2 ...Everything changes

"She was here just a minute ago—"At the same time, they heard a scream.

"Amanda!" Beatrice sighed, "Uh, what is she playing at now?"

Beatrice saw it as a joke but Amber couldn't shake the feeling. After all, that strange feeling she experienced in the forest still lingered.

"I don't know  Bea, what if it's serious. That scream sounded super real to me..let's find her and get out of this place.." Amber pouted, 'worry' already taking its course.

"Okay let's split up, we'll find her faster then. Grey, you're with Amber and...shit. Pete, you're with me, no Grey you're with me, uh—" Pete wiggled his eyebrows at her, linking their arms, "Too late sweetheart. Let's go." 

"Don't even." Beatrice removed her hand followed by an eye roll, and at that, they both ran off.

"Well it's you and—" Grey was gone! 

"Grey?" Amber looked around, he was just there. 

'Why did I always have to end up alone? '

"You know what, I'm not moving from here. You should never split up, splitting up gets you killed!"

She stomped her foot on the floor and crossed her arms, telling herself that she would remain until her friends returned.

She held her hands passing them along her raised pores when she got a glance of Amanda's silhouette peeking from behind a booth.

"Amanda? Look, we shouldn't be here." She called but knotted her eyebrows as Amanda started running?

"Seriously come one." Amber continued but even though she was calling her, she kept running.

Before she could turn a corner Amber reached out and pulled onto her shirt.

"Amanda, what the hell is wrong with you." Amber tightened her grip and then pulled her friend around to her.

But the sight shocked her, Amanda's eyes looked to be stabbed out and her mouth twisted and widened like she was screaming but stuck frozen. 

Her body then fell to the floor and Amber rushed down to her.

"Amanda—"Amber squeezed her friend's collar watching her body slowly turn into nothing.

Her eyes burned from the tears and her hands couldn't stop shaking.

What the hell was going on.

She wanted to wake up, she waited for the feeling of ripping through her seats but then being told it was just a nightmare but it didn't come.

She didn't move, she just looked down at her hands as tears fell into them, feeling the drops of water.

Meanwhile, a booth flickered alive, shining a glowing yellow light through the darkness of the others. 

There was the beeping of a game being played, Amber tilted her head to the side, where she saw the persuading light. 

"Come on now, step right up kids, we got stuffed animals of many sorts...just play the game."

Amber held the walls as she walked, letting the voice lead her. This Park was supposed to be abandoned…

"Winning. Don't we all love winning?" The voice sounded like a woman's. Amber quickened her steps in a slow run

"Is anyone here? My friend she—" 

'My friends and I decided to come to an abandoned Park, where I then got split up and my friend Amanda disappeared right in thin air, not to mention I was being chased by an invisible thing I couldn't see and a boy with no eyes talked to me.''

Sure she could just say that but then get sent to a mental institute.

"They're missing, something happened, can you help us ple—" She stopped, looking at the booth when a woman turned to smile at her.

"Your friend?" The woman held her body forward on the counter with her face in her palms and smiled cynically at her. "Come, come, my child." Her smile widened. "Let's play a game…"

"A game?"

 Amber questioned, looking behind the woman where she saw dolphins. It was one of the games where you would throw the balls to hit dolphins. She never played one of those in years, couldn't even remember what it was like but she did know they were mostly rigged.

"Sorry, I didn't come here to play games, I just want to get my friends and leave. Ain't this place supposed to be abandoned?"

The woman just smiled at her and blinked.

"If you're not going to help, then I should get going." Amber turned away from the woman, she was in no need of playing games right then.

"Don't walk away from me young lady…I know what you are. And I can inform you I'm no ordinary person either, teens these days, walk into trouble and then complain about it. It's not like your friend would have enjoyed her life anyway, she was destined to fail but aye you didn't hear it from me."

"Excuse me?" Amber clenched ches her fist and walks back up to the booth, "Are you referring to Amanda?"

"I don't know, she could be here, she could be there...then you could be here and then just disappear. No memory, no sign of existing, I find that just extraordinary, that's why death never ceases to amaze me, it's amazing." 

Amber jerked, startled, attempting to blink the sleepiness out of her eyes, willing it to be a dream.

"That's right sweetheart, I suppose you understand by now, I know you're a smart girl, so very smart." The woman reached out her long finger and lightly tapped her nose. Her fingers were blue and veiny with long brown fingernails.

"But are you though? I guess I can just show you, that's what humans believe, right? Seeing is believing—"

"I maybe don't understand what you're getting at—" Amber cut in, "But the only thing I have to understand right now is what happened to my friend and that is to which you know. So if there's something you're not telling me, please speak up."

"Let's play a game—"

"I told you that I'm no need to play the God damned game, do you know what happened to my friend or not?" Amber was furious, what was this lady's problem.

"God, it's the Gods that are not real. It is the God who should be Myths being told, not us!"

