The Next Petrova Doppelganger [Book 1]

Chapter 20 -- Supper With The Devil

I slowly slip into consciousness, my head pounding and eyes burning. I force my eyes open, and try to turn my head but a sharp pain shoots through it. A groan escapes me, and I re-close my eyes because they are to heavy to keep open. My breathing is deep, forcing me back into a dark slumber, a slumber that is filled with dreams and hopes for the future; a dream that should have been a reality...

Dream, Elanora's POV

The sound of soft laughter and the feeling of love and happiness rushes over my home, and inside my mother and I are laughing and baking Tortellini's together.

"My mother and I baked this very recipe when I was your age, and it was always a bonding ritual between mother and daughter, dating all the way back to the beginning of the Montgomery line. And someday, you'll bake this recipe with your daughter, and I'll bake it with my granddaughter." Mom says with a soft smile, and she puts one arm around my waist and kisses my head.

Grinning, I turn and hug her tightly. "I love you mama." I say with a smile.

"I love you to sweetie."

End Dream

The sound of a large, metal door opening and closing wakes me from my beautiful dream. Opening my eyes, I look up and see a huge man standing over me. Panic and confusion surges through me, an sit up and move away from him, my head pounding but I ignore it.

"She's awake!" He calls to someone, and turns, tossing a plastic bag filled with ice to me. "For your head. Can't have you dying before the ritual." He says gruffly, and walks to the door and starts unlatching it.

I pick it up, and put it against my head, wincing slightly. "Ah, god that hurts. Uh, thank you... I think." I say softly.

He pauses at the door. "These people have insane beliefs on Doppelgangers, and the believe you were born out of evil, and that you will plague the earth. That's why they want you and everyone like you dead." He explains, still not turning around.

I blink and take a moment to let this sink in. Believe it or not, this explains a lot about what's happened this last few days. "Yeah well, I can assure you that I was not born out of evil. In fact up until recently, I lived a pretty normal life. Do you believe in the prophecy to?" I ask, my voice soft as I think.

He slowly turns around. "I'm not sure what I believe anymore. The Sakute coven is all I've ever known, so I don't know." He says.

"Well, I don't believe it. What is the whole prophecy anyway?" I ask with curiosity.

"Honestly, I have no idea. Look, I gotta go, but if you aren't evil, then the sacrifice won't work and you'll be resurrected by sun rise and killed properly." Before I can ask him more questions, he leaves.

Looking around, I look to be in a metal cell with no windows or doors - other then the main one; meaning there is no way to escape other then the main door which is locked and bolted. Sighing, I struggle to stand and walk over to the door and try and peer through the bars. Gripping onto the bars, I try and look through them but I can't see much other then a flickering fire-like light in the distance.

I swallow hard, and try to listen for any sound. I can only pieces of what they are saying, but what I can get is in blurbs. "She must be ready...Sacrifice...Moon...Death...Ending Evil...Kill those who enter...Apex." Shaking my head, and look around for anything I could use to fight with. 

Biting my lip, I spot what appears to be a bucket. Walking over, I look down in it and almost hurl at the contents. It is filled to the brim with blood. Fresh blood by the smell, and I turn and try not to think of who - or what's blood that is.

Taking in a deep breath to steady myself, I turn and walk over to the wall and touch it to see what it's made out of. Its made out of stone, and its impossible to break through. Pressing my lips firmly together, I walk back over to the door and peer through the tiny window and bars. 

"Hey! Anyone out there? Hello? Its your Doppelganger, you know, the one you want to sacrifice when the moon hits its apex!" I call out in a mocking tone, and sigh slightly.

A manly face appears in the window, his eyes are a dull green and his hair is jet black. There is a scar running from his temple down to his chin, and he has an angry and bored look on his face. "What do you want?" He asks gruffly.

Swallowing hard, I muster up all my strength to speak in a demanding tone of voice. "I want to know what the full prophecy is and what it means for me and my family." I say, and step up to the door.

His lips twitch into a strange movement, and he sighs in a bored way. "No." He snaps back, and turns away from the door.

I'm taken aback by his answer and gruffness, and it takes me a few moments to register this. "Why the hell not?" I snap back in the same gruff, agitated tone of voice he has taken with me.

Without turning around he answers, "Because you don't need to know it." He responds, putting emphasis on the word "need".

"Uh, yeah I kinda do. If I'm going to be sacrificed in your stupid ass ritual, I want to know why and what for." I snap back. "Thus, I need to know it." I put emphasis on the word "need",  just like he did. 

He turns around, and stands right in front of me, and I can feel his breath on my face. "Even if I did know the full prophecy, I wouldn't tell you. You need to be sacrificed to end the eternal plague of Doppelgangers, and even if you aren't evil know, darkness will consume you," He stares into my eyes with his green eyes, "and you won't be able to do anything about it." He stares at me with a cold look in his eyes, before turning back around.

Chills run up and down my spine, and throughout my body. I turn away from the door, tears in my eyes, and I cross my arms rubbing the goosebumps on my arms. Walking over to a corner, I sit down, and pull my knees up to my chest. It may seem weak of me to be curling up in a corner, but I can't hold myself together anymore. 

My best friend - or whoever's inside my best friend, is trying to kill me in some insane ritual, my mom is dead, and everyone seems to believe this absurd prophecy. Not to mention, I'm supposed to be evil or become evil. Tears fall down my face, and I let the tears I've been holding in for the last few weeks go. 

The sound of the doors latch makes me look up startled, and I quickly wipe away my tears and dry me eyes. The door swings open, and four people walk in, three of them wearing long black cloaks that touch the floor, but one is in skinny jeans, combat boots, and a shirt with a leather jacket over it. She turns and stares at me, and I swallow hard. 

"It's time."

The Next Petrova Doppelganger