Blinded (A Sequel to "Sight")

Suspicion

    Rose listened to the muffled conversation through the door, continuing to sulk on the couch. Everything was just going wrong. First the notes, then Griffin’s death, now Benton’s death. Why couldn’t things just go back to the way they were?

    The voices slowly died down, until eventually, they were completely gone. Rose looked up at the door. Why were they so silent?

    Finally, Rose got up and walked over to the door. She slowly opened it up, to find both her mother and Varian gone. She furrowed her eyebrows. Where had they gone?

    A sudden arm wrapped around her, and a hand covered her mouth. Rose’s eyes widened as a voice spoke in her ear.

    “Stay quiet. I don’t need anybody knowing about this.”

    Rose, though, tried screaming anyway.

    The person sighed, their voice deep and gravelly. “Fine, we’ll do it the hard way.”

    Rose fell limp, and everything around her went black.

   

~Varian’s POV~

    Varian and Elisha padded up to Rae’s small house, and knocked on the door. A tall woman with deep auburn hair opened the door-- Rae’s mother.

    “Oh, hello. Have you come to visit Rae?” she asked.

    “Yes,” Varian nodded. Rae’s mother stepped out of the way to let them in.

    “Rae! You have some visitors!” 

    Rae appeared in a hallway. She looked at Varian and Elisha in surprise. “Oh! I wasn’t expecting you today. Is Rose with you?”

    Varian shook his head. “No. But… can we talk to you?”

    Rae looked at her mother for a split-second before turning back to the two visitors. “Of course.”

    The girl led them into a small room that was full of a few tables and bookshelves. Various potions sat throughout the room.

    “Sorry it’s such a mess,” she chuckled, moving some papers around. “So, what did you want to talk about?”

    Varian wrung his fingers. “Now, we don’t want to sound like we’re accusing you of anything but-”

    “Did you use a serum on Benton?” Elisha demanded.

    Rae’s face was full of shock. “No! Of course not.” Then she raised an eyebrow. “What serum, anyway?”

    “The serum I use to turn Rudiger into a giant beast,” Varian explained.

    Rae turned to a table and picked up a test tube full of a neon green substance. “Well, I am trying to make it, but I don’t have it right yet. And why would I even use it on Benton?”

    Varian put his hands up. “Like I said, I’m not trying to accuse you of anything-”

    “But you still came over here and asked me if I did it!” Rae yelled. “So you thought I would actually do that?”

    “No, of course not-”

    “Get out of my house!” Rae screamed. She narrowed her eyes and grumbled something under her breath. Varian could just barely hear it. I don’t know what Rose sees in you.

    Varian and Elisha quickly scrambled out of the house, Varian burning with anger. How could Rae say that about him? And to think we were getting along.

    Elisha sighed. “Well, I guess Benton must’ve accidentally gotten into your serum.”

    Varian clenched his hand into a fist. “No. There has to be more to this. That serum works almost instantly, and I didn’t see him at all today.”

    “Is there anyone else who could’ve possibly replicated your serum?” Elisha inquired.

    Varian thought hard. “Well… Rae does have another friend she sometimes hangs out with.”

    “Who’s that?”

    Varian turned to look at her. “His name is Kenny.”

~Rose’s POV~

   

    Rose groggily woke up, her eyesight blurry. She looked around. It was still dark, with just a little bit of light emitting from a candle sitting on a table. She reached up to rub her eyes-- her glasses were gone.

    She tried standing up, but her arms were tied to a table leg. Her ankles were also tied together. She looked around anxiously for who had taken her. A brief memory of their voice came into her mind, but that’s all she knew about them.

    A dark figure swept in front of her, the ends of a cloak brushing against her face. Rose tried focusing on them, to try and get a better look. But without her glasses, it was hopeless.

    “What did you do with my glasses?” she demanded.

    The figure glanced at her, their hood still covering their face. “That’s none of your business.”

    “But they’re my glasses-”

    “Shut it!” they shouted. “I can’t have you seeing me clearly.”

    “Why are you doing this?” Rose inquired, trying a softer tone.   

    They didn’t answer.

    “What did I ever do to you?”

    “Nothing.”

    “Then why are you doing this?”

    “Just be quiet!” they growled. They picked up a small test tube filled with a glowing, neon green liquid. Rose recognized that liquid.

    “That’s the serum that turns Rudiger into a beast,” she thought aloud. “How’d you obtain it?”

    “That doesn’t matter.”

    “Hold on…” Thoughts started weaving together in her mind. “Benton… you used that on Benton?”

    “You’re smarter than you look.” They crouched down next to Rose and jabbed her glasses onto her face. “You’ve earned back your glasses. For now.”

    Everything became clearer, yet her kidnapper’s face still remained hidden beneath their cloak. Rose searched the shadows of their hood, but found nothing but darkness. She sighed irritably as they stood back up.

    “Get comfy. You’re going to be here for awhile.”