A Promise Fulfilled

“Awawa… Everyone’s looking so stressed I’m scared someone’s going to become a witch soon…” Meruru murmured to herself.

Sherry and Hanna who were taking a walk around the estate had overheard her. It didn’t seem like she was talking to anyone in particular, just mumbling to herself.

Of course this wasn’t a concern for Sherry. She was feeling fine! Just like usual. But, she looked at Hanna and realized that her friend was very much not feeling fine. Hanna’s face was haggard and she looked at Sherry with fear in her eyes.

“Hanna…?” Sherry asked.

Hanna gripped Sherry’s clothes. “I-I… Will you keep your promise?”

“Of course!” Sherry smiled in response. Hanna’s expression softened a bit, but just a bit. She took a deep breath and lifted her hands to show Sherry.

Her nails had grown longer. Longer than when Sherry had seen them last.

“Oh ho Hanna, that’s no good! A lady should be keeping her nails well kept! Where were those nail clippers…”

Hanna bit her lip. “Sherry, I cut them this morning.”

It was clear what she was implying. Sherry knew that too. “Ah, but you know, that’s just one sign not-”

“Sherry, listen to me.”

“-and as long as we keep your stress levels down-”

“Sherry, please.”

“-you’ll be fine! So let’s-”

“Sherry!”

Hanna desperately grabbed Sherry’s collar and pulled it. Face to face, eyes mere centimeters away from each other. Sherry could feel Hanna’s breath.

“Please. You promised didn’t you?”

Tears started welling in Hanna’s eyes.

“…I understand!” Sherry said with a smile. “Have no fear Hanna! Your wish is my command! I’ve already thought of a brilliant trick!”

Sherry took Hanna by the hand and took Hanna to the Gnome cabin. Hanna looked confused as to why Sherry was bringing the dolls Hanna was making but she didn’t ask any further questions. Maybe it was part of the trick she was setting up.

Hanna wanted to ask for more details but she knew she didn’t have any right to. She would have to trust that Sherry knew what she was doing. Surely with a willing victim and that so called brilliant detective mind of hers Sherry could get away with it right? Hanna bit her lip trying to avoid thinking of the worst case outcome. Sherry wouldn’t fail. She couldn’t. She promised.

Her time was running out. She felt it yesterday when Sherry was arguing with her. Hanna heard a small voice telling her to just kill Sherry. That’s how she knew that her progression had gone too far. Never, ever would she consider that option. Sherry was her dearest companion. Even more than that at times. What she asked Sherry to do was awful, she knew this. But she had to. Sherry was the only person she could trust to do it and do it right.

Hanna sat herself down and watched Sherry prepare everything. Sherry grabbed a length pile of rope and looked at Hanna. Hanna gulped as she realized that it was time.

“…Are you sure?” Sherry asked. Her face lacked her usual smile.

“Yes.” Hanna nodded. “Just…”

Was Hanna having doubts? Sherry lowered the rope. “We don’t have to do it right now if you don’t want to!”

“No!” Hanna yelled. “It’s just… I’m worried about if I instinctively fight back, you’ll get hurt won’t you?” Her face was contorted with worry as she just thought of the possibility. If her magic truly advanced, what if she sent Sherry straight into the sky and killed her instead?

In return though, Sherry smiled. It was strangely comforting to see Hanna be so… honest. Even if it was a time like this. “Don’t worry Hanna! I’m strong!” Sherry flexed her biceps. “I guarantee it!”

Hanna’s lips curled up in a faint smile. Sherry’s heart tinged with pain briefly. What was that? “…Thank you Sherry. Then please, before it’s too late.” Hanna lowered her head.

In Sherry’s hands was the rope she had planned to use for this exact purpose. As she began tightening the knot though, it felt like her heart was being tightened into a knot too. What… What was that? Sherry tried to push the feeling aside. She was doing this for Hanna, she told herself.

“…Sherry?” Hanna looked up, confused as to what was taking so long.

“It’s nothing!” Sherry smiled and laughed. “I was just thinking of what the most effective way to…” Her voice trailed off. She didn’t finish her sentence. Hanna looked worried.

This wouldn’t do. If Hanna was going to die by her hands, then Sherry had a duty at least to make Hanna as… as comfortable as possible. She ignored the piercing pain in her heart. After all, she was already broken as a person. Sherry didn’t have feelings. She told herself that and hardened her resolve.

The noose in her hand was tied. Hanna gulped and let Sherry put the noose over her head.

“…Would it be easier for you if I turned around?” Hanna asked. What a kind request, Sherry thought. And yes, it would be easier to tie the noose from behind. Yet for some reason, Sherry didn’t want to do that. Deep down her heart told her that she wanted to see Hanna’s last moments. So Sherry shook her head. Hanna nodded and closed her eyes.

The pain in her heart returned. Was it something she ate that day? What was causing her to feel this way? Sherry ignored it once again. It would only get in the way. She promised Hanna she would do this.

With a deep breath, Sherry pulled the noose tight around Hanna’s neck. Hanna squirmed a bit and Sherry’s heart threatened to shatter. It was like Sherry was tightening the noose around her own heart. But not yet. She couldn’t give up yet.

She tightened it more. As she did, Hanna instinctively tried to claw at the rope around her neck and Sherry’s hand that was holding it tight. No! Sherry saw that her nails had gotten longer and her face was starting to contort. If this continued then it would truly be too late and she wouldn’t have kept her promise.

“Hanna!” Sherry yelled.

Hanna’s eyes opened. Her face was filled with pain, pain that Sherry felt equally as much. Except if it was just physical pain, then Sherry could bear it. This was a pain that hurt worse than anything she had ever experienced before. But she had to do this. She had to show Hanna it was alright, all for their promise.

Sherry put on the biggest, brightest smile she could. Memories of her times with Hanna came flashing back through her mind, each memory adding another degree to the pain, but also another degree to the level of smile she could show Hanna. Sewing together, eating together, running around together, flying together… Perhaps Sherry conveyed these memories to Hanna as well, because Hanna’s face relaxed as she looked at Sherry. Her nails retracted and her expression softened. Her hands slowly dropped to her side. She opened her mouth. It was impossible to speak audibly but still, Hanna communicated her final words to Sherry.

“Thank… You…”

And the light left her eyes. What Sherry was feeling, did not. If anything, it only grew worse. As she watched Hanna’s lifeless body go limp, Sherry stood there devoid of energy or life herself. She no longer held onto the rope around Hanna’s neck with any strength and watched as her body fell to the floor.

Finally though, Sherry was able to put a name to the emotion. She thought back to all the mystery books that she read and realized there was a name to this. A feeling that some killers felt at the time of their crime.

Hatred.

Sherry shook her head in an attempt to shake away the feeling, but it didn’t go away. Why though? She doesn’t hate Hanna! Why would she be feeling hatred? Does she hate Hanna for making her go through with this? No, that can’t be it!

Her hands shook as she realized the target of her hatred. It was herself. Sherry hated herself.

She would’ve been in the right to hate the person who imprisoned them all on this island. She would’ve even been slightly justified to hate Hanna for asking her to do this.

But no. She didn’t hate them. Especially not Hanna. She hated herself for doing this. Because this, more than anything, meant that she was not human. No human would kill their best friend like this. No human would kill someone that they… someone that they loved.

Sherry might not have been a witch. But she was a monster. A monster that killed her friend.

It wasn’t over yet though. There was still one last part of the promise that this monster had to fulfil. It picked up Hanna’s body, wiped away a wet trail on its cheek, and began to create the perfect locked room murder.