Miss Midnight

Chapter Ten: Hexenjagd

Chapter Ten: Hexenjagd

Howling, chilly wind swirled around me and bristled my skin. All I felt beneath my feet was thin air. My body seemed as light as a feather. It was as though I were floating. I peeled open my eyes and blinked a few times, the blurry world gradually fading back into view. When my vision blurred into clarity, the only thing that left me was a gasp of horror.

I laid flat on my back, my limbs stretched out like some kind of Aztec sacrifice. My wrists and ankles were tied down by long, thin wire, suspending me above a void of darkness. I seemed to be trapped in some sort of globe or sphere, filled with ticking, clicking gears and cogs. I stared up at the ceiling of the bizarre chamber. A massive black figure swam into view. It appeared to have outstretched bat-like wings. My eyes widened. The wires dug into my skin, and my heart began to race.

The giant winged creature floated down to me, descending from the darkness. The beast lowered itself into thin rays of light, illuminating its true form. I chomped down on my tongue to hold back a scream.

A gigantic version of Aquamarine hovered over my prison, eyeing me greedily. I knew exactly what he wanted. His tongue slithered out of his mouth and licked his lips. My body grew as numb and stiff as a warped plank of wood. I couldn't even feel the wires cutting into my skin. Streaks of blood dripped down my arms and ankles, and that only seemed to make Aqua hungrier.

"Why, don't you look tasty?" he sneered. He leaned down and dragged his long tongue across my body, coating me in saliva. "Mmmm...I can taste the remnants of that delicious charlotte cake in your blood...you taste just like you did on the night I swallowed you up. Such a nostalgic flavor...so scrumptious...I want more..."

"Aqua, stop!" I screamed. Hot tears rolled down my raw-red cheeks. "Please, don't do this!"

The Changeling snickered. "Why not? You're just a lower lifeform. You are simply a snack to me. You may be a witch, but in the end, all you are is a weak little human, and all human girls are good for is food. Why shouldn't I do as I please with you?"

I clenched my teeth. "Because I'm your master! You're my familiar! You're supposed to protect me, you promised me that, didn't you?! Aqua, you can't do this, please!"

An evil smile stretched across Aqua's face. The tips of fangs poked through his mouth. He draped his long fingers over my small body, poking and prodding at me. My muscles tensed up. "Please, don't!" I screamed.

He paid no heed to my pleas. He wrapped his fingers around me, and in a flash, he drove his nails into me like drills.

I felt a sharp, stabbing pain piercing my body from both sides. It was akin to being crushed by spikes, the sharp appendages piercing my skin and rending my flesh.

And then...it stopped. I ripped open my eyes and fell out of bed, screaming and rolling around on the floor. I quickly realized it was just a nightmare. I sucked in heavy breaths, scanning around my room in a panic. I buried my face into a pillow and sobbed into the sheets.

I glanced up. My bedroom door swung open. Aquamarine rushed in, his face twisted in panic. "Miss Midnight, are you okay?" I whimpered in fear and slid on my rear end across the carpet, tossing the tear-soaked pillow into his face. "D-don't touch me!"

The Changeling gazed at me, clearly confused. He crept foward and sat down next to me, placing a hand on my shoulder. "What's wrong, Young Master?"

I didn't want to answer. I gripped my sides and sniffled, "Well...it was...I had a nightmare. You were huge, like, way bigger than me, around 20 feet tall, probably...and you were going to...kill me."