Page 66 of The Neighborhood Witch

“A beautiful evening with a handsome guy, whom I’m proud to see have the courage to be at this table tonight.”

He glanced down at the black onyx ring on his hand. His head swirled, and his stomach twisted in knots. His body shivered as though his soul rattled. A jolt ran up his spine.

“Aren’t the decorations beautiful?” Elizabeth said to Hugo. “I love the falling snow at Christmas time.”

Hugo lurched back in his seat, shocked to see Elizabeth’s face. Her hazel eyes. Her auburn hair. Her infectious smile. She now sat at the table in place of Alice.

“Is everything okay, Hugo?”

“You’re not here,” Hugo said. “You’re not supposed to be here. Where is she?”

“Where is who?” Elizabeth asked.

“Alice.” He raised his voice. “Where is Alice?”

“I don’t know who you’re talking about.”

There was an eerie silence. No commotion from the various diners. No staff walking about. Only silence. He scanned the restaurant and found it barren. Tables and chairs were empty. The host was no longer at his familiar position, ready to greet anyone walking through the door. Antonio was nowhere to be found. He frantically searched, trying to find Alice. There was only the two of them. He set the glass down on the table. His face was pale—any sense of joy and excitement now gone.

“She was right there. Right where you’re sitting,” he yelled as he turned his attention back to Elizabeth. “Where did she go?”

“Hugo, you’re scaring me,” Elizabeth said with a frightened tone. She set her glass down.

“This isn’t how it happened,” Hugo said.

“How what happened?” Elizabeth asked as Hugo leapt from his chair. “Where are you going?”

“I have to get out of here,” he exclaimed.

He ran through the empty restaurant, weaving around the tables.He followed the familiar path to the exit. He tried to open the door, but it wouldn’t budge. He tried again. It was unrelenting. He pulled and jostled at the door, but nothing happened.

“You can’t leave, Hugo,” Elizabeth said. “You can’t abandon me.” She rose from the table. Her arms were rigid at her side while her shoulders raised. Her head tilted, and her normally hazel eyes glowed red. “You can’t leave, Hugo. You’re here with me. Forever. Like you promised.”

She crept toward Hugo. The table and chairs pushed aside, screeching across the floor as she rambled into them. Her eyes grew brighter as she approached.

“Stay with me, Hugo,” she pleaded. “Stay with me forever. Like you promised.”

He pulled at the door, but it wouldn’t budge. He pulled again and again. It wouldn’t give way. He slammed his shoulder into the glass, trying to break free. Over and over. Each time, he bounced further and further away as it felt like the glass was growing stronger.

The top of the door bled wine from the outside. The reddish-purple liquid covered up the picturesque winter landscape he was trying to escape to. He recoiled in fear, letting out a scream.

He grabbed a chair and gave thought to smashing the nearest window. He reared back, ready to strike with all his might. He stopped. Each window bled wine now. The wine covered windows cut off the outside world. The restaurant grew dim.

Elizabeth crept closer and closer. Each step lingered to allow the fear to set in. The lights from the Venetian candle jars faded as she passed. Her face decayed and sunk with each step. Her skin shriveled, giving her a skeleton like appearance. Her ghastly hand outstretched. The skeleton like fingers clawed at the air, beckoning Hugo.

“You said you’d love me forever, Hugo,” Elizabeth cried out in a dark, agonized tone. It almost echoed on every word as it filled Hugo’s ears. “You said we’d be together.Forever. And now we will.”

The light faded. The restaurant grew darker.

Hugo slammed the chair into the glass window only for it to bounce off. He tried again. The window grew stronger with every blow. He threw the chair across the ground to impede her progress, but she pushed it aside. She never wavered.

He screamed in frustration as he pulled at the door in one last desperate attempt. Her hand brushed against his face. The terror set in—the realization that there was no escape.

“You’re mine, Hugo Dodds,” Elizabeth said in a deep voice conjured from a place of darkness Hugo dared to not venture. “You’re mine. Now and forever.”

Her hand engulfed his face. A cold sensation ripped through his body toward his soul. Everything became dark as the world faded away. There was nothing, only darkness. A rush of emotions overcame Hugo—loneliness, isolation, desperation, sadness, horror, fear. He swirled in a vortex of pain and suffering in this empty void.

“Forever,” Elizabeth’s ghoulish voice said through the darkness. “We’re here forever.”

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