I awoke with a start. I sat straight up in bed and looked about my surroundings. I was still in my dress from the ball and I didn't even get under the covers which caused me to be quite cold except for the fireplace burning in my bedroom. My head hurt so bad and I saw a pitcher of water with glasses on the side of my bed. I quickly poured one and drank it down before replacing the cup. I slide out of bed and wrapped a blanket around me walking to the fire. I stood in front of it as a knock and a slight opening of my bedroom door happened. Did I dream the whole thing last night? Or was it real?
"Good morning! I am bringing you breakfast in bed!" Boomed Hilda with her strong voice and set a tray of waffles, syrup, milk, orange juice, butter, and toast on the table in front of the fire. I sat on the couch rubbing my head and heard her open a pill jar. She placed two pills next to the food and looked at me.
"Good morning, Hilda. I have the worst headache," I confessed and she laughed.
"To much booze from last night. Those pills are Tylenol and I expect you to take them after you eat. You didn't even get into pajamas last night. Just burst in here and flopped onto the bed. You snore like a tea whistle, ya know that?" Hilda demanded as she walked around the room opening blinds. My butler came into the room as I started eating the waffles with the delicious syrup.
"Good morning, ma'am. This afternoon they are having a picnic in the garden. I will pick you out an outfit for the occasion," the butler spoke to no one in particular before disappearing into my closet.
He emerged after I got halfway through my waffle and laid out something on my bed before disappearing back into the closet. I was finishing the milk with the final bit of waffle when he appeared with a box that he sat at the foot of my bed. "Change into these and I'll be waiting in the tea room when you are ready." He spoke softly before disappearing through the doors as quickly as he had come through.
He then left the room leaving me alone to eat my food with Hilda disappearing into the bathroom. I heard the water start and picked up my orange juice as I followed the sound into the gorgeous bathroom. It had tile floors that were the whites I've ever seen. The walls a light blue color allowing the room to look bigger than it was. She was making bubbles into the bathtub with soap. This was a claw foot bathtub. It was next to a walk in shower that was encased in marble. The toilet behind a small wall, but just the toilet roll able to be seen from here.
"The food was good thank you," I spoke to her as I drank the orange juice. She smiled and took the empty glass leaving me in the bathroom with a shut of the door. I let the water flow over my fingers and it was at a perfect temperature. I slid out of my dress and kicked off the heels. I dropped my undergarments before sliding into the water. The water wasn't too hot, but it soaked my aching body. The bubbles were perfect and helped me feel better quickly. I couldn't help, but sit and wonder if what I saw was a dream or reality. Things didn't make sense to me and I needed answers. I'll see if Vladimir remembers it when I see him later. I sat in the bath for a while and washed my hair. They had a ton of different conditioning moisturizers so I had to pick one. I finished up by pulling the drain at the bottom of the tub to let out all the water. After I dried off I began brushing and blow drying my hair like I normally do at home. I finished with straightening it so it would lay perfectly around my face without getting messed up in case there was wind. I then wrapped the towel back around me as I walked into my bedroom.
I walked over to the bed were the clothes were laid out. A black tank top set inside of a grey jersey with a black bra above it. The pants were leggings the color of midnight and panties to match. The shoes were completely black vans with white socks. I quickly pulled all the clothes on before Hilda came into the room.
"I prepared you a snack before you have to go. It's chocolate-covered strawberries with water. I made you a to-go canister in case you wanted to take some water with you. You also haven't taken those pills yet for that headache. Make sure you do. They are sitting next to the strawberries," Hilda scolded me and I nodded causing her to leave rapidly. What's with the instant on taking these pills?
After eating the strawberries quickly and drinking down the cup of water Hilda left for me, I proceed to take the canister of water with me out the door. My butler waiting for me. He opened his hand to have two pills inside his white-gloved palm. I picked them up as he turned leading the way to the garden. I slipped them into my pocket but made it look as though I took them. For I started to suspect there was an alternative reason for them wanting me to take those pills. I now had four of them in my pocket.
He lead me to a glass archway that held glass doors. You could see the illustration of an outstanding garden. It had so many colors throughout it. I was in awe at the landscape before me as I stepped out on the patio where the gorgeous garden circled. My butler then left me as more people started arriving. There was a large white tent below us in the lower part of the garden, but we all took in the scenery. Instead of following the brick path to the large tent like most people I waited a moment. Something didn't sit right with me. Call it instinct or paranoia, but I was suspicious of everything in front of me.
Suddenly, I felt a splitting pain go throughout my skull as if someone was hitting me over and over again with a baseball bat causing me to grab my head and whimper. I closed my eyes tightly trying not to scream out in pain or bring unwanted attention to myself. I gritted my teeth and locked my jaw to keep from making a sound. The pain started to subside slowly allowing me to open my eyes and take in what I was seeing around me with a new perspective. The dream from last night played in my head over and over again as the pain continued to go away. I could feel my heavy breathing and accelerated heart rate slowly returning to normal. Almost like the night I gained the tattoo and started gaining my memories back. Definitely not taking those pills.
