TWO YEARS AGO,
JANUARY 30th, 2018.
LAKEWORTH MENTAL FACILITY.
"She must have been out of her head..."
I hear nurses walk by my room, and simply just sit on the floor.
She must've been out of her head...
A small smile spreads across my face as I stare at nothing in particular on my floor.
Out of her head...
Just like one or two years ago.
I remember so clearly.
My foster mother.
I killed her.
*****
SEVEN YEARS AGO,
APRIL 17th, 2013.
DOLLYWALKER'S FOSTER HOME.
"Daisy, honey, I'm going to need you to practice your words for the police. They're on there way and you don't want mommy to get caught, do you?"
I stare into her wooden eyes, withdrawn, a disturbing hazel.
"Yes, madam. What do I need to say?"
"That I did nothing wrong but I got on the blacklist, and you can't lose me, okay?"
I nod stiffly.
"Okay."
"Good. I knew I could count on you."
She walks away, and right before she's out the door I hold out my hand.
"Madam?"
"Yes?"
"Why are you running?"
"Running? Sweetie...that's ridiculous!"
"Running. You're running from them."
"From who?"
A deranged smile marks its spot on my mouth.
"Not who, madam, what?"
"Then what?"
I start playing with two creepy porcelain dolls that sag in my hands.
Maybe because they're made of humans...
"Death. Stop running from it."
"Stop it with the nonsense, Daisy. Don't make me get your father to punish you."
"He's not my father."
I snap my eyes on hers.
"And he's dead."
"Dead? You're ridiculous."
She walks out of the room, and I drop the porcelain dolls, opening my closet.
I pick up the knife that sits next to the jars of body parts, gripping tightly onto it.
I walk out of the room, walking towards her room.
Anita Calliope.
It's your day to die.
I open her room door, walking inside.
"Daisy?! What're you doing here again?!"
"I'm here to kill you. You can't keep running."
I walk towards Anita, who's frozen in fear.
I smile whilst tilting my head to the side.
"Bye bye!"
******
BACK TO TWO YEARS AGO,
JANUARY 30th, 2018.
LAKEWORTH MENTAL FACILITY.
I now sit staring at the mirror.
My image flickers between me and her.
Brown hair, purple hair. Brown hair, purple hair.
I stare blankly at it, waiting for her to go away.
My head is tilted to the side as I watch my reflection morph.
I reach my hand out to the glass, pressing my hand against it.
Who's in there?
Manic laughter echoes throughout my head.
I grip harshly onto my skull, letting out a stream of curses.
"Get out of my head!"
I glare at the mirror, and the girl in it smiles back at me.
"I'm not in the mirror, I'm inside you. Let me tell you—"
"Die, you son of a bitch!"
Her eyes move from my face to the sharpened pencil in my hand, and she smirks.
"Put the pencil down."
I bring the pencil down full force at my hand, letting out a yelp of pain before turning back to the mirror.
"Okay I'm still here..."
"So am I too."
I pound my head against the table, throwing books at the mirror until it shatters, glass shards falling everywhere.
I look at myself through them, seeing her still looking back at me.
I start sobbing, grabbing a glass shard just when a nurse opens the door, running towards me and carefully grabbing it out of my hand.
"Oh no! Daisy!"
She pulls me from the chair, rushing me from the room.
*****
TWO DAYS LATER,
FEBRUARY 1st, 2018.
I now sit at a table with a plate of food in front of me, watching other people walk by in freedom as I'm situated with a nurse in front of me.
She looks at me intently.
"Are you going to eat, Daisy?"
"I'm not hungry."
"You haven't ate since last night, Daisy. You have to."
"I don't want it."
"Daisy...please cooperate."
"I don't want it. I don't want it. I don't like it."
"Sweetie, you need to eat. Please."
"No."
Charley, my nurse, sighs, as someone else walks over.
He sits down next to Charley and smiles at me.
"Daisy, how are you feeling? Are you alright?"
"No."
I look up, staring at him unblinkingly.
