Chapter 19

Unable to speak, I simply stand staring at Ms. Parfon. My heart sinks to the bottom of my stomach, my head is screaming for answers to why all of this is happening. "Haven't I been through enough?" I wonder to myself, "When will all of this trouble end?" Thinking back over my life, of all the hardships, the tragedy, and the mean-spirited people I've encountered makes me wonder if I've been cursed or something. The few blessings in my life have been torn away from me, and in my efforts to find my way back to one of them I find myself attacked and hopeless of escape.

"Now we almost have the potion ready dear" Ms. Parfon announces. Finally finding my words again, I manage to say, "B-but if you've trapped me here why are you still making a potion to help me?" She laughs and replies, "Now what makes you think I would do such a thing? This potion is for that of the mind, one that will allow me to have a very loyal assistant. One that is obedient."

Ms. Parfon adds more ingredients to the potion and stirs it around with her large wooden spoon. The smell coming from the cauldron is putrid and I can hardly bare it. "Ooo, we are getting close. Not so long now" she mutters. "It's perfect don't you see? No one knows you, no one will be looking for you. I can send you to town to get supplies for me and no one will be the wiser!" she laughs wildly. 

I snap, "But there are people that know me, and there are people that will be looking for me!" Ms. Parfon whips around swiftly to face me, and her lip curls into a disgustingly sweet smile. "Oh yes the little friends you met yesterday. Once they realize that they can't find you, they'll give up and go on home. Like it never even happened" she hisses. 

She turns back to face the cauldron and mumbles, "Now, maybe if she knew she was your daughter she would try a little harder to find you. But, she doesn't so no harm, no foul" she giggles over the brewing potion. "WHAT!?" I shout, "What did you just say?" Suddenly Ms. Parfon looks horrified but then calms her expression. "Nora, do you like pumpkin cider? I have some made up. It's especially good for memory loss, maybe you have a cup and get your thoughts sorted out?" she offers suspiciously. 

"No! I don't want your cider! I want to know what you just said, about Bonnie being my daughter!" I bark. Ms. Parfon points her long gangly finger nail at me and says, "The truth! Oh, she wants the truth. And what good will that do you deary? Ah well, you see I will tell you this because I know soon you will partake of this potion and your brain will know only what I tell it to know. So! Margo Pierce was my grandmother, she was the one that helped me with my powers. 

She once told me of you and your family and your little daughter Bonnie." "But the police said they found a baby drown with my mother!" I interrupt. "Did you ever see the deceased baby? You know Margo had that whole town in her pocket, they were lying Nora! The truth is Margo sent Bonnie away, to the future. The Richardson's I believe found her and raised her as their own. She, like you, has no idea of the truth. How funny that you both should be here now. What a heartwarming story of mother and daughter reunited. Oh wait, that's not how the story goes at all!" Ms. Parfon laughs. 

"I have a different ending in mind. Perhaps I keep you under my spell to be my little errand girl, and Bonnie will be a present for Philip" she cunningly smiles. "You wouldn't!" I scream. Ms. Parfon whips out her wand at me and a spell shoots out, sending me flying backward, landing on my bum. 

Suddenly Philip bursts into the room, "Madame it's happened again. I'm so sorry, I don't know how she keeps getting out!" he exclaims. Enraged Ms. Parfon throws the spoon she was using to stir the potion, directly at Philip. He grasps his forehead as it smacks into him. "Do you know why this keeps happening? Because, you are an idiot, that's why! I will now have to lift the barrier spell so we can find her" she snarls at him. "But Madame, if there is a barrier in place won't it keep her from leaving the grounds?" Philip asks. Ms. Parfon brings her wrist to her forehead, then looks at Philip in disbelief. 

"Fool! It only prevents outsiders from entering! Perhaps I should withhold your payment collections for awhile!?" she snaps. "No Ma'am! I will find her, and she will pay, I promise!" he answers frantically. "Good! See that you do, and when you find her, bring her to me!" she says before turning back to the potion. Philip agrees and turns quickly darting from the room.

Shortly after he has left, Philip returns to Madame Parfon and I, this time with another girl like myself. Philip is firmly holding her frail body as she tries to break free. Her clothes are tattered and filthy, her face careworn though I could tell she was once beautiful. Not wanting to further upset Ms. Parfon, I decide now isn't the time for questions about the girl. "Ah, I see you've come back to us Emily. So nice of you to join us once again. This makes the third time you've tried to escape, now why would you continue to do that when you know what happens?" Ms. Parfon says slyly.

 Emily stops struggling when Ms. Parfon speaks, and Philip puts her down. He then takes his place guarding the door. Emily looks at Ms. Parfon then hangs her head, not speaking. Ms. Parfon sneers with a sickening smile, "Ah well, you know the drill then. I'm sure Philip will be expecting quite a hefty payment." Emily begins to cry and with Ms. Parfon's instruction, Emily is taken away by Philip. "Wait! Take this one too!" she calls out to Philip as she grabs my arm, slinging me toward Philip and Emily. 

Philip shoves Emily and I into a dark room that is empty, except for a single wooden chair. "You will learn to listen to Ms. Parfon, or there will be trouble for you!" Philip shouts at her. He slaps her, but she barely flinches. "Leave her alone!" I demand. "You should learn to keep your mouth shut Miss Nora" he replies shoving me to the ground. "I'll be back for you" he continues, "For now Miss Emily has a big payment that is due. I'll be collecting that now." He runs his hand through her hair and down her forearm as tears slide down Emily's pale gaunt cheeks. 

She violently shakes her head and I lunge toward her to try to help but Philip grabs her by the leg causing her to fall as he pulls her out of the room. "Emily where is he taking you!?" I shout. He turns and chuckles, "Stupid girl, she can't speak. Madame made her a mute!" With that they leave the room and I hear the door lock behind them.

I sink to the floor and bury my face crying. The hours roll by as I look for anything I can find to break out of the room. As I sit on an old wooden chair, nearly overcome with hopelessness, I hear a soft creak and suddenly the chair collapses. Spilling out onto the floor I lay there frustrated, until an idea strikes me as I glance over at the splintered bit of wood. "I bet I could pick the lock with one of those wooden fragments" I mutter softly. Choosing a small shard of wood I work at picking the lock. Finally, success, but just then I hear voices approaching. 

The door knob turns slowly and I back into the corner of the room. As the door swings open I see Bonnie and Jax poke their heads into the room. I am completely stunned to see them and dart to them when they wave me over. "What happened!?" Bonnie whispers. "Just get me out of here and I'll explain" I whisper back. "Ok follow me" Jax says quietly. 

"Wait, there is another girl here! We can't just leave her!" I say under my breath. Quickly the three of us check the nearby rooms, until we hear Jax, "Psst! Over here" he says in a hushed tone. "Oh no! This poor girl!" I exclaim a little too loudly. Poor Miss Emily lay in a gray empty room, beaten and naked upon the floor. After checking for signs of life, Bonnie confirms that Emily is indeed dead. "Let's get out of here!" Bonnie says fearfully.