The Devil's Bride (Book 1)

Chapter 27- Inferno

THIRD PERSON

~Flashback~

The autumn leaves catch in the wind as she stands on the side of the road, watching children prance around the crowded streets of this one fateful night. Halloween. Where little boys and little girls can be heroes and villains, can sing Let it Go freely or dress up like dastardly pirates. Where candy isn't shamed for the sheer amount one buys or one collects. Costumes could be crazy wild and the world wouldn't care if you looked like a freak. The streets will always be packed. Halloween is all about joy.

It wasn't for everyone, though. She stands there watching these festivities but she can't be happy. No smile will grace her face while she stands on the side of this dull road. Her Halloween's aren't about joy anymore. The dull grey clouds that drift on the horizon remind her of the lonely days she spends now, in college. Her childhood was happy. Her parents loved her as much as they loved each other, and Halloween was that one night of the year she'd dress as creative as possible. She'd be princesses and mermaids and pirates and Wonder Woman, but now the sight of colourful costumes saddens her day. No superhero could rescue her from this all time low.

A small child tugs on her twin black pigtails. "What are you dressed as?" She asks as Mara turns around to see the small periwinkle blue princess. Her gazing eyes and the signature smile stare up at her as the little girl frees the black strands of hair from her fingertips. The little girl, her natural light blonde flowing behind her eyes past her shoulders, dances bouncily in the wind waiting for a response. That was her once. She was a happy little girl with a bubbly attitude and a glowing red heart. Now, her heart is blackening and she isn't bubbly.

"I'm Wednesday Addams," She replies, draining the happiness from her voice. Her lace black dress falls against her pale skin, her pink lips coated in crimson red lipstick. Her usually pale cheeks are deep pink in colour. The little girl sighs in confusion, tilting her head. Her little blue dress sways in the calm breeze.

She turns only slightly to see her mother waving her to come back. She turns back to Mara, mumbling, "Who's that?" Her sweet and innocent voice reminds Mara of her childhood, the innocence she lost. This perfect little girl is an image of her. Her childhood. She sees herself in this little girl, this little girl with so much potential, so much grace. A life to live without the threat of disaster. Mara could only hope that this girl doesn't fall into the path of hate. Of death. The little girl turns back to her mother, nodding. "I have to go, Wednesday." She smiles, skipping off into the street. Before long, she's nothing but another girl in the sea of children. Another child in the sea of children.

The darkness descends on the busy street, the children flocking from home to home, singing the melodic tunes of "Trick or Treat!" and "Happy Halloween." This year for Halloween, as she stands in her black lace dress on the side of the cold street, she wishes for only one thing: freedom.

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~Present Day~

"Cancel my meeting with Alexander and call in Reyna Swindell," she exclaims, collapsing down into the comfortable office chair. Her assistant shakes her head, "please." Her assistant disappears around the corner into the depths of the magazine office. Marie only smiles, resting her hands on her face; leaning back against the sleek black desk chair. She feels exhilarated every time she sits in this chair. The fact that she rose to the top of this magazine firm so quickly only adds to her beating heart.

Reyna slips past Helena at the sound of her name passing through the assistant's lips. "I'm coming," she mumbles as she passes people she barely knows, people she's barely met. The past few weeks have been crazy. Meeting the people in her office never ended well. Her friendships with Helena and Peter are enough for her right now.