Celia Thorpe

Again? Fuck.

Celia slowly awoke. Her vision was fuzzy and her ears were ringing. Xavier was standing over her, saying her name.

"Celia? Celia, wake up."

Celia sat up, holding her head.

"I'm sorry. I know you're tired. I just need for you to do one more thing." Xavier said apologetically. Inwardly, Celia sighed. She felt as though her body had been through a mangle, then dipped in lava.

Just this.

She thought.

Then I can go to sleep.

Shakily, Celia gripped her brother's hand, trying her best to stand on her feet without wobbling. Knees shaking, Celia's head pounded.

When the darkness on her vision cleared, Celia looked in the direction of Xavier's eye-line.

Wednesday.

Hand crossed across her chest as though at a funeral, Wednesday wore her usual expression of disdain. She looked so normal, Celia didn't notice at first.

Wednesday's eyes were glossy, vacant of the usual death-glare they contained.

From her stomach, a steady stream of crimson blood was slowly flowing slower and slower.

"How long has it been since she stopped breathing?"

Xavier ran his fingers through his hair.
"I don't know. Not long. Can you do it?"

"I think so. I hope so."

"You won't, die, or anything?"

Celia waited before replying.

"No comment."

It took half of her energy to even lift her hands above the dead girl's body. Every bone in Celia's body felt like it was crumbling. Only now did Celia really feel the wound from the dagger Goody had plunged into her stomach.

Goody's words echoed around her head.

"Wednesday will die soon. If your sister attempts to help her, she will follow."

This gave her strength. She wasn't weak, like everyone thought she was. She had to survive this, if only to prove Goody wrong. Celia grasped harder, and began feeling energy flow.

With all her strength, Celia pushed as hard as she could.

It must have been around a minute, but it felt like Celia was on the ground for hours. Every cut Goody has made on her was screaming in pain. Her stomach clenched, but still, she pushed on.

She held on as long as she could, but finally released the pressure. Celia collapsed even further onto the floor, her breath coming thinly, hoping that her effort had not been in vain.

Through ringing ears, Celia heard her brother exhale loudly. Then, another sound. A moan of some sort (get your mind out of the gutter 😉).

Weakly, Celia lifted her head.

Siting up, her brother at her side, was a very confused-looking girl, with dark hair in two pigtails.

Celia spoke through a parched throat, croaking the words out.

"Wednesday?"

Yes, it took a long time. Yes, I promised this would come sooner. Yes, I will make the same promise as last time. Yes, I will probably break it. But hey-ho, at least I tried!