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Five hours had passed, and Edmund's father still hadn't returned. Edmund peered through the blinds on his bedroom window.

In the room facing him, the one that he had first seen the blonde girl, the first time she had waved at him, there was nothing he could see except a lamp and a laptop screen, both on. The screensaver bounced back and forth, back and forth, repeating over and over that the power had been on in that house for hours now.

He was starting to get worried. His mother was somewhere downstairs, he could hear her music trailing from the kitchen below.

Was she already making lunch? It was far too early to be dinner. Or had his father been gone longer than he first thought.

Edmund searched through the upstairs for a clock, remembering his alarm clock had broken a few days ago, when he had woken up from a dream about being blinded by a clawed man.

He went downstairs, finding the microwave in the kitchen to be sufficient. It was only noon, so his mother was only making lunch.

Shaking his head, he rubbed his eyes, heading back upstairs to his bed. If she had only just started, he had more time for another nap. He had been absurdly tired lately. All the dreams he had been having made him feel like he hadn't slept at all.

He was laying bed when he heard the door open, and his father call to his mother that he was home, and then his eyes closed, and he drifted off to sleep.

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"We need to practice." Trix said, watching Edmund marvel at the fact she has placed a weapon in his hands.

Edmund nodded after a moment. "I agree."

The floor rumbled. He dropped to his knees, waiting for it to stop.

"That's going to be happening the entire time. Get up."

He rose, adjusting his grip on the knife in his hands. "I'm ready."

"Dive left."

He did as told, rolling back to his feet, just as he heard the sound of metal against the cold stone floor.

"What was that?" He asked, looking around, even though he couldn't see anything.

Trix didn't answer, only saying "Jump back."

There it was again, right in front of him, metal scraping against stone. It sounded heavy, like a sword, maybe.

"Dive right!" He rolled to the right. "Forward," he took a few steps forward. "Stab."

Edmund swung forward with the dagger, feeling it sunk into something soft. He heard a small gasp, retracted the knife, and moved back again.

The next time Trix spoke, she almost sounded proud. "Back!" He slunk backwards, feeling himself collide with the wall.

"Right!"

He dove right. Exactly where his head has just been, an arrow stuck out of the marble.

Edmund suddenly realized they weren't practicing, after he felt the wind of the arrow just beside him. This was a fight.

"Run along the wall, stay low." Trix commanded.

He did as told, hearing metal clash against metal, and shoes squeaking on the smooth polished floor. Edmund heard Trix scream in pain, only for her to growl.

Suddenly, it was silent for a while, and then he heard her speak again, soft, quiet, and gentle. "Walk forward, Edmund. Put the dagger down, I don't want you stabbing me on accident."

Edmund went forward until he felt her hand grab his wrist, stopping him.

A few images flashed in his brain, then. What had happened? Was the masked man down on the ground? Was Trix about to throw him as a sacrifice? Was Edmund in danger?

He couldn't be. He had never heard Trix so gentle, but surely it was a good thing. It had to be. He was trusting his life on it, just then.

Because, if it wasn't, he had no way to defend himself. If it wasn't safe, Edmund had placed himself in the claws of a beast.

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One more chapter!

It's kind of hard to write in the vision of a blind person, but i think i'm doing okay.

What do you think?

Excited for final chapter? I know i am!

Everything comes together, it's going to be great.

~Victoria

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