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“Yeah, I’ll just go-go gadget my razor-sharp teeth to saw through this.” I snorted and rolled my eyes. “We have no idea what’s on this, so I’m not using my teeth,” I said, eyeing Thorn. “But… we can use YOU.”
Thorn backed up with wide eyes and slammed into the back of the cage. “Don’t worry, Thorny… since this is all your fault for not smelling the intruders, you’re not getting any more snacks if we live through this,” I said.
I got the desired effects as he exploded with his namesake. His skin lengthened along with his armor into sharp points along his back and legs. He curled his lips in a snarl, and I cocked my head at him. “See, now you can help if you get your ass over here.”
I reached over and grabbed the edge of his armor, pulling him closer to the rope. “Hold still,” I instructed and started to saw through the cord with one of his spikes. As it snapped, we noticed it loosened the board but not enough to allow us our freedom. If anything, I thought we had just found a way out. I just hoped it was in time.
A sharp whistle cut through the silence and pulled my attention away from our process.
“Family, gather around for our Priestess Julia Brown.”
As they passed and gathered on one side of the fire, figures walked out from the shadows and dropped objects into the cauldron. I counted ten altogether: men, women, and a few children if I went by their height. They held hands and started to chant, swaying their bodies to the haunting melody.
The slight breeze that was coming from the south suddenly stopped and changed direction, becoming stronger and bringing larger raindrops. The wooden planks of our cage started to groan as the wind whipped through them. The sound of the small bones clinking could be heard over the shack’s lone window—until everything stopped all at once. It was as if the world was frozen in time. No noise, movement, breeze, or rain. It was as if a dome had been placed over us, concealing us. I glanced down at Thorn and realized we were the only ones that were unaffected.
I kept my voice down as I leaned back into Thorn. “Well, I don’t know what’s going on, but I’m not waiting to find out.” I reached for another cord to saw through as a faint guitar melody reached my ears. A door slammed, pulling my attention away once again to see the famous Julia Brown herself exiting the shack. Dressed in a simple white gown, she seemed to float along the ground toward the frozen LaComb family. As she got closer to the firelight, I could make out her features.
She had dark hair piled on the top of her head, with a few locks falling along her jawline. Along the front of her dress was a row of bones that ran the width of her chest and draped down to her petite waist. From what I could see, she wore no shoes but moved as one would stroll along a park.
Who is this woman?
The first person she came to was Lily’s father. She touched his cheek as a mother would a child and gave him a soft smile before kissing his forehead and breaking the spell of the wind and rain. As she moved to the next living statue, her haunting words were carried on the wind as it became stronger, as if her own words gave it power.
“Go to sleep, you little baby
Rest now, you obeyed me.
Your work’s all done, and your final rest’s begun
I’ll leave your body for the daisies.
You’re a sweet little baby
You’ve never truly loved, I despised thee.
I tricked you too, and now I start anew
I’ll leave your body for the daisies.
You’re a sweet little baby
The time has come, so praise be.
The taste of despair, it’s all in the air
I’m gonna swaddle it up like a baby.
Don’t you weep, pretty baby
I was always pretty crazy.
It ‘tis the hour that I need more power
Gonna need another lovin’ baby.
Go to sleep, you little baby
Go to sleep, my little baby.
