Black Magic Women

82

Mary made exactly five steps forwards before her legs gave away in pain and the wind was knocked out of her lungs as her body collided with the hard ground. She gasped in pain as Zelda's spell was broken, leaving her in sheer agony in the aftermath of what her body had gone through.

"Fuck," she groaned and didn't even dare to breathe. Her body was frozen in place, not wanting to risk any more additional pain to what she was going through already.

She curled her fists in the mud, a weak attempt of keeping the cry of sheer misery inside of her, and pressed her forehead against the cooling surface of wet earth, trying not to scream out the pain that had been transferred back from Zelda. Only then did she realize how much of it she had actually shared with the ginger and before she could do anything, she lost consciousness and fell into the black hole, waiting to swallow her whole.

The next time she opened her eyes, she looked straight into Sabrina's face and felt a familiar buzz of magic flowing through her veins. The pain started to fade away slowly and she exhaled audibly, knowing she wouldn't have been able to handle the amount of pain for much longer.

She let Sabrina's magic heal her weakened body, enjoying the flow of energy inside of her but as soon as she felt somewhat better she knew she had to make a run for it sooner rather than later.

She pushed the two women off her and stood up, despite their serious effort to keep her down. She stood unsteadily, almost lost her footing again and breathed out heavily. Her vision was blurry and every single muscle in her body hurt immensely and yet she didn't give up. Not when she didn't hear a second heartbeat. Not when she didn't feel Zelda's mind cuddled up against hers. Not when she didn't know if the ginger was still alive.

"I really don't think you should be walking right now," Hilda said and grabbed her arm, trying to get her to lie back down but Mary wasn't having any of it. They didn't have to go through what she was going through. The emptiness ripping through her was suffocating her. Only now that it was gone, did she realize how much of Zelda she actually felt and heard and now that it was gone, she was beyond just worried.

"I- Ahh- need to get..." she said but talking hurt so she stopped for a second, holding her side in pain. She almost fell at that, her knees protesting at the weight they were supposed to carry, despite the intense pain shooting through them and hadn't it been for Hilda supporting her, she would have crashed straight into the ground.

"What you need is some good rest," Hilda finished the brunette's sentence and tried to nudge her into the direction of their home but Mary refused to budge. She wouldn't just lie down and enjoy a cup of tea after everything that had happened. She needed to get to Zelda.

"Zelda," was all Mary managed to get out before all of them stopped in their tracks, all eyes on the brunette.

The brunette didn't want to believe her ears, not wanting to accept the truth they delivered to her. No, it couldn't be true. She had killed him. She had rammed a knife into his neck. She had freed them of his haunting. She had done it.

"I know you are here somewhere, Lilith," Adam's voice echoed through the woods and Mary broke into tears, not being able to hold them back any longer. The nightmare was too real for her to handle and she shook her head in sheer denial.

"But I killed him. That's not possible," she said and started to slowly pace around even though she probably should have saved her energy for the upcoming fight. All the while Hilda and Sabrina kept transferring their energy to Mary, knowing fully well that it was the least they could do right now.

The two women shared a worried glance and all that was left for them to do was try to puzzle the pieces together on their own, figuring that Mary wouldn't be much of a help in the current state they found her in.

"Come to me my bird," he said and the blood started to boil in Mary's veins. It was not fair that he got to torment her, while she had to endure it. It was not fair that he simply did not die. It was not fair for her to leave Zelda alone. It was not fair.

"Don't go back," Sabrina said once she saw the face of the brunette change drastically. The teenager knew that face. She had worn the same determined face once, dead set on getting her way and all it had done was bring pain upon those she loved. She wouldn't let Mary do the same.

"I have to!" Mary countered, still being held in place by Hilda's gentle but firm grip on her arm. She was too weakened to pry her off and too determined to not at least try.

"You'll just give him what he wants," Sabrina said and Mary just screamed in frustration. Her mind was driving her insane. She couldn't hear anything. The numbness was deafening and she felt her heart wail about its loss. No, she refused to believe that the ginger was gone. Not while she was still alive.

"I don't care. If he wants me then he can have me," Mary hissed and finally managed to get her arm free of its prison and all the three of them sprung to life at the same time. Mary desperate to keep them away; Hilda and Sabrina desperate to keep her in place.

"I am sorry," Mary said before she channeled Zelda's magic to trap them in place, watching them freeze on their way towards her. Her heart broke at the sight of their frozen bodies and she knew that this could mean the end of her. With no one there to help, she was risking more than just an injury.

"I just have to..." Mary whispered before she took one last look at the two women and made her way back to the place she had just escaped from. She knew it was probably exactly what he wanted. She knew that Zelda would kill her for doing so, if she could but she didn't care.

She felt his presence before she saw him and the simple sight of him made her anger reach a new high. How dare he smirk at her after everything he had done? How dare he still breathe when she had killed him?

Her eyes searched for Zelda, wishing for her to stand somewhere, bound in a magic trap or simply anything that would explain the absence of her mind but she couldn't see her anywhere, nor did she feel her.

"Why are you still alive?" Mary whispered and Adam broke into laughter that shook the ground underneath them.

"I don't die that easily, sweetheart," he said and she felt the adrenaline that had driven her up to this point slowly give up on her. No, not now when she needed it the most. Her body couldn't just fail her now.

"Where is she?" She asked, not sure if she even wanted the answer to her question.

A gut wrenching smirk appeared on his face and before he even said anything, did Mary know the answer.

"No," she breathed out and watched him step aside to reveal ginger curls lying on the ground.

"No," she said as her eyes landed upon Zelda's pale face.

"No," she whispered before she sunk to her knees.