Villain Academy #JustWriteIt [WATTY AWARD WINNER OF 2015]

+ the 11 with the dye +

The castle was massive—walls taller than Villain Academy. Greenery stretched across the land, growing past the hills that disappeared over the horizon.

"Enough of the scenic tour," Archer piped.

"What?" I turned and something sharp pierced my head.

A short gasped escaped from my lips, body crashing onto the boat seat.

The beast inside of me rattled against its cage as it harshly whispered the same words over and over:

Traitor, traitor, traitor.

The blackness cupped me in its hand, putting me in deep slumber until a strong force shook my body, the dark peeling back its fingers to reveal a solid whiteness.

I blinked back, the white light stabbing my eyes.

Then a tang hit my tongue as I tasted a bitter, metallic liquid, it soaking my lips.

Blood, my beast murmured.

I wiggled my hands, nails grazing the bare ground. Groaning, I shielded a hand on my face and failed to see anything but the white room.

"We had to disinfect you," spoke Lance.

"What a pity. I was really attached to my germs." I faintly grinned up at him, and saw Archer glaring me down. "How's it going, sugar plum?"

"I can't believe I trusted you."

"Trust?" I winced. "Such a strong word." I moved my legs, sitting upright. "Say, how did you come to the conclusion that I backstabbed you?" Slowly, I pushed off to secure a good two feet on the ground. Burning pain shot up my back, and I stood a little hunched as I continued. "I'm awfully interested in how your idiotic brains could make up such a thing."

Archer laughed, Lance even chuckling a bit. "You think we'd tell you? After what just happened?"

I gave them my own little laugh before making a run, but Archer swung a club out from behind his back.

My teeth went numb, the wood cracking my lips open and the floor suddenly was much colder than I thought. My arms trembled to lift my weight and a heel dug into my neck, pressing me on the floor.

"Don't get up until I say so," Archer hissed.

My lips pressed against the tiles and I tried to look up, finding the jeans of a familiar friend. "Why can't we just mop the floor with your face?" I snorted. "Oh wait—I don't think you could fit in the corners."

He ground his boot into my neck and I cried out, hands crawling for anything.

"You lied to me," he hissed and released the boot off. He grabbed me by the hair and I screamed, his force dragging me up to his chest.