The Red Maiden, Part Nine
The Red Maiden
Content Warnings: Bullying, War, Trauma/PTSD, Emotional/Physical Abuse, Self-Harm, Violent Content, Depression. Reader discretion is advised
Disclaimer: This is a work of fanfiction, as none of the content is my original work. The characters are created by Stephen King and J.R.R Tolkien. The content belongs to MGM and Screen Gems, as the 2013 film remake of Carrie was directed by Kimberly Pierce and produced by Kevin Misher, and additional production is through MGM, Screen Gems, and Misher films as well as distributed by Sony Pictures releasing.
The Hunted
Upon realizing that the wizard Radagast was not a threat, Carrie could tell he was scared out of his mind from the look in his eyes. It was as if something had shaken this man to the core. Not even her telekinesis could ever have scared him so much. It made her feel immense compassion and sympathy for Radagast, even while he eventually started to calm down. Once Radagast was able to gain his bearings, he looked upon each member of the company his eyes eventually resting upon Carrie, and jumped as if spooked. Gandalf, upon noticing this, introduced Carrie as she gave a small smile to the fellow wizard.
This did not change the spooked look in Radagast’s eyes as he gazed upon Carrie a few seconds longer as if still processing the fact he was here. Carrie could see his expression in his eyes change from being scared and unsure to one of friendliness with a small warm smile on Radagast’s face. Carrie could not help but return the smile as well, but it started to fade as she saw the look in Radagast’s eyes change to one of recognition and fear remembering why he came here. “Gandalf, I have urgent and dire news to tell you. Something is wrong, terribly wrong,” he said in a hushed tone as Carrie’s expression turned into a look of concern.
The concern remained as Gandalf inquired of him what it was while pulling Radagast to the side to continue the discussion in private. But something began to eat at Carrie, whether it was suspicion or anxiousness, she did not know. The recognition in Radagast’s eyes was strange. It left her more curious than she had a right to be. Watching the two starting to converse among themselves, she then felt like she was having an out of body experience. It was as if she were a fly on the wall watching through another set of eyes in a near trance and hearing Radagast talk about a necromancer and a place called Dol Guldur. She may have had no idea what Radagast was talking about to Gandalf, but none of it sounded like anything but unpleasant to hear.
Normally in this type of conversation, she would adhere to their right to privacy or be too much into her thoughts to take notice. Being polite and courteous, however, were far from her mind as she could hardly stop herself from stepping a bit closer. Her heart began to thump against her chest fast, trembling like a leaf and her eyes growing wide while Radagast pulled out a bundle that she could tell carried a sharp object. The moment she laid her widened fearful eyes on the object, she blinked, feeling the full heightened sense of power from it that hit her like the impact of a train. She gave a shuddering gasp that made Gandalf and Radagast turn toward her now pale and sickly self. If it had not been for her trembling intake of breath alerting the pair to her presence, she could have stayed there unnoticed by Gandalf and Radagast for longer than eternity, frozen in time.
But here Carrie was not knowing how long she could stand without fainting under the eyes of a stunned and concerned Gandalf. This left Radagast with little to no choice as he swiftly uncovered the object within that bundle revealing it to be a silver sword that snatched Gandalf. “This here isn’t all from the world of the living I am afraid,” Radagast explained with a grave tone his eyes darting back and forth between Gandalf and Carrie. “Or anything you could possibly imagine from your world Carrie. You must be careful.” Carrie’s expression turned bewildered and stunned.
She looked toward Gandalf, as if he held all the answers, wondering how Radagast knew of her world. None of this made sense to Carrie considering how she’d thought that, besides Gandalf and the company, no one knew someone like her would be here, let alone with great and terrible power. If Radagast knew of her being here, who else would? The thought was enough to make her blood run cold and terrify her once more. Carrie’s heart was beating fiercly as she glanced back at the sword, eyes bewildered as she could only stare at it and feel a dark power that was, perhaps, worse than her telekinesis.
A howling sound began to snatch Carrie’s attention away from the sword and soon brought everyone on edge. Out of the corner of her eye, Carrie could see the sword back within the cloth bundle being tucked away in Gandalf’s cloak out of others’ sight. She quickly turned her attention away, her eyes scanning among the terrified group as they began to murmur if it could have been a wolf. Her eyes started to drift toward a large wolf-like creature creeping up from behind Bilbo and Bofur. Without hesitation, Carrie instinctively used her telekinetic powers to throw the creature hard against a tree making the creature give a yelping sound.
Once one of the dwarves were able to dispose of the creature, everyone began to look around in frantic haste. Gandalf’s attention was now toward Thorin as he drilled him with questions. Had he told anyone of their quest? Who? Every probing question of what Thorin had told anyone about the quest made Carrie certain that more of these creatures were about to head in their direction. When Gandalf announced that they were being hunted, She could not help but ponder if her presence only made the target on their backs more apparent. They were now prey and in the hands of fate, with none of the ponies in sight, and were only a spare few against the unknown danger lurking.
**If you or someone is experiencing a mental health crisis, has experienced severe depression, or has experienced a PTSD episode call the national suicide prevention lifeline (1-800-273-8255), text CONNECT or HOME to the crisis text line at 741741, or call 911**
