The Start Of An Age - Taylor Swift

chapter 11: folklore to the rescue!!

TW: Self-harm

~reputation~

"So what's up with you and Lover, you guys fuck yet?" asked my sister casually through the bathroom door. I couldn't help but blush and smile to myself. She easily read the silence and spoke slowly. "Oh? Tell me everything, when was it? Where? Was she good?" She sounded so excited for me, it was hard to believe she could ever be mean to anyone in moments like this. 

"The best.." I whispered quietly, too quietly for Karma to hear. "Is that really a good subject for when you're taking a dump?" I asked and laughed softly. I could feel Karma roll her eyes at me which made me laugh harder. 

"Ugh, you're so annoying, I am not doing that, no way," she answered with fake annoyance. 

"Then what the hell is taking you so long?" I asked, honestly confused. Then I heard a loud noise as something fell to the ground. "Karma, what are you doing in there?" I asked and knocked on the door. 

"Oops, uh nothing, I'll be out in a sec," she answered quickly. "Anyways, tell me more about you and Lover, are you together or just fucking?" she continued, but she sounded distracted, like she was focused on something else. 

"I don't know," I answered to get the questions out of the way. "What are you doing Karma? Please come out." She started humming an upbeat melody, but she seemed distressed as she started singing the words in a low voice, like she was trying to calm herself down. Then I heard a sound that gave me goosebumps. She was throwing up. "Are you okay?" I asked, getting more worried by the second. 

"Mhm," she replied as she continued retching. Then the sound of the toilet flushing filled the bathroom and the door unlocked. I took a step back to give my sister room to open the door, but she didn't. When I started hearing her quietly sobbing I grabbed the handle and opened myself.

Karma was sat on the floor, leaning against the bathtub staring into the wall, tears streaming down her face silently. She looked even paler than usual, which I didn't think was possible until now. Her face was white-ish green, her short hair a mess and her clothes stained pink and wet from trying to rub something off. Then something red on the floor next to her caught my attention and I quickly searched her for the source. Her ankles were oozing red, and so was her right shoulder. 

"What the fuck, Kam!" I yelled as I dropped to the floor in front of her. She didn't even look at me as I grabbed her arms and shook her. "I leave you alone for 10 minutes, not even that, and this is what you do?" I stood up and sprinted over to the toilet behind her and grabbed a roll of toilet paper. Then I frantically ran back to Karma and started pressing the paper on her cuts. 

"I'm sorry," she whispered, tears entering her mouth as she spoke. My breaths became heavier as I started to panic. I felt myself starting to cry, soft sobs escaping my lips. That made Karma look at me. 

"folklore!" I screamed, my voice breaking. I had no idea what to do, I was panicking. The last time this happened I almost lost my sister, even if this wasn't half as bad as then. 

My vision became more and more clouded as I fell backwards. I just sat there, staring at my sister and she stared back at me. My lungs felt full, like there was no room for more oxygen. I attempted to breathe but it was impossible, instead I was left gasping for air as my head pounded and my mouth ran dry. 

"Oh my-" said folklore's voice from behind me. She reached for the shelves and grabbed some rubbing alcohol and cotton pads, as well as bandages and walked over to Karma. She quickly started caring for her wounds without as much as a flinch from her patient. 

Then I felt something on my shoulders and Lover moved to sit down next to me. "Hey," she said softly, "It's okay, just breathe. Everything's going to be okay. Karma will be fine, rep." She smiled at me warmly, trying to hide her worry, but it showed anyway. "Come here, everything's okay," she continued as she wrapped her arms around me and started rocking from side to side as she held me. "Just breathe, my love."