Fate of Yggdrasil Chapter 14

Fate of Yggdrasil Chapter 14

Part 1

“Ughh…I hurt…so much.” My shoulder, head and gut had never felt so bad, paralyzing me with aches and pains after that night of turmoil and horror. Pain though, must’ve meant I managed to survive. Rescuing my friend filled me with a sense of accomplishment, however thoughts of those lives lost due to my sustained existence permeated my mind. The warlock who I’d fought, caused those people to suffer and die, but the sight of my own hand obliterating his jaw, and his body disappearing under the wheels of a train, played back in the darkness of my eyelids constantly.

“Are we…not doing anything else today?”

“Ah!!” That monotoned question came from nowhere!

“Sorry.” Erna, A.K.A Wacky_Magik somehow snuck up on me, crouched down beside the couch I laid on devitalized. “Huhuhu…” That laugh felt genuine, creepy; as were most of her laughs, but genuine, unlike the uncomfortable ones of the night before. “What are the plans for today?”

“Well, there isn’t much today left, right?”

Erna pulled up her phone, checking the display, which read out 7:52 PM. “We did sleep…really late.”

“It was a long night of walking, fighting, and surviving, so…”

“Yeah…” She pressed her back up against the arm of the couch, relaxing on the floor with our heads mere inches apart. “Huhuhu…kind of cool, honestly.”

“I’d be lying if I didn’t agree with you a little.”

“We have to grab the head before trash day.”

“Don’t worry, the trash truck won’t reach my complex for almost a whole ‘nother week.”

“I’ve been writing down everything that’s crossed my mind. You…your powers…your…transformation…huhuhu…” I had just barely enough strength to turn my head and look over her shoulder, seeing an extensively detailed page of notes littering Erna’s phone screen. Also, just catching a whiff of the shampoo she used. It was mine, but for some reason smelled better on her than it did on me. Without all the makeup, outrageous clothing and piercings, Erna was just this tiny, pale, thin girl. Still having a bit of a weird personality, but she was just a regular person. I wondered if she was already in over her head and didn’t know, plunging deeper into the mire the seed of Yggdrasil was drowning my life in. “Uh…can you…stop sniffing me? It tickles…”

“Oh, f**k! Sorry!” I tried to get up, but again, too weak. When reading the notes, there was an almost glaring omission of the knickknack familiars. “Erna, do you know about your house?”

“What…do you mean?”

“Well…” That scumbag of a warlock, Lauritz, left a thought to bounce around in my head. “…Was there…an old woman who lived in your house?”

“…” Tears almost immediately began to form in the corner of her eyes. Erna grabbed the tee-shirt she was wearing, which was one of mine, and quickly dried her face. “Yes…my grandma…but how do you know?”

“I think she may have been protecting you. She helped us a lot, last night.”

“Grandma…she was the only person I ever had, the only one to really care…about a weirdo like me.”

 “Erna…sorry for bringing it up.”

“…Not your…fault.” It became more obvious to me then; Erna really had no understanding of what she was sitting on top of. “Why do you know about Grandma?”

“When I first came to your place, I felt something…it was like someone was there, protecting you from anyone who could cause problems. I…at the time probably deserved it…not that I was going to hurt you! I was just…more of an a*****e back then. Anyway, that feeling, also came with the ghost of an old woman. She must’ve cared deeply for you, I could tell.” As I continued to explain things, Erna sat quietly, looking at a picture on her phone. I spied it out of the corner of my eye. An old selfie of an elderly woman, smiling as she helped dye Erna’s hair. “…And then there were those knickknack familiars…”

“Knickknacks…Grandma really loved to collect and make stuff.”

As much as I wanted to stay on subject with Erna, because I could tell she was happy hearing that her grandmother was still protecting her, I was hesitant to tell her the truth about myself and the seed. Anesha left me more confused than ever! I expected to be punished for not keeping everything secret, but she didn’t so much as bat an eye when I revealed I’d failed my side of the agreement. “We should probably get back to sleep. If you’re hungry, I’m sure Mom left some food…and a really corny card on the table for us.”

“Oh? I haven’t had…home cooking in a very…long time…” Erna walked off to the kitchen. “She did…should I read these?”

“If you want to cringe.” I decided to worry about explaining everything about removing the seed later. There was a wholesome, peaceful aura around the apartment, and I didn’t want to disturb it.

