Lesbian Academy (Girlxgirl, Lesbian)

Chapter 55. Purgatory

Chapter55. Purgatory

Choking, whether by hands, rope, or the introduction of a foreign substance in the body felt a lot like being submerged underwater. At first it was alright. There was an extra reserve of air in the lungs. It was in the last few seconds, upon realizing that oxygen would soon run out, that got me panicking. I clawed, scratched, fought to remove the obstruction that was strangling me to death. It seemed that the more I did it, the deeper I was pushed underwater. My chest burned, as did my throat. White spots danced on my eyes, then black. Unconsciousness would consume me if I didn't do anything. With one last attempt to live, I kicked.

My lungs swelled with excess air when the viselike grip loosened. I gulped all of it like I was drinking water, opening my mouth wide. I've never been happier to breathe. When I was sure that death wasn't imminent, I kept my ears peeled for any sound, for my eyes have refused to cooperate for the moment. The screeching of seagulls and the wave crashing on rocks left me with a feeling that I was no longer where I should be, but instead have managed to transport myself in a different place. "There you are," a voice said inside my head. "Zophiel and the jesters were looking for you." It sounded like hazel eyes.

"Can't see," I replied, using the same strange language she used to communicate. Telepathy. My head bobbed up and down the water, which I realized was where I was stranded. An arm went round my chest, keeping me afloat. She had a firm grip, and I was confident that she wouldn't let me drown. There was movement and splashing, telling me that we were moving towards the shore. In time, my legs hit the soft sand, and I was coughing and wiping my face from the saltwater, trying to see. "Thank you," I said.

Four shadowy figures were standing around me, checking if I was alright. When my eyes became clearer, I saw the faces of my friends- the jesters, one scarred on the forehead from an accident when we were younger, the other bedimpled and pretty. Both of them were smiling as if assuring that things would be good. That I was safe. Then there was Zophiel, grey eyes, calming, and friendly. She was the older sister within our group, though technically we were all the same age.

"You should have called for help. We would have heard you even if you were far away," someone scolded. Ah, my favorite. Turning to hazel eyes, I saw the worry etched on her forehead. She tossed her white hair over her shoulder, scowling. "Next time, I won't rescue you," she said.

"Leave her be," Zophiel said, looking me over. "Can you stand?" I nodded, and the jesters pulled me up. They supported me until my legs were no longer buckling underneath me. "Let's get you dry near the fire. Come." I let go of the jesters to show them that I could walk on my own. They went ahead, together with Zophiel. Hazel eyes hung back with me, still glum. Still mad.

"I'm sorry," I said remorsefully. "The water was higher than I anticipated." I didn't like it when she'd give me this treatment. She was supposed to be my confidante. "I was doing a wave calculation by using the speed and the frequency of the ones prior to it when the water crashed. Mother nature didn't like me testing her."

Hazel eyes blinked dolefully at me. "You could have tested it while on land," she said. Farther down the shore, the jesters and Zophiel beckoned for us to walk faster. They had a bonfire working on their end. Hazel and I picked up our speed.

I didn't notice that I was shivering under my clothes till we reached the small group, and I was engulfed in the warmth of the fire. Both of us sat, forming a circle with the others. Tonight was different. I could feel it. There was a festive air about us, though we weren't keen on talking about how excited we were. It was on my skin, and on the animated faces of the jesters, set aglow by the flame. Even the serene Zophiel had joy radiating from her.