Confrontation

By the time Mary caught up to Luna, the hallway was abandoned. Luna stood with her back to Mary, ambling along as if the entire school wasn't screaming at her to leave.

"Luna, it's me," Mary said.

Mary watched as her best friend froze in place. A strange tension fell over the air as Mary waited for something awful to happen.

Instead, Luna simply turned around and greeted Mary with a serene smile. There was something off about her, but Mary couldn't pick out exactly what.

"Hiya, Mary!" Luna said.

Luna's baby blue eyes looked distant and glassy and her clothes were unkempt. Dark stains marred the upper part of her shirt around the neck and shoulder. Looking down, Mary saw the spell book cradled in Luna's arms like a baby.

"Luna, please tell me that isn't what I think it is," Mary said.

Luna giggled like a child and nodded her head. Then she held the book out proudly before Mary as if she were doing show and tell on the first day of kindergarten.

Mary's heart sank.

"Why, Luna? You threw it out. You were so brave!"

Luna looked down at the book with wide, bright eyes. Those eyes glowed with an excitement completely detached from any meaningful reality.

"That was before," Luna said.

"Before what?" Mary said, speaking loudly to try and beat the fire alarm.

Luna giggled again and stepped closer to Mary. Something about the act felt slightly intimidating to Mary.

"Before I learned my destiny?"

What in God's name had happened in the last fifteen minutes? Mary could feel her fingers shaking as fear settled deep into her bones.

"Luna, that thing is controlling you. This isn't you talking."

"You're wrong," Luna said. "On both counts actually."

"I don't understand."

"Of course you don't! The book didn't open my eyes. It was perfectly content sitting in that trashcan. Someone would come along and find it again. Something tells me it's been doing this for a long time."

"Then what happened to you?"

Luna licked her lips and swooned, a look of total bliss washing over her face.

"She happened to me," Luna said.

Mary could feel her head pounding. The alarm was too goddamn loud and her confusion was only making things worse.

"Who is she?"

"I think she's my new mother," Luna giggled.

My god, she's completely delusional, Mary thought. She needed to get that book away from Luna.

"Luna. I just want a straight answer. Why did you take the book out of the trash? You promised me!"

Mary inched closer to her best friend, trying her hardest to not seem suspicious.

"I didn't, Mary! I really did mean everything I said back there. But then she found me and..." Luna trailed off, her fingers trailing down towards her crotch.

Mary stepped even closer. By now, she was in reaching distance. She just needed to distract Luna.

"Luna, I feel really betrayed by this. I don't think anything has ever hurt me--"

Mary broke off mid sentence and darted towards her friend, reaching for the book. She was a fast girl when she wanted to be, but Luna was ready.

"Alaroa Mappe!" Luna cried, her voice turning from childish sweetness to something dark and commanding.

A blast of energy hit Mary, sending her flying backwards. She landed on the hard floor and tumbled over several times. Her ankle throbbed with pain.

From down the hall, Mary could hear Luna giggling as if she had just been told the funniest joke in the world.

"Oh Frank, that was naughty. You really shouldn't have made me do that! That was too far!"

Frank. The name rang a bell, but it was so hard to think clearly with the alarm blaring in Mary's ears and pain radiating from several points on her body.

"I'm sorry, Mary. That was way too hard. I've only ever practiced on cans before."

Luna knelt down and stroked Mary's face affectionately. For a moment, Mary watched storm clouds pass over her friends expression. Luna's eyes became focused and she suddenly looked absolutely horrified with herself.

The moment faded quickly. Luna seized up, closed her eyes, and clutched her temples. Then she reopened her eyes, revealing them to have the same soulless emptiness from before.

"You really shouldn't have tried to grab my book, Mary."

Mary rolled over on her back and groaned loudly as the pain in her ankle intensified.

"Yeah, well it was worth the try."

Luna laughed at this. She seemed to think everything was funny now, no matter how awful or psychopathic.

"So tenacious. That's one of the things I love about you, Mary. One of so many things."

Luna traced her hands downwards and cupped Mary's breasts. Her touch was gentle, but very much unwanted.

"Stop that, Luna!"

Mary tried desperately to slap her friend's hands away, but Luna was persistent.

"Come on Mary, stop fighting it. We've been so close for so long. Just admit we're meant for each other."

"No! Not like that, Luna. Stop touching me!"

This is the book talking, Mary reasoned. It's making her act all fucked up. This isn't the real Luna, so just ignore whatever awful crap she says and get that damn book.

Mary pounced, moving past Luna's groping hands and grabbed onto the book with one hand.

Without hesitation, Luna slapped Mary hard across the face. The blow put stars in Mary's vision. How could such a small woman deliver such a strong blow?

"I told you not to grab the book," Luna said. "Now you need to be punished."

Luna stepped backwards and started to rifle through the pages of the book. Her demeanor had changed to something entirely alien. The woman that stood before Mary was twisted imitation of her best friend.

Taking the opportunity, Mary tried to get to her feet and immediately crumpled back into a ball on the floor. Her ankle was hurt badly.

"Ah, here it is," Luna said. "You should be familiar with this spell by now. A directed aura of feminine lust."

Mary held out her hand and shouted.

"Do not cast that, Luna."

The last thing Mary needed was to lose control like she had the night before. God only knew what this new and horrifically improved Luna would do with her then.

"I'll do as I please, Mary. I am a witch after all."

A witch? Was that what Luna thought of herself as now?

"Luna please. I'm your best friend."

Luna nodded enthusiastically.

"I know! And soon you'll be my lover!"

Wake up Mary. Bite your lip. Pinch your arm. Sing the entire fucking alphabet. This had to be a nightmare.

Unfortunately, no matter what the young woman tried, she still remained on her ass in front of her transformed friend.

"Luna, I don't want this."

"Oh, but you will. Now buckle up! My powers seem stronger now, so this spell might get a little crazy!"

Luna immediately started chanting the spell, one hand holding the book while the other cupped the air. In the next instant, Mary could feel an electric tension fill the air, causing the hair on the back of her neck to stand on end. Glowing pink flames formed in Luna's hands.

Mary watched helplessly as fate barreled towards her.