“…Fate, hey…” Suddenly Erna began to speak. “Don’t push the food away…” Obviously reciting Mom’s message aloud. “…It’s so delicious, it’s cray-cray…” Cringe that made my wounds feel like they’d reopen. “And…make sure that cute girl will stay-stay…she’s probably your type…big play-play…”

“…”

“…” That peaceful ambiance drained from the room. Erna just took her plate of food and walked back into my room, shutting the door behind her. “Mom…why do you do these things to me?”

Part 2

[Hello Fate, my ally, comrade, friend and more so, my equal! I bid you good day! Will you join us in the clubroom today? Are you not prepared for the greatness that will be planning the trip?! Answer posthaste, for time is of the essence!] A real Chester tier message waited in my inbox for me the instant I left the bathroom. I’d planned on heading in anyway, but knowing I was expected to go made me a little anxious.

“What’s…that?” Erna woke up, most likely due to the alarm which I’d begun setting for my morning runs. Mom was still snoring in the other room, worn-out from a long work night, so we kept our voices down.

“It’s from Chester. He’s if I’m heading in today.”

“…Can you?”

“I can, it’s going to be a pain though; I’m still a bit beat up. Those…quills ripped into me, and it still hurts so much. Doing my morning run would’ve been impossible. Sorry about the alarm, by the way.”

“No…it’s fine. I was actually talking about…the way you look.”

“…Hm?” My ragged appearance had totally slipped my mind. “Well…It’d probably be better for me to dye my hair after I cut it…nah, that’s too much; I’ll just wear a hat.” The hair change was the most annoying part of my transformation, being the only part that change back.

“Why not…just leave it? You can put it in a ponytail…”

“Bah! Stands out too much. My hair starts growing whenever I use my powers, so I’ll just take a pair of scissors and cut it.”

“What about your…skin?”

“Nothing I can do about this…” Normally, I was so slightly tanned that most wouldn’t even notice, but the seed reacted with my skin in such a way that I’d get some shades darker. “Sucks, but it’s not like it’s too weird. After a week or so, the tan will fade. I’m half Indigenous, so not like I don’t get tanned occasionally.” Fumbling around in the cabinets finally awarded me the scissors.

“You’re half Indigenous?”

“Yup! On my father’s side.”

“Which…tribe?”

“Never cared enough to ask. Not really too close with that side of my family. Anyway, let’s talk about what we’re going to do today while I see if I can fix my hair.” With each snip of the shears, swaths of my silvery locks waned in the mirror. Evidently, my nose had also healed somewhat. A scar still rested on the bridge; however, it was connected fully again! “You think you can get back home with the head?”

“I…don’t know. That part of Greenville is on lockdown, is what people online…are saying. The police are on high alert too, since they found the… bodies, and that it’s some of the most gruesome deaths in the city’s history.”

“…”

“Ah, your hand.”

“Hm?” Anger seized me, as I tried to remain calm, but my hand gripped the scissors so tightly the blades cut into my palm! “Ah, f**k! Now I’ve got to bandage this.”

“…Fate…maybe don’t go…?”

“Can’t. Perry has been a little mad at me lately, which he has every right to be. I’ve been a huge jerk.”

“…Can you tell me about what you want me…to remove now?”

“…It’s called…” So much hesitation. As if I was strangling myself; as if a dog choker was wrapped around my neck, digging deep into the lump lodged in my throat. “…the-the seed of Yggdrasil…” Just getting that phrase out was tortuous. I nearly threw up just working up the nerve.

“Yggdrasil? Like…the world tree in mythology?”

“Yeah…I guess…to be honest, I don’t have all the answers. Wish I did. Erna…listen, when I first met you and found out that you were a medical student, and into studying homunculi, I thought I’d found the golden goose! That I was going to use you to remove the seed; I’m sorry. I’m asking this from you…I don’t…deserve it, but if the seed isn’t removed from my body in…a little less than a year now, I’m going to die.”

“…”

“So, please…”

That was it, that was everything I wanted to say. Finally got it off my chest, just needing Erna’s- “Ok.” Answer…

“R-Really?!”

“Yes. I…want to help…my friend.” That warm smile, it’d been too long since someone made me feel secure! Such a weird feeling, being reassured when I’d been so lost in a mire of unease every day since I first met Anesha. Knowing she’d probably hate it didn’t matter, I hugged Erna, hoisting her up in my arms in a compassionate embrace.

