✓ | Silent Shadows ⋆ Will Herondale [1]

CHAPTER FOUR: AWAKE

◤I am well aware that past months have been nothing but a nightmare for you and I am sure that my mind cannot even begin painting pictures about what you went through in that haunted house. Those cruel events become engraved in one's mind, but ⎼ I need you to tell me everything that had happened to you. Everything.◢

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CHAPTER FOUR: AWAKE

MARIE was trapped in her own dreams ⎼ or nightmares, to be precise. The girl had once again become a prisoner of the Dark House.

In the cold corner of her room - which was in reality her prison cell, Marie was curled up in a shape that resembled a ball of wool. Every inch of her body felt as if it had been set on white⎼hot flames. The heat bit her skin slowly, lacing her insides with pain; her body throbbed terribly.

Things were not supposed to be like that, at least Marie liked to believe so. She was supposed to be at home, warm and comfortable in her small room at the London Institute. However, she found herself spending more time at the Dark House, against her will.

The moment she was captured vividly sparkled in her mind. She felt the same sharp pain from when the unknown man gathered enough courage to slam a blunt weapon against her skull, filling her vision with tiny black dots.

Everything that came after that moment felt like hell. The girl had became nothing but a caged bird deprived of its freedom. The bird had no chance of escaping the prison whatsoever, unless ⎼ of course ⎼ someone accidentally left her cage open or someone cared enough to set it free.

She recollected being alone at first, following the same monotonous routine ⎼ wake up, eat the food the Sisters had mercifully left for her, go visit them and then return to her bedroom.

Loneliness and the lack of a person to talk to quickly got to the Wayland girl. The usually outgoing and happy personality that Marie possessed was gone in a matter of a few weeks; total isolation being way to heavy of a burden to carry alone. Her spirit was crushed and oppressed by the Dark Sisters, their treatment far too cruel for the poor soul. The constant tormenting ⎼ with no time for Marie's mind to rest ⎼ broke her.

Marie immediately recognized the burning anger that was woven in the Dark Sisters' souls, rage that filled their eyes. It made no sense to her ⎼ what did she ever do to deserve this? Sure, being a Shadowhunter was one of the reasons, but it wasn't strong enough. Deep down, Marie understood that. There was something greater; a purpose existed, beyond just that. She just needed more time to figure it out.

Soon enough, another girl was brought to the Dark House. A brunette her age ⎼ Tessa.

Together, the two newly acquainted girls spent each and every day in doing what they didn't want to. They were pions put on a chess board, forced to play a little game in which they were nothing but a collateral damage. They had no influence on the outcome.

They tried rebelling against the Sisters at first, but the pair always seemed to have a card hidden into their sleeves. The women knew just which strings they should push and pull, ultimately quelling the so⎼called attempt of a rebellion.

Tessa and Marie were hurt each and every day, equally. The only thing that differed was who would have been the first one to endure the sufferings. Tessa experienced pain due to something that wasn't even her fault ⎼ her changing ability. Marie, on the other hand, was tortured simply because the Dark Sisters desired that. They enjoyed randomly stabbing and slashing the Shadowhunter, teaching her that even the bravest souls could be broken.