Betrayal

"Anastasia? What are you doing?" Poppy came running and saw Anastasia sitting in the bench with emotionless face. She was staring at something. "Anna you are freaking me out. What are you looking at?"

Anastasia looked at Poppy with indifference. "Pops? Where were you?" She tilted her head like she was staring into poppy's soul.

Poppy got afraid because of her changed behaviour. She thought Anastasia was playing a prank. "Stop playing with me! I know you are trying to make me scared."

Anastasia smirked while staring at her.

After some time she looked away from her like she was bored.

What happened to her suddenly? Poppy thought. She shrugged and tried to make Anastasia get up from the bench. "Anyways.. Come let's go. We need to go somewhere."

Anastasia got up from the bench while her legs were shaking. "Where?"

Poppy fixed her hair. "Somewhere special." She smiled.

While holding Anastasia's hand. Poppy took her in the middle of the forest. There was darkness everywhere. She couldn't see a thing.

"Where are we?" Anastasia whispered softly while shivering.

"Don't worry darling. Everything is going to be perfect." Poppy said while taking something out from her bag.

"I don't like this place. Let's just leave.." She was about turn around, but before she could do that, she felt sharp pain on her back. Anastasia scoffed with pain. She touched her back and saw blood on her hands. She couldn't believe herself.

Her best friend Poppy was holding a dagger in her hand. She was staring at her with no remorse. She was not feeling guilty. Instead she looked satisfied. Like her longtime goal has finally have been achieved.

"Poppy!?" Anastasia fell on the ground while moaning with pain. She still couldn't digest the fact. Her friend betrayed her. Poppy betrayed her!!

After all this, only one word came out of her mouth. "Why?" Anastasia really wanted to know it? Why did she do it? What was the reason?

Poppy chuckled when she heard it. "Why I did it?" She grabbed Anastasia's mouth tightly. "I did it because I could." She laughed maniacally. "You don't know what you gave me Anna! I killed you. Do you know how much your life cost?"

Poppy bitted her lip. "Now finally I am going to get what I want. I am going to be the most powerful witch this world would ever see." Her eyes slowly started to get white and green light started to surround her.

She joined her hands and started to pray. "Oh empress of hell. With your blessing I am going to complete my task. Please shower me with your powers." Saying that, Poppy grabbed Anastasia neck and started choking her mercilessly. "Die!!" She laughed.

Anastasia kicked her legs in the air because she couldn't breathe at all. She tried to push Poppy away, but it was of no use. Slowly- slowly her soul started to leave her body. She tried to fight but sooner, her body turned colder. It was the end.

Poppy smirked while looking at her dead body. She was still hesitant. "Did I killed her?" She touched her body to check if Anastasia was breathing. After making sure she was really not breathing. Poppy danced with joy. "I killed her. I killed Anastasia." She giggled.

She was very happy but who knew her laughter were soon going to turn into cry.

"Are you sure about that?" Poppy heard voice of someone coming from behind her.

She turned around to see who it was, and got stunned. "Anastasia!?"

"Peekaboo.." Anastasia smirked.

Poppy started shaking. "If you are here then

Who is she?" She turned to see at the dead body who was on the ground.

"Oh her?" Anastasia slapped her head. "I am so stupid. I forgot to tell you. This person was also me." She waved her hand and suddenly, the dead body on the ground turned into sand. "My shadow self." She smiled.

"Huh?" Poppy got scared when she heard it. "Does that mean I stabbed.."

"Yeah. Too bad you can't use the dagger again" Anastasia said while mocking.

"How did you know about this?" Poppy became more frightened.

"You thought I wouldn't know?" Anastasia's face turned cold. "I told you many times how much I hate liars and you dare to betray me!" She clasped her hand to control her anger. "Thank god I found your truth earlier. Or should I thanks someone else."

"Who?" Poppy asked while looking around. Who could have told Anastasia that? No one knows about her being witch.

"It's me!" A shaky voice said while walking towards them.

Poppy got more shocked when she saw who the person was. "Venessa!?"

***

(15 minutes ago)

"Anastasia I want to tell you something." Venessa came towards her looking nervous.

Anastasia looked at her face and thought something was wrong that's why she asked her about it. "What happened venessa? Is everything alright? Where is poppy?"

"Actually.. uhh.." she clasped her hands tightly trying to hide her anxiousness.

"Wait a second, come sit here first." Anastasia made her sit down on the bench. "Now tell me, what happened?"

"There is something very wrong happening around you." Venessa looked into Anastasia's eyes while saying it. It was like she was warning her.

"Wait! I really can't understand you. What happened? What are you trying to say?" Anastasia got confused.

"It's Poppy" Venessa became serious. "She is after your life."

"What!?" Anastasia stood up being shocked. "Are you freaking serious!? How can you say that about your sister!? Why will Poppy kill me?"

"I am saying the truth!! You have to believe me. Poppy wants to kill you!" Venessa yelled while trying to prove her point.

"No! Why should I trust you? What if it's your new scheme? Poppy always used to say you are up to something. Maybe this is why she never liked you being with us. Are you trying to break us apart?" Anastasia said while being in disbelief. She didn't wanted to believe her. Poppy can't betray her.

"Why would I do that Anastasia?" Venessa sighed. "Fine! You want proof!? Then come here… let me show you proof." She clenched Anastasia's hand and dragged her inside the dark forest.