"Would you like to step out of the room for a moment?"
"But Langston, she has to—"
"Yes." I respond.
"Don't worry, Charley. I just want to talk to her then I'll be back."
He stands up, offering me his hand with a small smile.
I take it and he lifts me up, looking down at me.
"Are you doing okay? I heard what happened a few days ago."
"She was trying to take over me."
"I understand. Would you like to talk about it?"
I nod.
"Maybe that'll help."
He opens the door to his office, and I shuffle inside.
Langston Orville is my therapist, my new one after Marley Pierce was fired.
I sit down, and he sits across from me, sliding on his glasses.
"I also heard from a few of my coworkers that you haven't been eating lately, is that correct?"
I nod solemnly and he hits something down.
"Alright. Is there something bothering you?"
"Yes. She makes me sick. I cannot eat without throwing up after."
He frowns.
"I will alert Lucille on that. Are you thirsty at least? Care for a glass of water?"
I nod slowly, and he pours me a glass of water which I down in a few gulps.
"Thank you."
He leans back in his chair, green eyes welcoming.
I feel I can talk to him.
"Tell me anything when you're ready. You know I'm head for you, Daisy."
"Thank you. That means a lot."
Langston just started working here a few months ago, saying he just got out of school last year.
He's twenty-three.
I just barely graduated last year from high school...I immediately got sent to a mental hospital after three months.
I take a deep breath.
"Where do I start? The beginning? What got me sent in here in the first place?"
"Whatever you feel you need to get off your chest. I'm here to listen."
I nod, frowning.
"Let's start ten years ago. When I was eight years old."
He nods, watching me intently.
"My mom, Katerina, was putting me to bed. She then broke down sobbing to my brother Dimitri...I heard it all. She told him how a gang my dad got messed up with took my younger brother Dallas."
"That's awful..."
"Yeah. I went out when banging was heard on our front door. They were threatening to burn down our home. Long story short, they did burn it down. My mom, and my brother Dimitri burned to death. The gang leader's son helped me escape. I don't recall his name. Or the gang's name to be more specific. That's when things really went downhill for me. I got trapped in a bad world. Drug addicts, gamblers, you name it. I even got mixed up in trafficking."
He nods as I continue on.
"It was really a bad time. When I turned thirteen things just got worse, and once I turned fourteen I began using drugs. Mostly marijuana. I smoked with the other kids and even drunk sometimes. It wasn't a good look because I got myself thrown in a foster home. Where I ended up killing for the first time."
His eyes expand significantly.
"Tell me more about it."
"I killed the two owners. Anita and Spencer Calliope. After my fifteenth birthday I met Zane Maserati. I was in contact with him until he seemingly disappeared one or two years ago."
Langston nods.
"Were you guys close?"
"Extremely close. I liked him and I'm sure everyone knew it."
*******
TWO YEARS LATER,
FEBRUARY 1st, 2020.
It's been one year since I was let out of the mental hospital for the fourth time.
I just keep going back there, dont I?
Ahh...whatever.
At least now I know how to not get caught when I kill someone.
*****
PRESENT DAY,
NOVEMBER 28th, 2020.
4:42 PM.
I drop my phone on the counter, immediately flipping around.
I look left and right before releasing a breath.
He isn't there.
I turn back to my phone, glaring at it.
Way to scare someone. Such an unoriginal prank. Whoever you are, I'd suggest getting off a dead person's phone. That's just weird.
I watch how it shows they're typing again.
Prank?! I'm dying of laughter. Get the joke?
Cut it out, loser!
Thanks for that, Daisy, but why don't you look outside?
I stomp over to the window, furiously typing to the person.
Listen to me, this isn't even funny anymore.
I take a picture of the rabbit mask, sending it.
Don't tell me you planted this here too?! Shane if this is you I swear to god...
I jump when something smacks the window, drawing the curtains before opening it.
I stick my head out, searching around with my eyes.
I groan inwardly, shutting the window before turning back to my phone which is lighting up.
