Episode 20: Red Flower (Patreon)

Creak* 

Creak* 

The sound of heavy footsteps pressing against the worn wooden floor grasps Lucas’s attention. The figure standing on four legs left him speechless, he couldn’t believe what he’s facing this time,

‘Are you... Fucking... Kidding me’

Lucas had never hoped to come across such a beast, though he’s taken an interest in hunting recently, he had no plans of bringing down a brown bear!

Lucas in his position, crouched on the floor, couldn‘t quite figure out his next move. He looks at the bear's eyes in hopes that it was a Giver who’s only here to great him. Alas, the bear’s eyes weren't purple, and didn’t have the symbol he had gotten familiar with, instead they were excruciatingly black and are dead set on him. The bear snarls loudly at Lucas, yet Lucas stayed still. 

'What was I thinking only bringing a knife in these woods' Lucas looks for a way out, he has what he assumes to have the answers he needs, the locked book, and no longer needs to stay in the house, but his chances of escaping unscathed are slim, and the bear’s only getting closer. Lucas rests his back against the tree, and his movement triggers the bear to charge at him. Soon as the bear lifted its claws to attack, Lucas stoops barely avoiding its giant paw. The bear's claw sink deep into the tree 

"NOW!" Lucas uses this chance to stab the bear's paw on the tree with the little knife he has "GROWWWWLL!!"

Lucas escapes with the book in hand. But the ragged planks of wood on the floor stops his efforts in escaping 

Thud!*

Lucas's foot pierce through the floor dropping him to the ground

Crack*

"UGHH!" His ankle fractures from being stuck sending a shock throughout his whole body, but time is running out, the bear has gotten the knife out of its paws, and begins to head towards him. Lucas fights through the unbearable pain, and kicks the plank which grips on his ankle to break his way out.

Kick*

Kick*

"Come on, come on! Ungh!" 

Kick*

The bear prepares to attack him yet again, and Lucas closes his eyes shut to avoid watching his end. But not a second goes by, Amelia, who’s taken a beast form combining all her animal transformation, crashes through the window. 

Using her snake like tail to wrap around the bear and slams it to the floor, sinking its heavy weight deep under. Lucas has never seen Amelia in this form before, skin covered in snake scales and dear fur, her hands replaced by owl claws twice the size of her original petite small hands. Her hair came loose from the braid he's gotten accustomed to,  replaced with feathers covering her forehead to the back of her ears, she snarls her fangs to intimidate the bear which now quivers in defeat. The wild beast who could’ve killed Lucas with its claws has taken itself out of the house, horrified.

Amelia stood there with her back facing Lucas. She‘s only a couple feet away yet she feels further than ever before. Lucas could sense something's off about her and notices her shaking, staring at the tree which stood at the center of the kitchen, then she begins to walk towards it, slowly shifting back to her original human form, and falls to her knees

”Amelia!” Lucas calls out to her ‘I never should’ve brought her here, I knew this place brought her discomfort, yet I still suggested it’ Lucas uses all his might to break his ankle free and rushes to her limping “Amelia” Lucas bends down to see her face, her purple eyes are fixated on the floor, overflowing with tears yet she let out not a single sound. Amelia begins to rub at the spot she’s been staring at with such anguish, and he then notices that the wooden floor had been covered in stains right below the tree. He didn’t give it much thought before as it appeared to have been just like any ordinary discoloration from worn out wood, but seeing how Amelia begins to clinch and dig her nails into it, it must’ve been more than a stain.

”Mama?” Amelia finally whispers after taking a long breath, and begins to aggressively dig into the floor as though her mother was calling out to her under the red petaled tree. Her nails begin to bleed “Amelia!” Lucas tries to stop her calmly as he slowly begins to understand the situation, she’s been digging into blood stains which possibly belonged to her mother.

“MAMA! MAMA! Mama” she continues to call out in frustration, and finally gives out when Lucas embraces her, she cries in this arms and wails in grief “Mama!”. It was suffocating watching her, and her voice yet again, forces Lucas into tears.

He holds her until she couldn’t cry anymore, and falls asleep in his arms. Lucas had forgotten all about the pain in his ankle after taking in her emotions. Through her screams he could better understand what had happened.

‘This place is no home to her, it’s a grave’

.

.

.

.

.

Two little sisters sing together as they splash their feet on the lake joyfully, all while enjoying the sunset at a dock near their home. Madeline smiles at her little sister Amelia in her reminiscent dream, a smile which shows just how much Amelia means to her. but when the sun set, darkness took over, and Amelia disappears without a trace. Madeline succumbs in the darkness, her smile taken over with anxiety and fear. 

“Amelia?!” She calls out and springs up to look for her lost sister “Amelia!” she looks to her left and right, yet nothing. Madeline shivers as she grips onto herself, lost with no direction until a muffled broken little voice echos in the darkness “They left me. I’m all alone”

”Amelia?!” The young Madeline calls

”It’s dark, I’m scared, why is no one looking for me?” The sound continues to echo with no evident direction

“Amelia, I’m right here, I didn’t leave you, follow my voice, please!” Madeline continues to look around trying to find where the voice is coming from, but the voice coming from all directions left her with no lead “Amelia, please, come to me”

“Mama, Maddie, where you go? I don’t like this”

Madeline griefs as she continues to search desperately for her lovely sister, until finally her little voice whispers from behind her “Don’t leave me” The six year old Amelia cries, curled on the floor wiping her tears, not noticing her big sister standing in front of her “Amelia!” Madeline rushes to her, but something grips onto her arms, allowing her to go no further.  Wrapped with chains, Madeline gasps, trying to break free, she’s right there, if only she could just reach her, hug her, tell her everything's ok.

Sob*

“Look at me Amelia! Please!”

.

.

Madeline screams herself awake.

Peter laying next to her sits up to see what had happened “Maddie, hey, it’s ok, breath” and rubs Madeline‘s back, she begins to calm herself with deep breaths

“You haven’t had a nightmare like this in a while, are you ok?”

”Y-yeah.. It’s just.. some case I’ve been put to look into. You don’t need to worry”

”There we go again. How can you tell your boyfriend not to worry? I’d prefer you use me in these situations.. ” 

Madeline smiles ”I’m fine really, I just need to wash up. What time is it?” Madeline stands to change out of her night gown.

”We still have 6 hours before the auction starts, and…”

”Hm?” Madeline looks back at Peter

“Are you sure you should be doing this? You already flew all the way to the base and back today. I know how much of a toll the oran eye can do to your body”

“No way, you already bought the dress and suit for us” Madeline replies with a grumpy expression.

“You’re right, and I can’t wait to see you in it.” Peter smirks flirtatiously “But still, I just can't help but worry. You should at least rely on Evan and I. I wouldn’t want you to—“

“It’s fine” Madeline interrupts and opens the door to the bathroom “After all, we need to put on a memorable show for the invitees. Now will you be joining me, or continue talking?” Madeline’s offer to bathe with Peter entices him.

“Man, you sure know how to change the subject. But I won't complain”