“Thanks, Erna!”

“O…okay.” She wiggled, kicking her tiny feet against my kneecaps. “Put me down…I…I’ll stab you, for real.”

“Haha…” I did as she said and released my grip. Once I’d calmed down, I checked my phone to see not only was it about time for the club meeting, but I’d neglected to drop out of an upcoming class! “Crap, for real?! Oh right, I should’ve dropped this earlier. It’s a journalism class. Alright, I’m off. What do you want to do?”

“…I’d…like to go home, but…my clothes are…not clean.”

“Yeah, guess you can’t go out dressed in just my tee-shirt. Ask my mom when she wakes up about some clothes. She’s a bit taller, but you should be roughly the same sizes.”

“Ah…y-you’re just going?”

“Sorry, have to run. I’m really sorry! Call me!” I dashed out of the apartment and down the hill, grabbing a baseball cap on my way, reinvigorated despite the aches and pains. My sliver of hope grew to more of a crack in the wall of hopelessness Anesha had erected in my psyche.

Part 3

What Erna said was true; the police department was obviously on edge. Every corner, every subway portal, every store, no matter which direction I would turn, a police officer would be sitting there, on watch. With my hat pulled down, hair trimmed, badly; and my eyes having reverted to their usual dark brown color, I didn’t arouse suspicion.

The police were even on campus; only allowing people to enter after their bags were searched and had shown identification. I skipped that mob of students crowding the front entrance by making my way around the outside of the gates and sneaking through a hole in a fence near the old dirty building housing our clubroom.

Though the halls welcomed me back to their dingy, dusty interior, the stillness, without any other activities taking place, was daunting. The silence of the seemingly empty building unnerved me. At some point, I caught myself humming to lessen the quiet. “Oh…on time, kind of unusual, considering…” Perry, my friend, but one of the last people I wanted to see first thing in the morning, pushed open our remarkably rusty metal door. “What are you just standing out there for? Come on.” I pulled the slab of steel closed behind me, seeing that only Perry was in the clubroom.

“Sup, man. How…uh…how are you?” Opening up the blinds didn’t mitigate the dank, awkward atmosphere blanketing the room.

“Fine.” He just went about packing things away into a duffle bag, not even bothering to look my direction.

“Cool. Uh…where are the others?”

“Out. Chester needed to get an attachment for the boom mic, since the old one finally fell apart. They said they’d be back in a few minutes.”

“Right, awesome!” I just waited on the sofa, praying they made it back quick so I could escape the tension.

“…You trying a new look out or…?”

“Oh, this?! I mean, yeah, you know.”

“The hat is new. I can’t think of the last time you wore one.”

“Ah, my hair is just really bad toda-”

“And…you got a tan?”

“Haha…you know, I tan really easy.”

“…”

“Looks better on camera, right?”

“Fate, I’ll just come out and say it…I don’t think you’re taking this all seriously enough.”

“What?”

“I don’t think you’re taking this seriously enough!”

“Perry, come on…”

“No, for real. About a year ago, you, Demica and Chester came up with the idea for the club, then you got me, and Teddy wrapped up in it. You used to spend all day, every day with Chester and Demica bringing in stories, discussing plans, mapping out locations, building the website and our social media presence! The key words there were ‘used to’. You get what I’m saying.”

“Perry, I do take this seriously.”

“You don’t seem like it! Over the last few months, how many times do you think we had meetings? Every day after class. How many times did you show up? Less than 10! Recently, you’ve been showing up more, but still, you’re not helping at all with planning for the trip! We sunk money and time into this club!”

“So did I.”

“Then you know, you’re not taking this as seriously as possible.”

“Things have been going on in my life.”

“What things?”

“…I…can’t tell you yet.”

“See?! How am I supposed to make any excuse for you, if you won’t bother to make them for yourself?”

“Look, I am serious about this! This is the dream we all wanted. I know I’m not doing great right now, but this is just as important to me as it is to all of you! When I say, ‘I love this club and want us to succeed’, I mean it!”

“Alright…”

“…I do!”

“Okay.” Perry pulled up his phone, looking over a message from Demica. “My sister says they’re at the front gate waiting to get cleared to enter. She bumped into someone, apparently, it’s some black-haired girl who knows you.”

“Black haired girl…?” (Erna?) “Oh! I did message Chester about adding someone to the club.”

“Really?! Why now?! Dude, we’re just about to take this trip!” Suddenly, Perry flared up in anger!