A FaceTime call.
I see Silas's name at the top of the screen.
Now that's just off...really off.
I frown.
Who would have a dead man's phone?
And call me from it?
Paranoia takes over me once more as I press the green button.
It seems like an hour before the connecting screen disappears.
The camera is facing the trees, and I see smoke.
Most likely from a cigarette.
"Hello?!"
I call out, and I hear leaves crunch underneath someone's foot.
"Whoever's doing this needs to stop."
"This is really hilarious that you think you're talking to a stranger, princess."
I gasp and he laughs.
"Why the fuck do you sound so much like him?!"
The phone gets lifted off the ground, and focuses on a face.
My face pales and my heart drops to my stomach.
His hair is dark auburn, his green eyes filled with amusement.
He waves.
"Because I am him. Surprise!"
I don't answer, only stare at him blankly out of pure shock.
He makes a face.
"No reaction? Come on. I waiting eight months for this shit, don't do this to me. Make it fun!"
"Wha—but—I—you—"
"Honey, make a sentence. It isn't that hard."
"You're supposed to be dead?! How?!"
"Questions that I don't feel like answering. Good job for passing your first question though...I have another dare. I dare you to come meet me in the woods. Alone."
My mouth hangs open before I rapidly shake my head.
"Hell no!"
"Then I guess I'll have to kill her."
"Uhh...who?"
He flips the camera around, pointing it at Jayden who looks mortified.
"Jayden?! Oh my god how the hell—"
"She was going on a walk and I happened to come across her! I'm sure my little bunny missed me."
He squishes her cheek and Jayden stares into the camera before shaking her head slightly.
I look between both of them.
"If I go over there, you promise me you'll let her go?!"
"I don't make promises."
Silas smirks.
"Come here and you'll see. I'm eighty-seven percent sure I'll let her go. Come now, because if you take any longer I won't hesitate to slit her throat. Don't keep me waiting. Buh-bye!"
He hangs up the call, and I sit there, dumbfounded before I lift myself up, running out of the bathroom and into the bedroom, where Dylan sits on the bed.
She moves her head up.
"You coming?"
"I have to go! Sorry, Dylan!"
She looks at me strangely as I bolt out the door, running down the stairs and out of the house, sprinting past Salem who almost falls.
"Woah!"
He looks at me as I hurtle into the trees, a confused look falling over his face.
"That girl really is strange."
He walks up the steps solemnly, shutting the door behind him.
*****
I run into the trees, pausing when I hear a noise.
Someone's speaking.
I inch closer, instantly jumping behind a tree.
What the hell?
There's a group of people surrounding a fire, with the same weird rabbit masks on.
That's definitely not Silas...
They are chanting weird ass things, it sounds like they're setting some ancient ass curse in pig Latin or some shit.
I back away slowly, backing into a tree branch.
I let out a small scream, cursing myself in my head when I fall splat on the floor next to one of the people in the rabbit mask.
They all pause their chanting, turning their heads at the exact same time to look at me.
I stare up at one of them, slowly inching away on the floor.
They continue to stare at me until one points an upside down cross at me and starts yelling foreign words.
I run away again, coming into a clear opening.
What the hell?!
What type of satanic cult was that?!
I search around, realizing I'm surrounded by fields and complete darkness.
I look down at my phone.
11:56.
I look at the Instagram notification underneath the time.
Hey, dsaunders00! You have an unread voice message from silass94! Slide to open message.
I slide it, watching as Instagram opens and brings me to direct messages.
I open Silas's and hold it to my ear.
"Hey, Dais! You're kinda running out of time...if you don't come in less than ten minutes I can't promise Jayden will still have a head. I really wanna slice her neck open and you not coming it really making me think it's okay..."
I frenetically type to him.
I have no idea where you are!
He immediately responds with a picture of himself.
You're getting closer...it's fun watching you wander around.
Uhh...what?! You can see me?
Yes, I can. I saw you run into those people with the rabbit masks.
You know them?!
