Disclaimers: All the usual. I can't seriously think that anyone would believe I have a claim to any of the characters.
Always happy to receive reviews/comments etc. In the unlikely event anyone thinks this is worth reposting on other sites, feel free.
"Hi Joyce" THWACK "Mind if I come in?"
"Ruby Sunset, Burgundy Skyline...Harlot. Huh. Way to go Joyce."
"Now, normally I wouldn't be going for a colour this dark, but I read in a magazine, eight months in a coma will damage a girls natural skin tone"
"Good thing pale is in this year"
"Or was it last year...? Anyway, for real now. I want to ask you something, you'll be honest and not spare my feelings just because I could kill you. Promise?"
"I promise"
"Ok. How do I look?"
"Psychotic"
"I was shooting for 'sultry', but hey. Bet I know what you're thinking."
"Really"
"You're thinking,'You'll never get away with this'. Warm?"
- Last year's girl.
Next year's Girl.
"Actually I was thinking..."
"...that you daughter's gonna come home soon and kill me" I hear my voice rising in anger...
SLAM!, a the front door smacks shut and a voice carries up to the bedroom, barely audible "Mom?"
Show time! Odd. She looks like someone just kicked her in the gut?
Foot steps, running up the stairs...
Ok. Ok. How to play this...
coming towards the bedroom...
back to the door, my dagger ready...
Door opens, footsteps running...
"Mom?... "
That voice?
"Faith you're ba..."
No time to think, spin around and….
"Dawn! Stop!" Screams Mrs S
"Dawn?" Dawn? Dawn. She has me in a big hug. She's smiling. Glad to see me? Wait. I look down, so does she.
The dagger.
She looks back up at me, so many emotions in her eyes. Shock, pain, disappointment. I've seen that look before.
All I can hear is my breathing.
"Faith?" I think she says.
Blood.
"Dawn? Dawn...I...I..."
My mouth is moving, but no sound comes out. Dawn. She drops to her knees, her mom rushes past me to catch her as she falls.
She... hugged me. They must never of told her...what I...I did.
"I...I'll call an ambulance" I say, turning to the phone by the bed. I drop the dagger. Mrs S looks at me like I've gone crazy (HA!), then nods, and turns back to Dawn.
"911, what is your emergency?" The voice snaps me out of it.
"There's been an accident." I say, I sound like cardboard, hard to talk when you can't really breathe. "My..friends sister...a knife..I..I didn't mean" I didn't. Not her.
"Where are you calling from Miss?"
Think, think, think. "1630 Revello Drive, Sunnydale" The words come out automatically, I hear myself like I'm listening to the radio.
"What's your name"
"I..my name? F..Faith."
"Ok Faith, tell me what happened"
"I had a knife, she ran at me... I turned..there's blood.." I look at my hands...there's blood everywhere
"Ok Faith, an ambulance is on its way. Is there anyone with you?"
"Her mom" My hands, covered in blood. It's cold here...I didn't know...I didn't know
"How does the wound look? Is the knife still in?"
"No...I.. there's just. .blood"
"Is the bleeding heavy, fast?"
"I don't..." I call to Mrs S "How bad is it?" I sound like a whiney dumb ass.
She's cradling Dawn, rocking her. There is so much blood.
"There's a...lot of blood" I reply, my throat tightening
"Ok. Tell her to get a piece of clothing and push hard on the wound. Is your friend's sister still concious?"
I look at Dawn, she's pale, but still awake.
"Yeah, she's awake"
"That's good Faith. The ambulance should be with you shortly. Are you ok?"
Am I? I'm shaking.
"Five by five" I croak out. Sirens in the distance. "I gotta go.. I think I hear the ambulance" I hang up, not waiting for a reply.
I stand up... barely noticed I'd sat down on the bed. I move towards the two of them, huddled on the floor, Dawn looks so pale, she's breathing fast, in gasps, Mrs S looks at me like I'm, well not the most popular girl at the party.
"I...I..." Don't have a damn clue what to say "I didn't...I...I'm sorry" I am. What am I doing here? I feel numb as I walk down the stairs to the front door to call in the ambulance guys, directing them to the bedroom.
A minute or so later one of them charges past me to get something from the ambulance.
"Is..is everything ok?" I ask like an idiot. I can tell it's not ok from the look on his face as he rushes back carrying another large bag.
This is my fault. Good job Faith, you've screwed everything up again. But I know how to fix it this time, and I don't have any other choice. No where left to run. My body feels like it's made of lead as I move back inside the house, into the lounge and pick up the box on the table.
At the top of the stairs I hesitate. Can I really do this? I grit my teeth and move to the bedroom door, I have to.
The medics are doing things to Dawn, putting in tubes, there's a defibra-thingy nearby.
"Haven't you done enough!?" Mrs S more angry than I have ever seen her looks at me, more hate than I can describe in her eyes. Understandable.
"I..I'm.." I start
"Don't say it!" she hurls back at me.
"I can make it better" I say, my voice sounding strangled, my eyes burning.
I open the box, put on the device, and move towards Dawn. The medics are exchanging worried glances. It's now or never.
"I'm...I'm so sorry Dawn" I tell the young girl laying on the floor, both of us barely breathing as I lift her hand up.
A brilliant flash of light as we clasp palms...and oh God! The pain...so familiar. I look up at..myself, Dawn, looking at her new hands. Heh, I look hot when I'm confused.
Getting fuzzy now, blackness creeping in at the edges of my eyes. Dawn leans in close to my ear..
"I forgive you". She says.
I manage a weak smile as my vision starts to fail. I can hear my heart beating, so slowly. So much pain, but all the hurt is gone now.