“No, wait, it’s fine! Perry, relax…”

“Don’t tell me to relax!”

“Okay, well, chill then!” The vein popping in Perry’s forehead showed that I failed in lightening the mood. “…The more people we get, the more funding, so it’s all good! Plus, she’s…a fan. She knows how we work and is also a big occult researcher too! She won’t slow us down.”

“…Is this girl just a replacement for Gabriella? Is this the new girl you’re trying to get?”

“No. Perry…never mind. Just trust me, she won’t slow us down.”

“Whatever.”

Silence, only amplified thanks to Perry’s frigidly coldshoulder. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see him glancing over, confused at me; not like I cared though. To keep from bounding over the wall into a full-on panic attack, I hummed to myself, staving off the awkwardness. Footsteps and casual conversation approached from the hallway, and I breathed a sigh of relief.

“…just seems peculiar. As I have known Fate for many years, and never before was I to believe him such a man as to amass attention for not only one woman, but two?!” Chester boasted, pushing the door open for Teddy who carried the replacement boom mic stand.

“You’re in the way! Move aside and stop clinging to the door. You’re making it hard to get in.” Demica blew by Chester, her arms filled with bags of recording equipment. “Gosh! For a such a verbose man, you’d think you’d also work your arms out as much as your mouth!”

“Haha! I see you’ve not only upped your vocabulary but recognized my linguistics skills!” He laughed wholeheartedly, ignoring the obvious insults Demica lobbied at him. “Ah Fate, my comrade! How come it has taken so much for you to invite a fellow lover of the occult into our barracks? This woman, her interests in cryptozoology, mystery, occultism, and religious mythology is simply refreshing!”

“Stop yelling!” I screamed, feeling an ease flow back into the room. Being around all my friends and inviting Erna into the Occult Research and Study club made me yearn for that peace. “Let Erna in…I wasn’t expecting her bu…”

Anesha. She sauntered in past Chester, wide smile bringing a dark glow to her pale face and with an innocent tone and wave, obliterated the frail glass of my composure. “Oh my…Fate, you do look ever so dashing in that outfit.”

Part 4

“…” Like bristles of a brush were forced into my back and fingertips, my muscles seized. My throat couldn’t bear to push out a single word the minute I laid eyes on her face, cruelly smiling. “Ug…guh…” Just shallow breaths barely managed to escape my lips.

“Cat have your tongue?” So many questions started howling in my mind. It was like a storm of words, all directing toward and centering around ‘why’. She just stood there, grinning from ear to ear, the object of my torment, the thing I feared most, the deathly evil and twisted horrid b***h who threatened my life if I simply let anything slip about her existence! “Hmm…truly, you seem to be preoccupied. Worry not, should he remain like this for too long, I know of many ways to break him from instances of…how would you say…paralysis. Ha ha, I joke, of course!”

“Fate? Fate!” Demica broke me of my trance with a slight tug of the jacket. “Are you alright? This is your friend, right?”

“…” I didn’t know how to respond at all. I looked to her, my tormentor, and she just smiled away. “…” Again, I was dumbstruck as it felt like my wall of hopelessness was being refortified with heavy cement made of despair.

“Designating us as friends may be a bit far…though, you’ve informed one such friend about me, no? Which one is it?”

(Is she serious? She doesn’t know?! Anesha doesn’t know Erna! There are things that Anesha doesn’t know!) She wasn’t omniscient, obviously, and I felt stupid for thinking otherwise.

“Okay, who are you?” Demica asked, quickly getting fed up with the mystery.

“C-can…can I tell them?” Finally, I got a word out. My mind roared louder than ever. (How much does she know? What information does Anesha have? Did she infer everything? Has she been tracking me? Has she been following me? Does she know about the head? Or my plan to remove the seed? Is she doing this because she wants a leg up on me?)

“Hehe…why tell, when I can show?” Anesha raised her hand, making me flinch. She snapped her fingers, sending a warm burst of energy across the room, slamming the heavy metal door shut in an instant! The lights overhead flickered off, streaks of glowing purplish energy crept across the walls, as if drawn by invisible paintbrushes, intersecting, and running beneath our feet and beyond our sight! Heat sweltered in the center of the room; a spark ignited into an explosion of fire! The flames reached out as if each ember were a hand, grasping at us with tendril like fingers! In the center, a tormented face, growing ever more pained cried as it writhed in agony.

