Fiery Nightmare // Michael Langdon

Part 22

Marielle sighs as she fixes her stack of candles sitting in the front of the store, trying to pass the time until Blaise returns.  It hasn't even been 15 minutes, and the time has been moving painfully slowly.  She moves back to the counter and sits with her magazine, flipping through it mindlessly.

Out of nowhere, one of the candles falls off its shelf.  She closes the magazine and furrows her brow, staring at the candle skeptically.  Nevertheless, she gets up and goes over to pick it up.

She sets the candle on the shelf and looks around; nothing else is out of place.  She shakes her head and walks back towards the counter.

Just as she sits down, the candle falls again.  Marielle slowly stands up, looking around the shop for any signs of somebody else with her.  She makes her way over to the shelves and picks the candle back up, placing it where she just put it seconds ago.

She turns and begins walking back to the counter, but she freezes upon the sensation of the hairs on the back of her neck rising, alerting her that something is off.  She carefully looks around the shop in front of her but sees nothing, the only sound in the room her heavy breathing.

There is a crashing sound behind her, and she turns to see the whole shelf of candles scattered across the floor.  She quickly runs to the counter as various items around the shop begin falling from their shelves, most of them narrowly avoiding her.

She tosses open her drawer and begins searching for something to use in self-defense.  Suddenly, she feels a presence behind her and a knife against her throat.

"Where is she?" Madison demands, seconds away from slitting Marielle's throat.

Marielle takes a powder from her drawer and turns to Madison, blowing the powder in her face.  Madison gasps as she inhales the powder and stumbles backward.  Before she can counter Marielle's attack, she loses consciousness.

Cordelia, Myrtle, Queenie, and Michael all appear in the shop, surrounding Marielle with their arms outstretched.  Cordelia steps forward and lowers her arm.  "We're only going to ask you once; where is Blaise?"

Marielle shakes her head as she looks between the witches.  "Blaise?  Why are you searching for..."  She trails off as her gaze lands on Michael, and she realizes who they all are.  "Oh my god, you're-"

"Somebody you don't want to fuck with," Queenie cuts her off as she summons Madison's knife into her hand.  "You have three seconds before I slit your throat."

"How are you going to slit my throat from over-"

Queenie brings the knife to her own throat and applies enough pressure to pierce her skin, and Marielle gasps as she feels a cut appear on her throat.  She quickly brings her hand to her throat and holds the other out defensively.  "I know where Blaise is!  Just lower the knife and I'll tell you."

"Okay," Queenie replies skeptically as she lowers the knife.

Marielle sighs and leans on the counter.  "God, I am so sorry for attacking blondie over here.  I didn't realize you were the witches until I saw Michael."

Cordelia furrows a brow.  "What?  Why would you be relieved to see us when you took Blaise?"

"Took Blaise?" Marielle scoffs.  "She came with me.  We needed to perform some spells under the radar to find whatever entity created her, so-"

"What are you talking about?" Myrtle shakes her head.  "'What entity created her'?"

Marielle quickly stands back, realizing Myrtle has no idea about Blaise's lineage.  "You... How much do you guys know?"