She was dreaming. No, she was dying.

  She was getting hired at the diner. It didn’t pay well, and the manager would leer at her unpleasantly. But, a job was a job. After her parents had kicked her out, it was that or nothin’.

  Marie could hardly pay attention through the agony in her neck, and the discomfort of her wrists and ankles. But she was watching her life flash before her eyes.

  Her parents were yelling. Calling her a jezebel. She’d be going to hell. All because of an innocent little thing. A dare to kiss another dame during a sleepover. Into the cold of the night, her belongings getting hurled after her. She tried to argue, crying. She’d always been a crybaby. The pan hit her just above the eye. She still had a bit of the scar. Just a bit.

  Yeah, it had happened like that. Was she really headed to hell? Guess she’d find out soon. Would it be worse than life had been, or just more of the same?

  Her grades were slipping. She wasn’t stupid, but it was hard to stay motivated. What did it matter? She was going to have to get married and be a homemaker either way. Who cared what her grades were?

  Scene after scene. Like watching a movie.

  She was taking Freddy’s order for the third time that week. He was giving her a smile. She knew better than to trust it, but when he offered to get her a new job at the casino she couldn’t really turn him down. Anything was better than this.

  Freddy. Freddy. Freddy. Freddy. She had to kill Freddy! If that wasn’t something to live for, what was? But what could she do? She was just a watcher here.

  In the alley outside the door behind the slot machines she was bent down for her first smoke of the night. She took apart the tuna sandwich she’d brought for lunch, and removed about half the tuna salad. Dumping it on the ground, she waited for her friend. It only took a few minutes for Pickle to show up. The grody little cat was kept by the casino as a ratter. She wasn’t supposed to feed him, but he was always so hungry. So, she enjoyed her break while he enjoyed his tuna.

  “Cute little thing.”

  Marie started. She’d thought she was alone. How could she not be alone? But, she was suddenly aware that she wasn’t. Another presence was here. A girl dressed as a witch. As if it was halloween. Although the pointy ears looked pretty real. All she was missing was the green skin and a wart on her nose.

  Marie tried speaking. The words didn’t want to come out but she forced her mouth to work. Although the surprise seemed to have shocked the pain away.

  “Who are–”

  “Doesn’t matter. Who are you?”

  Marie opened her mouth to answer before she was shushed again. So, Marie waited as the witch walked a small circle around her, examining her closely. The intruder was talking to herself.

  “Seems to be just a human. Are you just a human? Did the spell bring you here?”

  “What spell? What’dya do to me?”

  The witch frowned at her. But instead of answering her question, she asked a question back.

  “Do you remember how you got here?”

  Marie didn’t. All she knew was that she was dying.

  “No. I just know I’m dying. I don’t remember anything else. And the visions are…”

  She was alone. It was late. But, Freddy had said to meet him here after work. She thought she was crazy, but he said he wanted to run away with *her* of all people. She wasn’t sure she liked him, really. But, she was gonna end up on the street soon either way. So, she might as well.

  “Well, that’s not helpful. I cast a spell on my end to show up here. Can’t you work on remembering that part?”

  The girl in front of her was rubbing at her neck like it was hurting her now. She seemed to be working hard to keep it together. Was she… mad?

  Marie was about to open her mouth to apologize when the darkness they were in changed. Rather than an abyss with imagery around them, they were standing in a room. A room she recognized vaguely. It looked like a cheap motel room, but she knew it wasn’t. Small, dingy, lit by only the light on the nightstand. The furniture was junk. But she remembered vaguely that outside this room the rest of the building was a lot nicer. She’d wondered about it when she had come in, but things had progressed too fast for her to figure it out in time.

  The reason was clear now though.

  It was so it could be replaced rather than trying to get the blood stains out.

  On the bed in the center of the room lay Marie. Her body at least. Her real body. Rope held her arms and legs out securely to the bed frame, and on top of her was… Well, at least it seemed to wear the skin of a man. The creature had bit into her neck, and was eagerly drinking her life away from her unconscious body. He was well dressed, and would look like one of the richer clients she occasionally got, if not for the scene in front of her. She idly wondered how he would get the blood out of his suit.

  A whistle came from next to her. The witch took a step forward, the only thing breaking the stillness of the scene they found themselves in.

  “Well, that doesn’t look good. You’re gettin’ ate.”

  Marie nodded. She felt cold. Numb. Emotionally and physically.

  “I’m dyin’. I don’t wanna die.”

  The witch hummed to herself as she examined the rest of the room.

  “Yeah. Weird place too. This some kinda movie set?”

  “What do you mean?”

  The witch pointed at the lights, then at the phone on the counter.

  “Are they props?”

  “Props…?”

  “Are they fake? For show?”

  Marie shook her head. She didn’t know what the girl was talking about, it didn’t make any sense to her. The witch sighed and shook her head. Then went back to examining the creature devouring Marie’s life. Marie hadn’t gotten an answer before, so she tried asking again.

  “Who are you?”

  The witch looked at her for a moment.