“Anesha, please! I-I’m begging you, please! Please don’t hurt them! Please!” I fell to my knees, begging, looking on at her beautiful and sadistic smile, hoping to cleave any kind of humanity and goodwill from the evil woman! Knowing that if she wanted, my life and the lives of my friends could be snuffed out and it would only be a mild inconvenience.

“Oh, calm yourself.” With another snap, all at once, the flames faded, the streaks of light dithered, and everything returned to normal! “I did this simply as a way of showcasing my powers and abilities, thus illustrating who is in charge. Allow me to introduce myself properly. My name is Anesha Kyteler, not only am I a witch, but I shall soon be the most renown witch in history, as I will not only control this world, but the world of magic as it’s Goddess! All of you who stand before me now will be under my rule, for it is normal that a messiah has followers, no? Rejoice, for I have taken mercy on you poor simple-minded creatures and will not…as your friend Fate has begged…take your lives.” As egotistical as always, Anesha’s body language spoke volumes to her character. She moved her hands and turned her nose up, as if in front of a crowd of adorning fans �" no, a group of awestruck buffoons, and she were their queen, coming down from a castle to make a proclamation!

“…” I wasn’t sure how to react. In no way did I think I’d see her so soon, and from her smile I could tell she was reveling in watching me squirm with discomfort. However, what she wasn’t expecting, but I was, were the reactions of my close friends.

“Ohhh! So awesome!” They all cheered, being whipped up into a frenzy of excitement! Getting to see the smile on Anesha’s face morph into one of confusion and distress brought me some glee.

“Spectacular! Inconceivable! Unimaginable! Fate, my comrade, for you to have brought such a discovery to our doorstep, my god! I cannot contain my boundless thirst for knowledge!” Chester screeched louder than I’d ever heard him.

“I’m just…can you…oh my god! Holy s**t, dude! Perry, the camera, get the camera! Can you do that again?! The fire thing �" wait! Hold on, let me get the camera first! Perry!” For the first time in a while, I saw Demica happily put on her thick glasses as she began setting up the camcorder alongside her brother.

“I-I wouldn’t h-have thought she was a w-witch! I thought a-all witches would wear p-pointy hats!” Even Teddy was losing his mind over the discovery.

“…Huh…” Out of the corner of my eye, I spied Anesha recoiling in disgust from my occult maniac friends. I stifled a laugh, knowing she’d be furious; and finally noticing she was dressed differently from every other time I’d seen her. “Where’d you get those clothes, if you don’t mind me asking.”

“Are you a fool? I have other clothing, naturally.” Anesha outside of her typical, and what I had learned recently was magically enhanced; coal black, purple laced dress was just as stunning as always. High legged, dark purple punk boots; a red and black pleated skirt, cut just above the knees; matched with a royal ruby blouse and thin black punk jacket; Anesha absolutely had her own aesthetic. “I also may have partaken in some forms of…illicit practices to garner certain necessities, since you’re of no help in such matters.” It was obvious she was still upset about me being unable to gather her food she liked, even though weeks had passed. “…Fate, er, he…it has been just over 3 and a half months since I met Fate. He is the bearer of the seed, the seed of Yggdrasil.” The sight of Anesha rigidly trying to regain her composure, that was drop dead hilarious.

“Yggdrasil…? Do you refer to the world tree, Ms. Kyteler?” Indeed, a question I’d wanted to ask for a while.

“Hmph.” Anesha flipped her hair, arrogantly. “Yes, in a way. But I am not here to answer questions. I am-”

“Wait, wait, wait you must explain this! Thoroughly if possible!” Chester asserted, closing the gap between himself and Anesha. His grimy, pale, long fingers wrapped themselves around Anesha’s hand and in an instant, she took him by the arm, tossing the man, half a foot taller, across the room, over the table, into the wall!

