Once We are Descendants

Chapter 20: Caught in the Dark

With some reluctance, Evie stands outside the door of Ben's office. How many times has she been here in the last year trying to keep the couple together? It was like she is their relationship therapist or their peacekeeper, trying to resume the calm after the storm. Why couldn't true love couples just be happy? She and Doug may not be true love, but they are certainly happy. Sure, they had their fights, but what relationship didn't? Nothing was ever perfect, but if it was easy for her and her boyfriend to experience happy bliss, why couldn't it be the same way for her best friend? She could understand that Ben being royalty and all the responsibilities that came with it made things more complicated, but it seemed no matter how hard Ben and Mal tried, they just couldn't win. Opposites did not seem to attract, the universe was working against them.

She thinks over in her head what she's going to say and puts a stray blue lock of hair behind her ear. Her stomach turns several times, one side of her saying to let the fight run its course and the other side just wants to help. With the predicament her best friend was in, Mal needed Ben more than ever. He's the only one she would ever talk to if she was this upset. The entire office area is eerily quiet considering it's likely the middle of the night; even Fairy Godmother's office is dark. But if Ben was anywhere to do some thinking, it'd be here or the place by the Enchanted Lake, although trying to get there in the dark was next to impossible.

Evie sucks in a deep breath and knocks on the door.

"Ben?" she asks.

There's no reply. Typical if someone was hurting from a break-up, they'd probably wouldn't respond the first time.

"Ben, it's Evie."

Nothing.

"Ben, I just want to talk to you for a second and then I'll leave you alone I promise."

Still nothing.

Okay, that is just weird, Evie thinks to herself. Ignoring me the first time is normal but...

"Ben are you okay?"

Nothing but silence.

Something in the back of Evie's mind told her something wasn't right.

"Ben, I'm coming in," she announces so he wouldn't be mad at her for barging in.

She jiggles the knob several times until it finally opens with a low sounding creak. The sound sends a shiver up her spine.

To her surprise, the office is empty and completely dark. No wonder he didn't answer, he's probably gone home for the...

Something stops the daughter of the Evil Queen from leaving; another chill runs up her spine and it's not from unease or anxiety. The room is cold... extremely cold, almost to the point where she can see her breath. Evie rubs her hands up and down her arms to keep them warm. There is a strong breeze rushing through the room and it means something is very wrong. She stumbles around the office, trying to remember where the light switch was. When she turns it on, Evie's heart drops into her stomach and a gasp is caught in her throat.

The entire office is an absolute wreck. Books have been thrown from their shelves, ornaments have fallen or have been deliberately smashed against the wall. The brick fireplace on one side of the wall has been scratched up as if by something made of metal and the bricks are stained. The portrait of Ben as King and another of his parents have been vandalized with a black marker and spray paint. The leather chairs he had have been turned over and turned inside out. The Auradon flag that stood in his office is now torn to shreds. And finally, papers are strewn about, blowing in the wind coming from the gigantic hole where Ben's window used to be. Only a select few sharp shards of glass are still in the pane. But worst of all... Ben was gone.

"Ben?!" Evie calls, her heart pounding against her chest. She's reluctant to get any closer, but she knows she needs to. With slow careful steps, she goes towards the desk. Everything that had been on the heavy desk has been thrown to the floor, including a picture the king had of him and Mal together. This could have however been from Ben's own pent-up anger over their break up. She notices scuff marks on the floor and a sword by the window. She nearly vomits when she sees droplets of blood as well. Irrevocably, she sees a scrap of blue cloth stuck to a piece of glass. She pulls it out, knowing it was Ben's.

Evie manages a small sound, a whimper that came from the back of her throat. She stares outward, the wind of the night blowing her hair into her face, mimicking the chaos she felt inside of herself. The trees outside move as if in rhythm, reaching forward, encouraging the darkness to swallow her whole. While growing up on the Isle had made her strong, the blue-haired teenager still had personal fears... most of all the fear of darkness, the void of the unknown. The light of the room also cast sharp shadows around her that seemed to scratch against her body, trying to grab the daughter of the Evil Queen. Her heart threatens to crack her ribcage in anxiety and her hands shake erratically dreaded terror.

She then looks up and gasps in horror.

There's a piece of paper stuck to the wood of the window pane... But it's not the paper itself that scares her, making the VK shake with fear, nor is it the all too familiar handwriting and logo scratched onto the front of it... It's what the paper is stuck to the wall with...

It's stuck to the wood with a shiny metal hook.

A/N: Dun, dun, DUN! Please Review.