Page 40 of Dollface

My entire body trembled in fear, and Sabbath’s grip around my body increased. His mother stepped aside as eerie chanted whispers blew in the wind. She joined in the chanting, followed by Sabbath, and raised her hand. Her fingers curled, and I felt a strange force grip my skull. It clawed its way around my brain, scraping the surface as it slithered behind my eyes and took them prisoner, pricking its spikes into them. I cried out in pain and begged for her to stop, but she only chanted. The power shewielded forced my eyes to stare straight forward, and I watched as the exposed cavern surrounding The Ancient One ruptured into flames. My irises burned at the blinding light, but as much as I wanted to, I couldn’t look away.

Sabbath forced me closer as his mother shadowed us until I was standing at the edge of the cavern opening, and as I leaned forward, I could see down into the cave below. My body began to sweat from the fire raging in front of me. “Please,” I begged Sabbath. “Let me go!”

His mother flexed her hand, and my body fell into her control. I slid through Sabbath’s arms and fell to my knees, under a dark trance. “You should burn for corrupting my son. You and your family ruined everything! You do not deserve to carry his blood! My blood!” Tears rolled down my face as I remained her prisoner, staring at the burning tree. It screeched and roared a second time, and I watched as roots and branches began to move. They cracked and snapped, reaching for the center of the tree as if ripping it open. I tried to look away, but the woman gripped my face and held it still. “See what it is you think you can defeat.” She stood behind me. “Look at it!”

I stared ahead at The Ancient One and watched as a tall, eerie looking figure birthed itself from deep within the trunk. The sound of twigs and branches snapped while the thing crawled from deep within the tree and reached out into the night. It resembled the Sapling Foster had made, only this was much larger and much scarier. It crawled to its feet, its entire body made of nothing but parts of the tree, as it snapped its head and looked at me. The demonic, tree-like entity rose and stood at least twelve feet high. It stared down at me with eyes and a mouth of absolute darkness.

I’d never felt so terrified in my entire life. “Sabbath,” I cried.

The woman leaned down and whispered into my ear as I stared at the demon before me. “The only way he can save you isby completing the ritual.” No. “And if he fails, then you both will burn.” The woman stepped back.

The Redwood opened its mouth as a black liquid surged from deep within it. It poured down on me, smothering my body and falling into my mouth like some sick and demonic baptism. “No,” I cried as I choked on it. Branches and roots crawled and began to wrap around me. They twisted and constricted until my head was the only thing uncovered.

Sabbath’s mother appeared in front of me. “Be a good girl, Rosie. Let us do what we must, or this is only a taste of what fate has in store for you.” She snapped her fingers, and the branches wrapped around my face. I was left in a suffocating darkness. “Sabbath!” I couldn’t move or breathe.

Sabbath!

NINE

ASTER

“Aster?”I snapped out of my hazy train of thought and looked up at Wolfe. “You okay?” He was helping me clean the tables in the cafeteria after breakfast, one of the many punishments Nurse B had assigned me for taking off the night before and missing a plethora of activities and responsibilities.

I nodded and forced a smile I knew he didn’t believe. “I’m fine.” My arm moved in circles and I scrubbed the table with the damp rag. “Just tired. That’s all.”

More like traumatized. My dream was something a bit too real for my taste. And it left me even more frightened. I couldn't get the image of The Redwood out of my head and every time I closed my eyes, I would see it staring back at me through fire and darkness. It made me shiver.

Wolfe fixed his glasses. “I can imagine. I still can’t believe you got lost in those woods so easily.”

“Yeah, me neither.” Only I didn’t. But what was I supposed to tell them? That I chased some person in a mask around the woods, found a cult, and now they were all going to die? Sabbath was right. It sounded ridiculous. But I still needed to find a way to stop him. All of them. I just don’t know how.

Wolfe and I continued to scrub the tables and clean up. He seemed more quiet than usual. Almost melancholy. “Hey Wolfe.” He looked up at me. “How’s Sol doing?”

His cheeks burned at my question. “He’s okay, surprisingly. Thankfully, between how fast we were able to pull him out, and the fact that the bonfire was such a large structure, he somehow only has first degree burns. Nurse B was able to treat them and, for the most part, he’s back to normal. He did knock his head against one of the logs, but it’s a small cut. He’s moving around like normal, but he’s going to have some gnarly scars, though.” He wrung the rag out into a small bucket and smiled. “Truthfully, I think he likes the idea of having a bunch of insane scars.”

“Oh yeah? Why is that?”

Wolfe shook his head. “Something about looking tougher? I’m not sure, but he’s in good spirits. And Nurse B said he’s good to stay the rest of the summer.” My smile fell. “I was really worried. I didn’t want him to have to leave.” He stopped himself and looked down. “You know, because we’re short staffed.”

The cafeteria doors opened, and Sabbath walked inside. Wolfe and I exchanged a look as he walked right past us and into the kitchen. “What the hell is he doing here?” We both stood and quietly followed. We stood at the edge of the kitchen and peeked around the corner. Sabbath was whispering to Beatrice, the woman in charge of the kitchen. I couldn’t hear what they were saying, but it looked serious.

Wolfe tapped my shoulder. “Aster? Why is your brother talking to Beatrice?” he whispered.

I have no idea.

Sabbath and Beatrice hugged, and we ran back to the tables as if we never left. Not a minute later, Sabbath walked out from the kitchen. His eyes met mine, and I held my breath.

What’re you doing?

He smiled, then looked away and left the cafeteria without saying a word.

Anger stirred within me. “I’ll be right back, Wolfe.” I threw the rag down and marched after Sabbath.

He was whistling an all too familiar song as he stood just outside the cafeteria. “I knew you’d follow me.” He grinned over his shoulder. “Sleep well?”

My face burned with frustration. “No, I didn’t. But you already knew that, didn’t you?” He shrugged. “What were you doing in the kitchen?” He simply kicked the dirt with his boot. “Sabbath. Hey!” I whacked his arm. “Why aren’t you talking to me?”

“Because there’s nothing to say.” He pulled a pack of cigarettes from his jeans and lit one between his lips. “Thisbe is looking for you,” he mumbled as he exhaled a large cloud of smoke.

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