Chapter 5:
White marbled tiles swirled with black stretched down the long hallway. Windows were scattered every few feet down the left wall. They were adorned with heavy red velvet curtains much like the one we passed through to get into the hallway. Grey light spilled though the windows onto the hallway floors, giving the hallway a truly eerie feel. We moved down the hallway and I couldn’t help but admire the magnificence of all that surrounded me. There were grand chairs made of cherry wood and gold and red silk. There were devastatingly beautiful statues. Some were of maternal figures with peaceful faces, holding children or baskets of fruit and bread, draped in flowing fabrics. Some were of vibrant young men, nude, in some pensive pose. Others were griffins, fauns, mermaids, and other creatures you would expect from a C.S. Lewis novel or a fairy tale. Then there was the artwork. Paintings of fantastical landscapes colored the walls. Fields of fresh flowers, mountains, waterways, beaches, and cities were all framed by amazingly detailed woodwork. There was so much beauty that the cold look of the black stone behind them was barely noticeable. Here and there would be cherry wood armoires and desks, with flowers and vines carved into them, topped with bronze candelabras holding ivory candles. As they burned I could smell the scent of magnolias permeating from the burning wax. The doors, oversized, most of them double with crystal doorknobs, were also fashioned out of cherry wood, amazing scenes carved into each one. There were scenes of people farming, of beautiful gardens with hummingbirds and butterflies, or lovers intertwined under a grove of trees. I was thoroughly impressed. It was hard to believe that such a lover of art could be such a cruel and sadistic person.
We reached the last door on the right side of the hallway. The gangleus moved its arms in the same fashion that it had in the cell. The double doors parted and we entered a great room. The ceiling was high. It met in a point over a massive bed that was set on a pedestal at the far end of the room. Jade colored chiffon floated down from the ceiling parting over the bed. The bed had four posts, carved out of a deep colored mahogany. Carved, intricate vines wrapped around the large posts. Jade satin covered the bed with small darker colored leaves and white flowers embroidered on the comforter. Against the right wall was a large mahogany armoire, with flowers and vines carved into the edges. A large full length mirror framed in brass stood next to it. A large painting of a morning meadow scene was centered on the wall over a mahogany table scattered with cosmetics, crystal perfume holders, a three prong brass candelabra and a small mirror. On the left wall under the window was a large white claw foot tub.
At that moment I realized for the first time that there were three other creatures in the room. They stood next to the tub, each of them identical in white flowing linen gowns. Their skin was sallow, their hair an unkempt mass of dull, dirty brown. Their eyes had dark shadows beneath them. They would have looked completely human had it not been for their completely black eyes.
My feet touched the floor for the first time since we had left the cell. I looked over to the gangleus and then to the three woman creatures, waiting for someone to move or say something.
“Get her cleaned up. The queen will want to see her soon. She needs to look presentable,” the gangleus said with its gruff voice. It turned its back to exit and laughed quietly as it exited the room.
No sooner than the door had shut that the three woman creatures started coming towards me. It was as if they didn’t walk, but floated over the tile. I tried to think of something to say, but my mind was a complete blank. They surrounded me on all three sides and ripped off my negligee.
I threw up my hands and yelled, “Hey! What are you doing?”
They reached down and tore off my underwear effortlessly. They pushed me back onto the marble floor. I let out a groan as my left shoulder protested in agony as it hit the cold tile. They pulled off my flip flops, grabbed both of my arms and pulled me up off of the floor. The air was cold against my naked flesh. Goosebumps stood out on every inch of me. They pulled me over to the tub.
“Wait a minute, I will get in myself. Just don’t throw me ok?” I looked at each one and plead with my eyes. I stepped into the tub and screamed as the warm water hit my many scrapes and wounds. The acid burn on my right calf caused a stabbing pain to run up my leg as I lowered myself further into the water. I removed the makeshift bandage from my left shoulder. Pus, scabs and destroyed flesh appeared in front of my eyes. My stomach turned over and I thought I might vomit. One of the woman creatures dipped a sponge into the tub and squeezed water over my shoulder. I screamed in agony. Tears of pain ran down my face.
