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The expression LuLu's face was stuck in was jarring, small muscles stretched in eerie ways over the bone. One of LuLu's hands kept tense around David's neck as they both struggled for an upper hand. When the man's fist connected with the sigel's cheek a harsh slap of skin echoed around them. Her head snapped to the side in a broken way. Her eyelids lulled for a moment and lavender irises were visible once again. The hand around his neck loosened just slightly.

He could hear a whimper of pain trilling from the rabbit girl. The sound was not laced with a supernatural drone. Rather, it sounded like the genuine Lu peaking through the possession. She was still in there somewhere and she could still feel any trauma David caused her.

Lu's head rolled back against her shoulders and she convulsed. The doll's voice returned, "Why did you hit us?"

Once they reached the cliff and began to unpack and settle, Prajna warily accepted Luka’s bug repellent. Like a young pup, the redhead sniffed the canister. Prajna had never used the stuff before but, even though the spray did have a weird funk, an artificial and almost metallic scent, Prajna applied it. It sprayed extra repellant around its neck and hands, since that was where the majority of the Star’s exposed flesh resided.

As Prajna finished applying its new insect shield, Luka produced the first baby flames of the evening. The redhead was impressed by the Satyr’s handiness. It had never seen a fire before, only on television. It was so warm, so bright... The Star felt its rune glow brightly, hungrily, but Prajna bit its lip in restraint. It hoped the yearning would pass. It knew the significance of keeping the fire alive. They needed it. Otherwise who knew what could come find them without them seeing it too?

Prajna offered the repellent back to its friend,”Luka? How are you so good at building fire and being …outside?”

To distract itself from the flames, Prajna looked around at the stars barely peeking through the treetops before glancing back over the terrain. Shrubs and vines and ominous shadows were everywhere and yet… Luka had a sense of authority and confidence about himself. It was obvious this was not the Frei’s first time out, especially at night.

- - - - - -

Air.

David inhaled sharply as he stumbled back, finally escaping Lulu’s demonic grasp. He couldn’t get enough air and yet, the sweet sweet oxygen seemed to fill his lungs too quickly. It hurt to breathe yet David couldn’t stop himself. His right arm continued to bleed, droplets slipping past his fingertips and staining the dirt beneath his feet. It had seemed the punch had worked, even though David could barely feel his right arm now, aside from the odd tingling sensation alerting his brain that the appendage was still, in fact, intact. His stormy eyes glared at the rabbit Sigel, never leaving her face, as he collected himself.

She seemed stunned, though still twitching like a broken jewelry box ballerina, determined to keep spinning but doing so poorly. The way her limbs shook and jerked was unnerving. Lulu let out a soft whimper, something tender and human, and for a moment, David wondered if he could actually save her. But quickly the doll’s voice returned and the man felt his throat closing up again. Was it the adrenaline making him shake now? Was this pure fear? David felt like he needed to throw up.

But as Lulu flinched forward and her hands seemed to reach out for the man’s throat yet again, David frantically looked for his knife. It had fallen behind the Sigel so he had to think of some way to get past her! As her eyes rolled forward, locking back onto the man’s figure yet again, determination burning through, David had an idea. Scooping a handful of sand with his left hand, David cried out, “HEY! Lulu! Let me see those pretty eyes of yours!”

And with that, the Nao sibling tossed the dirt directly into the Raevan’s face, getting the dirt into her mouth and eyes. David hoped, in that split second, he could make it! He tried to scuttle away from her, his movements like a young boy’s as one would try to scuttle away from a girl with cooties. The nausea persisted and as Lulu moved past him, David caught sight of the doll. He was literally going to throw up …and he did. Upon barrel rolling over to his knife, as soon as David felt the leather handle back in his left hand, the man vomited on his already dirtied shoes, though his eyes tried to stay focused on Lulu. The adrenaline, the fear, the choking… it was starting to catch up to him.

David could pat himself on the back later for escaping the sigel. His cheap tactic had awarded him enough time to gain a few feet away from her and collect his knife. Meanwhile, LuLu had doubled over from the stinging in her eyes. Her palms rubbed frantically to remove the dirt and grit. When she heard the human wretch, the girl stood at attention, save for an idly twitch still overcoming one of her arms. Her eyes and the area around them were an irritated red. Hot tears spilled down her cheeks. The sigel hissed low in her chest and the sound mixed with the eerie rattle of the dolls voice. She floated over to him slowly. The arm with a slight tick, the one she had been strangling him with, began to convulse as she drew closer. Her vision was blurry but her eyes fell on the knife in his hand, "Do you want to kill us?" Her lips cracked into a wide smile.

