Lean Into Me { scream fanfic }

✮ - echos of the party

I sat alone in my room, the flickering candlelight casting wavering shadows across the walls. The sweet, pungent scent of incense hung heavy in the air, its tendrils winding around me like a shroud. Since that night of the invocation, I had been plagued by a relentless chorus of whispers—indistinct, yet insistent.

         At first, I thought it was the toll of my mind, a consequence of invoking Elowen's spirit. But as days passed, the whispers became more coherent, more directed. They weren't mere echoes of the dead anymore; they spoke to me with purpose, with intent. I would catch fragments of sentences in fleeting moments of silence, words that seemed to float just beyond comprehension. "Chosen one," they murmured, "bearer of gifts," and other phrases that sent shivers down my spine. Sometimes, I felt as though they were guiding me, nudging me towards certain thoughts or actions. Billy, my steadfast companion through this ordeal, noticed the change in me. His eyes would flicker with concern as I drifted away into conversations only I could hear, lost in a world where reality and hallucination intertwined.

         One evening, as the sun dipped below the horizon and the room grew dim, I heard a voice unlike any before. It was clear, commanding yet soothing—a voice that seemed to resonate from within and all around me. "Natalie," it said, "you have been chosen. Embrace your destiny."

         I froze, my heart pounding in my chest. Was this Elowen speaking to me directly, or was it another manifestation of my unraveling mind? I dared not speak aloud, fearing that any noise might shatter the fragile connection.

          The voice continued, revealing secrets of ancient powers, of worlds unseen yet intertwined with ours. It spoke of trials yet to come, of sacrifices that must be made for the greater good. Each word etched itself into my consciousness, imprinting a path I was unsure I could follow.

———

        The invitation to Stu's party beckoned like a distant promise of normalcy amidst the chaos that had become my life. Despite the persistent whispers and the weight of my newfound abilities, I couldn't resist the chance to lose myself in the rhythm of laughter and music, if only for a few hours.

Billy, ever the loyal friend, stayed close as we arrived at Stu's house. The thumping bass greeted us at the door, mingling with the excited chatter of familiar faces. Courtney, bubbly and vibrant as ever, spotted us almost immediately and pulled me into a tight hug. "Natalie! You made it!" Her voice was a welcome distraction from the haunting thoughts that lingered at the edge of my mind. "You look amazing, girl!" I managed a smile, genuinely grateful for her enthusiasm. "Thanks, Courtney. It's good to see you too." She linked arms with me, guiding us through the crowded rooms. We caught up on gossip and shared laughs, the weight of recent events momentarily lifted in the warmth of friendship. For a while, the whispers that haunted me faded into the background, drowned out by the comforting noise of the party.

As the evening progressed, we found ourselves in the midst of a lively conversation with a group of friends from school. Stories flowed freely, punctuated by bursts of laughter and shared memories. I felt a sense of normalcy settling over me, a brief reprieve from the uncertainty that loomed on the horizon.

But then curiosity led me down a quieter hallway, seeking a moment of solitude amidst the festivities. The air grew cooler as I approached the bathroom, the sound of muffled voices and distant music fading into a distant hum. Pushing open the door, I expected nothing more than a quiet moment to collect my thoughts. Instead, a gasp escaped my lips as I froze in place.

There, sprawled on the cold tile floor, lay a figure draped in silence. The room seemed to shrink around me as the realization dawned—someone was dead. Panic rippled through me, mingling with the echoes of disbelief that reverberated through the house.