All of the sudden, I felt all of their hands on my head at once shoving it down under the water. I began to struggle, sloshing water over the side of the tub as my arms and my legs flailed. They pulled me up by my hair and giggled in unison. Their voices had an ethereal bell like quality. They poured a fluid that smelled like rose petals into my hair and started to work it in. After a few minutes they dunked my head back under, rinsing the rose soap out of my hair. They threw the sponge at me from earlier.
“You may wash yourself,” the three voices snapped.
I ran I moved the sponge lightly over my skin, going over all of the angry looking scrapes on my pale skin. The bath water had become murky from all of the dirt that had covered me. I scrubbed my face with the sponge, sighing as the warm water ran across my face. I wondered why the queen was doing this. Why clean me up? It made no sense to put me through so much just to polish me up now.
The three woman creatures pulled me up out the tub, shoving plush white towels, as soft as Egyptian cotton into my hands.
“Dry yourself off,” they commanded.
I wrapped one of the towels around my hair and stepped out of the tub. I began to dry myself off being careful not to rub against my large wounds.
As I dried off, the three of them walked over to the armoire. They started filling their arms with items. They started laying the items on the edge of the bed and motioned for me to come over to where they are. When I got to the side of the bed where they stood I looked at the items scattered on the bedspread. There was a long silver satin gown, a white corset and white lacy underpants, a silver shawl, and a pair of silver heels. I stared at the garments in disbelief. Why in the world was I being dressed up?
Before I could ask, one of the woman creatures took the towel from my hair and lifted my arms, her black eyes moving in their sockets as she looked me over. The other two woman creatures pulled the white corset over my head down to my middle section. They began to pull violently on the laces, making it hard for me to breathe. I took in a breath to begin my protest, but before I could say anything the woman creature that held my arms reached back and smacked me in my face. The sting remained long after as shocked tears ran down my cheeks. There was a coppery blood taste in my mouth. The smack had slightly busted both of my lips.
The woman creature handed me the lacy underpants and I put them on, with no questions or protest. She lifted my arms again as they slipped the lustrous silver gown onto me. The woman creature reached over to the bed and picked up the sterling heels. I slipped them onto my feet.
As soon as the heels were in place I was being pulled over to the dressing table. One of the woman creatures picked up a large brush covered in harsh looking bristles. She began to work out the tangles of my hair, causing my head to jerk back often, taking no care to be gentle. One of the others began on my makeup. She brushed powders and smoothed liquids over my face, accentuating my cheeks with rouge, applying a berry colored balm to my somewhat swollen lips. She dusted a silvery shadow over my eyes, lined them with charcoal and darkened my lashes. The third woman creature started to cover my exposed skin with a jasmine scented powder that irritated my scratched up flesh. Luckily, she was kind enough to avoid my destroyed left shoulder. She spritzed my neck and wrists with a floral perfume.
The final touch to my little “makeover” was two silver combs decorated with realistic looking silver roses being placed into my ha
ir to hold the top of it back. The three woman creatures backed away from me and walked over to the bed. One of them walked back over to me and brought me the silver shawl.
“You will use this to cover your shoulder when you appear in front of the queen.” Her eyes bore down into mine and I just nodded in compliance. “We will leave you now. The queen will see you shortly.”
The three woman creatures floated out of the room. They slammed the doors behind them and I heard the turn of a lock afterwards. I stood up and walked over to the full length mirror to have a look at myself. My straw colored hair fell in silky strands to my shoulders. My grey eyes returned the sparkle of the silver shadow that was dusted on the lids around them. I would have looked like a princess if it weren’t for all of the little angry red marks that covered me. My left shoulder looked diseased. It was truly the definition of repulsive. I prayed that if I made it out of this alive that my arm would not need to be amputated.
I walked over to the window to see the outside for the first time. Mountaintops stretched out as far as the eye could see. Fog encircled them like halos. I could see no bottom, no valley to the jagged structures. I started to honestly wonder if I could have ever made it through the tunnel to get here, had I not been captured. We seemed to be very high up, maybe over a day’s journey to the ground. A flock of black birds with red eyes were flying by in the distance, their screeching echoing through the mountains.
