by Scott Toney
Extinguish
Felicia sat in her barely lit chamber reading a scroll stretched out over an oaken tabletop. Only the light of a few candles on her desk flickered in the darkness. Their wax melted down and spread over the wood as they burned. Their licking flames cast shadows on the wall.
She sensed someone in the darkness behind her, could hear the person’s breath even though it was almost silent. “I know you’re there,” she said as she closed her eyes. “I’ve felt you in the shadows for days. I know why you have come.”
An echoing wind swirled in her chamber, ruffling the scroll.
Felicia sighed and lowered her head. “I have lived a long life. You will not succeed. Know that.”
She could hear soft footsteps behind her. “I will, ancient one,” a deep voice spoke lowly. “And ye have sealed ye own fate.”
A large hand thrust into her back, pressing her head against the table and knocking a few of the candles to the floor. One of the candles fell onto the desk and its flame spread as it ignited the wood. Felicia choked for breath as her stomach pressed against the desk’s edge. “Take… my life… and give… me peace…”
“In a moment,” the deep voice replied. “Do ye know who I am?” He shoved down on her back and made her choke once more.
Felicia thought for a moment. Should she tell him the truth? Bile churned up her throat and she swallowed it down. “No…”
The flames on the desk grew and came closer to her as the man grabbed her shoulders and lifted her from her chair. He carried her into the darkness of the room and thrust her back against the chamber’s wall. It was stone and scraped her back as he held her there.
“Release me!” she cried out as she held her eyes shut. “Please!”
“Look at me!” the voice shouted at her.
Felicia opened her eyes to see a crimson ring glowing in the center of the man’s head. The table burned behind him. Smoke began to fill the room.
“Now you know.” The man grinned as he held her with one hand and withdrew a dagger from his side with the other. “Be released, witch of time.” He thrust the dagger through her chest and into her heart. She convulsed as life quickly left her.
As darkness consumed her Felicia watched the blazing desk and scroll fade to black. The ring in the man’s forehead was the last bit of light before complete darkness.
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