You Wish

Chapter 15: Facing Your Demons

She was running out of time. A chilling whisper caressed her as she struggled to figure out where she was, who she was. Goosebumps erupted all over her skin, she shuddered deeply but it wasn’t from the cold.

The wind whipped her hair, tearing at her clothes.  She gasped as the crisp air touched her skin. It viciously roared through the trees. Great oaks swayed, bending to the strength of the wind. They threatened to topple over, their huge solid trunks far from stable in the face of the weather. She tilted her head towards the sky. The full moon was colossal, glaring down at the earth through the clouds.

Screeches exploded above her as a murder of crows broke through the trees and into the clear night sky. Their black feathers shimmering in the bright moonlight, as they flooded into the sky. They swallowed the moon and it was gone.

The world grew dark and eerie.

She stepped forward fighting against the darkness. It was pushing her back. She couldn’t go back. Her heart clenched in fear. If she did, there would be consequences and she knew it. Not only for her, but for everyone she cared about.

A glint in the darkness caught her peripherals and she spun on her heel in its direction. Rhiannon’s breath came in pants, as she wondered what it could be. She carefully and slowly took steps towards it. Her curiosity getting the better of her.

Crimson light broke through the darkness.

There it was.

It glowed maliciously under the light. An oval ornate full length mirror, taller than herself. It levitated over the ground as if repelled by the forest floor. A mess of silver thorns and vines tangled around the wooden frame. The twisted shadows seemed to morph and move, the evil glint of the light made her heart beat faster. But she had to see. She couldn’t stop her feet as she moved forward. She struggled against herself but something was controlling her.

Rhiannon pressed her hand against the cool glass. There was no reflection in the mirror, only shadows. Shocks went up her arm as a searing pain filled her. It burnt through her body. She didn’t think she could handle it. She couldn’t. There was no way she could hold it for longer than this second, than this moment.

“You will fail. You’re not good enough. Brave enough. Strong enough. You’ll never be good enough.” A voice invaded her mind. Ancient and powerful, it echoed deeply into her core.

The wind picked up again, more vicious than before. It threw her against the floor. Rhiannon was sprawled on the floor, helpless from the sheer force. She could sense the storm building, the faint sound of thunder called from the distance.

“I can save him! I have to.” Rhiannon yelled against the wind, picking herself up. She fought against the wind and the power that overwhelmed her.

“Like you saved her?” The voice mocked.

The vision in the mirror cleared. Rhiannon spotted her grandmother’s body, blood pooling around her from the wild gash on her neck. It looked like an animal had torn her throat out. It was inhuman. She felt her stomach flip at the sight. She couldn’t stop looking.

It was so macabre. So brutal.

She covered her mouth in shock. They felt wet and sticky. A strange salty, metallic taste filled her mouth as she stared at her hands in horror. Red stains appeared, she couldn’t wipe them off. The mirror seemed to leak blood. Her grandmother’s blood. She couldn’t look away. She couldn’t get rid of it. Everywhere she turned the liquid was oozing towards her.