Page 5 of Malcolm

Eliza stiffened as she watched the red color leach from the suit, which melted away swiftly and was replaced by a black leather catsuit. A long trench coat of matching color hit thefloor, and the heels turned into thigh boots. The hair moved and looped up into a simple bun, the waterfall of curls gone.

Eliza took a shocked step back.

The woman placed a hand on her hip. “I’m a witch, actually, I am the witch, and I have one mission, and that is to gather up all the little witches who are hiding away in fear here.” Her lips curled before they spread in a smile. Her boots clicked against the sidewalk as she approached Eliza, who was frozen stiff in apprehension.

“Don’t worry. I don’t want to hurt you. As I said, I wish to hire you.” She stopped within arms' distance and lifted her left hand, holding a black business card out to Eliza. “I am known as Madame Lanias; I manage a club on the other side of that,” she glanced at the rippling wall of glass before she returned her gaze to Eliza, “but I’m sure you know where I speak of.”

Eliza couldn’t stop the tremors of fear running through her. She knew all too well what Madame Lanias spoke of but refused to look. Since childhood, she’d forced herself to pretend it wasn’t there. In the past, when she’d been innocent of the effects of sharing what she saw, her mother had panicked and sent her to a psychiatrist. Of course, he’d blamed everything on their broken family. Eventually, she’d stopped sharing what she saw, even if it was something more dangerous.

Flash Back

A smaller her stood before a large window and stared at the rippling glass wall that rose high above the small city of Denver, her eyes taking in the way sunlight bounced off the colorful scales of the long wyverns that flew above. They were ambivalent to the small creatures that lived below.

“Eliza, come from there before you hurt yourself.”

Her mother called her again, but she couldn’t tear herself from the window. “Mommy, the glass wall is sparkling.” She eagerly called, but her mother didn’t react as she thought; as she drew closer, her mother placed a gentle hand on her shoulder.

“Love, there’s nothing there,” she was forced to turn away from the window, and her mother's eyes were somber as she looked her over. I know you believe there is, but my love, there isn’t.” She brushed Eliza’s curls aside. "Don’t worry; Dr. Wharton will stop you from seeing these things that aren’t there.” Her mother sniffled, and Eliza felt a pang of sadness as she watched her mother’s eyes darken to a stormy color.

She placed her little hand on her mother’s cheek, saying, “I’ll stop, Mommy. I’ll stop looking.”

“I don’t know who you are, but I don’t want anything to do with you,” she snapped angrily.

“You don’t know who I am, but you don’t wantanythingto do with me.” Madame’s voice changed as she narrowed her eyes on her. “You’re a witch, even with that pathetically low magical level. Here, you’re different. Your anger causes the glass to shatter, and your tears make the weather dreary. To the humans, you appear very lucky; some may even sense the power in you and be a bit too eager to get close, but in my world,” she grinned like a cat, “You’re one of the weak. Those who catch on that there is a lonely dub witch here will hunt you down, tear you apart piece by piece, and eagerly drink every last drop of your magical blood.” She leaned forward, “I would suggest you take my offer.”

She drew back and clicked her tongue. “Now, now. No more tantrums. It isn’t like you have a loved one to return to or a lover.” She quirked her brow and gave the neighborhood a look of disgust, “Are you coming?”

Eliza wanted to say ‘no’ more out of her desire to prove her wrong than anything else. Yet, as her lips parted to tell the woman where she could shove her offer, her lips froze. She wanted to say ‘no’, but this was the first time her visions and the things she’d experienced as a child were confirmed to be real. Everyone laughed at her stories, and she’d buried the child excited to explore the magical world she’d found between the bushes and hidden in shadows.

She curled her fingers into a fist at her side. “This place, is it behind the wall?”

“The wall?” Madame Lanias smiled. “Why yes, that is where my city lies.”

“I’ll go,” Eliza said, her will hardening. What did she have to lose? She could go and then return after learning about the place that haunted her dreams. The ground rolled immediately after her words. She staggered back, looking down in shock. “What's happening?”

“I’m taking you to the other side.” Madame Lanias's voice held a note of amusement. “I would have, you know; I’m one of the few witches who can do such a thing.” Blacklight swallowed her up, leaving only her eyes that shone with a wicked light. “Now, come along, Eliza. Let me show you the world you truly belong to.”

A silent snap, and Eliza felt herself fall into the dark.

Escape Plan Pt. 1

Eliza

Flashback

Her memories skittered along the surface of her mind. They were the only thing that kept her sane in this dark place. She’d been so sure that coming to Veil City was the right choice, but now, as she sat crouched in the corner of a cell, she regretted it. The other witches were like her, all weakened and barely able to breathe; night after night, theywatched their sisters dragged away, their eyes holding terror as their screaming voices filled the halls of their prison.

“Eliza,” she turned away from the only window and faced the person who’d called her. “What do you see?”

“I don’t see anything, Ashe, just the moon.” Ashe was the third girl who’d been thrown into her cell; her eyes were silver with yellow flecks, her skin was pale, and what once had been the lean sylvite body of a ballerina was now a thin, emaciated form of starvation. Her bones stuck out, and her hair had dulled. “I tell you this every time.’

Taking a seat next to Ashe, she moved close so she and Ashe could lean on one another. They attempted to share warmth despite the cold of the stone prison. “I just need a reminder that there is a world beyond this one. Not only for me but for you, Eliza, we must remember there is a world outside this suffering one.”

The place they now lived was filled with pain and despair. She felt her sanity reset when she looked up and remembered who she had been before. “I don’t know what you think I should see.”

“I wish you were a white witch; you could see the lights,” Ashe whispered as she rested her head on her shoulder. I used to be afraid when I saw them, but as I grew older, I found peace in seeing the shiny lights as they rose above the veil and headed to the river of reincarnation. The dead who’ve died and are at peace are returning home.” She glanced to the corner of the cell. “Here, they cannot settle. There is no peace to be found.”

Eliza had initially been creeped out when she’d learned Ashe was a white witch, but now she couldn’t help but wonder how anyone could find peace here. Another scream ripped through the silence of the cells. “I don’t want to die here only to remain trapped within these walls.”

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