Garden of Shadows

The competition began will all the girl standing on this small stage and one by one all of us would step forward and state our name, age, and blood type. I was the oldest the rest were between seventeen and nineteen. Most of them were A and B blood types but one of girl, Amber eighteen, had O- blood. When Amber and I told our blood type we got the most murmurs from the crowd. I don't understand why this was called a competition because it just consisted of us saying who we were and then we showed off our skills. When they announced that it was now time for the skill part I could feel the nervousness rise from the girls and the excitement rise in the crowd. The first girl who went first her name was Jenifer and you could see the terror on her face as she watched us leave the stage and leave her by herself. When we walked off stage we were to stand next to out “masters” and it was sad to find comfort in being next to him.
“Well done Isabella. I will be saddened if you do not do well when it comes to your turn.”
“Was that supposed to make me feel better?” I questioned.
He didn't say anything. I turned my attention to Jenifer as the music started to play and it looked like she was going to dance. She started off really well in my opinion, I love ballet. She looked beautiful in her short flowy dress, but then she lost her footing and she fell to the floor. Then the atmosphere in the room went cold and there was a silence as the man who brought her slowly walked up onto the stage. Jenifer looked over and saw him and quickly stood up and started to apologize over and over. He did even falter when he just walked over to her and grabbed her throat and just ripped. I could feel my throat tightening up and my whole body feeling weak. I thought I was going to fall but Raffaello held onto me but I couldn't take my eyes off all the blood that was falling from Jenifer her white dress slowly turned red. We all watched in horror as people came out and picked up her body and just threw her into the crowd. All the people started to bite into and lick her neck and her arms getting all the blood. I was so terrified I couldn't even cry I felt so alone. I looked up at Raffaello and I became so terrified because if I don't perform well he was going to kill me just like Jenifer. The man who killed Jenifer walked over to Raffaello and stopped to look at him and Raffaello spoke up saying.
“Julian you know you are not supposed to kill her before you throw her into the crowd.”
Julian looked over and grunted in response and walked away.
The next girl who went on met the same fate as Jenifer because she didn't even say or do anything she just stood there and cried. Finally though when Amber went on, even though she was terrified she was able to sing a song. She sang very well and seemed to please her master enough to not be killed. She was able to walk off stage and join him. I wish I could say that when it was my turn that the ballroom floor was not covered in blood with two more girls that went before me. When I walked on stage Jenifer’s blood was everywhere and I had to walk on it. I walked over to microphone and I grabbed onto it and looked out into the crowd and I could still see some where still hovering over the girls who had been killed. There were so many people. I took a deep breathe as I heard the music start.
Holy water cannot help you now
A thousand armies couldn't keep me out
I don't want your money
I don't want your crown
See I have to tell you
I've come to burn your kingdom down

Holy water cannot help you now
See I've had to burn your kingdom down
And no rivers and no lakes can put the fire out
I'm gonna raise the stakes, I'm gonna smoke you out
I could feel the music going through my body and I closed my eyes singing the best I could. Eventually everyone faded into darkness and it was just me standing there singing like it wasn't a life or death situation.

Seven devils all around you!
Seven devils in my house!
See they were there when I woke up this morning
And I'll be dead before the day is done

Seven devils all around you
Seven devils in your house
See I was dead when I woke up this morning
And I'll be dead before the day is done
Before the day is done

And now all your love will be exorcised
And we will find you saints to be cannonized
And it's an even sum
It's a melody
It's a final cry
It's a symphony

Seven devils all around you
Seven devils in my house
See they were there when I woke up this morning
And I'll be dead before the day is done

Seven devils all around you
Seven devils in your house
See I was dead when I woke up this morning
And I'll be dead before the day is done
Before the day is done
Before the day is done
Before the day is done

They can keep me high
'Til I tear the walls
'Til I save your heart
And to take your soul
What have we done?
Can it be undone?
In the evil's heart
In the evil's soul

Seven devils all around you
Seven devils in your house
See I was dead when I woke up this morning
I'll be dead before the day is done
Before the day is done
When the song was over I realized I had kept my eyes closed the whole time. When I opened them I saw hundreds of eyes all looking at me no one was moving. I felt fear go through as I heard footsteps coming up the stairs and I turned and saw Raffaello coming toward me. I failed. Tears started to fall from my eyes as I turned to face him.
I whispered, “I'm sorry.”
When he was directly in front of me I looked up at him and I didn't see anger or disappointment. He was smiling and looked, happy. He turned and faced the crowd and spoke, “I do believe I have shown you that I have the best fruit from the Garden.” It was followed by applause and people were cheering out to him in agreement. He turned to me and held his hand out to me. I reached out and placed my hand in his and he pulled me up next to him. I felt revealed until people started to yell “Give her a bite!”, “Bite her!”. I looked up at him and I tried to pull my wrist away but he held fast not allowing me to pull away. He brought my wrist up to his lips and the cheers became louder. Then he bite my wrist making me let out a small scream. My wrist became warm from the pain and I could see my blood coming down my arm.
“Please, Raffaello stop.” I begged.
He paused and released my wrist and looked at me in shock. Why was he shocked? He looked to the side of the stage and snapped his fingers and someone came running out with a towel and handed it to him and he wiped his face getting all the blood off and then grabbed my wrist and started to clean the blood off. I couldn't stop the tears from falling. I was happy to be alive but now what was I supposed to do?