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As the grand chandelier of Castlecoming shimmered, casting twinkling lights across the polished marble floor, Bridget sat alone, feeling like a forlorn star in an evening filled with celestial revelry. The laughter and chatter of her classmates, dressed in their finery, surrounded her like a distant echo. She glanced at the girls in their exquisite gowns, dancing with castlecoming dates, their happiness illuminating the room.
Bridget had always been content with her best friend, Ella, by her side. They shared secrets, dreams, and laughter, and Bridget didn’t need a boyfriend to have fun. Still, a twinge of envy flickered when she saw how close Ella was with Charming, the prince of the evening. Ella had always been the belle of the ball, and Bridget often felt like a shadow at her side.
After what felt like an eternity of waiting, the tall double doors swung open, and light flooded the room, bringing with it laughter and the unmistakable presence of glamour. Ella appeared, radiant in a long, flowing blue ballgown that shimmered as she moved, her hair cascading in waves down her shoulders. Charming, standing beside her in a red sparkly tuxedo, appeared every bit the prince he was.
“Bridget!” Ella beamed, skipping over and enveloping her friend in a warm embrace.
“Hey there!” Bridget exclaimed, her heart lifting at the sight of her friend. "I'll join you later Bridget. We're gonna hit the dance floor. See you later." She admired Ella’s poise but quickly returned to her own solitude as the pair made their way to the thrumming dance floor.
As Charming swept Ella away to dance, Bridget watched, her eyes lingering on the two. Despite the joy that filled the hall, an ache clawed at her heart. Bridget sat back down , a look of desperation in her eyes. A few moments later, Charming glanced toward Bridget, noticing her sitting alone. “Poor girl.” he says. “Ella, do you mind if i ask her to dance?”
“Of course not.” she says, before he walked away.
He walked towards Bridget, offering her his hand.
“Would you like to dance?” he asked.
Bridget blinked in surprise, a shy smile breaking through her sadness. She took his hand, and as they glided onto the dance floor, the thrumming beat of music moved everyone to make way for them. Under the twinkling lights, Bridget felt like she was floating on air. “I didn’t think anyone noticed me,” she confessed, her voice steady but laced with vulnerability.
Charming shook his head vigorously. “It’s everyone else's loss not seeing how beautiful you are,” he said, eyes gleaming with sincerity.
“Hey look, some of us are going to the pier to look at the stars after the dance. The view is beautiful. I was wondering if you wanted to come?” asks Charming.
“I would love to, but I think Ella would rather have you to herself.” says Bridget.
“She won't mind Bridget. Besides, it's a tradition to go stargazing after Castlecoming. You don't want to be the first one in Merlin Academy to break the tradition, do you?” he asks.
“Of course not.” says Bridget.
“Believe me, the stars are mesmerizing,” he says. “But not as beautiful as the stars in your eyes.”
The music swelled, and Bridget laid her head on his chest, closing her eyes. The warmth of his embrace enveloped her, and she found solace in the steady rhythm of his heartbeat. It was a sound that was utterly enchanting, lulling her into a serene state of contentment.
“Are you nervous?” Charming asked, still holding her close as they twirled.
“No.” says Bridget.
At that moment, Bridget’s heart swelled with a mix of joy and nervousness. Just as she thought the evening might take a turn for the better, Ella’s expression darkened as she watched from the side. A pang of jealousy twisted within her, and she concocted a plan that shimmered in her mind like a stroke of magic.
As Charming and Bridget shared the dance floor, Ella slipped away to the dessert table, grabbing a handful of cupcakes and injected them with a mysterious pink liquid. She crafted a devious little smile, the kind that hinted at secrets yet to unfold.
When Bridget stepped away from Charming, her gaze drifted toward the dessert table, where Ella beckoned her over with a feigned sweetness. “Try one of these, Bridget! I made them special, just for you. I could never make my cupcakes as good as yours.”
Bridget’s eyes flickered with intrigue as she selected a cupcake and took a delicate bite.
“These are… delicious!” she gasped, her senses enlivened by the burst of flavor.
But suddenly, a dark sensation swept through her body, replacing the sweetness of the cupcake with a bitter sting. Pain radiated through her, and confusion clouded her mind. Bridget dropped the half-eaten cupcake, clutching her stomach as she crumpled to the ground. The world spun, and her body began to contort and change.
Gasps filled the room as pale pink scales erupted along her skin, and claws emerged as her fingers shifted and morphed. In what felt like an eternity but barely a moment, Bridget had transformed into the very embodiment of her deepest fears—she morphed into a massive pink Jabberwocky.
