[𝟗] 𝐖𝐈𝐍𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐖𝐎𝐍𝐃𝐄𝐑𝐋𝐀𝐍𝐃 ( descendants ) [DISCONTINUED]

─ chapter eleven

Mackenzie had drifted off into sleep eventually and found herself falling. Falling falling falling until she landed in a room. She slowly got to her feet and looked around. It was dark. She knew exactly where she was.

"No... not this again..." She began to panic. "No..." She began to breathe quickly. Blood began to slide along the floor, edging closer to Kenzie. She began to back away from it, taking shaky breaths. "No... go away..." She muttered. But suddenly, it all began to fade to white. She looked around in confusion. "Wait... what?" She blinked. She'd never had a dream in such a room before. No blood. No darkness.

"Mackenzie." A familiar voice came from somewhere in the room. Kenzie looked around in confusion. She saw nothing. But something about that voice... she knew it.

"Hello? Who's there?" She called out, spinning from left to right as she searched for the person who the voice belonged to.

"Mackenzie." The voice repeated, now distinctively from behind her, as nearby particles began to rapidly be pulled in, joining in together to form a body. A female body. Kenzie furrowed her eyebrows in confusion, looking at the figure.

"Who... who..." She trailed off, a wave of shock washed over her. Her jaw dropped. "M-mom?" She questioned, staring at the woman. The woman's chest lurched forward slightly as if being revived.

"Mackenzie..." A now fully formed Catherine Hatter said, softer this time. The woman opened her arms widely. Kenzie began to sob almost instantly and ran forward, wrapping her mother in a hug.

"M-mom... b-but you're..." She tried to speak through sobs.

"My darling child." Catherine said, hugging back tightly.

"M-mom... you don't understand how much I need you..." Kenzie sobbed. "You didn't deserve to... to..." She couldn't say it. "I'm so sorry..."

"Shhh...it's alright." her mother said softly, sitting down and bringing Kenzie into her arms as if she was a small child. Kenzie continued to sob, falling into her mother's arms.

"I'm so sorry..." She whispered.

"What do you have to be sorry for?" Catherine asked gently.

"For what happened to you..." Kenzie sobbed, holding her mother tighter.

"It wasn't your fault." Catherine said softly.

"Th-that's what everyone says..." Kenzie looked into her mother's eyes. "I just want you back..."

"You know I can't come back, little wonder." Catherine smiled sadly. "That's how life goes."

"You should still be here..." Kenzie shook her head. "Please... don't leave me again..."

"I have to." Catherine sighed. "I wish that I didn't have to. But I do." She added as she began to become a bit more translucent

"No..." Kenzie said desperately, tightening her grip on her mother. Tears were streaming down her cheeks. "No! Please... don't go... no..." She begged.

"I'm sorry, little wonder." Catherine said, her voice fading away as her body did too. "Follow your dreams. Live a happy life. Remember. I love you. And I'm always there with you." She finished, her voice growing fainter as her body grew more and more translucent.

"No..." Kenzie reached out, trying to grip onto her mother. "Please... no... don't leave me..." She begged through sobs.

"What are you talking about?" Her mother's voice came from behind her again as the body disappeared and Kenzie tumbled to the ground. This time it wasn't the warm voice Kenzie had just heard. It was still her mother's voice... but ice cold instead. "I'm still here." The voice continued, but something was different. A second voice was echoing the first, this one male, and sounding completely insane and malicious.

"No..." Kenzie sobbed. "No... no!" She shouted. She tried to get up but there was this weight forcing her down. She couldn't breathe. She looked down. Blood. Her hands were covered in blood. They were in a pile of blood. She followed the trail of crimson droplets to see the horror in front of her. Her mother's body. Dead body. Her stomach slashed and ripped open, bleeding out. Kenzie let out a scream and began to sob heavily.

"We're still here Mackenzie." The cold voices said as a shadowy figure approached the vulnerable girl.

"No!" Kenzie sobbed, trying to scramble away. "I just want my mum!" She cried. "Go away!" She looked down at her bloody hands and then looked at her mother's body again. Kenzie's eyes filled with fear.

"Mackenzie, Mackenzie," The figure with the male voice said, moving closer to her. "When will you learn?"

"L-learn what?!" Kenzie asked in a vulnerable voice. "No! Go away!" She cried, backing away. However, she landed straight in the pool of her mother's blood. The man laughed maniacally again.

"Oh, Mackenzie, MACKENZIE!" The voice suddenly changed to one of a frightened teenage girl and Kenzie's world began to spin. Kenzie suddenly jolted upright, breathing heavily, tears spilling down her cheeks. Her eyes darted around. She was in her dorm. Her eyes eventually met the worried eyes of Elyse.

"Oh god." Elyse breathed, clearly relieved. She pulled Kenzie in a hug. Kenzie tensed up at the contact at first but then just broke down in Elyse's arms.

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