Prologue
1700 Words
Oh my god!
This is unrealistic… It is unreal for sure.
My fraction of second’s doubt came to a stop when air got knocked out of my lungs as I hit against a wooden frame.
Thwack!
***
“Awake, I see.” A raspy voice so smooth like the sound of the chord of a string hits my ears.
I sit upright when I’m reminded of earlier events, snapping my eyes open. I couldn’t breathe normally anymore.
The young man in front was… absolutely handsome.
Argh…
“Pathetic!”
Struggling to keep my wavering consciousness, I shivered with the deep resonating voice around us. I forced my eyes open to see an extremely handsome young guy. His strong well-built body was clad in a black suit and brown hairs were combed back neatly. His features were sharp with silver eyes shining with a glint of anger in them.
“Argggghhhh! Let… Go…”
My body became alert hearing the cries of my friends. Instinctively, I turned and was speechless seeing them struggle against unknown force, crying out in pain as if it was inwardly inflicted.
Stunned; I know that face from the painting! But… wasn’t that an old one?
How come…?
His eyes shine and my heart drops noticing them turn golden, like fire.
*Gasp*
He is Louise Lester!
This freaking 12AM challenge was true; no rumors.
“Ah, so you remember me?” He asks; his thin lips moved perfectly in sync, mesmerizing me.
Yet, I was scared of him. The dark aura around him; the origin of a dark hole behind his back was scaring me. It was in contrast to his white-pale skin, making him appear brighter and smooth like porcelain.
I move backward but my throat loses its voice when, in a blink of an eye, the man is right in my face.
WHAT? How's that possible?
There was no sign of panting, no after effects of this sudden movement on him!
Who is he?
He scares me... I feel like crying...
Troubled… unable to breathe; I was choking. I can’t breathe... I couldn’t escape as I was panicking.
Suddenly, he turns me around and if I was shocked at first, now I am flabbergasted.
I can see my friends crying, helplessly at a distance from us. They seem restrained. Emotions of fear and worry masked their bloated faces as they kept struggling in thin air.
"Tracy! Tracy!"
However, my loud gasp invited all the attention to me. I shuddered feeling a sharp gaze on me. Yet, I was worried about my friends first. With a swift push I pulled myself together and tried to reach them when a grip on my ankle made me stumble and fall back.
Thud
Groaning in pain, I reached for my ankle only to find nothing there. I swear the pressure was still there that kept me in place. This was enough to scare me and tears streamed in my eyes.
“TRACY!”
My silent cry ended up into a sob as I recognized the agonizing voice of my best friend, Ash.
“If it isn’t the one who summoned me; let me end you first.” That scary voice twistedly made my body tighten up with that deep voice.
I glanced up to the man who was undeniable handsome yet scary. His hollow cheeks and pale face made him appear to be raised in a well-off family. Despite that I was worried that his voice was doing illicit thing to me. My eyes shut closed to get a grip on myself; forgetting that he was intending to kill me.
“No!!!”
My friends shouted and I cowered in a corner furthermore.
“Nuisances, Shut up!” Louise lazily muttered and with a whoosh of a strong wind, I was stunned to hear my friends scream in pain.
“NOOOO!!!” I screamed loudly, trying to get to them but out of nowhere a glass wall appeared as I hit my forehead against it.
“Hahaha! So sad… Poor humans!” My head snapped in his direction, glaring hard at him.
It took everything in me to not give in to that weird feeling in my lower region. Suddenly, our eyes met and I felt weak in the knees with the intensity he looked at me.
His silver eyes stood out most and I gritted my teeth to ignore him. Seemingly, he had other plans. With a slight tilt in his head, he sneered at me after some thoughtful consideration.
“Let my friends go… Please.” I muttered, scared to even address him.
On the other hand, he raised an eyebrow in query.
“Let them go??? What for?” His sudden question and effortless walking made my heart race heavily in fear.
He was approaching me… I had nowhere to turn to, what should I do?
“What about you? Are you ready to die in their places?” he asked with a smirk as he assessed me and then back at my friends.
“No, leave her alone!”
“It’s got nothing to do with her…”
“Leave her… Please…”
“Tracy!”