Amber stepped away from the woman, not only was insane but she was also a heathen. Awesome!

"Listen, lady, so you don't like the Gods, okay but that has nothing to do with me, all I want is to get my friends and get out of this place."

"Oh. You know I believe I saw a girl around here, sorry I don't get many visitors, Amanda, Amanda, which one was Amanda again—" The woman then pulled out a thick dusty book and licked her index as she strolled through. "Amanda...mhmm—" Her finger came to a halt. "There's a lot of A's on this, Avery, Anna, Aaron, yeah there's a lot. Is it Amand? No, it's not Amand, he was in April, three years ago—some kid he was…"

All Amber did was stare at the woman in front of her. She was losing her mind, the woman was crazy, she's…

"Would you stop it? If you don't want to help me then suit yourself but don't let me stand here like an idiot and wait for something that isn't about to happen." Amber slammed her fist on the table earning the woman's attention.

The crazy woman with long ragged hair and a thin physique clapped slowly.

"No, it can't be—" The woman gawks at her,"?I see it in your eyes, it took a while but I see it. So you're it, huh? Must admit I wasn't expecting this. A human... an actual sad human. How is this possible, I know I sensed the power but this was an epic twist. A girl, a human girl. They've done it this time. I was expecting a stone, some type of source but...this, this is fun. It's true—You know you're quite famous, your name has been spreading like fire—amazing that I get to experience the beautiful, the brave, the famous girl with the rich blood and pure soul known in the underworld. You're quite the thing down there. And I get you all to myself." She leaned over the table, a smile on a first as she stared into her eyes.

"Look, I don't know what you're talking about but I don't belong to anyone, okay? And you can write that down in your little book because you'll need to remember it. "

The woman placed her hand on her hips, "So the kids' brave but you're also scared, one sign of fear takes away from all that bravery you have. Fear and bravery are really big enemies you know, one fighting for freedom and one for comfort...but fear always wins, love. I always win."

"I know who you are and you know you don't know me. It's always how it'll ever be, I'll be here, you'll know me but the next I'm not so let's cut to the case. I am Quendia, it's nice to finally meet you." Quendia bowed," And you're known as Amber, am I right?"

Amber was uninterested but she still nodded, "How do you know my name? And what does—" 

"Let's say I know your friend, this Amanda girl—that I know what happened to her, what are you willing to give, she is now one of mine, so what of yours are you willing to give?"

"Are you being serious? This doesn't make any sense, Amanda she, she just—"

"Argh, how sad you looked at one's face didn't you? Not gonna lie, you are supposed to die. One that looks into the eyes of my slaves must die but I already know you're special. Come on now the only way to save your friend before she is forgotten is to play the game. Come on, don't be shy—" she licked her lips. "Pay up." 

"But I don't have any money and even if I do, do you think  I believe all of this crap?" Amber says with a scowl on her face.

The lady only shrugs, "Suit yourself, perhaps you don't. Whether you believe me or not is simply not my problem."

"And I don't want money, money is of no use for me, give me your wrist."

"What? No—"

"I said give me your wrist—" The woman lunged out and gripped her scaly palm around Amber's wrist and injected her teeth. Amber hissed, feeling a sense of poison running through her veins.

She looked down at her wrist and saw that her veins now appeared darker red coursing through her skin."What-what did you do to me?" Her knees buckled and she struggled to keep balance.

"The poison runs fast, The time you don't finish the poison it ought to reach your brain and you—"  She looks into Amber's eyes with a sick smile edging her black lips, "Will die."

"Did you just bite me?" Amber asked, she couldn't believe it, the woman was indeed sick.

"I like to play fair, if you win you get your friend back and I can assure you this is all real. I don't get the time to play anymore, so I'll tell you now that this is not a joke. I do have your friend, possibly all if they remain in this Park but you have a choice to help them, you can stay oblivious or you can beat me and go home. But if you lose I keep her." The witch left something out though, playing the game wasn't for her just to win back her friend but it was another way of taking the souls of children.

Amber was still in doubt, the trees, the boy, this Park, and the lady at the front of her—she couldn't believe it, she just didn't want to believe it.

Amber takes the balls from on the counter and aims the first ball at the dolphin but she misses.

"Shit…" She cursed under her breath and glared at the woman as she smiled. 3 more balls.

In the end, she came down to one ball and ultimately lost but she wasn't convinced anymore.

"The game was rigged and you just wasted my time with your good acting and cheap skills not to mention that sorry excuse of a costume."

Her eyebrows knotted looking at the woman laughing hysterically at her. 

"Yes, the game was indeed rigged, also known as a way to take the soul and mind of those dare to challenge it, none of this was necessary as I could of take them myself with other ways but I find this fun, the whining and cursing of the people once losing but still humans are so stupid even though they lose and is destined for failure they still try and try until they eventually give all of themselves to me. This is why I decided on these games, call it childhood experience. I found it so fascinating as they still try, losing everything. That's how I knew I was making the right decision at Amusement Parks. I did nothing just use their own stupid and childish behavior of being crowned winner against them and for my personal use. Nothing wrong there."

