The Valley of the Witch

The hunt

I was eating breakfast when a loud knock resounded through my house.

I walked to the window and tried to sneak a peek without being discovered. "Who is it?" I shyly asked, seeing as no one was at the door. When no answer was given I sighed and walked back to the table to continue my breakfast. Suddenly, there was a loud bang and the sound of my door breaking open. I didn't have time to turn around before I was quickly blindfolded and held tight. "Who is this and why are you doing this to me?!" I struggled to break free but found whoever had their hold on me had an iron grip.

"You know, I've always wanted to get rid of you. I just needed a reasonable excuse to do so." I could feel the cold smile in her voice as I was being tied up.

"Claire is that you?" I silently asked as I stopped struggling, knowing it was useless. The ropes around my joints tightened and I was dropped to the floor with a powerfull force. I gave a small yelp of pain but otherwise kept quiet.

"That is correct my little doll." Claire held me by my neck and forced a small pill down my throat.

"You will now do exactly as I tell you. You have lost all control to your body. You are under my control now." She lowly whispered to my ear as if seducing someone. My mind started to fog and my body started to numb down.

"No! Stop it! I refuse to obey you!" I screamed as loudly as I could before my skin slowly lost its color, turning pale to such a degree it was almost gray. I suddenly felt hollow and cold, VERY cold. There was a numbness and stiffness to my limbs as my breaths became shallow.

"Try as you will this curse won't be lifted. In fact, the harder you try to resist it, the stronger it is." Claire gave a wicked laugh as her hands tightened on my neck. I gagged and coughed as I tried to break free.

"I can't breathe..." I gasped for the air that my lungs desperately begged for.

"Soon enough you won't need to." I felt something sharp and wide stab into my stomach. But I never felt any pain, only a slight discomfort. I groaned lightly.

"It seems the side effects are starting to kick in." Claire noted as she hummed pleasantly.

"I never understood why you hated me so much." My throat filled up with tears.

"You always ruin my plans. Your annoying morals got in the way of my perfect plan. Stealing my prince away from me, I could've ruled over the land by now if you hadn't charmed him with your innocent act." Claire growled slightly as if just the thought angered her.

"You would've started another war if you had the throne. Please understand I don't want anyone getting hurt, that includes you." I smiled as much as I could with the curse still wearing down on me. It took all my force of will and sheer determination to keep my counsiousness. Claire stood silent for a moment as she took my words in.

"Don't try to trick me with your innocent and sweet act!" Claire suddenly grew even angrier as she reached out and gave me a harsh slap across the face.

"I wasn't trying to-" I was cut off with a sudden urge to throw up and when I did, I could taste blood on my mouth. Blood! This is my blood I'm throwing up!

"This is punishment for your sins, little witch." Claire pressed harder on my throat until everything turned black.

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As William reached the door to Elizabeth's house, he realized there was something odd today about her house. He couldn't understand why, but he felt a need to go away from there and all sorts of trouble. His other instincs told him to stay there and look for Elizabeth. He noted the thrown down door but still carried on. "Lizzy?" William looked to the mess in the living room.

After receiving no answer he slowly walked inside, his boots stepping on a large puddle of blood on the floor. William leaned down to the ground and inspected the trails of blood. "Not much signs of struggle and at least two different wounds." His eyes scanned the room as he tried to make scence of what happened there.

"Lizzy, wherever you are I'm going to find you before it's too late." William quickly ran out of the house and followed the faint trail of dried blood into the forest.