A few of them. If I'm certain I know the one that was pointing the cross at you said to get lost or he'll feed you to their hungry hyenas.
Thanks for that. Mind giving me a hint?
You sure? I'll only give you one for our whole game. This is only the beginning of it.
Never mind.
I shove my phone in my pocket, searching around.
I look between all the trees from afar, seeing a glint of a light from behind a large willow tree.
I run towards it, brushing my hand against its trunk as I pass it.
I look down, and Silas waves at me.
"You made it!"
"Where's Jayden?! Did you kill her?!"
"I let her go a while ago. Have a seat."
I sit next to him, my heart going cold.
I'm sitting next to a man who's supposed to be dead.
"What do you want?"
"Not much, really. Only a small favor."
I glare at him.
"Knowing you, Silas, that small favor is going to be big."
"Not that big, princess. All you have to do is be a dear and be my personal little spy."
*******
(DYLAN'S POV)
I slide out of the bed, leaving the room before approaching Zane's room.
I knock on his door and he opens it tiredly.
He moves his hair from his face.
"Huh?"
The words fall out of my mouth.
"Daisy's gone."
*****
Zane moved his eyes from his reflection in the mirror to my face.
"Define gone, Dylan."
"Well, I heard her talking to someone on the phone...then she went running out of the house. That last part Salem told me. He said how she was running so fast that she almost knocked him over. She ran into the forest."
"The forest, you say?"
He smirks wickedly before turning his attention back to himself in the mirror.
"That just happens to sound very interesting..."
I sit awkwardly on his bed.
"Uhh...are you not gonna do anything? Shocking."
"Oh I'm gonna do something, Dylan. I'm gonna do something real bad."
******
(JAYDEN'S POV)
Why is he back?!
I was free—free from him—now he's back?!
This is not good. This is not good at all.
If Daisy screws up, God help us all, all hell will break loose.
******
(LUCINDA'S POV)
You saw that, right?
The fire?
That I set?
I was sure good old Shane would die when a fucking roof fell on him...but I guess not.
The bastards got lucky.
But not this time.
I have my Silas back, and I also have my little monster, who's name I will not disclose.
Once Silas gets Daisy to come over here?
Everything will be according to plan.
And if everything goes according to plan...that means I can finally get what I want.
Revenge.
*****
(ZANE'S POV).
Piece of advice, orchid.
Don't. Fucking. Cross. Me.
And guess what?!
The little irritating bitch did that.
And now I'm going to kill her.
If I can bring myself to do it.
*****
(DAISY'S POV)
"A spy?! Silas, are you crazy?"
"I mean, yes...but that shouldn't interest you, hon."
I roll my eyes before standing up.
"How about, no? No, no, and no! I will not be your little Barbie: Spy Squad girl!"
He leans against the tree with a diverted look in his eyes.
He slowly claps.
"Finally learned how to stop being a pushover, love."
He stands up as well, towering over me.
I gasp as his hand snakes around my waist, freezing when he holds my cheek, directing my attention to his face.
He cocks his head to the side before smirking at me.
"Daisy baby, you're aware that it wasn't a question, right? It was a statement. Don't be a bad girl and not do what I say! You'll surely regret it."
I reach my hand up, grabbing his and pulling it down.
"No."
"Very well. I'll go tell everyone how you have been speaking with good old me!"
I seize hold of his hand, shaking my head.
"No, no! Don't do that! I'll uh—I'll be your spy!"
He turns around with a small smirk.
"That's what I thought. Now hurry along home, we don't want your little friend-group to be too suspicious..."
He gives me a little shove, and I run back into the forest.
*******
I arrive shortly back to the house, looking at my phone.
12:44 AM.
Sixteen minutes until I meet Zane.
I open the door, hoping to go in unnoticed.
I don't.
I let out a small yelp, seeing every single one of them standing there, unblinking.
Roxie starts clapping.
"Guess who's back already?"
Dylan smirks.
"Our best friend who ran full speed into the forest!"