As Prajna had stopped to star gaze, the redhead didn’t notice the look of panic overwhelming Luka’s features until the Satyr began to scream. Luka groped his surroundings, his voice dripping in an infectious terror that Prajna couldn’t stop from overtaking its own senses. Prajna didn’t understand. What was happening? Its hands began to shake as it tried to reach out to its friend, who was now frantically bustling about the campfire.

“Luka, Luka! Stay calm! Prajna is here, Luka, listen! Luka!!” Prajna’s voice had begun to stir as well, though the Star attempted to maintain its composure. However, the fear wouldn’t stop and soon, Prajna remembered the water beneath them. They were so close to the edge. Prajna swore it saw something slithering and bubbling beneath the surface as well but then Luka redirected its attention once more.

“MY EYES! I CAN’T SEE!” The Satyr’s once warm features now pinched together in frustration and terror. Prajna tried to grab Luka once more but missed the Frei’s clothing. Then Prajna noticed the blackness flooding into Luka’s sclera. It was unearthly and demonic. Prajna swallowed, stunned and silent as Luka continued to wail. What was happening now? Prajna tried to call out to Luka, tried to calm its friend down with its voice but it felt itself choking on the words. Then Luka flailed around and grabbed hold of a low hanging tree branch, near the cliff’s edge. Prajna snapped to attention.

“LUKA! WAIT! STOP!! You’re too close! Too close Luka, come back to my voice!” Prajna was surprised it had gotten its warning out. It felt so tired yet pumped with fearful adrenaline. Prajna extended a hand, continuing to try and lead the cream colored Frei closer. “Come. Come. Yes. Follow Prajna’s voice. Please.”

Prajna’s back was to the fire, its front to Luka and so it had just missed seeing the oozing tentacles crawling up the cliff’s wall…
-----
As Lulu began to feel around for David, the man backed away from the Sigel as quietly yet as quickly as he could. He had to get some distance. He knew if he let her too close, she would definitely kill him the second time around. There would be no other opportunity to escape. David had to try and think, though now he felt dehydrated from having vomited. Nothing but adrenaline was left in his stomach. Nothing but fear. He tried to grip the knife confidently but his hands were shaking, the blood on his right hand sticking to the sand he had rolled through.

He didn’t want to hurt her. He really didn’t. After hearing the voice of the spirit or the devil or whatever the hell was possessing her, David knew the real Lulu (probably) wouldn’t do this on her own. Especially not over David simply being rude to some wild rabbit. He really… really did not want to hurt her…

But when the possessed Sigel lunged at him once more, shrieking “DIE!”, he couldn’t stop his instincts.

Thrusting as hard as he could with both his hands gripping the knife now, David pushed his hunting blade into the face of the doll. He felt the knife point break through the dirtied fabric easily but then… he knew he had hit muscle. As blood oozed out of Lulu’s collar area, David’s hands began to shake violently, though he refused to release the knife. Tears welled up in his eyes. He had never done something like this before. He had never wanted to hurt someone, anyone like this. But seeing that the doll’s face had been pierced as well, pinned almost to Lulu’s right shoulder, David felt oddly satisfied, though definitely not confident. This had to stop or at least slow the possession right? He hadn’t hit her heart thankfully but… this had to do something…

Right?

David did not know if he was ever going to be able to justify the stabbing to himself but he knew he had to try.

“I’m sorry Lulu” he murmured before letting go, the tears running hot against his pale cheeks. He soon felt his knees buckle and then his weight just fall to the ground, exhausted. He was so tired. He had no more energy left. If he died, he could at least say he did everything he could.

LuLu could hear grating as the knife plunge through plastic, flesh, and bone. She yowled like a wounded animal and withdrew from David. Pain coursed through her shoulder like an electric current and she could feel the bonds of the doll weakening from the trauma. However, she was still not completely in control again. She was frightened. She was uncertain what she what this doll would force her to do to David now that he was exhausted and no longer capable of defending himself. Her voice rattled. It was still raw from screaming and laced with the doll's possession, "Kill us or diiiiie."

LuLu's free hand grabbed for the knife's handle. Her fingers wrapped tightly around its hilt. LuLu's eyes went wide in shock. LuLu wanted this all to stop, but she had no say in her fate while the doll was still in control. Her limbs still would not listen to her completely. Her mind screamed out to the doll. To anyone. 'NO!NO!NO!' She knew what was going to happen next. The girl could feel it in her gut like a tightening coil. Dread was building and it made her feel nauseous.

