The air is heavy here.

This place is just as dark and murky as the hallway leading up to it.

The Maven is still, yet their being seems to shift here and there.

This makes me quite dizzy.

My mind has not felt this hazy since my angel first came to me. I have accustomed myself to that of my angel’s reality, my mind adapting to her, yet somehow the Maven’s presence has reopened my mind’s susceptibility; perhaps their attempt at marring.

The Maven keeps their eyes on me, with a calm reminiscent of the red-eyed snake beast that gave me these scars.

Their eyes, glowing a vibrant yellow, motion me to sit on lavish throws sprawled next to them.

I perch myself on these throws and watch as the Maven brings out, from amid the darkness, a pocket-sized bread roll, and a small cup.

They hand me these items and ease themselves not far from me. So long and dense their wraps are; themselves unencumbered, whilst myself overwrought. Their robes cascade over me in heaps, they are quite heavy. I am able to see naught but an outline of the Maven's features. The dark is encapsulating us to a chastising extent.

I am bothered.

The bread roll is stale and the cup, empty.

A chortle whistles from the Maven’s lips.

“Do not waste food baby,” the Maven whispers, their red-tipped hand caressing my left cheek… my scars.

“No, No, No, No, No” my angel spouts, tense.

I take a mouthful of bread roll and try to condense it into malleable pieces. I glance at my empty cup and look up at the Maven; I choke. They grin at me, apathetic. Their hand lowers to my neck, they begin to caress there. I can feel their hand circulating the bulge, cutting my airflow.

I force down the stiff roll, managing to break its hold on me. Wheezes and spit cough out of me as I jerk. I can feel the stiff lump slowly slide down the back of my esophagus.

The Maven chortles.

Their hand raises and wipes what drool permeates from my lips. They bring the residue up to theirs. I tear.

What is this?

The Maven stops their hand.

They respond, “Did you not allow this?”

“Just before we…,” they remove their hand from their lips, “Did you not….”

“Never mind that!" the Maven shakes their head and looks over me.

“Sweet baby, I am here for you,” they whisper, looking into me, “This little spider, in her web, keeps close, but she, does not seem, so… riotous,” the Maven takes the empty cup from me, “We will see, we will see.”

The Maven raises and grabs me by the nape. I am taken aback. They force me out of their place and bolt the door behind me. I stand there perplexed.

“Well… body?” my angel states, “Are we not in agreement?”

My angel looks within herself, “It is essential that I leave this place… (scoff) I mean… What. A. Creep.”

…

I nod my head in agreement.