• Hanna walked through the bike path on a cold October night. The air was still heavy and moist from the rain that was just a short while ago. Crickets chirped into the silence of the night and the lampposts gave light to the lone, empty path.
    Alone with her thoughts, she couldn’t help but remember that it was like this on that day too. The memories rushed back at the observation and she shut her eyes, hoping to stop herself from revisiting the past. It didn’t work and the painful days from eleven years ago stood fresh in her mind. Those thoughts both chilled and haunted her, so she pulled her jacket closer to her body, trying to get warm.
    Suddenly, an odd noise drowned out the crickets and she stopped to listen. A buzz started to fill her ears but she soon realized something; it sounded more like laughter. But it didn’t seem like the normal, happy sort of laughter; instead it was a crazy, loud, menacing cackle that caused Hanna’s skin to shiver in fear.
    She circled around, searching for any sign of movement. No one was there. Not a single soul. The sound then dimmed until all was quiet, leaving as quickly as it had come. She breathed a sigh of relief as the sounds of the night returned, ‘My imagination is getting out of hand again,’ she thought, scolding herself as she kept walking.
    All of the sudden, the light from the lampposts went out and all sounds were cut off once more. The laughter came back; louder than before; whoever was there was getting closer. Feeling her hair stand up on the back of her neck, she looked over her shoulder. There she saw glowing red eyes glaring at her from the inky darkness. For a minute, she couldn’t move, trapped by her own fears because she recognized those red eyes. Then in a flash she darted farther down the path, knowing that she had to get away. After a few minutes she realized something.
    ‘I’m running in circles,’ Hanna realized. ‘But this trail only goes straight. So that means…’ She knew what had happened. Her years of being a witch now came in handy again and she sensed a barrier surrounding the area. Some sort of magic had disconnected her from the real world.
    There was no way out. She was trapped.
    Mentally beating herself for not noticing the spell sooner, she tried to stay calm.
    Glancing behind her, Hanna saw nothing unusual, just the trees blowing in the wind. She put a hand to her chest above her pounding heart. It couldn’t be him, he had been sealed away to sleep for an eternity. Nothing could bring him back. Nothing. But then who-?
    She felt someone breathing down her neck. “Hello, Hanna, we meet again.”
    “Zanza!” She gasped. “How did you-“
    “Hush.” He whispered. Hanna felt long claws against her neck and she stiffened. “You don’t know how long I’ve waited for this. The day I would break free of that cursed seal!”
    “You won’t be free for much longer, I can assure you that!” She hissed, quickly regaining her composure.
    “My, my, you still have such a temper.” He said, almost sounding disappointed.
    “Shut up!” She growled, and she tried to get away from the claws still digging into her skin, but they held fast. “I will not let you stay free and I will seal you up again!”
    “Really? Have you forgotten already? You need a sealer to even attempt to put me away. And might I remind you, he died when I brought him into the door with me. What a pathetic little sealer.” Zanza scoffed.
    “Don’t talk about him! You have no right to even utter his name from your mouth!” Hanna tried turn around.
    “Don’t move!” Zanza forced the claws deeper into her throat. She froze and felt blood trickle down both sides of her neck. Behind her the beast chuckled. “Oh how I’ve waited for this. Eleven years of being trapped in that retched place and now I can finish you once and for all!”
    “Go ahead, kill me. But I swear to you that you will get what you deserve!!” Hanna spoke furiously.
    “What brave words Hanna. And don’t worry; what I deserve will be exactly what I’ll get!” In one quick movement, his nails shoved through her throat. Pain shot through Hanna and she fell to her knees before hitting the ground; her last breath a painful one.