It was Salem's turn to trash me.
"I wonder what she was doing?! Plotting against us?"
They all stare at me expectantly, and I smile awkwardly.
"I just uh...wanted to go on a walk?"
"Very convincing, babe. Come with me."
They all watch as Zane basically drags me up the stairs, and I curse myself in my head.
I'm not getting out of this alive.
Definitely not.
He's going to kill me.
Zane pulls me onto his balcony, and I just about die inside.
He's gonna push me off, isn't he?!
"I'm going to push you off this balcony, babe. And I won't regret it. I really want to kill you. You know how worried I was? I thought you were eaten by a grizzly bear! Which means I wouldn't be the one to maul you!"
I smack my forehead.
"And I thought you were serious."
"I am."
He turns around, walking out the door.
"Where are you going?"
"I'm hungry. And I have to take a shower. I'll be back in ten."
"I—you know what? Fine."
I stare out in the distance, thoughts running through my mind.
I start to breathe raggedly, my chest heaving up and down with each breath as I stand on the balcony, looking down.
This can't be right—
I can't be right—
Why do I feel this way towards him?
I shouldn't. I shouldn't.
"No strings attached, Daisy, remember?! Remember?! No strings...no strings...no..."
"Dais?"
I jump at his deep voice, flipping my head around to see Zane standing in the doorway, his hair and bare chest dripping wet, and I assume he's just taken a shower.
"Zane...hey."
"Are you feeling okay? I hear you talking to yourself out here."
"Fuck..."
I mutter, then immediately turn back around, frantically wiping at my eyes, smudging my makeup even more than it already is.
I look down at the ground below, trying to control my breathing.
In and out. In and out.
I feel the warmth of body heat behind me, then his rough, calloused hand on my bare waist, turning me to face him.
He moves my hair from my face, searching for something in my eyes.
"Were you crying?"
"Yes, but it's not what you—"
His face hardens, and he tightens his grip on my wrist.
"Why are you crying? Who made you cry?!"
I see the anger forming and bubbling on his features, and I blink a few times.
I can't tell him it's because of him.
I try to block out the pain forming in my wrist by biting my lip.
Really, really hard.
"Daisy," his voice is threatening, sinister.
"Y-Yes?"
"Are you scared of me?"
He moves his eyes from the side to my face, and I resist the urge to immediately break eye contact.
"I—no."
"You are."
He finally releases his grip on my wrist, backing away a few steps.
I reach out, and he shakes his head.
"Why, Daisy? Did I hurt you before?"
"I—"
"I told you I was trying, but trying to be nice when you are a bipolar psychopath it doesn't really work out."
"Zane—"
"There's someone else, isn't there?"
"Wha—"
He backs me into the far wall, pinning me there by my wrists, gripping even tighter than before.
A deranged smile spreads across his face, and I start to slightly tremble from fear.
"Who is it, Daisy? Is it Salem?"
He narrows his eyes, leaning extra close into me.
"I bet it's Shane, isn't it? I see the way you look at him you little whore, opening your legs to anyone with a fucking dong, don't you? My slutty little Daisy, can't you learn your lesson the first time? I gave you a warning and have been being very nice to you, and this is what you—"
"Zane! You're hurting me!"
He stops, looking at my wrists which are growing red and the pained expression on my face.
He seems to snap out of something, instantly releasing his grip.
No matter how hard he hurts me...I still—
"I'm sorry. I didn't—"
Tears start running down my cheeks, and I try and fail to blink them back.
"Sorry." I start laughing humorlessly. "You always say sorry. But say one time you actually meant it? A dumb excuse, Zane. A really, really dumb one. You claim to be trying but are you really? Anytime I even talk to another guy you assume I've hooked up with them! Is that what you really think of me? A slutty bitch who sleeps around?!"
He gives me a displeased expression.
