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EIGHT

ASTER

“With my blood, I swear to always love you, Rosie. To remain with you, even past death, as our bodies and souls tie together and remain as one until the end of time.” His blood began to drip onto the floor as I gawked at him, completely shocked by what he had done.

“Sabbath,” I exhaled, tears swelling in my eyes from both panic and appreciation.

“I—I—” I was at a loss for words. He held the blade out to me, his blood staining the tip as I stared at it.

He bled for me, and now I needed to do the same.

To prove myself. My hand shook as I instinctively retrieved it from his grasp, gripping the handle and turning my own arm over.

Something overcame me as I began to mimic his action and cut myself, fighting back tears as the pain of what I was doing radiated from me.

The pain was oddly satisfying, acting like an aphrodisiac.

“With my blood, I swear to always love you. I will remain with you, even past death, as we become one, our souls forever twisted and tied together.” As I lifted the blade, I stared down at what I had done, feeling almost empowered by it.

My gaze rose back to him as we held out our bloody arms. “I am yours, Sabbath.”

Darkness seeped into my mind as the crystal clear memory rippled like water.

It was painful to watch, knowing what would quickly follow.

But I had no choice. I was a prisoner to these glimpses into my past. I tried to look away, to shut it all off, but I couldn't. Something was holding me there and forcing me to witness it all over again.

“We are one, Rosie. Forever. And you can never leave me.”

No. No! Stop this! I don’t want to see this!

Sabbath’s voice began to echo around in my mind as the memory tore and burst in flames. “Ring around the Rosie. A pocket full of posies. Ashes. Ashes. We all fall down.” His laughter overlapped his singing and everything fell into darkness.

No!

I forced my eyes shut.

Stop this! Get out of my head. Get out of my head!

Everything fell into silence.

It’s just a dream.

I took a deep breath and reluctantly opened my eyes.

I was standing alone, deep in the woods.

The ashen colored roots of The Ancient One branched and twisted in every direction as totems swung in the cold night breeze from the trees.

The woods were soaked in a deep red hue as a full blood moon burned in the night sky.

Redwood leaves rained down all around me from the ancient tree, mimicking small embers of fire dripping down to the ground.

If I’d not know the truth behind this place, I might’ve thought it was beautiful.

But it wasn’t. It was cursed. And it was evil.

I turned to run, but instead, my body slammed into Sabbath’s. Only he didn’t look like his usual self. He looked… possessed. “Sabbath?” He ignored me entirely.

What the hell?

“Sabbath.” I looked back towards the ancient tree to see a plague doctor. It was the same one with the elaborate mask I saw in the cave. The woman. “Bring her to me.”

Sabbath obeyed without any hesitation. He picked me up and carried me towards the mysterious woman. “No! Sabbath!” I kicked and screamed while trying to escape. “What are you doing?” Still no reaction.

Sabbath stopped directly in front of the woman.

She tilted her head and walked closer. I pleaded with him to let me go, but he didn’t listen.

The woman laughed, and it echoed all around the woods.

“Oh, you naive little thing.” She grabbed my face.

“He cannot hear you. I have his mind within my grasp, as I do yours.” Her hand squeezed my jaw harder, and I winced at the pain.

“I could crush you so easily right now. End your life and remove the very thing clouding his judgement.” I stared at her.

“But alas, I cannot.” She roughly dropped my face and stepped back.

“Who are you?” I asked. “And why are you in my mind?” I struggled some more.

The mask tilted. “I am his mother. And I’m here to make sure you know exactly what you are up against.” What?

A loud, ear piercing screech shot through the woods before it fell into a vibrating growl. The ground shook from the vastly demonic sound that came from within the tree, and I knew whatever made it was bad.

What the fuck is that?

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 she wielded 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 is by 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!