one I had broken from the drummer boy. Something told me they were meant to hold something much, much stronger from breaking free.

Free from his bonds, the puppet boy fell to the bottom of the dresser, plopping onto wood, then tilting over. His eyes were closed, long lashes brushing pale cheeks, and the mess of black hair on his head became even more unkempt. I reached forward to pick the puppet up, but snatched my hand back when the door behind me shook in its hinges, threatening to break loose. I glanced back, feeling my fingers tremble with fear, but curled them into fists to quell their shaking.

"Little witch~"

The phrase became an echo in my mind — a whispering and haunting phrase that I knew I wouldn't be able to get out of my nightmares for a while.

"Yu Rui?"

My yes widened and I stiffened, hearing my name on someone else's lips. The voice was unfamiliar, and one that said my name so softly that I almost thought that it was just an auditory hallucination. When a figure wrapped their arms around me, pulling me against a very warm and very solid chest, I decided that this was real. Very, very real.

"Did you miss me?" The figure murmured, lips brushing against my neck. Their hands ran down my sides, squeezing my waist.

When I only stood there like stone, arms not even moving around them, they hesitated, pulling back.

I was met with vibrant eyes that shined the brightest crimson and a curious face. He regarded me slowly, watching as my skin drained of all color.

I was already feeling a little faint from the loss of blood and the constant thrumming ache at the back of my head, but this made everything worse. Somehow, I was still standing on my own two feet despite the wounds I had already endured and I doubted I could survive through anything else.

"Apparently not," he said dryly. "Ten years of our parting and all you can do is stare at me as if I have a mouth full of jagged teeth like drummer boy." His hand came up to touch the gold talisman from my pendant, weaving it between his fingers before unraveling it. He spun it around a finger like ribbon, looking back up at me with a sweet smile that reached his eyes. Despite that, I knew he was anything but innocent. Something told me he had the disposition of a sinner. "I'm guessing you haven't gotten rid of him yet?"

I couldn't answer.

He shrugged, running his fingers through dark locks. "Alright, no big deal. I'll take care of him. No need for you to shed another drop of precious blood, darling." Before I could stop him, he was already in front of the door, unwrapping the gold talisman from the handle. As if in anticipation for something, he backed up a few steps.

The whole door fell over, bringing up clouds of dust and a heavier scent of musk. There was silence as I held my breath, waiting for what would happen next.