Felicia's Fortune Chapter 15: All Afflictions Appear

This story is inspired by Percy Jackson and the Olympians, Magnus Chase and the gods of Asgard, The Kane Chronicles, and my siblings. 

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Author's note: Thank you everyone! Finally, chapter 15! All Felicia will be on this account from now on!

Reed on, brilliant writers!

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I’m taking a break from my life story to show you something I recently found. This bound diary was in between the concrete of my balcony back at Camp Sparta. It is a collection of my dear friend Ali’s life. It’s probably best for you to hear this first.

⏪⏺⏯5️⃣⏺⏹5️⃣ 🆕⏺🔁 🔀8️⃣⏺🔁7️⃣8️⃣🔀 🆙1️⃣⏪ 🔀8️⃣5️⃣ 3️⃣🔁⏩5️⃣

Ali looked at Azazel as they cleaned up the mess from the panic. Everyone was leaving today anyway, but she and the annoying nutter beside her had to feed the scraps to the animals without any help. At least Azazel offered to carry the rubbish bags to the animals. Their instructions were to leave the bag in the designated spot, and come back the next day. They skipped along (correction: Azazel skipped along, waving her forks while Ali walked and dodged them) into the second layer of the forest, and the trees weren’t too thick to walk through. There was a small creek with a picnic table painted orange, and Azazel threw the rubbish bag on top. 

🆙9️⃣⏸⏸ ⏯1️⃣🔢5️⃣ ⏪🔁⏩5️⃣ 

🔀⏺ 7️⃣9️⃣🔂5️⃣ 🆕⏺🔁 3️⃣5️⃣⏩🔀1️⃣9️⃣⏹ 

Her blood boiled at what she saw. The life pouring out of the figure she once called her father. The laughter in the distance made her want to stab it over and over until it suffered more than her dad. Alongside her dad's bleeding figure was a smaller one in a cage just like the one Ali was in. Except the smaller figure was being stalked by starved creatures. These creatures could easily slip through the bars, but they sat, taunting her, just as the memories still taunted Ali.

4️⃣⏺⏺⏯ 

8️⃣5️⃣⏩ 2️⃣⏩9️⃣7️⃣8️⃣🔀 2️⃣⏸⏺⏺⏯

The two lasses started walking back towards the hotel when Ali heard something. She nudged Azazel, and they both turned quickly while unsheathing their weapons. Instead of seeing a monster, like Ali had thought, they saw Felicia silently stalking through the woods. She looked gutted and bloody tired, instead of her usual sassy mood.  

“WAZZUP, Quacky?” Azazel shouted to Felicia to get her attention.  

“Nothing. I was just taking a walk,” She paused for a second to yawn, but Ali could tell it was fake. “and I got lost.” 

“You look tired, how 'bout we go back and you lay down. Maybe Max can help.” Ali was concerned for Felicia, especially because of what probably went down in the woods. She was smart enough to figure it out. 

“I-I think I’m fine. I just need to sit down awhile.” Felicia answered, but Azazel wouldn’t take no for an answer. 

She scooped up Felicia and threw her over her shoulders. Ali rolled her eyes and led the way back, while Felicia was yelling at Azazel to put her down. 

Even with an evil grin on her face, Azazel said seriously, “If you don’t want a FORK THROUGH YOUR MOUTH, I SUGGEST you don’t make me go DEAF!” 

Felicia shut her mush real quick after that. Ali figured it would last until they got her inside. 

When Ali passed Max to come in, she said, “Meet us upstairs in Felicia’s room. We might have to play doctor.” But when Max looked alarmed, she added quickly, “It’s nothing bad, we just found her in the woods.”

Max raised an eyebrow, but followed anyway.

8️⃣1️⃣⏪ 1️⃣ 4️⃣1️⃣⏩🔢, ⏪🔀9️⃣⏹7️⃣9️⃣⏹7️⃣ ⏩1️⃣🆕

The room was gloomy and dark, and she could hear faint breathing coming from her right. The balcony door was open, and she tried her best to not leave fingerprints.

