I Never Really Left

Six

TW: Death, Blood

Marylin just began laughing. "It's too late for them," she said. "What did I have them do before you left Y/N?" She asked, a hint of insanity in her eyes. "The worksheet," I responded shakily. "No no. After that," she said. "You wanted them to try to figure out what was in a drink. It was to show them-" My voice stopped. "You didn't," I said. "Oh yes. I did," she laughed. Larissa didn't respond. There was... fear. Fear in her eyes. "What was it?" She asked. "Hemlock," Marylin replied. Larissa was muttering under her breath. "No... that's Belladonna's cure..." she said. "Oh Larissa... Hemlock has no cure," she smiled. We heard coughing outside. I opened the door and my eyes widened. Some kids were coughing up blood, others throwing up, some passing out and shaking. "Oh my god..." I whispered. It was terrifying. "Who didn't drink it?" Larissa asked. "No one. Everyone had at least a sip," Marylin was laughing at this point. It was hard to see her like this. Marylin was like a mother to me sometimes. She was always so sweet and caring. The Marylin I knew would never do anything like this. She always had the students' best interest in mind. I looked at her with pleading eyes. Marylin walked towards me and put a strand of hair behind my ear. She smiled sadly. "Y/N, I would never-" she spoke softly but began to laugh. "I'm-I'm sorry I can't!" She finished, laughing. Tears streamed down my face as she laughed. "I won! I did it! Did you actually think that I cared about you Y/N?" She laughed as she looked at me. "You don't? Do you?" I asked. "No! Of course not! You're useless," she said. I looked at the kids. Most were dead. Eventually, everyone died. We couldn't do anything. Larissa fell to the ground, crying. They were her responsibility. Almost like her own children. She'd felt she failed. I wasn't sad. I was angry. "YOU BITCH!" I screamed. I grabbed my knife and tackled Marylin, putting it to her throat. "Give me one good reason to let you live!" I growled. "Y/N... it's me... Marylin. Don't you remember?" She asked, her voice becoming softer. A million memories of who she was flashed through my mind. She took this moment of weakness to push me off of her and kick me to the side. She grabbed my knife, aiming it at me. "Now, you're going to tell no one my little secret. And you'll let me kill everyone," she smiled. "Last time you broke your deal! And I'd do nothing to hurt this school," I growled. Marylin sighed. "So naive. So blind to the world around you. Don't you get it Y/N? Everyone here is sick. They're sick in the head. No one deserves to live," she said, trying to convince me. "Id rather die than help you!" I said, still on the ground. "Such a shame," she shook her head. "I'll give you one last chance. And maybe... I'll even spare your lover," she said slyly. My eyes darted to Larissa, then back to her. Tears filled my eyes. I kicked her foot, causing her to trip. I grabbed my knife. We had now switched places, yet again. "Dammit Y/N!" She said. She went to get up but I motioned towards the knife in my hand. "You know, I really did think you were my friend. I really did think you cared about me, you know that? Of all the people, I never thought it would be you to betray me," I muttered. She looked away from me. "Oh don't try to act like you feel bad. I'm going to kill you right here, right now. And I'll enjoy it," I lied. It would actually be painful, because I know who she was. But, that wasn't her. It was an illusion of her. "Do it! Prove that you're just as insane as the rest of these kids! Prove my point!" She laughed. I went to stab her but a hand caught my wrist. Larissa's. "Y/N. Give me the knife," her tone was cold and her grip on my hand was tight. It actually hurt. My hand started shaking and I dropped the knife. She caught it by the handle and aimed it Marylin. "I'm not going to let you kill her," She said to me. "I won't let you go down that dark path," she put a strand of hair behind my ear before turning to Marylin. "I'm going to do it," Marylin's eyes filled with tears. She closed her eyes, waiting for it to happen. "Just like sisters..." Marylin said in barely more than a whisper. Larissa hesitated. "Sisters would never do what you did," she said before stabbing her, barely missing her heart. Marylin cried out in pain. I then realized she'd meant to miss her heart. She wanted it to be painful. To be slow. I'd never known her to be so heartless. I looked at Larissa. "Lets see what we can do about the children," she whispered, leaving the room. I headed to follow, turning to Marylin for a split second, pain in her eyes, before looking away and closing the door behind me. I couldn't bare to see her like that. Larissa was standing in the hall. "I'm sorry," I told her. "Don't be. I was the careless one. If I hadn't been late this never would've happened," she said. "Yes. But you were late because of me," I told her. "You think I don't know that?!" She glared at me. "You're the reason I was late! Had you thought me to still be dead, all of these children would be alive! If I hadn't been late they'd be fine! I never should've told you. I should've let you be,". "Larissa... I-" "Leave! Ok. I hate you! Just leave!" She shouted. I know she didn't mean it. But something snapped. I got angry. I walked into the classroom, as she was too angry and upset to notice. Marylin lay passed out on the floor. I took the knife out of her stomach and covered her wound with a towel. "Marylin..." I whispered trying to wake her up. After a few minutes her eyes opened. "Y/N?" She asked putting her hand on my cheek. "Don't touch me," she slowly withdrew her hand. "Why?" She asked, breathlessly. "Because. I know it's stupid... but," I sighed. "You still feel like Marylin to me. I would never let Marylin die. I know you're not her, you're someone else, but... you'll always be Ms. Thornhill to me," I muttered. "Don't," she said. I looked at her confused. "Don't save me. I'm not Marylin. I'm Laurel. And I want nothing more than to have you and the other outcasts dead," she said, truthfully. "You're right. But you're right about the other stuff too. Most of the kids here are insane," I said, honestly. "I'll join you on one condition," I said. "You have to act like Marylin around me ok?" I asked. She nodded weakly. I found some healing herbs and had her shapeshift into a student. I took her to the hospital wing and she was healed within a few days. Larissa- or Mrs. Hollis, hadn't spoken to me for days. Marylin was in the form of a student unless it was just us two, in which she'd shapeshift into herself. "Mare?" I asked. "Don't call me that," she said, annoyed. "Mrs. Thornhill?" I asked with false sweetness. "I'm going to strangle you!" She said. "What was my condition?" I asked. She sighed. "Marylin?" I asked again. "What?" She asked in her nice tone. "Tell me about your day. Your entire day. Leave no details out," I said. She looked at me with confusion and began to go throughout her entire day. I laid back on my bed and listened to her voice. Her fake voice. Marylin's voice. Oh my god. Was I falling for her? Was this my mind's way of getting back at Larissa? Why did I even join her?!