Warning: this episode may not be suitable for some readers. Contains many violent themes including but not limited to child abuse, which may be triggering for some readers. Please read with caution.
BUZZZZ!!
A giant red light lit the room and the floor under a young girl slid open slowly.
"No! Please, no! Please, I'm only 12! My- my mother! She- she needs me! She's sick and I'm all she has left! Please l, sir-"
A cruel cackle cut of the pleading voice of the child, "well that's really unfortunate for your mommy, isn't it? Don't worry! She'll receive 100,000 dollars for your participation in this game. I'm sure that's more than enough for you to be buried together! Hahahhahahaha"
The crowd laughed gleefully alongside the tall middle aged man, mirth in their eyes.
The host turned to face a small red and gold sphere and smiled into its lense, "I hope everybody at home has learned a valuable lesson today" he turned back to the crowd and gestured, waving one hand and cupping his ear with the other "don't let the door hit you on your way out!" They shouted at him with fervor.
"That's right folks! Now, let's watch little Lily. What do we think? Will she hit the door?"
The young girl was now on her knees sobbing, very little of the floor left. She peered through her fingers and into the depths below her, wondering what her fate would be.
A pool of sharks? Unlikely. She wasn't very powerful, so the episode would be too short if she died too quickly.
A maze? Maybe, but probably not. It would be too boring for the audience.
Torture? Even though it was already used this season, it was still an option. After all, it was a crowd favorite.
Slowly climbing to her feet, she turned to face the host.
Pointing an abnormally skinny finger at him she cursed, "I hope you know what life is waiting for you after this one." Then, she jumped into the depths.
- - -
Landing in a surprisingly soft pit of foam cubes, Lily quickly fought her way to the surface.
Pulling herself onto the ledge, she stood and looked around. She was standing at the entrance of an artificial rocky domain. It look like something straight out of a cartoon with its dirt road and brown stone arches.
Slowly, she began to trek down the street, keeping vigil for the dangers she might face.
Coyotes? Cowboys? Rattle snakes? Bank robbers in need of a hostage to ensure their escape? Here, anything was possible.
Reaching the first stone arch, she felt a terrible chill climb up her spine. By now, the snafu rocks had reached far past her own height so she could no longer see the length of the space.
The walls were slowly closing, but not too much. Just enough to make you nervous.
She hugged herself right and began to toe forward, feeling sick to her stomach. She had taken only a few steps when she heard the sound of distant crunching behind her.
Turning her head, she stared at something slowly approaching from the distance, a great big dust cloud blocking its identity.
Despite this, she bang to pick up speed, racing towards what she could only hope was the finish line or some way to escape this incoming disaster.
The sound of the running grew louder and louder and tears began to form in her eyes, misting her view— if it weren't for the road being a straight-shot she might have run right into the walls.
Her lungs began to burn as if they were set aflame, but the adrenal pumping threw her veins fueled it like kerosene. She let out a frustrated scream as she ran as quickly as her little legs would take her, blonde hair flying haphazardly behind her, bangs glued to her forehead from sweat and obstructing her view.
'Run, Lily, run!' She chanted to herself, 'run, that's all you have to do!'
She ran faster, not daring to look back as she felt the heat of danger nipping at her heels.
Suddenly, she stopped running.
- - -
CRUNCH
"Yeah!!!!!!" The crowd shouted as they watched the slow-mo replay of the young girls demise for the third time.
People turned to discuss with those next to them in their squeaky red leather chairs with the hopes of their reactions being captured and played for all the world to see once the episode premiered.
"Woah, folks! That was a brutal one. Can we get a close up on the damage done to our dear friend, the boulder?" The host called out.
A second later, the camera zoomed in on a giant, 15-foot boulder and paused the live-feed. The image showed the ghastly red outline of a child.
The crowd roared in laughter, pointing when the camera put the boulder and the body's image side by side.
The host wiped tears from his eyes, "looks like the door really did hit her on the way out!" This brought another uproar or laughter.
Many clutched their stomachs and keeled over, tears springing to their eyes.
Suddenly, the world paused.
The smiles of everybody's faces froze, fresh tears remaind floating in mid-air, and the host was caught mid-sneeze which left him making quite an ugly face.
A quiet golden light began to envelop the world in small beams and flakes, seemingly random things disappearing from both the physical world and memories.
- - -
Lily's eyes slowly fluttered open, her broken body screaming in pain. She felt silent tears slipping down her cheeks, soothing the burn of her injuries with its lack of warmth and furthering the hurt with its salty hands.
"Child," a warm voice called, caressing her face. "Child, I am so sorry." It continued, "I can ease your pain, but it is only temporary."
A warm feeling enveloped her body and suddenly the pain was just a dull thud in the back of her thoughts, though the functionality of her body was a different story.
Unable to lift even a finger, she understood she was utterly crushed.
A further warmth enveloped her and though she could not see it, parts of her figure began to repair itself.
But that was it.
Just parts of her.
Vital organs for survival began to pulse and pump and beat frantically as they latched onto whatever hope they might have.
"Child, my specialty does not lie in healing, so this is all of the comfort I can bring to you." The voice paused and Lily felt the earth moving along the top of her head, caressing the bloody matted hair on top of her head.
"You can not respond because I do not have enough power to support the necessary organs, however you can still listen.
"First, child, I wish to comfort you. Your world has been set to stasis, meaning time is standing still. Your mother has not heard of your death yet and unless you choose to unfreeze the world, she never will."
Lily felt warmth flood her chest. From relief or a fresh pump of blood, she had no idea.
"Secondly, I am giving you an opportunity. My name is Viletta, and I am know as the Violet Witch. My power knows no bounds, however, my soul is dying. I am slowly but surely fading away into oblivion. You see, when a soul completely dissipates, all memories of my existence will disappear. It will be like I never existed." Viletta's voice hitched as she fought back her tears.
"I can not allow this to happen as there is one person whom of which I can not allow to forget me." She smiled a hollow smile that Lily could not see.
"My power is killing me, you see. My soul is too heavy and my body too light. It can no longer carry the weight of my soul. That is why…" she took a deep breath, "I would like to give my body to you."
"I will send you to another world— one that has never heard my name. You will be saddled with the treasures I collected in this life as well as my eternal companion. She is kind and will love a child as sweet as you deeply."
A small ding came from the distance.
"Ah! It seems our time is nearly finished, dear. My sweet child, please remember to smile. This body is a new chance as life for you and my companion. Remember to treat others with compassion, but most of all, remember to be kind to yourself. Your soul is sweet and pure. You contain love unlike any other."
The girls body slowly floated upwards, or rather, it was her soul. Finally she could see again.
As she stated into the amethyst eyes of the witch, Lily felt her eyes well up with tears once more. "Are you sure?" She asked.
"Always," Viletta answered as her soul flew out of her own body.
Viletta's soul was nearly tangable, floating golden light swirled through the myriad of colors that she consisted of.
Compared to the unblemished pink and silver hue of Lily's own soul, she felt hideous.
"Now child, be free." Viletta embraced Lily before laying her into her own body.
"Thank you," Lily whispered as she began to drift.
"No, child. Thank you." Viletta said with a smile.
Looking at the golden ring that began to spark on the ceiling, she giggled lightly. "Coming, coming… don't be such a worry wart!"
A golden hand reached into the room from the starry depths of the ring and Viletta grasped it. With one final look back at her sleeping figure, she snapped her fingers.
At that, a small silver ring appeared on the floor beneath her and Lily's original body disappeared.
"Farewell, child."
Then, she was gone.