“Never…touch me.” Anesha’s icy glare chilled the room, so much so that everyone felt the blizzardy, frost cut them to the bone. “I feel that you all may have misunderstood my position, especially you, Fate!” Suddenly, Anesha had regained the metaphorical, mental high ground. “Allow me to state this once, and should I need do so again, then you need simply ask Fate how serious I am when I say, you will not forget any punishment handed down by me. I am above all of you. You humans are all minute, and insignificant specks in the grand plan I have set forth! Many of you will simply fade from history, your names forever forgotten, but should you follow me, maybe, you can exist as a footnote. What I am offering you is a chance to live. Your friend here, Fate, is a tool to me; and because he is a tool…my most costly tool…” She said with a repulsively sugar filled, sadistic grin aimed down at me from on high, as if she were trying to compliment me for being a good object. “I am allowing, neigh, gifting him and you all an opportunity. I’ve noted how often you all have been dragged into these situations with homunculi, and the ever-changing world. To that, I’ve made the decision that if I want Fate to remain vigilant, and not divert his attention between keeping myself secret whilst protecting you all, then this is the best option!”

“…So…you’re saying that…it’s alright for them to know now?”

“Oh Fate…I am beyond powerful. A Goddess, a perfect and powerful being that has graced you with my boundless mercy, do not look a gift horse in the mouth! What I am doing is simple, should you or your friends endanger my plans…or betray my trust…I shall sear your skin, fold your limbs in reverse, keeping you alive only until every last scream exits your body.” An absolutely deadpan delivery. Never once did I doubt Anesha’s resolve, nor her words, but in that instance, I was so beyond terrified! I’d dragged everyone…all my loved ones down into darkness with me; and as I fell, I saw the light above, and the wall of hopelessness grow taller, becoming possibly insurmountable.

“…” Everyone fell silent, as an obvious sensation of dread overtook the club. “Fate…is all of this…for real?” Perry broke the silence. I didn’t even want to turn and look him in the eye.

“Oh, it is quite real.” Anesha deliberately strolled across the room, in-between Perry, Demica and Teddy, taking a seat atop our table. “You all now belong to me. Your bodies, minds, and souls. Should you not believe me, once again, consult Fate. Everything you do, every mistake you think about making, I will know of it.” The more I listened to Anesha, the more I wondered what was true. Did she actually have the ability to know everything I was doing? She was watching me, but did she even know about Erna and our plan? I decided to play as if she didn’t; no matter how foolish it would seem.

A buzzer blared as Chester shot up from being tossed like a piece of debris to the other side of the room. “The time has come, comrades! Classes are beginning!” We all just looked at Chester, knowing he was the master of inopportune outbursts, that one was especially tone deaf. “Do not make such faces! If we miss classes now, Professor Russel could possibly pull our funding! We must remain in his good graces!” Point made, loudly. “Come, all of you! We mustn’t be late!”

“Chester, you moron. Didn’t you hear everything…Miss Kyteler said?” Demica sheepishly said while putting up her guard slightly, afraid of being hit.

“Anesha is fine, dear.” The witch smirked.

“Nay, woman! I grasp the entire situation and if I’m to understand, then we are allowed to live our normal lives, is that correct…Anesha?”

“Oh my…you are far quicker to understand your place than Fate. Yes, you can all live your lives as per usual. What this arrangement entails is, you will follow my orders, keep my existence secret and…if needed, assist Fate in avoiding suspicion. For if what I am predicting comes to pass, then the world shall only fall deeper into darkness, with its form even further perverted.” Anesha got up and sat on the couch, leaning back with a yawn and a stretch. “I may take a nap, as a matter of fact. You, Demica, was it? This room is secure should I wish to sleep, no?”

“Y-Yes…here, you can have a key! It’s my spare.” Demica handed over a key, trying to avoid hand contact with Anesha as much as possible.

“Good. Then, be on your way everyone. Oh, and have fun!” That tone, Anesha took her condescending smile and blended it with a belittling wave to make us feel as pitiful as possible watching us leave her in our clubroom. It felt like leaving a lioness alone with your child.

Part 5

The seemingly endless droning on of my professor was slowly lulling me to sleep, but the constant flow of messages from people in my club jolted me awake every time. Each message that came in from Demica was quickly followed by her glancing back at me from the front of the lecture hall. Whether it was to get my attention, see if I was reading her texts or just because she couldn’t make out my face from the distance without her glasses, I had no idea. (Pay attention. You’re the one who suggested this course.) Apprehension piled up on my shoulders with each phone buzzing, but I wanted to check and see if Erna had messaged me. The professor called class to a close and almost immediately, dirty-blonde hair swung around into my peripherals.

“Fate…” Demica said in a hushed tone, being as obvious as possible, but thinking she was discreet. “You need to explain.”

“…” So freaking tired. “I will. A lot of stuff I still have to hear from Anesha myself. I also need to hear how Erna is doing.” When I finally checked, Erna had in fact messaged. “…Sounds like everything worked out…” I breathed a very heavy sigh of relief.