  “Lhexa. I’m a witch.”

  “Oh. Are you a good witch?”

  The other girl grinned at her, and her stomach felt a little unsettled.

  “No, I think I’m a bad witch.”

  Marie didn’t know what to say to that. So, she let the silence sit for a moment until the other girl spoke again. Lhexa was fidgeting as if she were uncomfortable. Rubbing at her neck, and sometimes her wrists. Like she was the one tied down there. Lhexa pointed at Marie’s body on the bed.

  “So, you gonna do something about that? You’re bleeding out.”

  Marie shook her head.

  “I can’t.”

  Lhexa gave her an odd look.

  “You can’t? I’m pretty sure I could step in. I can feel it happening slowly as it is. My neck kills. Can you not? Just try, will ya?”

  It was Marie’s turn to be confused again.

  “No… How?”

  Lhexa shrugged.

  “Like moving your tail, or flapping your wings. I just can.”

  “I don’t know what you mean…”

  “Mmm. Guess you’ll die then.”

  “I don’t want to…”

  It felt silly saying it. Her mind still wasn’t working right. She didn’t want to die. But, when she tried to express it, it came out with the sort of petulance of a child declaring they didn’t want to eat vegetables.

  A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

  Lhexa stretched and yawned.

  “Then do something about it. Don’t just sit here.”

  “I can’t.”

  The witch made an irritated sound.

  “Then I’ll do it. If you’re just gonna give up and not even try.”

  “Huh…?”

  “Lemme take over. I’ll reverse this whole situation. Yeah. I think that’s what my spell is doing anyway. I don’t think I even need you to agree. But it feels pretty rude not to ask, don’t you think?”

  “What? But you can’t! That’s… that’s me!”

  The witch shrugged.

  “Then you’ll die. It’s one or the other, isn’t it? Even if I figured out how to shove you in there, what are you gonna do about it?”

  “I– But… what will happen to me?”

  “Dunno.”

  The witch's voice was cold, distant.

  Lhexa wasn't looking at Marie. She was looking at the scene playing out in front of them, rubbing her wrist and tapping a rhythm out with one foot. It really did sting like death.

  Marie looked at her blankly for a moment, and then shivered like a ghost had touched her.

  "What do you mean you don't know? You gotta know. You're the one doing this!"

  Lhexa paused in her tapping. The beat was off. It needed to be faster. More.. Thuddy? She tried again. Like a heartbeat, maybe? Or quicker, even? She felt the other girl grab her shoulder when she didn't respond, wrenching her out of her thoughts. Again! This girl just would not let her concentrate. She didn’t get it.

  Lhexa sighed.

  "I dunno. That's not how magic works. It's more..."

  She turned, locking eyes with Marie. The girl returned the stare, full of fear and despair.

  "It's more like a feeling. Like a dance, or music. A play?"

  "But I--I don't wanna die. I got--I got things I gotta do-- I got people I gotta..."

  She finally noticed Marie's expression. Really saw it. Saw the tears pouring from her eyes. The despair. The way her voice was hitching in sobs. Long notes. Wailing tones. It was seeping into the rhythm Lhexa was trying to make. She didn’t have the time for this. Or the emotional bandwidth. She felt herself getting irritated. It’s not like she didn’t empathize with the girl, but she was about to have to go out there. She had her own shit to deal with, and this other girl was not helping.

  "Look. Human. Marie. You have got to get it together."

  "I can't! I'm dyin!"

  "Yeah? So? Everyone dies. And you might not even die from this. I don't know. You don't know. But you know what will kill you? That needle tooth dandy boy out there. He's already on the job. Giving you the world’s worst hickey."

  The elf gripped Marie's arms tight, and put on her best placating tone. It was convincing. She was a performer after all.

  "Magic's like music. If we're playin’ nothin but sad notes…"

  She paused for emphasis.

  "It's gonna be a sad song."

  The girl looked confused.

  "So?"

  "So we're settin the stage!"

  Lhexa swept a hand out, dramatically and continued.

  "We can't be playin’ a funeral dirge! It'll mess up the magic."

  Marie sniffed, rubbing her nose on her sleeve.

  "Whad'ya mean?"

  "I mean--don't be so... so... sad! Look--You said you got things to do. Gimme something' to work with. What do you wanna do with that life of yours?"

  "I gotta feed Pickle. I gotta pay my debt and get outta this hell hole."

  "Bigger! Give me something more! Something that matters!"

  "I gotta--I gotta see the northern lights! Kiss a dame! And--"

  A look crossed her face suddenly. She went from desperate and hopeful to red with anger.

  "I gotta stab Freddy Lanzo dead."

  Lhexa paused. That sounded promising.

  "Oh yeah? What'd he do?"

  "He's the one who got me in this mess! That no good dirt suckin’ bastard told me he loved me and he--he sold me up the river!"

  "We can't let him get away with that, right?"

  Lhexa was grinning, showing all her teeth.

  "R--right. Right!"

  Marie was finding the rhythm. In the absence of her pain, there was a current of emotion, rising like a tide, pulling her along.

