All For Not - Wednesday

Page 89

I wake up the same as the day before, eyes tired and bloodshot before I sit up, a metal chunk still in my hands. Looking down I eye the mechanical component, wires all ripped apart, a deranged smile pulling at my lips as I thought about how I ripped apart that damned contraption from the nightshades wall. The sea snake would never get the chance to see my constellation after all, in fact no one would seeing as how I'd slept with it in my hands throughout the night.

I sigh, setting it to the side on my nightstand before I flip my legs over the side of my bed and eye the letter from yesterday, nose twitching as I grab it and open it. Reading over every little word I frown.

~Dear Miss feathertail~

On behalf of the court system you and your sister were appointed to during the previous year, you and your sister have been asked to consider visiting a new psychiatrist and continuing treatment now that you've both completed your assigned time in therapy. As one of the best and most informed psychiatrists dealing with the outcast mind, I would be absolutely thrilled to have you join me for a few sessions.

I do hope you consider joining me at Willow Hill Psychiatric Hospital for a session and if so, please call the institute and ask for me by name, I'll pick up the phone at any time.

~Yours truly, Dr. Rachael Fairburn~

Sighing I throw the letter aside and stand, hearing Enid walk over to Wednesday's side, clearly talking to her. Frowning I walk a few steps forward, intent on taking a step on the balcony after I feed my feeder fish.

Licking my teeth I yawn, stepping in front of the tank to look at the little things and care for them as I subtly listen to Enid's issues with Ajax. When I lift the lid I hear a door open and then what sounds like a soft wooden trigger being pulled and paired with a shriek from Enid.

In seconds of the noise I'm struck, a sharp pain shooting into my chest over where my heart sleeps inside me. I choke, looking down to see an arrow, a picture stuck to it. I could feel the blades, the bladed prongs twisted under my flesh as I stand there frozen.

Suddenly the curtain blocking my side of the room is pulled back and I'm revealed.

Looking up in my surprise I meet Wednesday's wide eyes with a rage filled gaze as Enid panics and screams, exhaling a deep puff of smoke I tear my eyes away from my sister and look down, reaching up and touching the arrow that sticks out of my chest. Grabbing onto the wood while ignoring the photo shoved onto its tiny pole I yank, the arrow ripping from my meat and flesh to splatter bright fiery blood onto my feeder fish tank, painting the glass and part of the lid.

Looking back up I fling my hand to the side, sending the arrow sailing and smacking against the floor like a smooth stone on water letting it bounce across the floor a few times before it rolled over hitting the corner of Enid's new nightstand.

Enid shrieks as she watches me rip it out and toss it, my nose twitches as I let out an uncontrolled screech that makes the window rattle while they cover their ears with their hands at the sheer volume.

When I stop I pant, skin smoking, eyes smoldering, chest stitching itself together as my blood dries into my sleepwear. They lower their hands slowly while looking up at my wild eyes, "Holy shit," Enid breaks the silence as my eyes snap to hers in a delirious way, "Morella? Are you...are you okay?"

Wednesday calms down, shock turning stoic on her face as she walks away and around Enid, moving to the arrow to grab it without a single word. Enid's jaw is dropped, gawking at me as my hands start to crack, my mind buzzing and eyes hazing, "Wednesday..." She says softly watching how my hands catch with flames and it grows slowly up my wrists before it shoots up to my elbows.

"Wednesday!" Enid yells and finally gets her attention, the pigtailed goth turning in time to see me step to the side as I begin to circle the bookshelf, tank forgotten, eyes locked on something behind Enid but foggy with red and unseeing pupils. Wednesday freezes as Enid backs away from my slowly approaching being, the wolf oblivious, she watches calculating before looking to Enid's bed and moving with a quickness gained by practice.

Grabbing a thick white woolen blanket from the colorful bed she rushes, skipping over to me with her thick boots before bundling the blanket into halves and wrapping it around me to grab my arms through the wool. The blanket catches fire as she twists me around, "Enid, window, now!"

Enid springs past us and yanks open the window before turning and jumping towards us as Wednesday tries to push me closer to the panes, Enid grabs me helping her just as the fire fully envelopes the blanket, singing the skin of their palms and making them hiss and yelp before Wednesday kicks her foot out and hits me in the back with the thick black platform, effectively pushing me through the window opening where I land on the stone balcony floor.

The blanket of fire covers me, burning down to cinders as I screech, wings popping from my skin with the cracks of growing and popping bones. I thrash on the stones, turning to the window where Wednesday and Enid stand in shock, hands burned raw before Wednesday grabs Enid and yanks her to the side to gain cover.

Then I pop, bursting into flames like an atomic bomb. The balcony is covered in fire as it whirls around me, flames beating and smashing into the windows that shatter from the force, scattering glass into the dorm room.

Fire barrels into the room and over the balcony before suddenly it stops and I let out a deathly sound like an aztec whistle or a wailing howl of vocal chords being ripped apart mid belt.

Silence takes over as my body burns bright, tinges of blue sparking up in different spots like little fireworks amongst the red hot flames, my eyes locked onto something at the dorm rooms door. I watch how her figure appears with a startled noise before she gasps and disappears again, door opening and slamming shut behind her, unbeknownst to me neither Enid nor Wednesday seeing her like I had.

My eyes shift as I burn brighter, looking over to the side at where Enid and Wednesday were hiding. I can hear them, the panicked breathing and the scared whimpers of Enid, glass still trickling from the panes frame and falling off other things.

Stepping back in clarity I turn, walking towards the balcony before I grab onto a stone and lift myself up, wings stretching out before I jump. My body breaks apart and I fully shift into an inhuman form. Wednesday and Enid, only coming out from hiding after I'd disappeared into a dive, they run, hitting the balcony and leaning over the edge at the sight of me gone only to see me leaving, a phoenix on fire flying off towards the cottage before they lose sight of me.

But when I get to the cottage I dive down, landing haphazardly after trying to break my dive with a couple heavy winged flaps. I stumble onto the grass, landing on my side where I light a patch of green on fire accidentally before I manage to roll over somewhat and get up as I push a wing down into the ground to help.

Righting myself I flap my wings letting the fire sizzle down a bit before I flap them harder and lift myself up so I could get closer and perch myself on the windowsill of the parlor. My beak opens and I scratch against the wooden seal lightly, looking around for my mother only to find her not there at all.

Then when I turn and see the dark water filled clouds overhead, I hear my mothers voice through the pane of glass. I turn back watching how she enters the parlor with an old landline phone in hand, "I'm only asking for you to consider donating to the school mother, that does not mean I'll take your advice on what to do with my daughter. Morella is under control," I reel back looking away when I hear my name, "And if that's the case then Gomez and I will handle her ourselves." I fly off at her words, not sparing another moment to listen or wait for her to see me as I fly off.