Belle tried to leave this land of the dead because she didn't want anyone catching her here. The last time she was here, one of the Hawverts had noticed and come down to the land of the living. She said,

"I am sorry that you had to go through the last eleven years all alone by yourself while I was in the land of the living, but if you are going to blame someone, it should be the scavengers who took a part of the soul and brought you here. I had nothing to do with it. I didn't wish this upon you."

Her reflection stared at her, her face passive before a smile appeared on her face. She started to walk towards Belle, and Belle was quick to step away from this person. When the light from the hanging lantern fell on the girl, Belle noticed how part of her face had no flesh, and it was nothing but bones. Somewhere she shuddered at the thought of what had happened to this person. 

"Do you think I am looking for your apology?" asked the reflection, "You are naive to think that all these years I have been waiting for you to give me your apology. I don't give two shit about it. All I want is to trade life."

Belle gulped hearing this, "What makes you think I will give up on mine to a dead being?"

"You should be happy I took the fall for you. I was the soul that protected you, and if it weren't for me, you would have turned out just like me," said the reflection smiling and continuing to walk towards Belle. 

She felt sorry for the girl, but trading life was not something Belle was going to do. This was her life, and she had been living it all these years. 

"What is your name?" asked Belle.

"Belle," answered the reflection and Belle wanted to make a quick run from here. This reflection wanted to steal her entire identity, "I can see and smell your fear. It tastes delicious, making me want to eat you, but then I need your vessel. It's Portia."

Well, at least she had her different name and wasn't sharing the name 'Belle'. Not even in her dreams she would have ever thought that there was a horror she would meet one day which was her other self, thought Belle to herself. 

"I want to have that life that you have which is mine. My parents, my house, my friends and my lover. He is a handsome man," commented Portia. Belle didn't react to it as she wasn't sure what tricks Portia had hidden under her black robes, "What's his name again?"

"I think it's better if you don't know him," answered Belle to have Portia laugh. 

"Are you trying to covet my man? He was supposed to be mine. To touch or to kiss, to be caressed," stated Portia.

"Maybe in your dreams here in the land of the dead, but never in the land of the living," Belle didn't like the way Portia was aiming to take her place, "You're missing the main point here, I was not the one who wanted this life for you."

"Then let's trade the lives together. We are deeper than sisterly bonds because we are the same person," the bones were dull and brown on Portia's face. 

"Give up, Portia," Belle tried to sway the girl, but she knew there was no use trying to sway the dead as they never listened. 

"It is time I killed you and brought you here. What do you say?" asked Portia, and just as she said this, Belle noticed how there were things that started to creep out of the shadows. Her hands turned colder at the sight of the mighouls. They were the creature's whose hair was flying up, and their skeleton bodies were covered in ragged robes where they didn't hide their faces like the reapers or the Grims. 

"You have made friends. They will miss you if you leave this place," said Belle to Portia to pull a weapon which was similar to a scythe. 

"They are willing to be your friends when I leave this place. Don't worry about such things," Portia smiled looking at Belle, and the thought that entered Belle's head was that how she would be able to look at herself in the mirror without having to worry that Portia will attack her. But that was only if Portia allowed her from stepping outside this realm. "I have been working on bringing you here for years. Little by little. It is good that you have been able to spend your time with my lover because that is the last you will be doing."

Belle was worried by her words. 

Portia was not alone, but she had the mighouls with her. Belle had met the mighouls the night she had found out about Lucas and Barron being Grim reapers. The reflection opened her mouth as if to snarl, and Belle noticed the sharp fangs. 

"What are you, Portia?" Belle asked curiously. 

"A dead vampire who is going to be alive soon," answered Portia and Belle smiled nodding her head. But before Belle could use her powers of magic on the girl, one of the creatures from the ground pulled her legs making her fall down on the ground, and before she knew it, her hands and legs were tied down by a creeper like smoke which came from the mighoul. 

Belle tried hard to get out of it, and the magic that she carried in herself couldn't get be used. It reminded her of the time when she was trying to get her friend's Geroge's hand away from her, and she wasn't able to do it. 

"Did you think I wouldn't be prepared when I have spent years and years in here alone, plotting for the right day?" asked Portia. The girl stepped forward and kicked Belle right in her stomach, making Belle hurl in pain. 

.

Scroll to read the next chapter...

Do consider voting for the book if you like it~