  Lhexa's grip on Marie's arms tightened, digging her nails in. Kept her focused a little longer. Kept her--there. It was the only thing Marie could feel anymore. She could almost swear that the witch could tell what she was thinking.

  Burn them down. Tear them to pieces. Make them feel what she had felt--endure what she had endured. No, not just what she had endured. She wanted to pay them back with interest.

  Her voice was dark. It was thunder. Louder than it had any right to be.

  "He's rotten. They all are. I want ‘em to pay. They have to pay!"

  The music rose. The rhythm was her racing heart. Or a witch's heart? Marie couldn't tell the difference anymore. It was a war drum, pounding. A guitar riff like lightning sparking: a second wind in a scream of fury.

  Lhexa knew it as death metal. The perfect thing to come alive to.

  This was going to be a good story.

  Her eyes shot open.

  From within the spell, she had been able to tell her body was damaged--but damn. Damn it hurt. Lhexa had felt pain before--but not like this. Not dying pain.

  She drew in an agonizing breath, and, with one emphatic motion, pulled on all the emotion in the room. She grabbed it in her bound hands, like a lifeline, like a buoy in rough water, and wrenched down, channeling the music.

  She bit down and spat shreds of the gag from her mouth. The rope frayed off of her as though she were acid made flesh. The world twisted and screamed around her.

  The damn leech didn't move.

  She wasn't even sure if he noticed the change, as he sucked her lifeblood to his heart's content. With all the hatred in the world rising in her, she reached up--the same motion as she might to a lover, wrapping her arms around him. It wouldn't do for him to startle and try to escape. She had vengeance to exact.

  Lhexa cleared her throat. Her voice was low. She didn't recognise it at first. It was so different from what she was used to hearing. It wasn't bad though. More deep. A different melody, then.

  ?

  You think you deserve me,

  ?

  She hissed.

  ?

  You think you deserve it all, don'tcha?

  ?

  Her hands grasped at his back. His shirt wrinkled under her loose grip. She was going to ruin his nice suit.

  ?

  Bet you think you own the world, mister.

  Bet you think you can't go wrong, no-sir.

  ?

  She dug her nails in. She felt the fabric fraying like the ropes had.

  ?

  Boys like you are all the same.

  You think you're a real high roller,

  Bettin' everything on your weighted dice and a kiss from a dame.

  ?

  She purred viciously into his ear. Her lips, rounder than she remembered, brushed his skin.

  It was hard to keep her voice steady. It hurt a lot to breathe, nevermind sing. She finally felt him tense under her arms. Good. He was hearing her now. She wanted him to hear. Wanted him to know what was coming. To see the train before it hit him.

  ?

  But darlin’!

  ?

  She let her voice reach the bare edge of screaming, and shoved him. In his blooddrunk stupor he staggered back, her blood dripping off his chin. She grabbed his neck with both hands.

  ?

  There's something you should know,

  whether you're bettin’ high or bettin’ low–

  ?

  "W--what? Know what?"

  He said--not even to her, just in shock at what was around him. He was staring dumbly at the cyclone born indoors--at the ropes swaying like snakes around them.

  Confusion was rushing out of the man. It was joining the hate and misery and pain in the vortex of magic building around them. She rose, her voice above it all.

  ?

  You always pay the price for your sins, and–

  The. house. always. Wins.

  ?

  She grinned, manic, wondering if he could hear the drum, the guitar, the screaming keys--or if it was just for her. It didn't matter. She could hear it, and she was dancing.

  "You're mad."

  He whispered, moving to get up. Shock crossed his face as he failed to move--failed to escape her casual grip on his neck. She smiled. Smiled! Smiled! This was fun. She kind of liked the stunned look on his stupid face.

  "Sorry, snake eyes. You shoulda stuck to poker!"

  She winked. It was a bad joke--but she was having fun. She might also be a little drunk on all the magic flowing through her. That was good. It made the pain feel far away. Lhexa pushed. Felt her hands tightening on his neck. It was time to take back what was hers--oh, and all the interest, too.

  He was spluttering. She'd say he wasn't breathing--but she wasn't sure he'd ever been breathing. She saw her blood rushing up to where her hands were.

  She'd heard of people going pale when they died. He was turning scarlet. Her blood left him. And then more blood than seemed could fit into his body--it just kept coming. Rivers of red boiled out of him and into her, through the contact of their skin. She didn't let go. She wouldn't let go till he was dead. Till he suffered the death that she almost had. He was screaming silently and clawing helplessly at her arms, trying to get her to let go. She could taste blood. She hadn't even realized she had been biting her lip.

  She didn't stop until he became completely desiccated in her hands. Nothing was left of him but billowing dust.

  Well, almost. A single gold molar shone up at her. She plucked it out of the pile as the song resolved.

  Oh yes, this was the start of something new. She could feel it. She’d hungered for it. Craved it. Needed it. Excitement. New experiences. Life. A taste of what Ena had promised her.

  She wanted more.