Iterum | A Zodiac Story

1| A Warning To the Weary Traveler

Year: 2020

It was a sunny day in a small town in Connecticut. It was unseasonably warm, but most of the students walking into Lincoln High School figured it was due to global warming. It was otherwise a lovely fall day, with crunchy leaves and apple cider in yetis.

Students spilled into the entrance hall, with it only being the second week into the school year. The previous night had been auditions for the school musical, Mamma Mia. A clump of theater kids were crowded around the bulletin board in the music hallways, looking at the cast list.

There were nudges and jumping as more and more of the cast got to see their roles. Some seniors walked away crying, some freshman walked away triumphant. There was a particularly loud reaction from a pink-haired junior.

"Ha! I won! I got the lead!" She yelled. She turned to the girl next to her. "Better luck next time, Sagittarius."

Sagittarius, a skinny girl with fair skin and shoulder-length blonde hair rolled her eyes. She had a bit of a large nose that suited her long face and cheekbones well, and wore golden hoops. Sagittarius glanced at the cast list and saw that she had gotten Tanya, a solid supporting character. But she didn't understand how the other girl, Ella, got Donna.

Ella couldn't sing if her life depended on it. It was actually depressing to the school's theater community how tone deaf she was. It was even more depressing that she thought she was better than everyone.

Sagittarius walked away in aggravation. She could hear some of Ella's friends squealing.

"Oh my GOD!" One shrieked. "You have to tell me your secret!!"

Ella grinned and whispered, "I screwed the director in the auditorium last night. A girl can't pull her punches if she wants to be on broadway."

When Sagittarius heard this, her eyes went wide, her frown turned to a sneer and her hands balled into a fist.

"You bitch!" Sagittarius shrieked, gaining attention from the rest of the hall. Her breaths became more labored. "I cannot believe you!"

Ella laughed. "What are you gonna do it about, side character?"

Let's be clear: Sagittarius threw the first punch. Let's also be clear: Ella deserved it.

Sagittarius punched her square in her nose. Ella fought back with a kick to the shin. However, Sagittarius had a strong arm and a stronger desire to murder Ella. She made an undercut and got Ella's chin, knocking her to the ground. Ella scramblesd to get up as Sagittarius handed her hoops to a nearby boy.

"Don't pull your punches if you wanna be on broadway, Ella," Sagittarius mocked. "But you'll have to screw someone to even let you audition."

Ella lunged at Sagittarius, and the two girls wrestled for about five minutes before anyone even alerted a teacher. The gym teacher came storming into the hallway and blew into his whistle. The crowd covered their ears at the sound of that horrendous shriek.

"What happened?" He shouted as the crowd quieted down. Ella was still pulling Sagittarius' hair, as Sagittarius was trying to hold her away.

Sagittarius immediately piped, "She started it!"

Ella scowled. "You threw the first punch!"

Sagittarius scrunched her nose in scrutiny. "You screwed the director!"

The gym teacher sighed. "I don't get paid enough for this," he muttered. He then shouted, "Everyone clear out! Except Sagittarius and Ella, I expect you in the principals office."