The stories that killed their writer

Chapter 23: Change of roles

Lana's POV

I let out a deep breath as I finished yet another chapter in the book I was currently writing. I smiled proudly at it. This whole process was going smooth, it was going much easier. Maybe because I hadn't seen Shax in a very long time. Sometimes I wondered where Shax went, did it just leave? Did it find a way to break free?

"How's writing going?"

I looked to my right. "It's going well," I nodded. "I've got no one to bother me so I can write without any interruptions."

She nodded.

I turned away from my computer and looked at her. "It's different, seeing you in this role."

Leila smiled at me. "Well, you're in charge."

I let out a chuckle. "Is Christina nearby?"

Leila looked down, blushing. "She's busy," She looked at me. "She's in a meeting with Wednesday and Estelle."

I nodded, I couldn't hide my amusement. It was cute to see how Leila and Christina got together. It was something to get used to though: Leila getting involved with someone else than Estelle. I've always written about Leila, she's the main character: the teenage girl in all my stories. But usually, the other main character would be Estelle: a witch or a teacher. After a dream I had, Christina got into the picture, becoming the new main character alongside Leila, and being a vampire.

"I'm happy for you," I smiled at her. "I love seeing you two together."

Leila nodded. "I wish the storyline would be a bit happier though," She eyed me. "Why do you have me run away from my family?"

I shrugged. "That's how the dream goes..."

She rolled her eyes before looking at the computer screen. She then gasped. "I'll get bitten?!" She then looked at me. "And pregnant?"

I chuckled again.

"Not funny!" She crossed her arms. "I'm still young, you know."

I nodded. "As I said, that's how the dream goes..."

"That's an easy excuse..."

"Yep." I then looked back at the computer and continue writing. As always, my fingers would type on their own while I would say the lines in my mind. It baffled me how easy this went, how the words just seemed to come to me. I truly loved doing this.

"So..." Leila leaned down on the desk I was seated at. "Does Melody know?"

I instantly looked at her. "What?"

"You know..." She paused before smirking. "About Stephanie..."

I looked down.

"I see that's a 'no'?"

I looked at her. "You know very well there's nothing to say about Stephanie."

"Oh really?" Leila went to sit down on my desk. "How about your lunch date with her? Or your conversation in the park? Or your dinner date? Or the fact she took you home? Or - "

"Those were all friendly-based trips."

"Are you sure about that?"

I looked at her. "Yes," I nodded as if convincing myself. "Yes, I'm sure."

Leila nodded before she looked up and smiled. "Hey."

I turned around and smiled. "Hey, Christina."

Christina stepped closer to us, immediately I saw how she had changed too: into her new role. She went straight to Leila and kissed her, before looking at me. "Hey Lana, how are you?"

I nodded. "I'm doing well, how are you?"

She nodded while wrapping her arms around Leila. "I'm fine though, I have to admit, I have to get used to being a vampire now."

Leila chuckled "You mean 'them', haewa."

"Right," She nodded before looking at me. "Why not just call me a vampire? Wouldn't that be way easier?"

I shrugged. "That's how the dream goes..."

Leila rolled her eyes while Christina nodded.

"Have you heard anything from Shax?" I asked, I was curious about her meeting with Wednesday and Estelle.

"Nope," She sighed a bit, indicating she was worried too. "It's been quiet, too quiet..."

"I agree," I sighed as I leaned back. "Maybe it's because I haven't had a dream about it...?"

Christina nodded. "Maybe..."

"Did Shax appear in the other stories though?" Leila suddenly asked.

"Well yes," I frowned. "Maybe I did get rid of it?" I smiled then. "That'd be great."

"It would," Christina didn't seem happy. "But let's not jump to conclusions," She then looked at Leila. "Let's go, haewa."

I watched them walk away to who knows where before I looked back at my document. It's true, I hadn't had a dream about Shax, I hadn't written about Shax in quite some time... Did it leave? Dit it really leave? Was I finally free?

___________________________

"It just vanished?"

"It seems like it," I nodded slowly before looking at the little notebook. "I haven't seen Shax since... Since it tried getting to me while I was writing." I looked down then, gulping. 

"Are you ok?"

I looked up at Stephanie, Dr.Hansen during therapy. "Yeah," I cleared my throat. "It's just an adjustment, I don't know, it's difficult to explain."

She nodded, I loved how much she listened to me. Sure, it was her job, but I could see she really cared about what I was saying. She really wanted to help, she really wanted to find solutions for my feelings, my thoughts, my problems...

I looked at the little notebook. "Shax has been with me for years... Now that it's gone," I paused. "It almost seems as if I lost a piece of me."

"What piece did Shax represent?"

I looked at her. "Shax is..." I sighed deeply. "Shax is everything I'm not," I gulped. "Courageous, brave, a fighter, not afraid, determined..." I nodded. "It's everything I'm not." I repeated.

"Everything you said, you are, Lana."

I looked up at Stephanie. I blinked a few times.

"You're courageous and brave for writing down your most inner fears, you're a fighter for battling with Shax all these years, you're not afraid in your battle with Shax, and you're determined to be a writer and do what you love," Stephanie smiled at me. "You're way better than Shax."

I looked down, smiling. Hearing someone say these things... It did something to me, it touched me to the core. Sometimes it baffled me how words can hold so much meaning, so much power. Thankfully, also good power.

After some time of silence, I looked at Stephanie. She was smiling at me, she hadn't said anything, she had given me time to process what she had said. I appreciated that. "Thank you." I smiled at her.

She leaned in closer, putting her hand on mine. "You're welcome."