“Is this Erna the one you were planning on bringing in?”

“Yes. It sounds like she was able to finish a little mission I put her on.”

“Okay, you have to absolutely tell me everything now!” Filing into the hallway alongside the other students, we aimed to make our exit, but things got claustrophobic almost instantly. The line leading to the outside was halted as another wave of people were being let in by the guards.

Demica crowded next to me as the two of us pushed toward the doors! Waves of people came crashing in, separating me from my friend! “Demica! Over here!” I called. It was unbelievable how many people were moving around in the college. I grabbed Demica’s hand, and we finally broke free out on the quad! “You okay? Didn’t mean to grip you up like…Gabby?!”

“…Who…?” In all the confusion I’d managed to work myself into an awkward situation; one I’d never planned for! “…Fate? Fate Isley?!”

“…” My mind raced! Any and all options for escaping the predicament I’d found myself in cluttered my good reasoning mind. (If I run as fast as I can…maybe she’ll not notice it’s actually me!)

“Fate!” Demica’s voice. My hopes of making Gabby think I was someone else, dashed. “Gabriella, hey!” She ran up and the two hugged.

“Oh Demica, how are you? We really need to hang out again, just us. Charlie’s party was way too much for me.”

“I know, right? People got too drunk, too fast!”

“Haha! You were just as bad though; you were like a sponge!”

“What?! No!” The two kept chatting, providing me an escape route! Running away was better than trying to weasel my way out of explaining my dilemma.

“Bay!” Ken, because of course. “Hm? Oh s**t, Dem! What’s good?!” He blew right by without even noticing me, bringing along a waft of aftershave to smash me in the face.

“Huh? Oh…hey Ken…” Demica very obviously looked away, trying to avoid eye contact with him. An odd thing to see her do.

“Big C’s been asking about you! Saying, you guys…uh, got close at his party last night.” His voice boomed, even without meaning to. It stood out as the crowd of other students started exiting the front past us. “You should call! Here’s his number!”

“Uh…no, I’m good.”

“What? Nah, come on! Here! He’s dying to chill with you again.”

“…I’m…really not comfortable with that.”

“Leave her alone, Ken.” Gabby interjected.

“Bay, come on. You saw how Big C was last night; he’s been down since that thing happened to his ex a few months ago. Dem, you’re looking for a guy too, right?”

“…” The conversation kept getting more awkward. “Maybe just drop the subject.” I finally opened my mouth, and everyone turned with shock, showing my presence had almost all but faded; along with what little self-confidence I had.

“And who the f**k is you?” Seriously couldn’t stand Ken. “…Fate Isley? Holy s**t, I had no idea you were back! What is…this your new look? Going for some tweaker look or something?” He laughed at his own joke.

“…W-Whatever…” Excellent come back, very cool of me.

“Anyway, bay; I’m looking out for Big C, plus, Dem liked him enough last night to be all up on him.” Demica’s eyes flared open so hard I was afraid the lids had flown off her face.

“I…! Just tell him ‘no’.” It’d been such a long time since I’d seen Demica fuming and not forthcoming with whatever was upsetting her.

“Seeing as Demica doesn’t want to keep this conversation going, how about we head for the clubroom?” Finding my words, I spoke up, finally. Seeing my close friend being pestered by that annoying behemoth of body-spray and creatine bugged me.

“Eh’ yo, I don’t think this really has anything to do with you!” That sat wrong with me on every level!

“Ken, stop. You promised…remember?”

“He started it.” Bile built up in my throat. Watching Gabby calm that meathead down was infuriating; and I’m not sure if it was because of all the turmoil I’d endured through the preceding night, because of my single-minded hatred for Ken, or just that I was sick of seeing Gabby waste her time on that loser, I fired back.

“Shouldn’t you be off cheating on Gabby somewhere? I’d hope that would keep you busy…” I immediately caught myself saying that, but it was too late. (What the f**k? Why’d I let that even escape my mouth?!)

“Fate?! What the f**k?!”

“Fate…oh my God!” Both Gabby and Demica reacted with words, Ken reacted with actions!

“F**k did you say?! Say that s**t again you little b***h!” The vein in Ken’s neck was bulging out like a snake had crawled underneath his skin! He shoved me, hard, or at least I assumed it was hard as I nearly lost my balance. I was so beat, a strong breeze could’ve done that, but the wounds that hadn’t healed really took a toll.