I turned away from the gloominess of the window and walked over to the bed. Since I was to meet the queen, and apparently no one wanted to kill me yet, I decided a small nap couldn’t hurt. I kicked off the silver heels at the side of the bed. I laid down upon the satin comforter smoothing out my dress and placing my hair behind me as I settled in. My face sunk into the softness of the pillow. My muscles relaxed one by one. I closed my eyes and drifted off to sleep.
I walked through the grand hallway, my silver gown flowing around me. The hallway seemed to stretch for miles and miles. My pace was brisk. Andrew was waiting for me. Joy radiated through my entire body. A brilliant smile was painted across my lips. As I passed each door my joy grew because I knew I was closer. The end of the hallway came into view. Two pearly white doors were there. The doors were trimmed and gold and adorned with cherubs atop clouds with golden lining. Tears of happiness flowed down my face as I closed the distance.
I reached the doors and took in a deep breath as I pulled at the golden knobs. My eyes were over whelmed by the décor. Everything was drenched in pearl white and gold, the furniture, the draperies, the ivory four post bed tied with white chiffon drapes with gold lining. My face fell as I looked on the bed. All of the sudden, it was hard to find the air. I was unable to breathe in, being suffocated by the weight of the image before my eyes.
There Andrew was, sleeping peacefully under the covers with some woman by his side, a peaceful smile stretched across his beautiful face. She smiled a victorious grin at me from the pillow next to him, her shiny chocolate colored hair framing her pale face, her brown eyes shining evilly with glee.
I tried to bring myself to move, to do something. I screamed at the top of my lungs as I began to fly backwards, the woman’s laughter filling the hallway as doors, statues, curtains, and furniture turned into a blur. As I screamed, I knew that I would never be able to stop screaming. I would scream forever and it would be my hell to bear.
I woke up screaming. I clutched my hair and began searching my surrounding franticly to make sure it was only a dream. My eyes rested upon the figures that stood at the end of my bed and my screaming was silenced by the fear that now choked me.
There she stood. She was a slender, graceful woman. Her chocolate hair curled at her shoulders and her chestnut eyes glowed beneath long lashes. She wore a long black gown that fit her slim figure snugly. Her red lips were curled into the most curious smile. Her skin was pale, but darker than mine. Her high cheekbones were colored ever so lightly with rouge. My stomach tied in knots under her gaze. I took note that she had brought two guards with her. There was one gangleus on each side, staring down at me as well.
“You were having a nightmare,” she giggled. Her voice was youthful. I wondered how old she was.
I stared at her unsure of what to say. I wanted to harm her, to do all of the terrible things that I had resolved to do earlier, but I would be unable to while her protectors stood watch.
“Where is Andrew?” My voice sounded groggy as if I was not fully awake yet.
“Oh, don’t you worry, he is close by. You will get to see him soon enough. You are very lucky you know. He is an amazing man,” she said, smiling down at me with her devil’s grin. Her words stung me like acid. I could feel the fury rising in me once again. “I will leave you to freshen up a little bit. We wouldn’t want you looking anything but your best when you see Andrew. These two will bring you to the Grand Room when you are ready.” She winked at me as she walked away. I wanted to smack the smirk off of her child-like face.
“Brush your hair! Straighten yourself up! You heard her!” the gangleus to the right shouted. At first I refused to move. I would be damned if I did anything the little bitch had to say. Then, I found myself being levitated over to the dressing table. When my feet hit the floor again the gangleus spoke again, “I suggest you do as she said to do. If you refuse we will have to force you and I promise you, you won’t like it.”
I sat down at the dressing table and removed the silver combs from my hair so that I could brush it out. I ran the brush through the few tangles that I had accumulated during my nap. I stared into the small mirror on the table and placed the combs where they had been originally. I ran my pinky finger under my eyes to straighten out my smudged eyeliner. I opened the small ornate silver pot of berry colored balm that the woman creature had used earlier. I applied a small amount, flinching as my finger ran over my lips where they had been busted.