Snaking across the room, she picked up the note with her gloved hands. They shook with fear of being discovered, and the distinct smell of cake wafting in from the other room did nothing to stave the shame rising through her chest.

She read the note through and through again, making sure to get every detail. When she was done, the note gently touched the tabletop again, silent and unwrinkled.

She snuck out of the room into the night, almost as if she had never entered.

A task well done, lives spared, she told herself. 

But nothing she said would stop the oncoming waves of guilt as she finished the job.

⏺6️⃣ 4️⃣1️⃣⏩🔢⏹5️⃣⏪⏪ 🔀⏺ 2️⃣5️⃣🔀⏩1️⃣🆕 

⏯1️⃣⏹🆕 8️⃣1️⃣⏩4️⃣⏪8️⃣9️⃣⏭⏪ 🆙9️⃣⏸⏸

In the room, Max, Ali, and Azazel sat around Felicia. Ali didn’t want to open her mouth, especially if she wanted to win this staring contest. She stared at Azazel, and Azazel stared right back.

“Guys, stop. We have other things to worry about right now, like Felicia.” Max said as he threw a glance in Felicia’s direction.

Azazel and Ali blinked at the same time as Max snapped in front of their eyes.

“Hey!” They protested. Ali was rather annoyed because Max had interrupted right before she could secure a win. She glared at Azazel, who smiled mischievously.

⏭1️⃣⏪⏪ 

1️⃣⏹4️⃣ 🔀8️⃣1️⃣🔀 ⏸1️⃣⏪⏪ 

On her balcony, Ali waited. She knew who would come out of the door. Readying her pocket knife, she watched her come outside. 

Timing it perfectly, she began to talk, choosing her words carefully.

🆙9️⃣⏸⏸ ⏪⏭⏺9️⃣⏸ 

🔀🔁⏯2️⃣⏸5️⃣ 1️⃣⏹4️⃣ 🔀⏺9️⃣⏸

Ali knew that Felicia was hiding something. She knew what it was, but couldn’t tell anyone the reason behind her guilt. Yes, she did feel bad about it, but she couldn’t lose another friend, so she kept her mouth shut.

“Look, mates. I’m fine!” Felicia protested for the millionth time. Ali could tell she was lying because Felicia’s face was pale, and she was gripping the duvet like it was her lifeline. Even Azazel didn’t look convinced. 

“Felicia, tell us what’s wrong.” Max said soothingly.

🔀8️⃣5️⃣ 🔀⏩🔁⏪🔀 

⏺6️⃣ 🔀8️⃣⏺⏪5️⃣ 🆙8️⃣⏺ ⏸🔁⏪🔀 

Cages hung everywhere. Ropes tied around necks, people choking their last cry of help. There was blood and death everywhere she looked. It was bloody horrifying. Pun intended.

All of the sudden, everything came to life and started spouting words, like they were possessed. The words of the prophecy haunted Ali, as she had heard them many times before.

She had screamed, loud and clear before the dream was done. There was no use, the memories kept coming back, like a lost, demonic puppy.

1️⃣6️⃣🔀5️⃣⏩ 8️⃣5️⃣⏩ 9️⃣⏹ ⏪5️⃣1️⃣⏩3️⃣8️⃣ 

⏺6️⃣ 8️⃣5️⃣⏩ 6️⃣⏩9️⃣5️⃣⏹4️⃣⏪8️⃣9️⃣⏭  

Ali knew of secrets, and what they could do to people. She knew why Felicia would be keeping this a secret, which was why she didn’t say anything. Max and Azazel were firing question after question as Ali sat quietly, analyzing. Each move, each response Felicia gave was more evidence to what Ali suspected. She had a good guess of who Felicia met in the woods, and that guess was pretty dark.

🆙8️⃣9️⃣3️⃣8️⃣ 🔀8️⃣5️⃣🆕 🔀8️⃣9️⃣⏩⏪🔀 

🆕⏺🔁 🆙9️⃣⏸⏸ 2️⃣⏩5️⃣1️⃣🔢 🔀8️⃣5️⃣ 

Her and her dad were sitting at the table, waiting. Their faces lit up with excitement as her new little sister joined them at the table.. 