Stunned silence enveloped the ballroom as the students recoiled in shock, eyes wide in horror at the sight of their friend’s transformation. Charming rushed toward her, his prince-like demeanor shaken, while Ella froze, realization dawning on her that she had crossed an irreparable line.
“Bridget!” Charming shouted, his voice echoing through the chaos. Each pair of eyes turned to the creature she had become, inside feeling the remnants of the girl they once knew.
Bridget, trapped within the monstrous form, struggled against the tendrils of dark magic that had ensnared her, feeling lost and afraid. And yet, even buried beneath scales and claws, a flicker of hope ignited in her heart—a hope that perhaps, with the right kind of magic, she could reclaim herself.
“Bridget, I know you can hear me! You have to fight it!” shouted Ella.
“Bridget! Snap out of it!” yelled Charming.
The Jabberwocky’s blood-curdling scream echoed off the walls, sharp and shrill, slicing through the joyous atmosphere. Then, with a final, desperate thud, it collapsed, warping back into its human form.
Bridget laid on the cold floor, her body trembling. Weakness enveloped her like a shroud, but as she tried to gather her thoughts, she was hit with a grim reality. Blood splattered across her clothes and dripped from her fingers, vibrant against the white fabric. She raised her head with trepidation, awareness flooding her as she scanned the scattered group of students, their eyes wide with horror and disbelief. They bore scrapes and bruises, evidence of a struggle that shook them to their core.
That’s when embarrassment crashed over Bridget in waves—an inexplicable heat creeping up her neck as everything she'd done bubbled to the surface. She bolted from the ballroom, the sound of her classmates’ whispers chasing her into the hall like a swarm of angry bees.
“Bridget! Wait!” Ella’s voice pierced through the haze of her guilt. Bridget quickened her pace, not wanting to confront what she'd become. Not wanting to face the awful truth that licked at her heels.
She raced to their shared room, flinging the door open and locking it behind her. The familiar confines that had always been a sanctuary now felt suffocating. She sank to the floor, her back against the door, feeling the cold wood pressing into her spine. Ella’s frantic knocking reverberated through the space. Sweaty and disheveled from all the running, she sat there breathing heavily as she tried to catch her breath.
“Please, let me in!” Ella begged, her voice cracking with urgency.
Bridget remained silent, biting her lip as hot tears spilled down her cheeks. Rather than respond, she slid down the door, moisture pooling on the floor beneath her. With only the sound of her ragged breathing filling the silence, she succumbed to her despair, each sob wrenching her heart further.
A soft thud from the other side of the door indicated Ella’s defeat as she too slid down to the floor, a shared sorrow bridging the distance between them. Soon, Bridget could hear Ella’s muffled cries, mirroring her turmoil. They sat there, separated by a thin barrier, yet united in regret and pain.
“I’m so sorry, Bridget. I didn’t know… I didn’t mean to… Ella whispered in between sobs, each one a shard of penance.
“Ella, I—I lost control. I let it take over…” Bridget’s voice trembled in the still air of their room. “I didn’t want to hurt anyone.”
Silence enveloped them for a moment, desperation palpable in the space between their cries. But it was then that Bridget heard Ella take a deep breath, as if bracing herself.
“We’ll get through this. Together. But you need to let me in, Bridget. I’m scared, too.” Ella’s plea seeped through the door, a lifeline thrown into their turbulent sea of emotions.
Bridget contemplated the weight of her friend’s words. After a moment that felt like an eternity, she reached for the lock, turning it slowly. As the door creaked open, the barrier between them dissolved. Ella rushed in, her tear-streaked face reflecting both worry and relief.
Without a word, they fell into each other’s arms, a tangle of frail limbs and raw emotion. They cried together, their sorrow mingling in the air like forgotten echoes of a battle. Overwhelmed by everything that had happened, they held onto each other tightly, the comforting presence of her friend beginning to stitch up the deep wounds in Bridget's heart. Bridget pulled away from Ella and walked over to the wall, before leaning against it , and sliding down the wall once again. Ella walked over to Bridget and sat beside her.
They sank back down against the wall, sitting shoulder to shoulder, breathing in the stale air of grief and confusion. Ella reached for Bridget’s hand, interlacing their fingers tightly in a silent vow of support. In that moment, they were two broken pieces, seeking to understand the twist of fate that had thrown them into turmoil.
“I don’t know what will happen now,” Bridget whispered.
“Neither do I,” Ella replied, her voice steadying. “But we’ll find a way, Bridget. We always do.”
Ella reached over and grabbed Bridget’s hand, before pulling it over to her lap, holding it tightly. The two of them said nothing as they sat there in silence.