𝑺𝒕𝒓𝒖𝒈𝒈𝒍𝒆𝒔 || 𝑾𝒆𝒏𝒄𝒍𝒂𝒊𝒓 𝑭𝒂𝒏𝒇𝒊𝒄

The Depths

Joanna's POV:

I'm about to lie down in Enid's bed, my bed for another night or two, when my phone rings. I pick it up, reading the screen. I roll my eyes and decline the call, lying back, legs still dangling off the side.

"You okay?" Enid asks from across the room, getting their bed ready. I lift my head to look at them, she's been trying her best to be kind to me, already more than I deserve, but I can't still see the hate behind her eyes. She is angry at me for what I did and granted, I'm angry at myself. I should never have done that, but I did, and I deserve all the hate in the world.

"Yeah. My dad called me again. I need to go back tomorrow. The longer I stay away, the angrier he'll be."

She nods. She pauses for a moment before speaking once again. "Will you be okay there... with him?"

I pause. Probably not. "Yeah... I'll be okay." I crawl further onto the bed, laying normally on my back, staring up at the glow-in-the-dark stars.

Enid glances to the closed bathroom door where Wednesday was showering before curling into their bed. She pulled the covers to her chin, instinctively inhaling the calming scent of Wednesday. She grabbed her phone and I heard TikTok play quietly.

I close my eyes, feeling the waves of the pain pills kick in, easing the pain in my arm. I close my eyes but, just like the night before, they immediately open again, escaping the flashes of my father. For the most part, I don't get affected by his physical abuse, not as much as I should anyway. But the hurtful words are what haunt me later. Repeating in my mind over and over, keeping my brain from falling asleep.

The pain medication had started taking effect, speeding up the world around me while also slowing it down. Like everything was moving in slow motion, but passing faster than I am able to process. Passing by like a speeding car.

I heard the muffled voices of Wednesday getting into bed with Enid, whispers barely loud enough to hear and not nearly loud enough to understand. I soon realized that they had gone silent, just deep breathing coming from Enid, not quite a snore.

Maybe one more pill will help me sleep.

I grab the small bottle, quietly rattling one pill out. I place it on my tongue and swallow, the dry edges scraping my throat. I watch the stars as the pill kicks in a little while later. But no... they are only stickers. I knew that.

My body became one of someone else. My mind slipped into the realm of my mind I so wish I could control. I dream of the family I once had. Happy, loving, normal. But that was gone. Goodbye, happy family. I thought as it slowly turned to the one I had. Broken, disfunctional, gone.

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two weeks later...

Wednesday's POV:

Jo's gone home. Life is normal... as normal as it gets. Yoko and Divina are nauseatingly obsessed with each other. Ajax is as idiotic as ever. Enid is as... well... Enid as ever. And me... I'm just here. A character repeating the days one by one until maybe one day it will be over. Until maybe something will be different.

Wake up. Go to school. Go back to the dorm. Do homework. Go to seep. Over and over and over again. Neverending. Writing is getting difficult. Nothing inspires me anymore. Everything seems to be gazed over with a beige finish.

Enid is the only color. My light, my love, my reason. My reason to wake. My reason to live. My reason to continue this cycle. Enid is my promise that everything is worth it. Anything is worth it to be in her presence. And I am grateful. I am grateful for my Enid.

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A/N

Hey guys. Been a bit. Ummmm... no excuse tbh. Seasonal depression kicking hard. But hey, when feeling sad, what do you do? You make your characters feel the same way so... there ya go.

Well, I don't have much to say so ig I just hope you enjoyed this REALLY short and boring chapter. I'm sorry for that. Have a good day/night. Bye bye.

Song of the day: Let You Down by NF