“Ken, stop it!”

“Stay out of this!” Gabby tried to reason with her dirtbag of a boyfriend, but he continued to push in closer. “You had all that mouth a second ago, b***h! Say that s**t again you little punk a*s b***h!”

People were starting to crowd. Onlookers were wondering if they’d need to call the police. I could hear them; some were there when Ken had beaten me up before, others feared he’d kill me, then the rest were making jokes about how I changed my appearance because I was afraid of him. Campus security weren’t even nearby, bunch of worthless doughnut munchers. My back, sides and head ached so much, that when Ken pushed me again, I fell to the ground, collapsing with a thud!

“Are you okay?” Demica rushed to my side as Gabby got in-between us.

“Ken…you promised me.” Her voice was resolute as she stood her ground, staring down the man more than a foot taller and a hundred pounds more without a sliver of trepidation.

“…Fine. Keep this little b***h away from me. If I so much as see him again, I’m going to put my foot up his a*s and wear him like a boot.” With that, Ken turned and began to walk away. Gabby looked back with a sad expression as she followed behind her boyfriend.

“…boyfriend…” Chuckling under my breath. (…oh s**t…) I could feel it again; building up, just looking at him…I wanted to say something. Nothing, he held no value, and yet…the world was still plagued with his existence! I would be dead in little less than a year, and yet not only was that piece of garbage allowed to live happily, but he would also continue to make Gabby’s life worse by having whatever claws he had dug into her! “What kind of boyfriend does nothing but sit around cheating and eating the a*s of other women…” (F**k! Why can’t I shut up?!)

“Goddammit…goddammit, Fate!” Gabby screamed as Ken turned back! He was so heated; I could tell by his face turning bright red. With his massive arms, he gripped me by the collar of my shirt and pulled me up off the ground. I had no idea Ken was so strong until I was hanging by the collar of my shirt!

“You’re going to f*****g regret that.” Demica screamed, pulling at Ken’s arm as Gabby hollered at him! “I’m going to send you back in a wheelchair to your lonely, w***e mother…” Everything faded out, and when I came to…

“Fate, f*****g stop! Stop! Stop! Please…please stop!” So many people were holding me back. Everyone from Gabby, to Demica, Perry, Teddy and Chester tightly held my arm as I winded back for a punch! Blood dripped from my clenched fist, and in the other hand, I held Ken in place as he gasped for air through a shattered nose and broken jaw! Across his face were streaks of blood, splattered onto the ground below and compounding into the nearly swollen shut eyes on his face! Voices of onlookers faded in, terror and shock at what I’d done swept through the crowd.

“…I…what…did I…” I tried to release my grip, but my hand was clenched so tight, my fingers were locked in place.

“Fate, let him go!” Chester screamed right into my ear, which was probably what snapped me out of it. My hand sprung open, dropping Ken’s unconscious body! Gabby ran over to him, checking to make sure if the beaten man before me was even still alive.

“Someone get help! Hurry! Call an ambulance!” The campus police rushed over as people backed away, filming and whispering.

“Put your hands in the air! Right now!” They aimed their tasers at me, but I couldn’t really react. I was so confused and dumbstruck with my own actions that I just stood there like a statue.

(What did I do…no…no! Not again…I…I lost control! I…could’ve…I could’ve…no matter how much I hate him…I…) I just fell to my knees. If I’d come to even a second later, I may have very well caved Ken’s head in! The monster inside me was so ready to take a life…to end a person who did nothing more than upset me! I fed into my anger and nearly killed someone.

“Wait, please!” Chester, Demica and Teddy got into the line of fire! “Please, he’ll go quietly! He’s just scared, he has a mental illness, it wasn’t on purpose! Please, I’m his friend! I swear, I’ll make him go with you! Please!” Chester spoke outside of his normally exaggerated way. He crouched down next to me, looking more distressed than I’d ever seen. “Fate…listen…are you alright? Hey, look at me!”

“…Chester…I…” He gripped my face and turned my head to look at him!

“You have to go with them…okay…?”

“…Yeah…” It was sudden. Like a roller-coaster had started up out of nowhere in my life again. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t get my feet underneath me, or find a way out of the hole I was falling deeper and deeper into. That wall…it was laughing at my futile attempt to scale it.

End of chapter 14