Turned - Tom Riddle

Chapter Twenty One

"Elizabeth."

...

"Elizabeth. Wake up, it's your grandmother," she pleaded. There was no response. "You have to go back to school, Christmas is over."

Elizabeth stirred, sitting up and resting her back against the pillow behind her. "What? Why are you home? Where's Tom?"

"Tom? Darling, we've been home the whole time. Are you alright?"

"I... I don't understand, did Tom leave?" Elizabeth asked, a lump forming in her throat.

Her grandmother shook her head, "Tom who?"

"You know Tom, Tom Riddle?"

At the words, her grandmother jumped back and looked from side to side. "Do not say his name."

"Grandmother, what are you talking about?" Elizabeth asked frantically. "Where is Tom?"

"Do not... say his name," she sounded exasperated. A loud crack was heard from downstairs. "Now look what you've done! He is here and he'll kill us both!"

Elizabeth tried to get up from her bed, but she was frozen, sitting there. Suddenly, there was a bright green flash and she sound of her grandmother screaming. Elizabeth cried out, but all she could see was green. Her vision came back. She was sitting in a classroom. Except it was empty.

"Me or him," a booming voice called out. It was familiar, except sounded different. Deeper and more godly than human. She looked around, but she didn't see anyone.

"Him or me," another familiar voice exclaimed. It was different than the first, sounding more kind and inviting.

"Elizabeth," the voices said together. "Him or me," they began chanting. "Him or me," the voices grew louder.

"Who are you? Who is he?" Elizabeth yelled at the ceiling. She recognized it. It had a large mural of multiple animals killing each other. It was the ceiling of Classroom 6 at Baxtart's.

The kinder voice rang out again, "He who must not be named."

"What?" Elizabeth screamed, voices now registering as an echo.

Joshua and Tom suddenly appeared in the portrait.

"Tom? Joshua?"

"You picked him first," Joshua's voice echoed.

Elizabeth's neck hurt from staring up at the ceiling. "No, no, of course not."

The ceiling became closer and it was rapidly falling down towards her. She tried to scream, but nothing came out. The mural wrapped around her and she was suddenly standing in an empty bedroom she didn't recognize.

"You chose me."

The room turned around her until she faced the back of a chair. It turned around slowly. "Tom?" Elizabeth muttered as the chair continued turning. A black sleeve appeared, but it was long and draped over the arm of the chair. When it reached her view, she realized it wasn't Tom. It was a pale, bald man with no nose. His eyes were red and snake like, and vibrant purple veins ran through his neck.

"Goodnight, sweet Elizabeth," the words slithered through his mouth.

"Who are you?" Elizabeth whispered.

He disappeared and the voice arose from behind her. "Elizabeth," she whipped around. It was just Tom, the normal Tom. Slowly, he began transforming back into the slimy creature she had seen seconds before. "Do not be hasty, give me the spells."