At the will of the doll, LuLu's arm flexed and gave one strong, extended tug at the knife. She howled as the serrated edge of the blade snagged on muscle and tendon. The doll continued to force her to pull despite the searing pain. It was obvious it did not care what happened to its host. It wanted both of them dead.

She pleaded with the doll. 'Please stop. Please!' It would not listen though. Her face was streaked with tears, snot, and saliva as she screamed her voice ragged. LuLu could feel the blade easing out inch by inch until she successfully tore the knife from her shoulder. The hole in her jacket perfectly framed a gaping wound in her shoulder. It gushed blood onto the doll and herself, like a crimson river flowing down her arm and torso. The puncture was so close to her heart. It was oozing so much. Yet, that is not what worried the sigel.

She had a weapon again and David was defenseless.

The sigel raised the knife above her with the intent of bringing it down upon the human's skull. She could see the fear in his eyes and the hopelessness. He had given up and resigned to his end. LuLu felt herself being torn apart inside. She could never kill anyone. That is not what a princess would do!"NO! David! P-please. Run! Saaave... yourself." She tore out of the doll's clutches for a moment. LuLu's whole body trembled, but the shaking concentrated into her arm. The poised limb shuddered in the air above her as she fought the doll's command to swing it down and put and end to the Nao's life. One of them could still live.

In a rare display of consideration and calm, Prajna floated over to Luka, quickly pulling the terrified Frei into an embrace. Unintentionally, Prajna had floated a bit higher than normal, its chin now resting tenderly on Luka’s head as it tried to understand what was happening. The Star had never seen its friend so …so… … panicked was not a befitting enough of a word. Disorganized? Chaotic? Whatever the term was, Prajna could only conclude that Luka was not himself. Usually so mature and thought out, Prajna wondered what was more unsettling: the Satyr’s restlessness or the blackness overtaking his eyes. With its heart still racing madly, Prajna tightened its grip on Luka, its hands placed firmly but tenderly around the other’s shoulders. It tried to think… No one had told them they were signing up for something like dark magic and ghouls!

Then Prajna had an idea.

Separating them, Prajna lifted Luka’s chin with one of its hands, directing his face more towards the fire. The redhead was determined to understand what was happening to its friend. It NEEDED to, otherwise whatever it was could potentially take over the Star’s senses as well.

“ Can still hear me okay, Luka? Yes. Just no sight? Taste, touch, everything okay?” Prajna asked, examining Luka’s every angular feature. Luka’s sclera was an abyss now, so empty and ominous. Prajna tried to calm itself as it examined the rest of Luka’s body: his wrists, his neck, ears. Nothing else seemed tainted. Too preoccupied with attempting to diagnose its companion, Prajna realized too late that they were not alone.

Suddenly what felt like a slimy but powerful slug or wet vine gripped Prajna’s ribbon and pulled! Too surprised to scream, Prajna did dig its nails into Luka’s shoulders, its jaw clenching hard. The tentacle was strong and it seemed determined to drag the Star into the night. That’s when it all came back. The water, the ripples, the odd sensation they were being watched! Prajna still couldn’t manage a scream but as the tentacle pulled, Prajna tried to throw its weight forward onto Luka, its blackened wings beating hard. Prajna grunted and gasped, fear overtaking it. It pulled at Luka’s clothes and flesh.

The water, NO! Prajna’s mind screamed as the two Freis then hit the dirt. Prajna felt some of its fight dissolve, the air having been knocked out of its chest but it couldn’t give up.

“Luka! Prajna… Something. OUT OF THE WATER. Something is pulling! HELP. No. GO! Um. LUKA, don’t leave me!” Prajna’s voice was more of a childlike cry than a developed scream. The tentacle gave another tug and Prajna was forced to release its hold on Luka, digging its nails into the dirt and cliff instead. It groped for roots and rocks, its palms bleeding and stinging now from the dirt. Unbeknownst to Luka, tears were welling up in the Star’s cerulean eyes as it let out an inaudible shriek. One of its nails had been ripped off on a jutting rock and Prajna could barely stand the pain. Yet, no matter how terrified and hopeless the Star felt, it could not even consider looking down to see what was pulling it down. It didn’t care. It just knew, at the bottom, the water would be waiting for it…
-----
David had closed his eyes in surrender, uncaring now. He apologized to Namini a hundred times over, the regret picking at his thoughts. He hated himself for giving up, knowing that if he died, his sister would be left alone but… His body just couldn’t go through anymore. He had nothing left.

But something returned when it seemed Lulu, the real Lulu, called out to him.

“Run! Saaave… yourself.”