"Here you go! Here's your proof." Venessa said while showing her the place which looked like a nightmare.

"What is this place?" Anastasia was stunned. She stared at the surrounding and saw various black magic objects laying on the ground. A big fire was set in the between. While many voodo dolls were hanging on the tree. Everything looked very scary over there.

"It's a sacrificial altar." Venessa said trying to explain things. "When Poppy will kill you. She will bring your body here to sacrifice it."

"See, trust me. I want to believe you but I can't. She is my friend, Venessa. How can I doubt her?" To learn about everything she needs solid prove. Just by showing this, Venessa can't earn her trust.

"If you still can't be believe me then see this." Venessa told Anastasia to look in the fire and then started mumbling something under her breath.

Anastasia got confused by seeing that. "Are you trying to cast spell?" Venessa was a witch? And Poppy hided this big thing from her? Impossible!

After few minutes, the fire where Venessa was glancing at, started to show a picture in it. It was a memory. In that a black hooded woman was talking with a man about something.

She was terrified when she found out who the black hooded woman was- It was Poppy. The guy she was talking with was none other than Julian. The guy who was harassing her before.

"What am I supposed to do?" Poppy said calmly.

"You need to take Anastasia in a quiet place and stab her with this." Anastasia saw Julian handing a dagger to Poppy. When she saw it, she felt betrayed. When the guy was telling her to stab her, Poppy did nothing. She just nodded and accepted it. Never in her lifetime, Anastasia could think that Poppy would ever betray her. But well… she did.

"Oh my god. I can't believe it." Anastasia laughed while trying to hide how hurt she was. "Is this for real? Poppy wanted to kill me?" Her voice fluttered. "But why?"

"I didn't thought I would tell you about this, but.." Venessa wiped her tears. "When I heard that she is going to kill you. My heart couldn't accept that. I didn't thought that Poppy would stoop so low for getting more powers." Venessa cried. "Our mother would never want that."

"Wait!" Anastasia got confused. "Our mother? You and poppy were cousins. Right?"

"No" Venessa shook her head. "Poppy and me are biological sisters. When we were kids, our mother died. After that, aunt charlotte's family adopted us."

"So aunt charlotte don't know about you guys being witches?" She asked.

"No." Venessa replied. "I tried to tell them but poppy told me to hide about this. She thought people would call us freaks if they found about it."

"That's terrible." While they were talking, Anastasia heard someone calling her name.

"Anna? Where are you?" Poppy yelled. "God knows where Venessa also disappeared? Hopefully she won't ruin my plan." She mumbled under her breath.

When she heard Poppy's voice, Venessa started to panic. "Oh god. Now what will happen? If she found you she'll stab you. After all, the dagger can only be used once."

"What did you say? Dagger can only be used once?" Anastasia thought about something. "Thank goodness I came prepared." She touched her bracelet. "Poppy wants to stab me? Then let's fulfil her wish. Now the one who will die will be my shadow self."

***

"Ohh! So it was all preplanned. Huh?" Poppy glared at Venessa. "You knew why I did all of this but you still betrayed me!" Poppy came forward to strike at Venessa but Anastasia stopped her.

She looked coldly at Poppy. "Back off! You are exposed now. You can't do anything about it. Your mission failed."

Poppy clenched the dagger tightly in her hand and then started mumbling something crazily. "No! I can't loose. I can't die." Right now, she looked terrified. She was scared that something was going to happen to her. She knew that if she failed to complete the mission then she have to… die.

Poppy one last time looked at Venessa's crying face and closed her eyes. completely giving up. She knew no one is going to save her now. After some time, her hand slowly started to move on its own.

She whispered "sorry" softly from her mouth while looking at Anastasia, and then she stabbed herself.

"Poppy!" Venessa ran towards her sister before Poppy could fall on the ground. While holding her body, Venessa started to weep continuously. "No.. you can't leave."

"I am sorry Venessa." Poppy said while clenching her injured stomach. "I did all this just to protect us." She moaned with pain. "But sadly… my greed took over." She guiltily glanced at Anastasia. "I am sorry to you too Anna. I know I am a terrible friend. You loved me like your sister but I betrayed you."

"Why are you acting now?" Anastasia wiped her tears and acted strong. "If only you would have been satisfied with what you have. This situation would never have occurred."

"I know." Poppy cried. "I am not going to ask for your forgiveness. But please… can you fulfil my last wish? Please Anna?" She looked at her pleadingly.

Even though Poppy betrayed her, but she was not that cold hearted to deny a person's dying wish. If there was anyone else, she would have still helped them. "What is it?" She asked.

"Please take care of Venessa." Saying that, Poppy's body turned cold. Slowly her soul also left her body, leaving Venessa crying.

"No!" Venessa hugged her sister's body which slowly turned into sand and floated in the air.

"Calm down." Anastasia came forward trying to console her. "Her soul only left her body. But her spirit is still watching you. Don't cry." Anastasia was also very hurt by poppy's death but she showed a strong facade.

She got up and picked up the dagger Poppy stabbed herself with.

The vision Equinox had was true. She did saw a knife with blood. But thankfully, the blood was not hers.

Anastasia threw the dagger inside the river. So that no one could touch this unholy thing again.