INTO THE FIRE ● TWST

CHAPTER SEVEN: THE ONE WHERE I DIE

YOU WERE SO EMBARRASSED- passing out not once, but twice was crazy. You awoke in what you assumed was the infirmary, going by the bright lights and sterile smell. It seemed you were up early again, a few rays of light making their way into the room. You yawn, sitting upright on the cot, taking note of the empty room. "Where'd the nurse go.." You mutter, stretching your stiff and sore muscles. Running a hand through your hair, you're disappointed to note the tangles- which were not there yesterday. Despite being unable to see a mirror, you were willing to place money on the fact that you looked like hell- considering what you had gone through last night. You still struggled to wrap your head around everything that had occurred, from charring a statue to breaking a chandelier to almost getting killed. This would make a crazy storytime.

"Speaking of yesterday, I wonder...."

You pull the blankets off your body and peek at your wound- which was the reason you had ended up in here in the first place. The last you remembered, it was deep, bloody, and was mixed in with the inky substance on the monster. Looking at it now, it seemed you had just scraped your knee. The gash had healed somewhat, and all that remained was a small unicorn band-aid covering it. Cautiously, you poked around it, and when you didn't react, you flexed your leg. There was no pain, apart from a small ache- but that was all over your body. Whatever they did to fix your leg, they did it well- you felt as though you were gaslighting yourself into believing it was that deep yesterday.

You push yourself off the cot, swinging your legs over the side and onto the floor. Now what do I do? You didn't fully trust your navigational sense, but you needed to get back to Ramshackle, take a hot shower, and find Grim. Knowing him, he's probably run off somewhere. You groan at the thought of chasing him down, and you're tempted to just pass out until someone finds you, but after feeling the dried blood matted in your hair, you make the decision to go back to your dorm.

Unfortunately for you, after roaming the corridors, it seemed as though the school was empty, and you assumed everyone was in their dorms- wherever that was. You vaguely remember the way, and after messing up multiple times, you finally find your way outside. It was colder than you'd expected, and you waste no time in hurrying back to Ramshackle, you think you'd die if someone saw you right now.

It seemed you had forgotten of the absolute tip Ramshackle was, and you are unpleasantly reminded that you live in a fucking trash can upon entering. You scowl, picking your way across the discarded furniture. You had cleaned enough for it to be habitable, and enough for you to stop sneezing every time you walked somewhere, but there was still a lot of work to be done. You add cleaning to your mental to-do list, which at the top had SHOWER- in all caps and highlighted. The stairs creak under your weight, and you wince at the sound they produce- you hated living in a haunted house. On your way to the bathroom, you pass by Grim, who was in the center of your bed, curled up and snoring peacefully. It was times like these that made you forget that he was the devil incarnate.

The shower was honestly one of the greatest experiences of your life- the water was hot and eased your aching muscles, and thanks to the products you 'bought', the room smelled of steam and berries. You watch the water turn red at your feet as you wash your hair, scrubbing shampoo into your roots. You sigh in contentment, letting the water envelop you. You felt clean and more prepared for your first day of school. Ha- sike. You hang your head, groaning at the thought of your first day. "Man, this is gonna be so embarrassing." Not only were you starting a day late, but you were also magicless and a girl. Just the thought of the bullshit the boys would put you through was draining your will to live. You didn't think you'd be starting school again- you get transported to a magic world and you have to study mathematics instead of becoming the Chosen One or something. On the bright side, this was your opportunity to start over. You were armed with knowledge from another world, so maybe you're secretly a genius. As if. Knowing your luck, you'd probably be failing all your classes. You came to a resolution in your musings- you would go out there and kick ass. You'd make sure you were the hottest, smartest (maybe), and coolest girl anyone had ever met. You were not going to be caught lacking.