Rise Of The Guardians: Bloody Mary

5) Helpful Enemies

        Mary spun around to meet the voice head on. She recognized it, remembered it clearly from only a few hours before. Two shining daggers crystallized in each hand. She was not going to be the damsel in distress this time. Not here. Not in her own home. She saw him, tall and thin, cloaked in darkness, hiding at the edge of the forest. She felt an uncomfortable sense of deja vu, and decided to not let it get the better of her. She growled his name.

“Pitch Black.”

“I must say, I didn’t expect to see you here.” He attempted with every fiber of his being to keep his incredible relief out of his voice. He would not let her know that he wasn’t in control, even for a second, “I didn’t expect to see you again at all really.”

“Turns out I’m harder to kill than you thought.” she sneered.

“There’s no need to be so hostile, Mary.” his voice was calm, comforting almost, “Why don’t you come over here and we can talk. Civilly.”

Mary laughed, “Oh, of course, right, I’ll just step out of the moonlight, into the shadows, where neither one of us will have a clear advantage at all.”

“I’m not going to hurt you Mary.” Pitch said, his normally pious tone turned to something more sympathetic and understanding.

“You tried to kill me.” Mary retorted, “You tried to kill me today.”

“I never meant for you to get hurt. It was an act, to get you away from Frost.”

“I don’t want to hear it, Pitch. Leave me alone.”

Pitch sighed wearily, and began to walk deeper into the forest, “For someone who’s seeking friendship, you’re pretty fast to turn people away.”

Mary felt rage bubble up inside her. She ran to the forest edge, fragments of mirror flying after pitch, who through the darkness up just in time. Mary lunged at him, her blade at his throat, “What makes you think that I’d ever want you as a friend? All you do is ruin lives.”

Pitch put his hand to her wrist so gently that Mary forgot to keep her daggers up, and they shattered into dust. He lowered her hand from his neck and held it, gazing into her startled eyes. She felt fear snake into her mind, but reminded herself that it was just because he was here, it wasn’t because she was afraid. She didn’t really know how to react to the situation, he wasn’t doing anything aggressive, just looking at her, barely even smiling. He was calm and gentle and Mary was taken completely off guard. Finally he spoke, “You really don’t remember anything, do you?”

She stammered, “Wha- What do you mean?”

“We were friends Mary.” he didn’t let go of her hand, and refused to drop her gaze, “A long time ago. I was always there for you. How could you have forgotten me?”

She pulled away from him, deeply disturbed by the whole situation, “You’re lying. I don’t even know you.”

“And you don’t even know you, either.” He said, regaining his more pious tone, he adjusted his robes and turned to leave, “And you don’t know what this place is, and you don’t know what happened here, you don’t know what happened to you, or why you’re here, or anything else really. It seems there are a lot of things that you just don’t know.”

“Wait!” Mary called, she was so confused but he clearly knew things about her, and she wanted answers, “Wait a second. Pitch!”

He turned quickly, covering the distance he had put between them faster than what seemed possible, he leaned down so there faces were inches apart. His glare was angry and evil but he kept his ever present smile. She started stumbling back, and he caught her by the arm and held her steady, “Here’s an idea Mary. Why don’t you go find out. All the memories you could want are stored away ever so neatly at The Tooth Palace,” he chuckled maniacally, “But be warned Mary dear, the answer probably aren’t the ones you want to hear.” with that he vanished into the darkness.