Square one

meo tantum, sperare part 2 (pars duorum)

Hope's POV:

"When I said I wanted for us to hang out, this is certainly not what I meant- like- at all." I am looking down at a corpse that was found, luckily, before it was called in to the police department. I roll my eyes, "Ok who the hell is he? Wait- I recognize through the mush that half gone jacket. It's the councilman. The one who told us to stop being horny hormonal teenagers, like we were fucking under the table." I scoff. Lizzie grins, "Oh well. Shame he'll never get to think that fantasy later." "Oh god- Lizzie no. Surely he doesn't believe that's what we were genuinely up to?" She looks at me incredulously, "I am hurt. Really? So you can't imagine us fucking under the table?" I go red, "Lizzie what the fuck?" "I was kidding. Jesus tribrid, keep your growling for the moon. Anyways- Alyssa Chang discovered him on her 'early morning jog', whatever the fuck that actually is. Any idea what turned this dickwad into mush?" I look around, noticing a carving of the word 'Croatoan', on the door near his body. "Croatoan." "What?" "Call it a hunch, Elizabeth, but I believe it's a Croatoan. It was ever so discreet." I point to the carving. She shrugs gagging at the sight of the blob of mushy human left. I grab her hand, dragging her away from it all, and call a cab. "We need to get the squad together."                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 Once everyone was assembled, apart from Josie, who was probably at the Commonwealth parade, we discussed the meaning behind the word 'Croatoan', where it has been seen before, and the course of action. "The monster is here, and it's after Landon, so we need to keep him safe." Kaleb looks at me pissed, "And what gives a girl from Mystic Falls the right to give us orders?" "She's a witch-" "She's a wolf-" "I-I'm a tribrid..." Lizzie looks at me slapping me in the chest. I glare at her. "Anyways, she killed the Oni, and the Minotaur, and I filled her in on Malivore, so..." "WAIT THERE WAS A MINOTAUR." God, why did I date this nerd? Correction, why am I dating this nerd? Oh wait. We're so alike, that's why. Starting to dislike him just a tad. "Yes, and not everything is about you Landon, god!" Lizzie scoffs, and I stifle a giggle at her reaction. "So... the plan of action is that I will take Landon, and perform a barrier sp-" "What she ACTUALLY means to say is that I will babysit the bird, while everyone else goes to Commonwealth day, and Hope- does her whole... nerd monster hunting deal thing." After everyone leaves I pull Lizzie aside. She looks at me concerned, "Look I know you want to be with your boyfriend or whatever-" "LIzZie I am more worried about you blowing my secret to him. I'd rather stay by him than have it blown." I raise my eyebrow, making knowing eyes at her. "I'll just talk about star wars or that marvel nerd porn or whatever." She says shrugging, "It'll be fine. Stop getting your panties in a twist. Save that for him later." I growl at her, certainly not the time for that comment. She struts away, and then Raf decides to join me, as I head for the woods. I pick up some foliage from the ground, inhaling it's scent. Raf just stared at me stuttering about how much he enjoyed my company, as he was still getting used to everything. He went on about how talking to me helps him, which I found sweet, until he tried to flirt then I just started to brush it all off. "I'm not afraid of technicalities," he says, as I raise my eyebrow, and wander off, not wishing to hear much more of it. 

Lizzie's POV:
I have to keep the nerd company. WHOOPIE! Kill me before my brain is infested by his nerd cooties. "S-So I saw you and hope hanging out-" Oh god here we go. "And I was just wondering.... if she's seeing anyone?" He eyes me, and I scoff in response, my eyes threatening daggers, "You are dating Josie, remember hobbit?" "I-I was asking for Rafael. He likes her- but he thinks she's been or will be taken... that's why I ask." "Yeah. Good. It would be a really crappy move to shift your sights elsewhere. And no, technically she isn't taken." "Technically?" I nod, trying to focus on other things rather than Hope's secret, which has become increasingly difficult. 

"T-Tell me. Where do you stand on ewoks?" God he doesn't shut up after I say that. He jabbers away, pacing about, before I follow him to the kitchen where he makes a sandwich. "... And that is where I stand on ewoks." He waves about his stupid sandwich, and I grab it, eating a bit, feeling like I deserved it. "Alright, now, I'm going to take a nap- OH MY GOD! AH!" I drop the sandwich, the Croatoan seizing me by the neck. I flail, feeling helpless, afraid of what would happen next, but luckily, Landon swooped in with the knife and chop chop chopped. We both run for the room where I'd lit the candle, and Landon slams the door shut. "I think it's after you, Lizzie." "Me? WHat do I have that it would ever wish to possess? Other than good looks and great hair, duh. Sorry. Staying on topic." He struggles with the door, "UM I NEED HELP. I don't have super strength, why does everyone assume I do?" "Buddy, no one does. That's all you birdy. Why would any of us believe you're actually strong enough to fight for yourself- Sorry. That was harsh." The phone rings, and as I pick it up, I hiss, "Talk fast." MG fills me in on this being, and hooo boy we are in for a shit show. Screw you Hope Andrea Mikaelson this is all your fault. Stupid martyr complex. As the door comes crashing down and birdy boy has stepped away, we rush out.

Hope's POV: 

I find Lizzie on the verge of spilling my secrets by the cells. I shut her up immediately and Landon looks up to me. "So this is about you." I sent Landon off with Raf, telling them Lizzie and I would try to keep the Croatoan at bay as best as we could. I pull her into the gym with me, "You were going to tell Landon everything. We had a deal." I pout, a little upset. I pull her towards me, when I see a silhouette behind the door, and we both shriek when the Croatoan puts it's arm in the way of the door closing, and we step back together. "It feeds off of secrets! Ok... um... spill?!" She shakes her head, "I'd prefer to die with dignity." "OK! Fine I'll start... um... I-I stole your jade butterfly clip in the fifth grade." She looked so pissed, "I LOVED THAT CLIP! I KNEW IT!" I look to her to spill, but she says nothing, "I had a crush on Josie for a week when we were fourteen." I let it pour from my mouth, my cheeks red. A lot more than a week Hope. "Read. My. Lips. The two of you are never happening." She turns to me. "You can't be serious. You aren't the judge of that." I say, unable to stop myself. "OK LIZZIE NOW WOULD BE A GOOD TIME TO FOCUS!" "Right. Um- I killed your hamster, siphoned you to cheat on finals, and-" "THERE'S MORE?" "I-I actually think you're kind of cool!" I look at her. She's so ridiculous. This is ridiculous. We're all going to die. "It's not working. It needs to know my secret. That I'm back." I see a figure behind the monster, "I'm back too." Josie. Jojo. Josette. She screams an incantation, blasting it towards us both, time freezing. The Croatoan vanishes. I see her fall slowly, and I swoop her up in my arms, as Lizzie squeaks her name. I cradle her in my arms. "Jojo. I am so sorry." I mutter to the unconscious girl.