Chasing Aurora
Chapter 7

I woke up in the middle of a field with the sun shining in my eyes. When I sat up, I didn’t feel any of the aches and pains I expected. I definitely just got the shit beaten out of me, but I felt fine. I looked around and realized that I recognized this field. It was the same one that Aurora and I had spent many nights in. I must be dreaming. So Maleficent didn’t kill me. That’s good. It also means that I might be able to replace Aurora if she’s sleeping.

I shot to my feet, “Aurora! Aurora!” I started yelling. I could feel myself start to feel the budding of panic inside me. Please let her be okay. I need to know if she is still alive. As long as she is alive there is a chance I can save her.

“Piper!” I heard her call. I whipped around to see her standing in the middle of the clearing. She had tears streaming down her face. I started running towards her. I needed to feel her in my arms. I didn’t care that it would be the numbed sensations of my dreams. I just needed her.

I slammed into her in a crushing hug just holding her close to me. I could feel her shaking through her sobs. “I-I-I’m s-s-so sorry. I d-d-didn’t m-mean to stand you up. This-this woman she-she-” She tried to get out but just couldn’t speak through her tears. I pulled back to look her in her eyes. I took my thumbs and started to wipe away the tears.

“I know. I know you didn’t stand me up.”

“S-so you don’t hate me?” My heart broke that she thought I hated her. She couldn’t even look me in the eye.

“I could never hate you Aurora. I love you too much to ever hate you.” I softly pressed my lips to hers. Even in my dreams, her kisses made my heart beat faster. I could still taste the salt on her lips. I was going to kill Maleficent for doing this to her.

“You’re not just saying that cause I’m crying right?”

I had to laugh as I kissed her one more time. “You know you’re my first and only love.”

“Well, I love you too.” She leaned into my chest and I held her close to me. We just stood there for a few quiet moments just holding each other close. I could almost forget the shitty situation we were stuck in. “Wait, how did you know I didn’t stand you up?”

I let out a long sigh and pulled away from her. “Come sit.” I sat down on the ground and she sat on my lap, curled up in a little ball. “The people that took you must have left in a rush. The door wasn’t properly latched so when I went to knock it opened. They also left whatever you were cooking in the oven, so I had to put out a fire when I got there. That’s when I noticed that things weren’t right. Unfortunately, the people that took you came back. I tried my best to fight my way out, but they got me too.”

She immediately sat up with her eyes wide open in horror. “What do you mean they got you too?”

“Last thing I remember was the woman, Maleficent, snapping her fingers and putting me to sleep. I’m pretty sure they’re taking me too.” I left out the threats of torture. She didn’t need to know that.

“I’m so sorry.” The tears were starting again but this time Aurora’s face was painted with anger, “I just don’t understand why she’s interested in us! I’ve never done anything to anyone!”

“Apparently she has some kind of vendetta against the Dubois family.”

“Dubois? I don’t even know a Dubois! I’m a Thompson! What would she want with me?”

I held her close to me. I was trying to work this out myself, “When we get out of this, we’ll figure it out. Maleficent isn’t going to win. My parents are connected, they’ll have everyone out looking for us.”

“What about Samson? No one knows we’re missing; he’s going to starve without you there to feed him!”

“My friend Robby is looking after him. He’ll take good care of him until we can get back to him.” I pressed a kiss to the top of her head. I am so thankful that I did get Robby to take Samson. It was one less worry on my overflowing platter I needed to deal with. Maleficent’s promised that Dubois line would end by the summer solstice. It didn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out what Maleficent’s plan was. In less than a month, Aurora would be dead if I don’t get us out of this soon.

I kept my mouth shut. There was no need to worry Aurora yet. I was going to try my best to shield her from anything coming her way. I would take a thousand beatings if it could save her from just one. This was what I had been training for my entire life.

Suddenly I felt a strange tugging sensation. It took me a second to realize that I was being woken up. “I’m waking up. Don’t say anything to them. We can’t let them know we can talk in our dreams. I love-”

Before I could finish, I was awake. Immediately I was hit by a wall of pain from the beating I had just taken. I groaned as I opened my eyes only to see that Maleficent was standing just a few feet from me. I got a surge of strength as every fibre of my being told me to hurt this woman. I pushed myself off the ground and sprang on her only to replace I couldn’t get far. Maleficent threw back her head in laughter as I looked down to see the large manacles around my wrists.

“God you guardians just get dumber and dumber. You really thought I wouldn’t restrain you.” Maleficent chuckled.