“Ok, I am ready,” I stated in annoyance looking back and forth at the two gangleus.
“Not quite,” one of them said. It walked over to the bead and picked up the silver shawl. It approached me and threw it in my face. “Cover up that disgusting shoulder and put on your shoes.”
I shot the gangleus a look of complete and total hatred. I gently wrapped the shawl around my shoulders. My left shoulder stung when the fabric touched it, but the sensation passed quickly. I walked over to the side of the bed where I had kicked off the heels earlier and slipped my feet into them. I held my hand out to the sides and did a quick turn as if I was modeling.
“There. Are you satisfied now?”
They just huffed at me and turned away. My feet left the ground and I was floating after them as they moved to exit the room. The doors opened. As we made our way out into the hallway I wondered if I was really about to see Andrew or if it was just some cruel trick the queen was submitting me to. I prayed either way that he was unharmed and tried to remain skeptical, knowing that allowing myself such a high hope could be mentally disastrous if her words did prove to be false.
We moved through the double doors at the end of the hallway into a new hallway. The hallway was much like the last hallway. There were sculptures of children playing, of gods and goddesses from past mythologies, and of lovers dancing. There were more fantastical paintings, most of them of night scenes and schooners or great ships sailing. This time the curtains were a translucent royal blue. The furnishings were carved out of a golden oak, accented with bold blue and white paisley fabrics. The doors were all oak as well. The candelabras were brass as opposed to bronze, complimenting the blues that dominated here. Everything was perfectly matched. The scent of magnolias from the candles filled the hall like the last.
I thought about how much of a deception there was here. Any creature would enter here and find themselves overtaken by the beauty of the art, the décor, the care taken in every minute detail. How could you not find yourself lucky, surrounded by such rich extravagance? However it was all a façade. This place was truly death disguised by a beauti
ful mask to cover up the decay. Madness ran ramped under the beauty. Somewhere in this castle slaughters were taking place to fill the river that ran to the queens bathing pool. I tried to keep this in mind as we traveled down this exquisite hallway as to not find myself under the spell of the place’s beauty.
We came to a corner and took a right. The mood shifted immediately. The hallway was dark and windowless. Burgundy chiffon came down from the ceiling, separating the hallway into small sections. Burgundy candles burned on black ornate candleholders attached to the walls. They provided the only light here. Without them, the corridor would be lost to darkness. There were paintings of medieval looking people on the walls. All of their faces were morbid or twisted into scowls. It felt as though I had entered Dracula’s castle. All warmth and comfort that had radiated from the art and beauty of the halls that had proceeded here quickly faded. We came to the end of the hallway. The dark mahogany double door that stood there sent shivers up my spine. In it was a scene of destruction. Human skulls, warring angels, snarling demons, and death were etched into every inch of this gruesome entrance.
The gangleus on the right looked to the one on the right and they nodded simultaneously. They moved their arms back and brought them together in one synchronized motion. The doors opened and we floated into a large room that reminded me of a cathedral. The black stone walls were rounded. The same black candleholders from the hallway and stained glass windows stood as the only ornaments for their bleakness. The windows were a horrific thing to behold. Scenes of sacrifices, people being thrown into hellfire, murders, and betrayals were painted across them. Heartbreaking, tortured, symphonic music played on my heartstrings as it flowed through my ears. The violins sounded as if they were crying; mourning the loss of someone they loved. I could not find the source of the music as I scanned the room. A single, wide, plush burgundy rug lay in the center of the room. A burgundy couch sat at each of the four corners surrounding a wide, round, mahogany table. All of the legs of the furniture had been carved into what looked like bear paws which only added to the already very morbid feel of the room.
I heard a door shut behind me. I took notice that my wardens had left me as I looked backward. I started to search the room, looking for some purpose for me to have been brought here and left alone. My eyes widened as they came to rest on the far corner of the room. It felt as though my heart might stop.
