𝖼𝗋𝗈𝗌𝗌𝗋𝗈𝖺𝖽𝗌 | 𝗁𝗈𝗅𝖾𝗌 2003

¹² the sylvia plath effect

(tw: mentions of su!c!de, death and spiders)

Four days had passed since I woke up to a spider on my face. The same had happened to Taylor and Tarantula had made up her mind about all of us at camp.

She ate in silence and sat alone. She woke up, dug her hole and sat in her tent. Occasionally she'd join us in the Wreck Room but even then she isolated herself. She sat in the corner of the room with a notepad and pencil in hand and every once in a while looked up and glared at me.

She made snarky comments under her breath about Taylor and I when we walked past and ignored or shoved past everyone else. I couldn't tell if I pitied or resented the girl. I wished she'd fall into a hole or stub her toe or something.

"Let me tell you man, we're burnin' up back here. It's global warming." Zigzag complained. We stared digging a few hours ago and it had to have been one of the hottest days this year.

"The hole in the ozone is directly above my head." "The holes in your head," someone told him, making us all laugh.

I nodded in agreement. "It's hotter than the oven Sylvia Plath stuck her head in."

They all turned to look at me funny. "...what?" I shrugged. "Who's Sylvia Path?" Zig asked. "Plath. And she was a poet. She killed herself by sticking her head in an oven. She's great. Wrote one of my favourite books.

Oh and there's this thing, an effect or theory named after her. Basically that poets are sadder than most people, so they're more likely to.. stick their head in ovens..."

"Man, you're weird." Armpit said, I looked up at him to smile but my face dropped immediately There was a rattlesnake less than a meter away from Barfbag and he was staring at it intently.

"Man, what you doin'?!" X yelled. The boy was now climbing out of his hole. "Barfbag, stop!" I warned. "It ain't that bad! Come on, man!"

"Come on, man! This ain't funny, dog." We all yelled for him to stop. He ignored us and yanked off his boot.

"Get back, Barfbag, for real! Come on! What are you doin'?!" All of our tent were stood there, too shocked to move but not enough to try to get him to move.

"Barfbag, deal with it, baby!" Someone called out as he pulled off his sock. "Lewis, stop it! Right now!" I begged. His foot hovered over the snake and it tapped against the shaking tail.

Lewis screeched in agony and fell to the floor in tears. "Pendanski! Mr Sir! Help!" I screamed out. I clambered out of my nearly dug hole, Squid and Magnet following.

The snake had slithered away but the time we got to the boy but he still lay there, writhing in pain. He foot was red and begging to swell. I pulled my canteen and poured water over his face. "Lewis, don't worry. You-You'll be fine. I promise." Maybe Barfbag was a poet too...

"Move out the way." Mr Sir was stood behind me. We moved slightly but still crowded around Barfbag. Zero placed a hand on my shoulder as Mom came sprinting over, phone in hand and held to his ear.

"Man, that was stupid." Zigzag muttered to half conscious Barfbag. "Ricky. Not the time." I snapped. I really hoped Lewis would be okay, it was quite stupid of him. He could've died, but at least he won't be here. Hopefully he can go home once he's better.

The rest of the day was filled with an awkward silence. Over dinner no jokes were made, no food stolen, no debates on aliens existence or if Jennifer Aniston really was that hot.

We all missed Barfbag. I couldn't help but cry as he was carried away into an ambulance. "I'm gonna miss him." I muttered to Squid. "His hospital bill is gonna cost a fortune."

The brunette boy hadn't left my side since. Either seeking or provide some sense of comfort. Walking into the slightly cooler mess hall again after dinner was quiet.

Pendanski called an 'emergency counselling session'. Taking my seat on the floor between Squid and Magnets legs I fiddled with my short hair.

"Hello, campers!" Mom greeted, his shit-eating grin was ever present. Why wouldn't it be when a child almost died today!? "Now, I understand you are all very upset about Lewis. But I spoke to the doctors and he will be fine."

He rambled for a while and I among everyone else ignored him. The floor boards were far more interesting anyway. Eventually our lack of cooperation bored the man and he sent us to bed.

"At least he'll live." I said, changing into my nightwear. "Yeah, at least he'll live." Magnet agreed. Squid gave me a supportive smile and got in his own cot.

None of us slept that night. We were all awake but there was nothing to say. After an hour or two of staring at the tent roof I got up and crept over to Squid. He shuffled over and pulled the thin blanket over the two of us.

I lifted his hand and fiddled with the thin, worn bracelets he wore on his wrist. Pulling a red and blue one from his wrist I put it on and took a green and white bracelet of my own on him. It matched the yellowing one he already wore.

I dropped his hand and my eyes began to droop. He looked at me and as I was drifting off, he kissed me gently on the forehead.

(lily speaks!:

howdy! I've had so much homework and I've been struggling to think of what to write next but I've finally got this chapter done (although it is quite a short one). I went to the park to do my English homework but ended up writing this then reading 'the virgin suicides' instead. Oh well. I've started adding trigger warnings just in case they're needed, cause I'm kinda oblivious.

Thank you all so so so much for 1.7k reads I am in pure shock. Also, I may have an IT fanfic in the works...? Would you guys be interested in that? Lmk. Anyway stay safe and hydrate lovelies.

Thank you again and ily

-lils x )