"You know what?! Yes. Yes I am scared of you. Every day I'm with you I know I'm falling even deeper into this rabbit hole that I can't get out of, that you have me locked in! I know you're gaslighting me, I know you're manipulating me, but guess what?! I stayed. I'm staying. Because no matter how hard I try to convince myself, I can't! I can't leave you! I love you, Zane Maserati! I really do! Whether you except it or not...I'm so demented that I fell in love with a lunatic!"
The displeased expression fades from view, and he turns to face me once again, running his fingers up and down my bare arms, smirking.
He moves my hair from my face, wiping the smudged makeup from underneath my eyes whilst leaning in even closer.
"What are you—"
"I love you too, Daisy Saunders."
He whispers seductively into my ear, I can feel his lips brush against them.
My eyes widen, and I look him in the eyes.
"Really?! You're serious."
"Very. I'm your lunatic lover, L-O-L."
I resist the urge to burst out laughing.
"My lunatic lover?!"
"Yours. And yours only."
"Forever and always?"
"Forever and always, my little flower."
******
THREE DAYS LATER,
DECEMBER 1st, 2020.
3:42 AM.
I've been so beyond happy these past days that I totally forgot about Silas and that mess.
But that doesn't mean he forgot about me.
As I'm sitting next to Zane and Dylan on our couch watching a documentary made on Zane himself just to make fun of it, my phone buzzes in my pocket.
I look down, immediately shoving it back in my pocket when I see Silas's name.
Dylan looks at me through the corner of her eye.
"You good?"
"Yeah, Dyl, I just think I had too much popcorn, I'm going to go to the bathroom."
Dylan nods with a slight grin.
"Go do your business, babe. Zane's been sleeping the whole time anyways. The guy finally got tired of watching himself."
We both share a laugh before I run off, picking up the phone halfway up the stairs.
"What do you want?"
I whisper, and he laughs on the other line.
"Way to greet your new partner, Daisy. I have something that I need you to do."
"Can it wait?"
"No."
"Ugh...what is it?!"
"I need you to go to an abandoned warehouse to get something for me. I can't go."
"Why the hell not?!"
"If you haven't noticed by now, Daisy, everyone thinks I'm laying in a coffin six feet fucking under, so if that doesn't ring a bell, everybody thinks I'm gone. Lifeless. Dead."
"Okay, okay! Where is it?! And what do I need to get?!"
"I'll send you the address. And you'll know when you get there."
"What—"
He hangs up the phone, and I sigh.
Pulling on a small coat with my bag, I shove my phone in said bag before going back down the stairs.
"I'll be back, Dylan!"
"Where are you going?"
"I have to go to the store...I need more makeup wipes."
"Oh, I have some if you need them!"
"It's fine, Dyl. I'll also get you some jolly ranchers which I know you love."
Dylan squeals from the living room.
"Okay!"
"Tell Zane when he wakes up where I went so he doesn't worry, okay?"
"Alright! Love ya, boo!"
"Love you too, Dyl."
I sigh before walking out the door, shutting it softly behind me.
I swear...why me out of all people he could've fucking chosen?! Me?! The stupid purple haired girl?!
I'm done with this.
I look at the address he gave me, climbing onto my motor bike before driving off down the path towards civilization.
*****
After about twenty minutes I pull into an abandoned parking lot, following the GPS signals towards a large and dark building.
I look up at it and frown.
I do not and I tell you do not have a good feeling about this. At all.
Let's hope I don't die!
Way to stay positive, Daisy.
I walk closer, getting serious déjà vu from eight months ago and that spooky ass mansion.
I get a chill thinking about it.
I carefully approach the front door, seeing the plaque on it.
Orville, 1956.
Orville, that's a familiar last name.
My therapist when I was 18 in the mental facility was named Langston Orville.
I shake away my thoughts, opening the door.
It's dead silent in here and it's kinda creepy.
I jump when the door slams shut behind me, seeing a single rocking chair illuminated by the dim moonlight rocking in the distance.
Back and forth, back and forth,
I walk closer, stopping a few feet away from it.
"Hello? Is someone sitting there?"
I place my hand on the chair, yanking it back.