There he stood, radiant, and devastatingly beautiful. It was Andrew. He wore his navy blue work scrubs, his rich brown hair slightly curling at his jaw. He looked completely unscathed, not a scratch on his perfect olive toned skin. I stood drinking the vision of him in, as though I had never seen him before. I searched his face. He looked tired, emotionally strung out, and melancholy. Dark shadows rested under his glowing hazel eyes, which were just a little greener than usual.
I had to remind myself to breathe, noticing that I was light headed. I wanted so much to run forward, for it to be real, but at the same time I was terrified that I would be disappointed once more. I gathered up my courage and went to run, but stopped just as quickly as I started.
There she stood, just a few feet from him. He towered over her, as he did most people, but she did not look intimidated. She quickly glanced over to me and a smile played at the corner of her lips. She looked back over at Andrew and up into his eyes.
“Andrew, why don’t we move over to one of the couches? We will be able to continue our conversation much more comfortably there,” she said, a smile apparent in her voice as she held out her arm toward the couches suggestively. She began to walk forward and he followed her, his head hung low, staring at the floor.
She lowered herself gracefully onto the couch farthest from where I stood. She patted the cushion next to her, motioning for him to sit down. She flipped her hair back behind her, her vibrant chocolate hair bouncing as is it were made of springs. He sat, but kept his distance. I smiled. This charade had gone on long enough.
I walked forward and called out to him, “Andrew, I am here!” However, he did not stir. He did not even glance upward. I quickened my pace toward them, careful to not twist my ankles in the ridiculous heels that I wore and called out again. “Baby, I am here. Look, it’s me, Torey.” He still did not move. I began to run, slightly alarmed.
As, I made it to the edge of the burgundy rug, I fell backward. I stood up, confused, and started to approach again; this time slowly with my hands held out in front of me. As I came to the edge of the rug, my hands came to rest on a barrier of sorts. Though I could feel it, I was unable to see it. I began to bang against it with my fists in attempt to break it. The queen looked over at me again and grinned
“So, Andrew, where were we before I so rudely interrupted?” she beamed over at him, consuming him with her eyes.
Andrew sat completely still. It was as though he was in a trance. He stared at the floor, his expression hollow, his hands resting folded in his lap. My curiosity over what he had been through since he arrived burned inside of me. I longed to go over, to wipe away the despair from his face.
“That’s right we were discussing Torey,” she continued, her grin widening.
I started to bang on the barrier harder, “You bitch! Let me talk to him! Let him see me!” Angry, mascara stained tears fell down my face.
Andrew looked up and I stopped banging. For a moment I thought he had actually heard me. Then he looked over at her, and I realized that he was just preparing to reply to her.
“Torey? Is she here? Do I get to see her?” His voice sounded completely flat, emotionless. My god, what had they done to him.
“Well, that depends on you really,” she said playfully. “I have a proposition for you.” Her face was victorious. It was as if she already had what she sought after.
“What proposition?’ he replied, his words acidic.
“Well, I will let you see Torey. I will even allow you to spend the entire evening with her. In the morning I will send her home unharmed, but you will stay here with me,” she flashed him a smile.
He stared at her and shook his head in disapproval and disgust. “I will never agree to that.”
“Ok, well you do have another option. You can see Torey. You can go home. As a matter of fact you can even go home together.” She stopped, leaning her head to the side, eagerly anticipating what he would say to that.
“You would let us go?” His eyes lit up. His voice was full of child-like innocence.
“Yes, you could go. You could leave together, but I don’t think you will be very happy if you do,” she replied, purposely being vague. My blood boiled. I hated the way she was toying with him.
“I don’t think I follow,” he replied confused, his brow furrowing with concern.
“Well, you could leave together, but Torey’s blood will be forfeited as the price. Take her home with you if you like. You could arrange a nice funeral for her. I think she would just look breathtaking. Can you imagine, her pale skin, her golden hair surrounded by white lilies, purple orchids perhaps? What do you think?” She started to laugh.
I wanted nothing more than to be able to talk to Andrew right then. I wanted to tell him to agree to nothing. I did not care how many minions she had. If she wanted my blood she would have to fight me for it. She could have Andrew over my dead body, and only under the literal sense of that would I allow it to be possible. I clenched my fists, homicidal thoughts stirring in my mind.