David opened his eyes to see a mixed expression of pain and sorrow on the Sigel’s face. It was as if the man had looked into a mirror. Lulu’s eyes had, if only momentarily, regained their lilac sparkle too, though it was hard to tell behind her tears and snot. David didn’t know what to feel. She was still in there? Somewhere?

David tried to push himself off the ground, his knees still shaking. He fell at first but when he caught sight of the knife above his head, trapped in an arm, it seemed, struggling to regain control, he knew he had to act fast. Come on, move you damn legs, MOVE! He cursed himself. He collected all his strength into his hands, what little strength he had left, and pushed himself off the ground, standing from a lunging position. He had to get the knife out of Lulu’s hands! He had to save her ---

But just as the man stood up, the knife fell to the ground with a surprisingly soft thud.

“Lu… Lulu?” David whispered, fear trickling back through his veins. He wasn’t prepared for another fight, not so soon. Yet something told him to be cautious. After another few moments of silence, David thought it was safe enough to approach the girl. “Lulu!”

His veterinary skills kicking in, David realized had to act fast as the blood trickled out of the girl’s shoulder. His wound had slowed its bleeding, though some of that was attributed to the fact that some dirt had absorbed some of the excess liquid, so he knew he could wait. But that shoulder wound…

David slipped his good arm around the Sigel’s side, but his knees quickly buckled again under the additional weight. Whatever. On the ground, David tried to get a closer look at the girl’s injury. It kept bleeding!

“Lulu, Lulu, can you hear me? Are you still in there?” he cried. David shoved his bleeding hand into his bag and groped around. He had his first aid kit somewhere…. As soon as he found it, he clicked it open and frantically switched from looking for gauze and bandage tape to Lulu’s face. He needed to see some kind of movement, some recognition of his own face. “Come on Lulu, talk to me. Talk to me like the crazy rabbit girl I know you are!”

The knife fell with a soft thud and LuLu fell to the ground right along with it, like a puppet with its strings cut. All the tension had left her body. The doll's presence was gone and Lu could once again control her body, albeit it was fairly numb at this point. Blood blanketed her left shoulder in a warm sheet, but Lu felt herself growing colder and less responsive by the second.

David's silhouette swam in and out of her vision. Was he ok? She tried to force herself to stare forward, but her head kept lolling back against the forest floor. The sigel could hear his voice but it was accompanied by a drumbeat of blood pounding in her ears. She was no longer possessed. Still, David sounded so far away.

Her head was spinning. Her vision was no longer swimming. Instead, it was tunneling into darkness. She felt weak. As though she was fading away. LuLu knew she had to do something, but she did not know what. She grasped onto one word. Something that made her feel powerful. LuLu croaked, "Ink. Pens. In my... bag."

“Can you swim?”

Prajna had never realized a simple question could be more terrifying than the dark water itself. The answer was no. It would always be no. It was an easy answer. Prajna merely had to say the word and Luka would understand and yet, the Star’s lips trembled in shame. It couldn’t say it. It was frightened of making the situation worse with that confession. But as the tentacle gave another rough tug, Prajna shut its eyes in fear and screamed, “WON’T LET GO OF LUKA! Prajna promises! But please! LUKA! LUKA! PRA-PRAJNA CAN’T SWIM. CAN’T!”

Hot tears were starting to trickle down the Star’s pale and dirtied face. Its finger which had lost a nail was throbbing. Prajna’s partial insides felt as if they were being thrown about. It tried to focus on Luka’s hand, tried to instruct its hand “Don’t let go!” But it was too weak. Prajna had never been physically impressive anyways and, as the tentacle gave one final pull , Prajna felt itself release the Satyr’s pleading grasp… and then hit the water.

As the cold overtook the Star, Prajna began to scream frantically, inaudibly, its hands splashing about, determined to find something it could use to pull itself up and out of the water. Its trembling hands only found pitiful ferns however. Prajna’s wings felt heavy. Its clothing felt as like lead. Prajna wanted to just rip everything off in an attempt to free itself but as the tentacle tightened around its torso, Prajna knew its attempts would be futile. Black water rocked against the Star’s face and Prajna let out another blood curdling scream, “LUKA!”

And then for a moment, there was only a soft bubbling as Prajna felt its mouth slip under the surface…
-----
“Ink? Pens?” David repeated but, without need for further instruction, began to search Lulu’s bag. It wasn’t long before the man found some colorful markers and other writing utensils. In all honesty, the inside of Lulu’s bag seemed to hold the prized possessions of a 3rd grader, with her coloring books and pens. But now was not the time to judge. Pulling the tops off of a few pens with his teeth, David, uncertainly, held them close to Lulu’s face. “Um.. .what now Lulu? I got the pens.”