Jess

"Alright, well then." Philby said, watching Finn and Amanda sprint away. "I guess Willa and I will just mill about and look for problems, yeah?" He looked to Willa, who nodded, slightly overeager. 

Everyone did a quick 'team cheer' and Charlie, Maybeck and I walked down the stairs to the area by One Man's Dream, and stopped under the awning of the Toy Story Midway Mania where the line went back when it was early in the morning and the queue was crazy. 

I stood as still as I possibly could, trying not to let the words repeat in my head. "Jess'll go too." His words rang in my head like a bell. I couldn't do it. I couldn't go with him. I wouldn't do it, like I had the choice. Instantly, the images of my dream- or nightmare -came rolling in through my head.

*****

"No!" I screeched, clawing my way towards Maybeck, who was lying unconscious in the arms of something unknown. 

"Aw, Jezebel, don't cry." She pretended to soothe me, her words cutting through me like the ice in her heart. I continued to struggle, trying to get myself to Maybeck. I couldn't do it. It was no use. She'd trapped me all too well.

Right before my eyes, she cursed Maybeck. She strung together a slur of words I couldn't make sense of, waving her staff over his face. After she'd finished- or at least when what sounded like the end had come -a flash of green and purple lightning struck her staff as if it was a lightning rod. The only problem? There was no storm. 

Maybeck's eyes snapped open, the iris a peculiar green. "Hi, Jess." He practically hissed, giving me a slick smile. I started to back up until I was against the wall. I couldn't breathe. She watched from behind, and as he got closer to me, slowly sank into the shadows. Her job was done. She had gotten what she wanted. 

At least I had one thing off my plate, but he was still closing in on me. I turned my head away and squeezed my eyes shut, wishing him away. Nevertheless, moments later I felt his breath on my cheek. "We'll never speak of this again, agreed?" His green eyes were telling me to say yes, but my mind said no. I gave a small nod. He was one of them now, and I didn't know what to do. 

I had shot up out of bed, and immediately looked under to check on Amanda. He was standing right next to her, kitchen knife in hand. "Or else." He had whispered, his eyes flashing that green. He then hastily jumped out the window, and I could tell had stuck the landing. 

*****

My breathing quickened just thinking of that nights' events. My journal was filled with vivid drawings and descriptions, but nothing was like the memories I had. As I walked- well, ran really -with Maybeck and Charlie to The Base, he kept looking back at me, his eyes flashing from their normal milky brown to bright green, and back again. At first I'd hoped that it was a trick of the light and my dream wasn't true, or what I'd seen afterwards, but after a few more times I had to come and face the truth. 

"Alright, so what's the game plan?" Charlene asked. 

"Well, first we have to figure out if the brooms are there." I offered. The Fantasia brooms were the notorious guards for most places the OT's had taken over, and we had found them the last time that we went to the base. 

"Yeah, what if Charlie goes and checks for the brooms, and Jess and I keep watch?" Maybeck offered. I tried to keep my eyes from showing the fear that was inside. 

"No, never leave a Keeper behind." Charlene pointed out. I held in my sigh of relief, knowing it would arouse questions. 

"Well, what do you suggest?" Maybeck crossed his arms and raised an eyebrow at Charlene in a 'do you have a better idea?' fashion. 

"I think that we should all three go in and see what's the sitch." Charlene replied.

"Alright fine, lets go." Maybeck rolled his eyes and led us down the road to the 'Hot Set!'. 

We tried to quiet our footsteps to the sound of nothing at all, but it was no use. "Guys we need to." I said, and they knew what I meant. It was all-clear or no-go in this situation.  We all took a deep breath and let it out slowly. I tried to find the tunnel light, and let it expand. After a couple tries- and a lot of focus -I was all-clear. 

"I'm good." I crossed my hand through a nearby palm tree. 

"Me too." Charlene added, also crossing her hand through the plant.

"I am too." Maybeck kicked the curb, his foot crossing through it.

"Alrighty, lets do this." Charlene said, taking Maybeck's hand. I took her other hand, and we crossed through the doors of the 'Hot Set!' together.

Inside was a pit of complete darkness. Not a speck of light in sight. I felt Charlene's hand start to moisten, and Maybeck's breathing quickened, although I wasn't quite sure why. It wasn't like they would go after him anyhow. 

"What now?" Charlene whispered, her voice shaking.

"Try to find a light switch?" Maybeck joked, his tone light, despite the situation. I heard him whimper when Charlene punched him. 

"But seriously, what now?" I asked, reinforcing Charlene's previous question. I pulled out my phone and activated the flashlight, which provided little help, but revealed something that probably would be considered important.

All over the floor and the walls, except where we were standing, were piles and piles of snakes. They were everywhere. Tangled in each other, hissing, tongues flicking in every which way. Up in the top left corner, wrapping around the banister of the stairs to go up, was a large snake that stood out from the rest, its scales bright red and deep black.

"And now, you'll see how ssssnake like I can beeee!" The big snake hissed, and I realized it was Jafar from Fantasmic! across the park. 

"Snakes, why did it have to be snakes?!" Maybeck cried. 

Fearlessly, like the danger girl she was, Charlene immediately charged for the staircase where Jafar was. Surprisingly, the snakes parted to her will. The OTs were present, but not strong. Jafar led her up the stairs, and Charlene followed.

"What are you doing?!" I called after her. When she didn't respond, I realized she was under a trance. Jafar's trance, the second worst to be under after Maleficent. With his eyes that deep red, it was an easy thing to succumb to and twice as hard to get out of. 

"Charlene!" Maybeck cried, running after her. I didn't even try to stop him, realizing my mistake before it was too late. He wasn't going to save Charlie, he was going to help Jafar!

When I stepped forward to get to Charlene before Maybeck could, the snakes at my feet coiled around my ankles and tied me down to the ground and caught be off guard. I barely caught myself, landing with all my weight on my forearms. I grunted and scrambled to my feet only to be taken down again. "Charlie" I called after her, but before I could even finish the word, I heard her scream. Everything stopped, the snakes left me alone and disappeared back into the shadows. Maybeck and Charlene walked down, hand in hand. I looked at Charlene, and her eyes flashed from blue, to red, to green, and back to blue. 

"Here let me help you." Charlene walked over to me and offered her hand to help me to my feet. I turned away, getting up myself, and bolted to the door. 

Oohh, can someone say PLOT TWIST!!! I actually had no idea what I was going to do with Maybeck that was making Jess so upset, but hey, I figured it out and accidentally took Charlie down with him. Don't hate me!

Also, this chapter is dedicated to Jms2326 because she commented for me to update and I was like "Hey, I probably should update TKR..." so there ya go y'all, you can thank them for this chapter!

ALSO: This book reached 1K?! I lowkey (okay, highkey) FREAKED OUT!!! Thank y'all so much for helping me reach my goal since I got Wattpad, to get a book to 1K. 2K, here we come!!! 

Anyhow, until the next chapter :)

xoxo

~bcruzy_02