Lotus Blossom

The sound of metal falling on the ground clattered through her mind. A weapon? A knife? Snowdrifts covering sand dunes like fresh dew. The snowflakes soft as magnolia petals. She wanted to reach out to take them from the air before they covered the hot sand and melted. But she couldn't. Not yet. Screams shattered in echoes as she spun back to the terrible metal sound. She was right. Hestia and Pheonix. They couldn't have crashed accidentally. They were murdered, she knew it. Her own siblings. But how could she tell anyone. All Jane wanted to do was scream and crawl away from her mind to tell anyone who would listen about her parents and Delilah. Tell Aspen that he and her were right all along. Tell him that Jane was sent away to die in the Hunger Games but that Aspen had to escape now. But she couldn't. The laughter. And she was back at the base of a gold staircase. Why was she here again. She couldn't walk up the stairs. Not yet. Red lights suddenly flashed on. A billboard on the wall lit up with a dramatic saxophone and jazz rhythm. "The Moulin Rouge." The sophistication of femininity is an unspoken lie of velvet yet whispered scream of marzipan. Deep violet high heels on wooden corridors. Click. Click. Click.

Jane's hands grip around a bottle as her mind buzzes with images of blood and masquerade masks. One flash keeps appearing. A card. A playing card. A ten of spades. Always. Was she going insane. Or could she only truly see her subconscious while unconscious? The ten of spades. The masks. The laughter. Always. @Edema Rue The sophistication of femininity is an unspoken lie of velvet yet whispered scream of marzipan. What could her mind know. The ten of spades. And that laughter. The laughter which was all too loud. Far too loud. Screeching laughter. About her. Against her. Spiraling.

Jane ran to the front door, but pressed up against it before she opened the door knob. "Okay, let's go." With a glance at Sharpo and Kaza @justice magician @TheRavenHasLanded she burst open, falling down into a protective-ish stance as she looked around the cottage @Edema Rue Jane... collapses... (I guess.)

"Thank you," Jane looked to her with a warm smile. She began opening the cabinets are searching their content, waving for Kaza and Sharpo to follow. @justice magician @TheRavenHasLanded

Jane nodded at him, then turned back to the lady. "We were hoping you had some food stored here," She said, glancing about the cabinets she had opened just yesterday. @Edema Rue

Jane walked in, glancing back at @justice magician and @TheRavenHasLanded

"I brought friends," Jane said in a low voice as she creaked open the door, nodding to Kaza and Sharpo. @justice magician @TheRavenHasLanded

They reached the cottage, and Jane knocked briskly. @Edema Rue

"Okay! It was back that way... You see that chimney back there?" Jane began walking, swinging her pack over her shoulders.

"She had tea," Jane shrugged.

"I came from over there," Jane pointed, "There's an abandoned cottage. With an old lady. Seems harmless. You can check it out if you want. Or we can go the other way." "Yeah. He might be mad at you guys. I helped him though. He shouldn't be too upset."

"None at all. But let's keep walking." Jane looked confused for a moment. "You had mentioned... That I had given you a kill..." She shook her head, though she did seem happy for a moment.