My heart tightened hearing pleads of my friends even though they were themselves in danger.
“Noisy!” Louise was furious and he evilly raised an eyebrow at my friend’s direction that started to shake the entire ground.
I was off guard thus falling back on my side while my friends’ screams were started to hurt my ears and my heart.
“Noooo… I beg you… please let them go. Please…” I shouted, crying for mercy.
And as if on cue, everything stopped.
Curious, I lifted my head off my knees and screamed when I found Louise staring at my face with a stone cold expression. We were not even an inch apart; his cold breath gave rise to goosebumps on my skin.
I was flushed against the wall as he extended a finger and touched my cheek that made me flinch.
So cold!
My eyes opened to saw him licking some blood off that finger as his face scrunched in indecipherable emotions. I wanted to know what he had going in his mind. Despite that it was worthless. He was in a daze and leaned closer; I crouched further when Kevin’s angry voice interrupted—
“Don’t touch her!”
“Don’t you dare!” Ash added.
I flinched to hear Kevin’s voice and, before we knew, the dangerous guy was fuming in anger. He glares at them darkly and the whole room is set on fire; just like that!!!
“NOOOo! Please no!!!” I wailed, trying to run towards them.
The fire started on its own. It depicts this man's behavior. It is what I have learned, shocked and pleading to him; desperately trying to reach out to my friends that are still behind this invisible wall.
“Ash!!! Kevin!!! Gilly!!! Kavy~~” My cries are muffled when a cold hand covers my mouth.
“Tsskkk!” The guy murmurs next to my ears, exciting me once again.
“Please… Please let them go.” I kept blabbering while hoping and praying for my friend’s safety.
However, this seemed to have angered him. Louise grabbed my shoulders tightly and spun me around to face him. I almost cried loudly. Truth is I was scared. I just wanted to be with my friends in hope that it would have been alright. To die alone sounded scary. If only I was beside them, I would have faced everything fine.
“Let go of them? Why? Do you think it’s funny to summon a spirit for fun? Right? Then let me show you what fun is for me.” Saying, Louise stood upright and out of blue, I heard a loud snap.
My heart fell down to the pits of my stomach. I screamed, trying to reach for Kavy who was now screaming in pain in an odd angle. The horror was making me dizzy. I thrashed against the wall and cried for help. Suddenly, turning back to Louise, I begged him to do anything in exchange of my friend’s life.
This caught his attention and he studied me in an intolerant silence.
“I want an offering.” He says, shrugging while watching me intently.
“I… I can give you whatever you ask for.” I said, hoping this would be solved.
He slid towards me and pinched my chin. His nose ran across my skin before he took my scent in, loudly.
Terrified yet captivated, I stayed put in my place. His actions were embarrassing me.
He let go my mouth and I added, “I… I can give you money, clothes, or whatever…” but was cut short by his angered glance.
“I am not materialistic! Louise Lester doesn’t need what he already has…” He declares, dangerously shaking me like a withering leaf.
“Then… what?” I cried silently, seeing Kavy faint.
“You…” He whispered, running a finger on my arm.
“Your body… Offer me this!” And out of the blue, he bites my neck harshly, making me dizzy.
“Decide or die!” He throws me away abruptly.
Ouch! Ack~
I was fainting as I noticed my friend turned red due to the smoky suffocation.
“Y-yes. Okay! But… Let them… go!” I sobbed, hearing Ash scream at me.
“Nooo!”
However, the guy seemed interested and impressed.
“Wise choice!” He says and wraps me in darkness, as everyone else disappears slowly before everything falls silent...
The only thought was for the safety of my friends. Can I even trust him with this?
Clack! Clack! Clack!
I hope they are fine…
*Rustle*
*Shuffle*
Hmmm…
A hand touched me enticing involuntary response from me. It was tingly but my head was heavy. A part of me panted inwardly with the cold touch while the other was worried about my friends.
I wish we wouldn’t have tested this stupid challenge…
I wish we weren’t here…
Or rather, not have met this guy who is dangerous…
Louise Lester—The Devil of Beverly Manor.
- Writer
