Maledictus

Ch. 1 - Arrival

SHE HELD IT to the light.

The letter had so many crease lines, all of them fluffy to the outside from the many times it was folded and unfolded.

Likewise, the paper was soft to the touch, the blue ink had run but only slightly.

She was sitting bleary eyed, hair in tangles at the table, munching her way slowly through a mouthful of cereal.

"I'm assuming you didn't take my advice" he retorted, barely looking up from the Daily Prophet, the photos moving silently on the front page.

"I never do"

He nodded towards her breakfast, and she shoved two spoonfuls in her mouth, feeling milk dribble from between her pale lips.

"Happy?" she snapped, swallowing.

"No" he answered. "I'm mildly annoyed"

It was if every eyelash weighed more than it should, and gravity had been turned up ten fold.

Her eyes start to close, her head falling gently to the side.
But, she jolted upwards, her body letting her know she almost fell asleep.
Her eyes grew wider than they should be, feeling confused.

She was exhausted. Unbelievably so.

"Leave the letters and sleep" he said kindly.

"I can't"

The wand was raised,
The tip at her temple,
Falling onto the hundreds of similar bodies, soaked in their own blood.

"The wedding is in four days"

"I know" she replied, scribbling in her notepad.

"You need to be at least awake" he said. "Leave the letters Alice, and sleep"

Crimson flowing out of her arms,
Barely alive,
Only happy memories rushing through her foggy mind.

"I'm going to pack, okay?"

"You did that yesterday"

The stress spread through her mind like the ink on the endless letters.
She took in a deep, ragged breath before placing her hands, enclosed together, onto the table.

"I'm not hungry"

He looked at her. "What's wrong Alice?"

"Nothing you'd understand, James"

And then she was dead,
Laying in a pool of her own blood.