"Thank you Amber Lane but now that you have lost you are now belonging to me."

Amber stepped back watching the woman become larger right in the front of her face, her neck twisting, her back bending with the more she grew.

Her neck was long and her long black hair hung over her face, her hands stretched on her sides and she had no clothes on, just pale, fleshy pruney skin. Her body was thin but her stomach was slightly hanging over. 

Amber gasp putting her hand over her mouth at the thing in front of her, now it is clear that whatever was going on wasn't a normal act.

"What, what are you?"Amber slowly walked away from the thing, her pupils wide. 

 But the thing could see that she was slowly trying to run, "Running will be of no use to you. I will now claim what you lost."

Quendia's long legs ran towards Amber but as she was about to touch her she was thrown backward, losing a finger by a blinding light that had emerged out of Amber's bracelet.

She hissed, holding her finger."No, it cannot be, you lost, which means I should be able to collect your body, I should be able to feed on your blood. What did you do to me?" The woman now appeared smaller, returning to her old form, no longer having enough strength.

"That—" She pointed, "That thing on your wrist, what is it?"

Amber looked down at her bracelet that was glowing a powerful white.

The creature smiled, "It is that…" That was what stopped her attack, that was what protected the human girl.

"How about we make another deal? You give me that bracelet and you get your friend back."

"My bracelet?"

The feeder nodded, "Amanda doesn't have that long again before she is gone, you know?" The woman plotted and then looking beside her, she said, "Isn't that right Amanda?"

Amber looked over to see Amanda, with the same expression on her face, she just stood there and looked at the woman with her shadowy face.

"Amanda?" Amber called but she just disappeared, she could feel her cries, calling for help. Like if she somehow was connected to her soul.

"I don't know what's going on but okay, whatever you want just help her, please! I only want to go home."

As far as she knew her friend was worth more of the value of that bracelet. She didn't know why she had it in the first place. 

All that she could remember she had that same bracelet on her hand, she never took it off, but perhaps today was going to be that day where'll be gone.

She couldn't even remember who gave it to her, it was just there one day, not knowing when, or who put it there. Why would she want an old bracelet of that worth?

Amber removed her bracelet and threw it at the woman's foot, "There, now you help her." 

 "Don't you know never to trust strangers—" She takes it and crushes it in her palms. 

Amber's eyebrows knotted, "What? I don't understand, why ask for the bracelet if you were just going to destroy it." 

"Amber, oh you poor little Amber, don't you get it—" She walked up closer and Amber walked back, "I don't want that junk, it was never of use to me. That was only a shield  blocking me from what I wanted."

"What you wanted…" She stepped back and the woman now towered above her.

Amber looked up at the woman, her heart pounding out of her chest. She thought the woman could hear it from how fast it was going.

Quendia then gripped Amber by her neck, she could feel her feet slowly lifting from the floor.

"Wh-what do...you want from me." Amber breathed, she could feel the life slowly escaping from her body as her lungs struggled to produce oxygen. She reached out for the woman's hand but it was no use, the thing was much stronger than her. I don't wanna die, not yet.

But it was too late, the witch then opened her mouth to a far too wide extent, which wasn't possible for a human.

She was expected to bite her but then she just closed her mouth and looked up at the sky.

"Shit, well look at the time—" She dropped Amber to the concrete floor, "You've got some lucky child, but I will be back."

"Meet here in 48 hours if you want to save your friend. Anything after that and she will–" The woman disappeared in a black mist, and Amber didn't get to hear her last words.

She clenched her fist, it was becoming sunrise soon. A whole night was gone!

Just then she saw Beatrice, Peter, and Gray running towards her and seemed to be running from something.

"Amber come on we gotta run…" Beatrice locked her arm with Amber, helping her off the floor.

"What is it?" 

"Someone saw us, I believe he's a guard or something, come on get up!"

Amber looked behind Beatrice to see a torchlight followed by a man. He was probably someone who worked on the Park, checking on it on Mornings.

"Hey, you four! You're not supposed to be here."He called, shining his torch at them.

"Come on Amber get off your ass! You'll get us caught." 

Beatrice pulled her as they ran, Grey and Peter already ahead, Peter being the farthest.

Amber looked behind her and pulled on her Beatrices' shirt.

"Wait, what about Amanda?" She asked but Beatrice looked confused and raised a frustrated eyebrow. 

"Who's Amanda?" She asked and her blank expression honestly looked like she didn't know whom Amber was talking about.

And then she just blinked and pulled her along again.

"Amanda she's our–" Now Amber wasn't sure what she was saying, something lingered in the air, something important but she couldn't pinpoint it.

"You seriously need some sleep, come on let's go." They ran through the forest.

'You have 48 hours to get your friend back.' The words repeated in Amber's head but just as it was there, it was gone.