The chair is ice cold...like someone's body when they're dead.
I back even further away when the chair starts to turn around, revealing a person in a dark black hood sitting stilly on the chair, hands clasped in their lap.
They cock their head to the side, and I back even further away, bumping into someone—or something else.
I flip around, seeing a taller person in a rabbit mask.
They slowly walk towards me while I back away, soon running into the person on the rocking chair.
I fall onto the floor, shaking slightly with fear as both of them look over me.
I see the person in the hood's mouth, curved in a wide smile as they take a large needle, raising it towards my neck.
The person in the rabbit mask waves slowly and creepily as the needle sinks into my neck, the world slowly going black.
Blank.
*****
4:39 AM.
I wake up in complete darkness, opening my eyes.
There's no one here, and I'm just in an empty and silent room.
I stand up, feeling a pain in my neck.
I clearly remember the huge needle sinking into my skin, the liquid draining into my body.
What did they do?!
I search around with my eyes, seeing nothing in particular.
But I do see a flashlight, and pick it up.
As I walk into the hall, I realize those people probably want me to go out of the room.
I want to turn back, but it's probably too late for that now.
I walk slowly through the empty halls, the sound of dripping echoing through my skull.
I stop when I hear a thud, flipping around and shining my flashlight behind me.
It only catches on the leaky ceiling.
I breathe out, continuing down the hall.
I turn my head back around, not before letting out a squeal of terror.
The person in the rabbit mask throws a sack over my head, billows of nitrous oxide flowing through my nose, making me pass out.
I feel myself being carried, along with hearing laughter.
Manic laughter.
I hear a ding from my phone, and then a voice message.
"Hey, Daisy. I see you fell for my trap...this time, I think you should say a truth. Tell everyone about me. I'm sure they'd be glad to know I'm back from the dead. And by the way, underground isn't a nice place. Especially when you were alive."
*****
5:22 AM.
I wake up, suspended from the ceiling from my wrists, cuffs digging into them.
All I see is black, but I figure that because there's a blindfold on my face.
I rennet my next task from Silas.
A truth.
Tell everyone the truth.
I hear a small humming, then the clicking of heels.
Someone reaches up to my face, pulling off the blindfold.
My eyes adjust to dim lighting, then a woman in front of me with her head cocked to the side.
She has a good covering the half of her face.
The only thing I can see is her wide smile.
But I can feel her eyes boring into me.
I move my eyes from her to behind her, at the person in the rabbit mask sitting properly on the couch.
A shiver goes down my spine.
Who are you, person in the rabbit mask?
I switch my eyes to the woman, who's now on the opposite side of me.
She pulls off my gag next, smiling.
"Hello, Daisy..."
I frown.
I recognize her voice.
The woman calmly reaches above me, unclasping both cuffs and watching as I fall to the floor with a painful smack.
I hold onto my head, looking up at them both, the woman and the person in the rabbit mask.
"Who are you?!"
She crouches down, holding my chin in her fair and cold hand.
"You remember me."
She takes my hand firmly, pulling it to the hem of her hood.
"Go on, dear."
She releases my hand as soon as she grabbed it.
I carefully pull down her hood, gasping with a small shock when I see Lucinda.
She now has a huge scar across her left eye and blood red lips.
"Hello, Daisy."
"L-Lucinda—?"
"Me!"
Her lips stretch in a horrifying grin, and she stands up.
"Deal with her."
She walks away, and the person in the rabbit mask walks forward.
"Daisy..."
Their voice is muffled almost.
"You know how much I've been dying to meet you? I've seen you...for the past four or five years, and now I get to feel you. I want to feel you. I want it all."
My eyes are wide as I stare into the blank holes for eyes.
There's someone there.
I catch a glint from the reflection in their irises.
Hazel.
They reach their hand out, covered by the glove, running it down my face.
"You don't know how much I've missed you."
My eyes widen as she peels off the mask once again, revealing a face I thought I'd never see again.
"Max?!"
*****