Subconscious Plots pt 2

Stephanie was trembling in bed, kicking at the sheets and mumbling frantically. Lost in the depth of her subconscious, she walked along a forest path lit by fireflies dancing in jars. She wasn’t happy, but she wasn’t sad. She felt serene, as if she was floating through. The ground was soft and her bare feet sank into the damp mud with every step, it stuck in between her toes and slipped under her toenails. A singer’s voice pranced in the air, stroking her desires, a velvety call, so alluring.

“Take off the blindfold…” it chimed.

Had Stephanie heard correctly? She stopped to look around but couldn’t see past the thick trees or the lit path.

“Remove it…”

Yes, it was definitely telling her to betray her husband, but where was it coming from? There was nobody around.
The voice continued to tempt her and, afraid, Stephanie started picking up her pace. The voice didn’t cease to follow her, it probed her mind as she tried to find a way out of the forest.

“You know you want to,” it taunted.

“LEAVE ME ALONE!” Stephanie screamed, her shouts causing the trees to shake, as if they were laughing at her pathetic attempt.

“Stephanie… He should trust you…”

It hit her weak point. Stephanie had often questioned why Leo would not let her see him at night, was he afraid of something? Shouldn’t he trust her?
Afraid, Stephanie started rushing through the dead trees. She ran as the branches scratched at every exposed measure of skin, leaving long, whip-like lashes to drizzle red. The faster she ran, the louder the voice screamed the orders, drowning out her own thoughts. Unable to handle the torment, Stephanie slowed down to a crawl, clutching her bruised arms. She walked alongside the voice until her exhausted feet pulled her to her knees before a well. She pulled her head over the edge and looked in.

Startled by the floating body of a girl, Stephanie started shrieking for help, not tearing her eyes away for a second. Stephanie looked closer into the dark holding-place and watched the body turn to face her. A blue, shriveled face stared into hers and lifted a crooked finger up to her frozen lips. Stephanie flew back realizing she and the corpse shared the same face. The girl in the well was Stephanie.

*

Stephanie bolted upright, covered in sweat and confined to the darkness of her blindfold. She could feel Leo’s body beside her, large and lost in sleep. What was that dream about? The voice was telling her to take off the blindfold. Was it a sign? Stephanie ran her fingertips over her cloth-clad eyes. Leo had only asked her of one thing, nevevr to take it off, but why? Did he have some strange sleeping habits? Stephanie decided that she would take off the blindfold to see for herself, she would love him no matter what.
She hesitantly wrapped her fingers around the sash and bit her lip. One tug is all it would take. She didn’t know why her heart was pounding, or why her head was racing like a train that ran off the tracks. With one cold, sharp breath, Stephanie pulled the blindfold off and choked on her breath. Leo was nowhere to be found, instead, a large beatly monster lay in his place.

“What have you done to my husband?!” She screamed, backing off the bed and crashing onto the floor.

The monster opened a large, yellow eye, u ndoubtedly looking scared, but then it saw Stephanie on the floor and all fear turned into fury. It fpounded onto four legs and released a deafening roar.

“WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?” it yelled, Salive swinging from the end of its sharp, yellow fangs, dripping slowly onto its chin.

Its eyes blazed with anger, and the thick mane on its head stood bristled, its claws teared at the bed sheets under it as he lunged towards the shrieking Stephanie. Her face was wet with tears and white with shock, screaming Leo’s name.

“DON’T YOU SEE?” the monster shouted, knocing her onto her back, snarling inches away from stephanie’s face. “I AM LEO”

Stephanie caught her breath and stared at the beast, there was no trace of Leo in this beast. She shook her head,

“What have you done to him?!”

The beast lifted his paws off her shoulders and looked at her with his sad eyes,
“Why do you think I asked you to wear the blindfold, Stephanie? You have ruined everything.”