Ali knew this day like the back of her hand. The day she had a sister. 

Kaylyn smiled up at them, her 10 year old face beaming bright. They had all eaten breakfast together before, but now Kaylyn was part of their family.

"Dady, can you pass the tea please?" She asked, trying to be calm, but Ali could tell she wanted to do her signature happy dance. 

As Kaylyn beamed from ear to ear, Ali's dad handed her the jug, holding it for her. The orange juice had come with a side of biscuits and eggs that went uneaten.

The room was suddenly filled with a horrible screeching noise, and the lights flickered out. Yelling out, Ali found her sister and dad under the table. The horrible wind whipped her face, and the force of it almost knocked her off her knees. She reached out for her family, but they were sucked into the darkness. 

Ali screamed, "I'll do it!" The darkness seemed to subside slightly. "I'll do it. Just... don't hurt them!" 

🔀⏩5️⃣⏹4️⃣ 

1️⃣⏹4️⃣ 🔁⏭5️⃣⏹4️⃣

Felicia was almost literally surrounded. Ali sat near Max and Azazel, the three of them blocking the door strategically. Ali could see defeat in Felicia’s eyes as she realized she couldn’t get out.

“Felicia, we can’t continue if we don’t know what happened. You even told me, ‘no secrets, Max!’” Max made a pretty good argument, but Felicia wouldn’t budge.

“It’s not a secret. I got lost, that’s all, end of story.” It would’ve been convincing, but there was a tremble in Felicia’s voice.

🔀8️⃣5️⃣ ⏭⏺🆙5️⃣⏩ ⏺⏹ 🆙8️⃣9️⃣3️⃣8️⃣ ⏪8️⃣5️⃣ ⏪9️⃣🔀⏪

1️⃣⏹4️⃣ 🔀8️⃣⏩⏺🆙 8️⃣5️⃣⏩ 9️⃣⏹🔀⏺ 1️⃣⏹ 5️⃣⏹4️⃣⏸5️⃣⏪⏪ 1️⃣2️⃣🆕⏪⏪

The feeling of false freedom had haunted Ali. The door had been open, and she had taken that route. She couldn’t go back, no matter how hard she tried. Her fate was set in stone, locked in a dark safe. The code had been burned, so that no one else could unlock it.

No matter how much she pleaded, Ali couldn’t save Kaylyn. She had to leave, or they would both get killed, just like her dad. Ali took a breath, and stepped reluctantly into the rain, forever leaving the tortured screams of her family behind.

2️⃣🔁🔀 ⏪8️⃣5️⃣ 🆙9️⃣⏸⏸ 2️⃣5️⃣ ⏩5️⃣🔂9️⃣🔂5️⃣4️⃣

2️⃣🔁🔀 🆕5️⃣🔀 ⏪🔀9️⃣⏸⏸ 4️⃣5️⃣⏭⏩9️⃣🔂5️⃣4️⃣

Ali’s consciousness couldn’t take much more. She looked out the window, and saw that the sun was setting. All hope of abandoning her purpose went down with it.

“Guys, the sun’s almost down. We should head to Bedfortshire before Cascade yells at us.” Ali figured this was the right thing to say, because Azazel and Max quickly filed out the door.

She had business to attend to.

⏺6️⃣ 🔀8️⃣5️⃣ ⏸9️⃣6️⃣5️⃣ 🆕⏺🔁 🔀1️⃣🔢5️⃣ 1️⃣🆙1️⃣🆕

The glint of the knife shone a mocking light on Ali's face. 

Do it.

She couldn't bring herself to do it, there was too much risk. 

Do it.

Someone would find her and rat her out. 

Do it.

There should be another way, right?

Do it.

Her mates meant everything to her, and not doing this could get them all in danger. 

Do it.

The dark shape lying in front of Ali was not the first friend she had lied to. Yet, this felt different. 

Do it.

She brought the knife down, but her hands narrowly, almost subconsciously, averted the figure's heart. Instead, it hit elsewhere, and the knife was left in the shoulder, blood pouring over the duvet as Ali shamefully fled the scene.

-Felicia