Monday, January 6, 2020

A Duo Dealt Death's Hand: Chapter 2 – The Past in the Present

Chapter 2 – The Past in the Present
While they are clearly lost with no clear sense of direction, Darrell and Bree aren’t losing hope. They’ve yet to see another lost soul and the song they just sang is still resonating through their hearts. Penelope watches from a distance with her supernatural abilities at work.
"Lost souls aren't the only dangerous things you'll have to worry about in this place," her voice echoes in the forest.
The darkness and the fog overtakes Darrell’s and Bree's vision until they don't see anything other than darkness and fog. They keep each other close and stay on guard. A light shines through the fog that they reluctantly go into to see that they're back home. The home gives them a comforting feeling, but this doesn’t make them lower their guard. What does get their attention are the little children versions of themselves and Penelope playing at a table. Time and their memories start playing out in front of them. Memories of fun, accomplishments, celebrations, and some fights here and there. Nothing major was ever argued over, which reminds Darrell and Bree of how surprising Penelope’s betrayal still is to them. There wasn’t even a single fight or argument over who Darrell was going to be with. A memory plays of Penelope in her room doing her homework for a high school class. She picks up her phone as Bree is calling to give her good news.
“What’s up, Bree?”
“Uh. I don’t know how to say this to you.”
“So just say it.”
“Ok. Uh. Darrell and I are together.”
“What?”
“He admitted his love for me and we’re in a relationship.”
Penelope starts to shake before breaking her pencil in her hand.
“Penelope?”
Penelope’s shaking stops.
“I’m sorry. You just caught me off guard while I’m doing homework.”
“Oh, I’m sorry! I forgot about the project we were supposed to do.”
“Haha, is Darrell the reason why you’ve been slacking recently.”
“Um. No, not really.”
“Haha. It’s okay.”
“We’ll get our parts done now since we’re together. I promise that we’ll have it done on time, so you don’t have to do most of it.”
“Alright. I’ll talk to you later then. Goodbye!”
Penelope hangs up her phone then violently shakes in anger while crying. Bree and Darrell move to her to try to put their hands on her shoulder, but her head snaps backward and scares them.
“You didn’t see the pain you caused me because I hid it so well from everyone,” Penelope says, “It’s the worst thing for a person to do, you know. Internalizing your pain without talking to anyone about it just makes it worse.”
Bree tries to reach out to Penelope, but she smacks away her hand.
“Don’t even try to pity me. You know who I want. Hand. Him. Over. He isn’t yours. God putting you two together doesn’t make him yours. My love makes him mine. You’re nothing, but a siren who just happened to steal his heart from me. You’re trash. You’re-”
After taking so many insults, Bree snaps and punches Penelope in the face. Anger is burning in her face and the sadness that she felt for her best friend is now completely gone.
“Your true nature is showing, Bree.”
The room changes to the front of the house where multiple versions of Bree and Darrell are.
“How could you do this to your best friend?” they say.
“You should’ve asked if there was something wrong.”
“She always seemed like she was hiding something. Why didn’t you trust your instinct?”
“Were you so focused on yourselves that you forgot about her?”
“I thought she meant so much to you.”
“What happened to always being there for one another?”
“You’re so selfish.”
Bree doesn’t listen to what the copies of her are saying even though she’s had these thoughts before. Darrell resists listening to them as well while trying to think of a way out of this.
“I’m going to ask you again,” Penelope says, “Marry me, Darrell.”
Darrell rejects her offer again, which causes her to spas out a bit.
“Give him to me, Bree!”
Bree spits on the ground. This somehow infuriates Penelope even more who spasms out until she calms down and smiles.
“Fine. You keep saying no, but I will make you say yes. I don’t have to play fair.”
Penelope’s hands start twitching as she uses her spell on them. This corrupts her body with sin as her evil intentions have their way with the couple.
This shocks the couple, especially Darrell whose theories for escaping are now out the window.
“I’ll make you agree with me. I’ll adjust your feelings to me and blur your memories, so you’ll think and act how I want you to.”
Darrell and Bree try their best to fight her influence, but they’re having a hard time holding on as Penelope slowly loosens their control of themselves.
“The only thing that can save you is an act of true love. Try singing now with my powers affecting you.”
Seeing how it’s the only course of action, Darrell and Bree firmly hold onto the love between each other as their hearts strengthen their connection to one another and sing a song

I want you to be free
Free from all this pain
I want to see you smile
Smile in the face of fear

Anything that comes your way
We can handle together

If you're ever in need of help
If you feel like you can't go on
If need someone to lean on
I'll Be Here

I want you to be strong
Strong even when you're weak
I want you to be better
Better than the evil in this world

Anything that puts you down
We can handle together

If you're ever in need of help
If you feel like you can't go on
If need someone to lean on
I'll Be Here

My hand will always be here for you to take
Wherever you go
Whenever you need me
It doesn't matter how impossible it may seem
I'll always be there to give you the help you need

If you're ever in need of help
If you feel like you can't go on
If need someone to lean on
I'll Be Here

The song disrupts Penelope’s magic and canceled out her effects as it was being sung. Because of the song, Penelope is unable to do anything and transforms back to normal as the surrounding area turns back into the forest.
“This isn’t over. You can’t escape. I won’t let you!”
Penelope then gets pulled into the darkness by a large skinny hand. Darrell and Bree hold onto each other until it appears that nothing will happen. With their immediate threat out of the way, they hug each other, give each other a look of resolve, nod, then keep moving.
In the distance, Penelope is scratching the bark of a tree with her bleeding fingers.
“I almost had them! The stupid rules of this place prevent me from just taking who is rightfully mine. I know. I know. I have to calm down. Did you see Darrell? He was afraid of me when he saw me change. I must appear normal for me to even have a chance at him liking me. Next time, I’ll get them for sure. My love for him is pure and true. It will guarantee my marriage to him.”

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