Alice and The Rogue Wolf

Chapter 18

I could feel the witch's hand as it hovered over me, while her room rippled from her chants. While I laid there with my eyes snapped shut and my arms clasped on my sides, in my heart, I never stopped beseeching the moon goddess to grant me mercy. The witch, who seemed to know what she was doing, stopped her chanting, and for a second I sensed the room go dark.

I slowly opened my eyes only to be met by stark darkness, and smoke floundering where the light formerly stood when the candles were lit. They must have been put off by the rattling wind which filled the room and made the once warm floor caress my bare neck with its icy hands. I quickly sat up and was still trying to grope around in the darkness when I heard a growl

"Mrs. Sophia?" I called, beginning to panic. But no response came.

I called out this time with a stronger tone, yet no response except the growl that was sounding closer but the second. With my heart threatening to beat out of my chest, I strained to look for a way and it was only when my eyes rose, that I saw a slim c***k in the roof and close to it a dangling hatch rope ladder a couple of inches away from where I sat. I rose to my feet with urgency and tried to grab onto the fibrous line, but something grabbed onto my feet just as I was about to leap.

I kicked and wriggled, but it had fur, a lot of it. From its gnarling, I could tell I was being attacked by some ferocious beast and the best defense I had was that rope. With all my might I grabbed onto it, but just as I was about to begin my escape ascent, my sweaty palms slipped off the rope and I came crashing down on my back.

"Damnit!" I groaned, rolling to the side to ease the pain.

I crouched, watching for my predator using the light from the c***k, but the only sound I heard was my heavy breathing. I moved in a confined circle in the dark, making as much noise as I could, but still, the mysterious beast remained hidden. Hoping that it must have probably disappeared, I rushed into the stream of light, but immediately the beam touched my skin. The animal came hurling towards me with his teeth bare, but I ducked and crouched at the other end of the room, catching my breath.

I tried this a couple of times and the same thing happened. The beast must be attracted to only items in the light, I thought. And the c***k was getting wider, so I needed to apply my instincts and act fast if I needed to save myself. But first I needed something to use as bait.

With little time to spare, I immediately went to work exploring around for something to use as a decoy. It was hard moving around in the dark with little or no light to guide me but I finally laid my hands on a wooden seat.

Steadily, I approached the beam. I needed to make sure the furry animal was around. I took off one of my shoes and flung it into the light and as usual, it launched itself at my sandal and landed with a thud in the dark. With its strong teeth, I could hear the beast rip the fine leather into bits. It was time for the final trick that I hoped would set me free.

I crouched low and took off on a timed run, and just as I was a couple of inches away from the light, I flung the chair to distract my attacker and leaped simultaneously clutching onto the ladder and making my way up as quickly as I could caper. While I was at a safe height, I looked down at the static growling beast.

"Yeah! Take that sucker!" I yelled, before pushing up the hatch.

Just I stuck out my head, the light beam brightened and blinded me, making me spring up, startling the witch.

"What just happened?" I asked, trying to catch my breath.

"Wow! You made it!" She exclaimed, staring at me as if she had just seen a ghost. "The beast was put there to prevent you from accessing the hatch which they had put in your memories. I cast a reverse spell and was able to give you some of your memories, which was the streak of light you must have seen."

"Oh my God!" I pinched my thigh skin to make sure this wasn't a dream. "Ouch! That thing almost killed me."

"I know! I warned you. You should be glad I was able to give you some of your abilities back, or you would have been dead by now." The witch snapped her fingers and the candles alongside the other objects disappeared to reveal a well-lit living room. Her paraphernalia had also vanished and she appeared, clad in the clothes she had worn previously. "Are you feeling anything strange or unusual?"

I got up from the warm floor. "No, I'm feeling better. The headaches are gone but I still can't remember a couple of things that I want to."

"Don't sweat i. Just give the spell an hour to wear off and you'll recall everything," the witch assured.

"Thank you so much. I mean I never thought it would happen but you helped me get my memories back. How much can I pay you?" I said, clasping my hands in front of me as a sign of appreciation.

"Oh, don't worry about it. I owed Mrs. Polly a favor so consider this as a kind gesture from her."

We both discussed Mrs. Polly for a while and this time I contributed effectively. She offered that I stay over for lunch but I told her I would come by another day. I had gone through a lot already and more than anything right now, I needed a good rest.

"Thanks so much for your help, but I have to get going now before Jonathan begins worrying about me again," I announced, getting up.

"Let me walk to the door then." She stood up as well. "When next you meet Mrs. Polly, do say hi to her for me okay? Tell her I would come to visit sometime.*

"I will. I'm sure she would be glad to see you. Bye!"

I felt her stare dig through my back as I headed off. The thick bush parted and as I walked past, interlocked, shutting the witch's cottage away from the rest of the world.

It must be pretty lonely for her, I wondered. Being cut off from the rest of the world like that because she was a witch, a harmless one at that, did not sound right to me. But, what could she do? Whatever the Alpha male declared was what could stand. But, now I had a chance to change that with my memories back.

The forest was alive with birds chirping and singing songy and as I strolled along, I joined in whistling a tune I had frequently heard from my mum. I bounced along, swinging my hands on the sides. I could hear a car horn resound from a long way off, and I could tell that I was slowly approaching the tar road.

I was about to kick off a dried branch when I felt a slight migraine in my head. I ignored it but soon my head was pounding with an ache and I grabbed my head, writhing from the fever that had begun to spread across my body. I felt like screaming but my face felt numb, who would possibly be in this thick forest to help me.

While I was still trying to alleviate the pain, my vision began getting fazed. I struggled to keep awake, but my eyelids fought to unite, despite my attempts to. keep them apart. My legs felt like dead logs and no matter how much energy and force I mustered, they stood rooted to the spot.

I tried to hold on but I could feel life seeping out of me. My whole body had shut down, and like an alcoholic pissed as a newt, I staggered and leaned against a nearby tree, praying in my heart for a savior, but it seemed I had run out of luck and no one was coming.

Time behaves funny when you're dying, so I couldn't tell exactly how long I leaned there struggling for life before I could hear footsteps approaching. Whoever was there, stopped right at my face and seemed to be asking me questions, but my faint breathing sounded too loud in my head and I couldn't hear a word.

Not being able to hang on anymore, I drew my last few breaths and felt my lifeless body collapse on the moist forest ground but was lucky to be saved by a strong set of arms.