I could see the anger rising in his face. “You are insane! I will never stay here with you! I will never allow you to harm Torey!” His eyes darkened in their rage, burning at her. His scowl was very menacing and intimidating. I don’t think I had ever seen him look so frightening in all of my years of knowing him.
“Is that so,” she replied calmly, clearly amused and completely unaffected by his angry words. She snapped her fingers and instantaneously two gangleus were at his side. He was held, paralyzed by whatever magic they possessed. She snapped her fingers again and all of the sudden two gangleus app
eared at my side as well. I tried to struggle unsuccessfully.
“Torey, it is so nice to have you join our little chat,” she said, her voice overbearingly sweet.
Andrew glanced over and saw me. His eyes widened and started brimming with tears as he looked me over head to toe. “Torey?”
My heart skipped a beat as I realized that he could see me for the first time. I started falling apart piece by piece, “Oh Andrew, “I sobbed,” I am so sorry. I tried so hard. I tried to save you. I have failed us both.” I unraveled into a hysterical mess, finding it hard to breathe between the cries escaping my throat.
He stared at me, tortured, helpless. “Please don’t cry. Baby, it’s ok. It’s going to be ok,” He had started to cry. I could hear the doubt he had behind his own words.
The queen stared at us both, extending her lower lip to mock us. “Isn’t that sweet? What a nice little reunion. As touching as I find all of this, I would really like to wrap this up. So, Andrew, it is time for you to decide.”
Andrew looked over at her in disbelief. “I already told you, I am not staying here! If you harm her I will make you regret it if it is the last thing I do!”
The queen rolled her eyes and sighed. She nodded at one the gangleus that stood next to me. I found myself falling to the floor. The other gangleus stepped out of the room. For a moment there was silence. No one moved or said anything. I stared at the door, waiting for the gangleus to come back.
The door opened and the gangleus entered with a small knife in his hand and an old fashioned pitcher like they had in old time movies for a washing basin. I didn’t have to guess what they were for. Terror possessed me at hand. I looked over to Andrew, trying to look to conjure up my bravest face. I smiled a weak smile.
“Andrew, I love you so much. You know that right?” My lips quivered as I tried to keep myself from crying. “I want you to know that I am sorry for everything I have ever done to hurt you. I always thought it would be you and I, happy forever. That is all I wanted, was to make you happy.” Tears rolled down my cheeks despite my greatest attempts to hold them back.
Andrew started shaking his head in disbelief, his eyes switching from me to the knife clad gangleus. “Why are you talking like that? There is nothing to be sorry for. We’re going to be fine. WE ARE GOING TO BE FINE!” he screamed as if he increased the volume of his words it would make them truer.
The gangleus crossed over into the line of my vision. I floated up from the floor to an upright position. It moved its right arm out ward to its side and my body mimicked its movement. The gangleus looked over to the queen and I followed its gaze. Her look was ecstatic, madness dwelled behind her eyes. She nodded.
It was all so quick that I didn’t even feel it at first. It was when Andrew started to scream that the pain set in. The gangleus had sliced my arm. Blood dripped steadily from my arm into the pitcher that it held. The cut was not as deep as I feared it was at first, but without a bandage or medical attention, I knew that I would lose quite a bit of blood. Either way, my gut told me that this would not be the last injury that I would sustain. She had said that she would bleed me dry if he didn’t stay. I looked over to Andrew.
Andrew’s face was caught in that horrified expression from my nightmare in the tunnel. Tears flowed down his cheeks. He looked as though he might get sick. I started shaking my head at him. It was as if I could read his thoughts. He wanted to save me. What he didn’t really see was that saving me would be far worse than death. Saving me meant an eternity at home while he was captive here, with only my nightmares for company.
“So, what do you say Andrew? Do you want Torey to go home breathing or will you be arranging that lovely funeral we were discussing?” She laughed as she walked up to him and stroked his face with her very feminine graceful hands.
