A Horrific Fantasy

Chapter 34

Charlie didn't waste any time. She was back here for one reason and one reason only, to find Vaggie and bring her home. First she would talk to Levana and get her to tell her what happened to Vaggie. Afterward she would convince Vaggie to come back home and they would never come to this place ever again. She headed straight for the castle and raced inside, her eyes darting everywhere for Vaggie or Levana. She didn't find them here, she didn't find anyone here. The palace seemed to be completely deserted. Empty and quiet, too quiet. That was never a good sign.

"Vaggie." She called out. "Vaggie are you here?"

No one answered her.

"Vaggie! Vaggie please answer me!"

Again there was no reply.

"Vaggie I know you're here! Listen to me, you have to come back with me! Your mother is worried sick about you, she has the police and everyone searching the whole town! Maybe even the whole state! Please come back with me!"

Still nothing.

She started to check the rooms in the corridor. A lot of the doors were locked, she tried to forcibly open one. She pulled at the handles, planted her foot and forced with all her might but it was no use. The door wouldn't budge. None of them would.

"What is going on here?" She thought. "Why are all the doors locked?"

Suddenly she heard some music coming from the way back of the corridor. She slowly followed the music, making sure to keep her eyes open for anything unusual or suspicious. Getting closer, she recognized the music as opera. Italian opera to be exact.

She was led to a door at the end and this one was unlocked. She gave the door a light push and it opened to reveal Mia sitting alone and listening to some records.

"Mia." She said.

Mia turned off the record and slowly turned around to face Charlie. She seemed to look very sickly, which you would think is hard to tell from someone who's wearing a mask but something about her just didn't seem well. The way she stood and moved, it was just so weak.

"You came back?" She spoke very slowly this time around. "I didn't think you would."

"Mia I'm looking for Vaggie. Do you know where she is? Did she come back here?"

"I can't say."

"What do you mean you can't say? Does that mean you don't know where she is, or you do but you can't tell me?"

"You shouldn't be here." She said ignoring the question. "You should leave."

"Why?" Charlie asked. "Why should I leave?"

"I can't say. There's only so much I am allowed to say."

Charlie couldn't see any strings but she thought Mia looked like a marionette. A puppet that had no will of her own and could only move and speak based on someone else's control. Yet she could make a very small shred of willpower buried deep inside Mia. Fighting to regain control but being held back by so many invisible strings. And Charlie had a pretty good idea on who the puppet master was.

"What did she do to you?" Charlie asked her with concern.

Mia just put a finger to her lips.

Then Charlie felt a pair of cold hands rest themselves on her shoulders.

"Why hello Charlie, what a wonderful surprise."

Charlie jumped back startled, turning around to find Levana standing there. She seemed very pleased with herself about something. Like the cat who caught the canary.