by A. R. Mummey
Chapter Fifteen
I sat in Professor Brooke’s classroom at my usual seat by the window, gazing out at the world, only something was off. There were no people milling about, wandering from building to building, engaged in conversation. Nothing. No people. Confused, I glanced around the room. Empty. Except for one seat. Even with her back to me, I smiled, relieved to see my friend.
“Greta,” I called out. She didn’t answer. I tried again, but she still didn’t respond. Nervously, I stood up and walked over to her, reaching out to grasp her shoulder.
“Don’t touch me, Lorelei. Please.” She pleaded. Walking around to the front of her desk, I knelt down to face her.
“Greta,” I said softly, tears rolling down my cheeks as I stared at her.
“It’s not your fault, Lorelei. Don’t blame yourself. Promise me you won’t. You couldn’t save us, you know that. We were dead from the moment she saw us.” Greta’s sweet, smiling face stared at me, bruised and discolored, her eyes dull and lifeless.
“No. No, no, no. Not you, Greta.” I sobbed, reaching for her. She pulled away.
“You can’t touch me. I’m here to help you. This is the only way I could, but it’s one of the rules. No physical contact. I don’t want to be a Lost one, Lorelei. I need to move on. I need you to do this for me.”
“Anything,” I whispered.
“Kill Thea. Kill her. She’s true evil. The things she made us do….” Greta shuddered. “Death was a swift blessing. But for us to be free to move on, Nicole and I need you to kill Thea. We need closure. Our families need it to. Please. It’s not your fault what happened to us, but you’re the only one that can stop her. We can’t move forward until she’s dead.” Silent tears slid down Greta’s face.
“How?” I asked.
“She’s Eisheth like you suspect. She fears you because of Agrat. Agrat hasn’t been heard from in centuries, but Agrat is a fierce protector of her own. You can tap directly into Agrat’s power, and you don’t even know it. You can wield water like you do the ethereal flame.”
I stared at her, slowly understanding what she was telling me. “How do I do it? Tap into her power and wield water?”
Greta shook her head. “I don’t know. But there are others out there who can help you.” This time I shook my head in confusion. The scene started to change, Greta wavering in and out before me.
“No!” I reached for her one last time.
“Lorelei … you were a good friend and so much better than you give yourself credit for. Be strong.” She disappeared as the world shifted to complete darkness.
I was suddenly alone, cold. In a void of nothingness.
Out of the darkness, a form appeared, looming over me. Catching my breath, I felt apprehension niggle at me. I felt I knew what lay beneath the hood of the creature before me. I moved my hand up toward the hood, tugging it back, and there she was.
Mom. I felt her move. Knowing what was coming, I went to step away, but she was faster, backhanding me across the face. I spat blood.
“Worthless. Useless. Filth.” She said each word as if it were a curse. Disgusted, she shoved me with tremendous force. I stumbled back, barely keeping myself upright.
“Pathetic. Disgusting. Don’t eyeball me, you ungrateful piece of trash!” she roared. Her cruelty stung.
“I never loved you,” she hissed. “How could I? Look at you. Thank God the cancer killed me before I had to see you like this, a sniveling coward. Thea gave you an opportunity, and you scorned her.”
“No,” I said, “my mom would never—”
Before I could finish, she swung, punching me in the stomach. I landed in a heap on the ground, wheezing for air, choking on blood. I willed myself to wake up. Why was I dreaming this? This was beyond even her level of cruelty. This wasn’t my mom. Was it?
“Oh, it’s me, Lorelei. I’m everyone you love and hate.” She laughed before kicking me in my side. I cried out, trying to crawl away from her. She grabbed my hair and rolled me over. Her face changed from my mother to Prue, to Bast, and then Thea.
“Is this better?” she asked. Her teeth and nails elongating, she dove on me. I shrieked in terror and pain as I felt my skin being shred into ribbons, blood pouring out of