“Come on, scared you can’t take me in a fight?” I goaded her. Maybe if I insult her enough, she’ll make a mistake. It was something fighters do all the time. I started to relax my stance and slowly inch myself backwards. I need to trick her to get her into my range.

“I know I can’t. I saw the damage you did before we finally got you restrained. If you weren’t so... noble... I would have hired you myself.”

“Sorry, don’t work for scared little bitches.”

She just chuckled, “Well that is the first time anyone has had the guts to called me a scared little bitch.”

“Well, you do hire others to do your dirty work. I bet you didn’t even kidnap Aurora yourself. Too scared that a small defenceless girl would get the drop on you?”

“Listen here meathead.” She sneered stepping closer to me. “That snivelling little Dubois twerp wouldn’t stand a chance against me and neither would you. I have powers that you couldn’t begin to understand.”

“You keep calling her a Dubois, but Aurora is a Thompson. Her parents died when she was a baby and she’s been raised by her aunts. I know the Dubois family and they are most certainly not dead.”

“You don’t get it, do you? Aurora Thompson is the Dubois child. They put her in the care of those buffoons that she calls aunts to try to save her from her fate.” She took a step closer to me, but was still not close enough, “They underestimated me. Something I suggest you don’t do.”

“Understood.” I spat out. She smirked and started to take a step back. Shit. I need something to get her to step closer. “Let me see Aurora.”

She paused and took a step forward. She was so close. Did I dare take the chance yet? “I’m not going to keep that bitch in the same place as her guardian. You really must think I’m an idiot. No, your sleeping beauty is being loaded on a plane to take her halfway around the world. You’re never going to see her again.”

It felt like Maleficent had just punched me in the gut. I didn’t have time to consider the ramifications. Instead, instinct took over just like it did in the ring. My hands coiled the chain around them to shorten the chain before I pulled them taught. I pretended to strain against them hoping she would fall for my tricks, “You’re not going to get away with this.”

She smiled stepping right in front of me. Her nose was practically touching mine. Exactly where I wanted her. “I already have.” She sneered. I tried not to grin. I let go of the chains and pulled her against me. We fell back onto the ground with her on top of me. I wrapped my arm around her neck in a stranglehold and used my legs to hold her in place. I had her completely in my control.

“Listen here bitch. If you don’t want me to snap your neck you are going to unlock these chains. Then the two of us are going to get in a car and go get my girl.” I spat as I tightened my grip on her. I could feel a triumphant wave come over me. I was going to save Aurora.

She started to chuckle. Her hand raised and she started speaking in this strange guttural language I’ve never heard before. Whatever it was, I knew I needed to stop it. I tightened my hold on her to try and cut off the air.

Suddenly it felt like my skin was burning off my body. I let out a scream. I lost my grip on her. She slipped away. I tried to grab her, but the pain was too much. I curled in on myself. Tears jumped to my eyes. I looked at Maleficent as she knelt in front of me. The look in her eyes was one of pure malice. My mouth opened but no words would come out. “Please,” I begged. I needed relief. It just hurt so bad.

“This is what happens. You fuck with me; I will make you burn.” She promised before snapping her fingers. The pain left, but I was still left on the ground gasping for air. “I’m going to make you hurt. I’m going to hurt you until you beg me to kill you then I’m going to hurt you some more.”

I looked up into her wicked gold eyes. She was filled with so much hate that followed her around like some dark cloud. “What happened to you? Who filled you with so much hate?”

“Wouldn’t you like to know bitch.” She spat on me and turned on her heel. She closed the door on me leaving me alone in the dark.

I looked around at the dungeon I was trapped in. Four walls made of concrete, a small, barred window on the opposite side. Inside there was what could only be a pot to piss in, a metal cot topped with a thin blanket and flat pillow. I wasn’t expecting a five-star hotel, but at least give a girl some plumbing.

I pushed myself up on my hands and knees. I didn’t even have enough energy to stand. Whatever Maleficent had done, it completely wiped me out. I got in the bed and tried to lay down. The clunky chains made it extremely awkward. My hands felt like they weighed a hundred pounds. Everything hurt. I wanted to cry but my pride wouldn’t let me. I had to be strong. I had to be for Aurora.

When I fell asleep, I had to get my head on straight. No matter what they did to me, I wouldn’t let her see my pain. So much worse was coming her way, I was sure of it. Maleficent’s grudge against the Dubois family ran deep, but she didn’t know about the connection between Aurora and me. That meant if one of us is found, they can lead their saviour to the other. I just pray they can get to Aurora soon, before it’s too late.