Chapter XXX:

I keep coming back to the woods in the middle of the night. Luna’s voice haunts me. Most of the time, I am not aware that this happens. I first became aware of it when Elizabeth asked me where I went in the middle of the night. I sat up in bed with a confused look on my face.

“What are you talking about?” I asked.

“I heard you get out of bed in the middle of the night and walk out the door,” she explained. “You woke me up when you closed the door behind you.” A look of worry came over my face.

“No…” I said to myself.

“Is something wrong?” Elizabeth asked.

“Why didn’t you stop me?” I asked. She shrugged and shook her head.

“I thought I was dreaming at first,” she admitted. “But then it started happening every night.”

“Every night?” I asked.

“Yes,” she said. I got up and wandered out of the room as if in a daze. I couldn’t hear my wife calling after me.

I had Elizabeth to try and stop me before I get up. Sometimes, she would grab me by the wrist. I would stop and turn around. Other times, I was already gone. Luna wasn’t going to give up that easily.

One night, I awoke to a heavy weight at the foot of my bed. Even with my eyes closed, I could tell who it was. Against my better judgement, I opened my eyes. There was Luna again. She sat on the bed with a smirk on her face. I threw back my head and quietly groaned.

“Why can’t you just leave me alone?” I whispered. Luna smiled and shook her head.

“Why are you here?” I asked. Luna giggled.

“I missed you,” she said. I stared at her. I didn’t miss her.

“Was that you calling me out to the woods?” I asked.

“Uh-huh,” she said, nodding once. Luna held out her hand to me. I recoiled, shaking my head.

“No,” I quickly said. Luna licked her lips at me. She still held out her hand.

“I’m afraid you don’t have a choice,” she said. That damned woman seemed to be getting closer to me. Stay away! Stay away from me!

“I’m sorry, my love,” she said. “I’m afraid I can’t do that.”

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I found myself back in the woods. I looked around at the trees towering over my head. It didn’t take me long to realize that I wasn’t alone. I could feel Luna’s eyes on my back. She didn’t need to say a word. I drew my eyes closed.

“Why do you keep dragging me back here?” I asked. “What do you want me to see?” I felt like ghost-like fingers on shoulders. I let out a loud gasp. I yanked open my eyes. The woods had disappeared. I found myself floating in the emptiness. Despite it being summer, I felt myself trembling. Why can’t she just leave me alone? She started whispering to me.

“Look around you. This is our kingdom. You are part of our world now.”

I shook my head. “No! I don’t want this!”

“It’s too late. You are one of us now.”

“But I’m happily married. I have a baby on the way.”

“Does that really matter though?”

Every inch of my body went stiff. I could barely swallow. Her hands started to move around to my front. Why couldn’t I push her off? Why? Why? Luna nipped on my earlobe. My eyes widened as I could hear whispering around me.

“Stop! Make it stop!” I wanted to scream. My voice got swallowed up by the void. My lungs felt like they were burning. Luna giggled in my ear. My eyes shifted behind me. Just by the gaze locked on me I could tell that she was smirking at me. This had to be a dream. This had to be. I closed my eyes and started to wish myself back to reality.

“No, dear,” Luna purred in my ear. “This isn’t a dream. This is real.” Her nails started to dig into my back.

“Please let me go,” I pleaded.

“No,” she whispered. “I’m afraid I can’t do that.” I tried to struggle to speak but no words came out. I couldn’t make myself give up. I wanted to at least know how to end this nightmare. Luna smirked as she waited. I tried to lift my chin.

“Why?” I finally managed to ask.

“Why?” she asked back.

“Yes!” I yelped in a weak voice. Luna’s nails sank into my chest. I gasped aloud in pain. She laughed at my misery.

“Because…” Luna whispered in my ear. Her voice got lost in what you would call today white noise. My eyes widened as my body went stiff. I wanted to scream but the sound was gone again.

Then everything disappeared.

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I woke up back in my bed, screaming.

“Dear?” I heard next to me. I stopped screaming and turned to see Elizabeth staring up at me.

“Dear, are you okay?” she asked. I slowly shook my head.

“No…” I said. I got out of bed and wandered out of the room. I think she was calling me to come back but I didn’t hear her voice.