“NO! Leave her alone!” He roared. Sobs came floating out of his throat.
“No?” she said teasingly. She nodded and the gangleus raised the knife again. I close my eyes and braced myself for another cut.
“WAIT!” Andrew screamed. I opened my eyes. The queen raised her hand and the gangleus paused.
“Yes,” she said, glee filling her voice.
“I will stay,” he sobbed, “please just don’t hurt her anymore.”
“NO! Andrew, you can’t! Please Andrew, take it back. I would rather die! DO YOU UNDERSTAND?! I WOULD RATHER DIE!” I stared at him, waiting for his glance to meet mine, but he wouldn’t look at me.
The queen snapped her fingers and a scroll appeared in her hand. “I guess we have a deal then? Is that right?”
“Yes,” he said in almost a whisper, staring at the floor. His head hung defeated.
I screamed in protest over and over, but no one even looked at me. I wanted to rip my hair out. I could not believe what was happening. How could he agree? How could he give in? My rage consumed me and I started to hyperventilate.
Andrew finally looked over to me with the most tortured gaze. He glanced back over at the queen and she smiled.
“Well, just a quick prick of the finger and we will be done here then. After that you can spend your last evening together.” Her happiness flowed out of her and filled the room. It felt as if it was burning my skin. All I could think was of all the different ways that I wanted to kill her, of how I wanted to smash her young beautiful face.
The gangleus that held the knife that had cut me walked over to where they were. He pulled one of Andrew’s hands forward and touched the tip of the knife to his pointer finger. The queen unraveled the scroll and held the bottom of it next to Andrew’s finger.
“Just touch right there on the line and we have a deal,” she chimed.
I held my breath, hoping Andrew would wisely change his mind at the last minute. His finger touched the paper and I knew at that moment that all was lost.
The queen sat the scroll on the table as she began to walk over to me. She stopped a couple feet short of me. I thought it was wise of her considering I would spit in her eye if she ventured any closer.
“It has truly been a pleasure Torey. I have to say, I admire your courage. I mean you did try. You made it a lot farther than I thought you would. When those lackels attacked, I thought you were a goner for sure,” she mused. She stood just staring at me as it soaked in. She had known I was coming the whole time. She had seen my every move. I just stared at her. I was rendered completely speechless. “Now, don’t you worry about Andrew because I promise to take extra special care of him. He will want for nothing while he is here. In time, he won’t even remember you.”
“Fuck you bitch! He will never forget me! I hope you burn in hell!” I screamed. I thought I might explode.
“That is very sweet. However, I think we both know, the only person who is going to be residing in hell will be you, once you get home.” She winked at me, blew me a kiss and then addressed the gangleus. “Wrap up her arm. Take them back to her room. Let no one ever say that I am not merciful.” All of them laughed in unison.
The gangleus with the knife walked over to me and cut a strip of fabric from my shawl. He tied it tightly around the wound on my right arm. Drops of blood started to spread across the sheer fabric. The gangleus all turned in unison and proceeded by turning Andrew and me with their will. We all started moving towards the exit.
I felt completely floored as we traveled through the hallways back to the room. What was there left to do? I wasn’t sure how that contract worked, but something told me that the fact that he signed in blood made it supernaturally binding. What would happen if we tried to leave? Furthermore even if we escaped, she had seen my every move before, why wouldn’t she be able to now? I felt nothing but utter despair and desperation. Tomorrow I would be going home. I would never see Andrew again. What would I tell his family? What would I tell our friends? What would I tell myself for that matter? How was I going to ever learn to live again? No one would ever believe what had happened. I would never be able to tell anyone. I would be left to slowly rot in my own insani
ty. My life would be void of all meaning, of all reason. I sunk lower and lower as reality set in. This was the last evening, the only evening where I would feel whole for the rest of eternity.
We approached the door. One gangleus made the arm motion I had grown accustomed to seeing and the doors opened. We all floated in. My feet touched the floor. I looked over and Andrew’s had as well. The gangleus walked away and shut the door, locking it behind them. Andrew and I were left alone, staring gravely at each other.