"Are you okay?" Vladimir's smooth sweet husky voice filled my ears and I looked up at him hesitantly. I could see the concern written on his face and in his eyes.
"I'm okay. My headache from when I woke up just got extremely worse before slowly disappearing. I guess I should take this Tylenol after all," I spoke and took the pills out of my pocket. Before I could realize what was happening Vladimir snatched the pills out of my hand and threw them out into the garden away from us. His face held full seriousness for the first time in a long time.
"Don't take any medication they try to give you. It isn't what they say it is. I believe it's a formula they created to help wipe one memory of a recent event that was traumatic. I can smell the magic on it and I won't let them do that to you. I didn't take them either. People who did don't remember what happened to those people last night. I just can't forget that. I lost a couple of friends to their experiments they have decided to force upon us. Have you noticed the children aren't out here with us? They have to be up to something," Vladimir concluded staring into my eyes and searching to see if I thought he was crazy or not. I sighed and allowed my instincts to whisper to me softly.
"Do we just pretend then? Or what? I still have this mark on my arm and I have no idea what to do about it." I concluded to him and let out a sigh knowing having my memories intact was far better than anything else. To be oblivious that you are missing knowledge about yourself is the worse kind. It makes you into a different person entirely. My memories were sealed from me for a very long time creating a whole different picture of who I am after I finally got my memories back. My head swims with new things I am slowly remembering as the last of the seals disappear. I wonder if this happening will accelerate the process? Time will tell. I can say that I have more of a temper now than before my memory wipe happened. I walked around stone quiet for years not speaking or acting like I was even alive. I barely remember a lot of it. It was like I was on autopilot, but now I feel my personality. I know how to hold my tongue, but I also enjoy talking back. I can feel things I haven't felt before. It is as if my true self is slowly being unlocked to me as my character levels up going through different quests and levels that gain me more experience.
"Alexis? You in there?" Vladimir snapped me out of my mind. I blushed cause he was looking irritated as if he had been talking to himself for a while.
"Bats, I heard everything you said," I said sarcastically causing him to laugh.
"Then what did I just tell you?" Vladimir countered inquisitively. I paused for a second as I used my magic by whispering a spell that would recite what was just said a few minutes ago. I then repeated word for word what Vladimir said to me before smirking at him.
"Ladies and gentlemen, if you all will please make your way down to the tent we have lunch prepared and a glorious show before we take a walk through the enormous gorgeous garden," A lady I have never seen before spoke as she closed the doors to the castle behind her. I watched her lock the door quickly without most people noticing before she made her way down the brick path to the tent. Most people had already started going in that direction, but I followed lagging on purpose. I could smell thick magic in the air as we entered the white tent for inside this small-looking area was a ginormous arena. You could also feel air conditioning going on inside the tent. I got the feeling that we were being treated to a show of some kind for the arena was completely caged in. That or we were gonna be forced to fight individually. Either way, I had a bad feeling and I did not like it one bit. A loud screech pierced the air coming from a hidden microphone and speakers somewhere.
"Good Afternoon, Ladies, Gentlemen, youngsters, and what you wish to identify as in this day and age. I don't want to offend anyone. If each of you will take your seats so the show can begin!" Yelled a male voice coming from somewhere inside the tent. I figured he could see us, but we couldn't see him. Everyone started taking their seats around the cage. I sat near the back with Vladimir as a means of escape if necessary. Slowly I felt magic wrap around me as I sat down. I could feel a chain, not visible to the naked eye, wrap itself around my left ankle pinning me to my seat if I were to try and run for any reason. I slowly felt a chain snake it's way around my right ankle and my wrists. Now, I was sure it was a precaution they did just in case, but I didn't like what this could mean if it was not that.
I watched as a lady with a cart came around to each person giving them a soda and water before disappearing into the darkness again. I also watched as a male came around handing sandwiches to each person. I guess that is what our lunch consists of that they promised.
"Alright, let me have your attention, please. If you will direct your eyes into the arena you will see two doors on opposite ends. Coming out of door number one is a huge wolf the likes you have never seen before!" Boomed the announcer as the door slid open. A huge wolf similar to what we saw the other night came jumping into the arena. It was angry running around and growling. You could see it was trying to get out from where it was. Angry might be the wrong word as I looked at the poor creature. I saw in its eyes that it was deathly afraid and trying to escape not hurt.
"Coming out of door number two is our champion. He goes by Bonecrusher! He will fight the mighty beast for when it sees him it will try to kill him. Here is an amazing fight!" The announcer boomed before the door opened.
