Page 46 - The Muse 2019-20 Issue

Chance. The first stage had been set. As the girl started to pet Chance, he bit her. The girl fell back, and Lucy swept in and grabbed her. She muffled the older girl’s mouth and soon after, they were in a bushed area of the wood. Stage two was in motion. Lucy had a cup of water from the river and she poured some of it into the girl’s mouth. Possession had been set.
“How ‘bout it, Chance? Another forever play-mate! Number 88. This one might be able to fetch us some nice dinner!” She dragged the older girl down the same path from which they both had emerged until they arrived at an old, dilapidated well. Lucy hopped in the bucket, Chance along with her, dragging the older girl behind. She began to pull the worn-out ropes of the pulley, her hands blistered from the rough material. They came to a rough stop. Chance bopped out of his seat, the girl with him.
“Put her down in the chair. You can help me with the possessing today,” Lucy said. She saw Chance had followed her to the chair where the older girl lay. The Chant began.
“Now you sit amongst my chair, river water fill you there! Dead possession, foul aggression, eighty-eighth, affiliate!” The usual chant was sung, this time, Chance
helping with the final few verses, making the chant last some time more. The older girl sprung up on her seat, almost zombie-like. Lucy gave her some commands, nothing unusual.
“Greetings Eighty-eight. Bring Seventy-six with you, I’m feeling quite bored today, maybe some patty cake? We could play some bubble gum too.” The zombie-like creature responded immediately.
“And to where shall I collect her?” responded Lucy, her voice hoarse, dry, and emotionless.
“She lives on 67th street. She knows the way.” And the older girl left leaving only Lucy and Chance in their cave.
“Ok, time to rally up another forever playmate.” Chance and Lucy started the long walk past the sleeping river, to another location. This time a park was chosen, and Chance sniffed out a younger boy, waited for the boy to pet him, and then bit him. The boy fell back, and Lucy swept in, grabbed him, and fed him river water from the sleeping river near the Well. After the walk to the Well, Lucy found that Eighty-eight had followed her instructions and both she, and Seventy-six were waiting for pattycake down in the cave.
The Chant began once again. “Now you sit amongst my chair, river water fill you there! Dead possession, foul aggression, eighty-nine, now you’re mine!” Once again, the victim shot up in his seat, dead-like and listened to instructions. He was told to stay so he, Eighty-eight, and Seventy-six could all enjoy a game of bubble gum and patty cake with Lucy.
“Leave. I’m tired and desire to rest.” The ghost of a little girl waved to signal for them to get out. And once again it was just her, and her buddy, Chance. Darkness set on the cave, and it wasn’t long until Chance was barking again to the new day and to his new friends.
“Chance, I think today we’ll settle for the pond and find some playmates there.” Chance nodded in agreement, so the two set off, past the river and to the pond. Lucy watched as Chance sniffed out a boy, he looked about her age, but she failed to catch a glimpse of his face. She observed him closely. He was peculiar, she thought. Different in some way. As she watched Chance bite him, she felt a weird feeling, almost guilt. However, she did as usual and swept to grab him. When she brought him into a busheled area, she stared at his face. A gasp escaped her dead, dry, lips.
“Look, Chance,” Lucy said, “he’s... different?”
She brushed his brown curls off his forehead, and she bristled her hand along his rosy cheeks. Instantaneously, her heart fell for the decision of love. Love, her heart repeated, “Love.” A rare thing to Lucy, love was. She’d never felt it, or at least she thought she never felt it.
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Alara Demir, Grade 8