How am I supposed to prove that I'm caught in some sick game played by everyone in this palace? I have no clue why they're acting like this. Are they insane? Evil sorcerers? And honestly, what's the point?
My head was literally about to explode from overthinking. Sleep felt impossible, so I went out to the balcony for some fresh air. That's when I saw Khurshid in the garden, greeting a weird-looking old lady. She was wearing an off-the-shoulder black dress with a deep red cloak, messy all-white hair, and black gloves.
Khurshid bowed to her, but she was totally cold. She scanned the palace with an intense, fiery stare until her eyes locked onto me. Since the balcony isn't that high, I saw her clearly. She pointed at me while whispering to Khurshid, and I just knew she was talking about me.
She gave me the major creeps. Later, Khurshid came to my room and said we had a "dear guest" who came specifically to help me with my leg, my face, and my recent mental fog. He said we couldn't wait anymore and needed an "immediate intervention." When I asked what kind of intervention, he just said, "You'll find out tomorrow. Goodnight."
I didn't sleep a wink. The next morning at breakfast, the creepy lady was there, giving me that same nasty stare. I tried to stay "cool" and said, "Hello, ma'am," but she just narrowed her eyes and ignored me. Everyone started eating except her—she didn't even take off those black gloves.
Suddenly, she slammed her hand on the table so hard it made me jump and scream. I lost it and called her a "psycho." Huge mistake. She stood up slowly, walked right behind my chair, and I could feel her hot breath burning my neck. She hissed like a snake: "Now... I won't wait for the night. Now!"
Everyone got up in total silence and followed her like a school line to a locked room on the second floor. Khurshid made me follow. The room was pitch black except for some black candles she set up. We all sat around a table, and she started chanting weird words. The table began to shake violently, and my heart was racing even faster.
Khurshid forced me to kneel in front of her. I started laughing because I thought they were just crazy and this was some failed attempt to gaslight me. But the laughter stopped when I felt an invisible force wrap around my throat—I was literally being strangled by nothing. I was gasping for air, feeling like I was actually dying.
The "thing" slammed me to the floor. The old lady pressed her thumb into the middle of my forehead, and it felt like actual hellfire under her finger. She yelled at whatever was "possessing" me, threatening to burn it alive. I was trapped—conscious, seeing and hearing everything, but unable to move or speak. She told everyone to get ready for a seance to "summon spirits."
She told us we were about to enter another world, and if anyone let go of the person's hand next to them, their soul would be stuck there forever. I was forced to hold hands with Shams and Khurshid. She started chanting in this deep, raspy man's voice. That's when it got real.
I tried to escape into my own mind, and suddenly, I saw a memory. I was in a small room, and a little girl was crying and calling me "Mama." A young guy walked in, joking about how the "little troublemaker" woke me up. He was so sweet, promising to cook me lunch. Then he said, "Come on, Madeline, wake up!"
Madeline?! That name hit me like a physical shock. My head started throbbing so hard I screamed, letting go of their hands and breaking the circle. The old lady lost it, and everyone was panicking. I was on the floor in total agony until Khurshid finally got me to my room and gave me a sedative.
I had a fever dream about that man and the little girl in the palace garden, but then a dark cloud shaped like the old lady appeared. Her hands were actual snakes chasing them! I woke up screaming and ran to her room. I found her in bed, still wearing the gloves. I pulled one off, and her hand was a literal, living snake. She opened her eyes and started laughing like a maniac.
I bolted out of the palace and ran into Khurshid. I was hyperventilating, telling him about her snake-hands, but he just looked annoyed. He told me she had left the palace in a rage right after breakfast because I insulted her, and she never came back.
I started hitting him, calling him a liar. He finally lost his patience, dragged me back inside, and yelled, "I'm done! The palace is right there—go find her and prove I'm lying, then you can do whatever you want!"
I ran through every single corner of that palace like a crazy person... but she was gone. Not even a shadow.