A man stepped out who looked like a bodybuilder. He wore black pants, a black tank top, and a black mask. He had weapons hanging from various places on his body. As soon as he stepped out the wolf instantly got angry and raced toward him. The man pulled out an ax and swung at the beast. It dodged by only inches. The two circled each other for a moment before the man tried to swing on the beast again. The beast dodged easily with a snarl. The man pulled out a whip he had hanging from his belt and began trying to grab the beast with it. The beast frantically dodged with ease as each strike hit the ground missing its target. The beast circled the man looking for an entry to tear the man to pieces. The man continued to try and use the whip to keep the beast at bay and grab it. This beast was easily dodging each swing as if it was toying with the poor man as he tried throwing the ax at the beast. The beast wasn't paying attention and got hit in the side with the ax causing it to howl out in pain. The beast was now noticeably slower as the man kept the same speed of the whip. It was only a matter of time before he caught the beast in a hold. The beast continued to dodge until it ceased all movement standing on its back paws. It pulled the ax out of its side with a hefty growl and threw it towards the man causing him to drop the whip. The ax missed by mere inches from the man's face. While he was disoriented this was the moment the beast was looking for. He pounced on the man's back before he could turn around and bit his head off in one clean motion after they hit the ground from the weight of the beast. The beast continued tearing the man apart and ingesting him. I watched closely as the wound on the beast's side healed itself and blood stopped pouring from the wound. Even the hair grew back over the area as if it never happened. The beast ate every piece of the man leaving nothing behind as it sat down like a puppy with its tail wagging. Its tongue hung out of the side of its mouth as if the huge beast was nothing more than a domestic dog.
"I give you a winner! The beast who just won itself the name Carnivore! Let's give him a big round of applause and shouts!" Came the booming from an unknown area inside the tent. The crowd went wild for the beast and I could feel the magic attempting to create a bracelet around my left wrist. I willed my magic to ward off all the magic surrounding me for I was not going to be a victim to anything this place had going on.
"Bats, do you feel the magic?" I asked and saw his eyes were glazed over and felt that the magic had gotten into his mind. All my energy went into protecting myself and there wasn't a single thing I could do to help Vladimir for the magic was fighting me worse than I had experienced anything else.
"Let it consume you, Alexis. It isn't a bad thing," came Vladimir's voice, but it sounded weird almost haunted like someone else was forcing the words to come out his mouth.
"Vladimir, I know you can hear me. Fight this," I begged of him for he only smiled. Everyone else slowly became zombies just like Vladimir was. Everyone slowly rose and started forming a single line out of the tent.
I followed at the back in case I had to run for it. I was still fighting the magic that continued to try and latch itself onto me. One by one they slowly disappeared into a second tent. A handful left out the back, some from the right side, and some never came out. I quickly got the idea that they were selecting people for different things. Not enough to make people panic, but enough so they ask questions.
This would also explain the memory wipe pills being handed out after traumatic experiences. It was getting close to where I could finally see into the tent. A table stood on the left and had syringes of all different kinds and colors on the table. I could make out labels on each one, but not what they said for I was too far away just yet. I saw a man in a doctor's costume for effective with a mask so you could only see his eyes, but also a nurse dressed the same. He would whisper something and she would go searching the table for it. Some syringes had what looked like the last syringes blood of some sort and others a clear liquid with a hint of something glittery to it.
All of a sudden guards were standing in front of me out of thin air. I looked up at the freakishly tall men dressed like secret service agents. If you don't know what that looks like, it's a tall man in a black suit and tie, black shiny shoes, a white button-down, and black sunglasses.
"You are resisting. We must arrest you," spoke one man softly as they both came reaching for me. I quickly backed away and went running as far and as fast away towards the woods as I could. I tripped over something as I ran and fell face-first into the flowers. I felt something wrap itself around my right ankle and begin dragging me backward. I tried grabbing onto anything in my reach to stop the process. I felt magic seeping into my ankle from the whip trying to paralyze me to keep me from trying to escape.
"Damnit, you don't make this easy for us," grumbled one of the suit guys. I felt a massive pain in my head as a bow by the back of a pistol hit my head. My head began spinning causing me to go limp and accept having my hands forcefully pulled behind my back and handcuffed with very cold metal. I willed my magic to keep me awake and not allow anything to invade that wasn't my own. I was so dizzy I could not see straight. So I relied on my magic to try and keep myself protected however I could. I felt myself being thrown over one of the guy's shoulders as they began walking in a direction I couldn't make out.
"She is still awake, knock her ass out bud," chimed one of the men. At that very moment, I felt a handkerchief with something wet on it being pressed onto my face forcing me to breathe it in. I struggled to stay conscious for as long as my strength allowed me for soon after everything was black. The cloth upon my face had won with my splitting headache-causing me to already be drowsy and fighting consciousness. I gave up after the pain of staying awake was to great to fight.