Yes, yes. I know, I have like, five or six other stories that need to be finished, but I love this plot, and I want to break out of my little junior high school-like plots (and spelling, and grammar, and downright awfulness) and I thought that this was the perfect oppurtunity to do so. Every chapter will have song in it, and I highly recommend listening to the songs because I think that they add to the story, but you'll still (hopefully) enjoy it without them. The song in this chapter, and the title of the story, is Strawberry Gashes by Jack off Jill. You can find a recording of it on YouTube, it's a "The Sims 2" movie that someone made that has this song to go with it.
Disclaimer: I do not own Avalon Web of Magic/Quest for Magic series or the song Strawberry Gashes, they belong to Rachel Roberts and Jack off Jill respectively.
And now, happy reading!
Turn her over
A candle is lit, I see though her
Blow it out and save all her ashes for me
Curse me, sold her
The poison that runs its course through her
Pale white skin with strawberry gashes all over, all over
Watch me fault her
You're living like a disaster
She said "kill me faster"
With strawberry gashes all over, all over
Adriane sat in a cold gray plastic chair in the hospital waiting room, her head in her hands. Her long, straight black hair fell over her face, and by her entire body language it was obvious to everyone there that she was exhausted.
"Miss?"
The fourteen-year-old lifted her head up wearily to look in to the face of a nurse in her late thirties or early forties. The woman gave her a sympathetic look before opening her mouth to speak again.
"I'm sorry, but your grandmother is very sick. She needs to go to another hospital where she can get better treatment."
Of course. Adriane already knew that. Stonehill wasn't exactly known for its hospitals. "Where is it? Have you made any arrangements?"
The nurse nodded. "Yes. We're having an ambulance pick her up and bring her to Greenfield Hospital, in Connecticut. They should be here in a few hours. However, I don't think you can stay here. Do you have any relatives you can call?"
Adriane shook her head. "My parents live in New York."
The nurse looked confused for a moment, then regained her composure. "Oh," She started. "What about your friends?"
"It's one AM," Adriane stated simply. The nurse nodded again. This conversation was beginning to annoy Adriane, and she began to feel an irrational hate towards the nurse. She's just doing her job, the warrior told herself. "Can I just go home?" She asked.
"Alone?"
"I'll be fine," The raven-haired girl said, trying to convince the nurse. The woman bit her lip, then seemed to come to an inner decision.
"Alright," She said, "but let me call a cab first. I don't want you walking all the way home at this hour, and I'm sure your grandmother wouldn't either."
Called her over and asked her if she was improving
She said "feels fine, it's wonderful-- wonderful here"
Hex me, told her
I dreamt of a devil that knew her
Pale white skin with strawberry gashes all over, all over
Thirty minutes later, the black and white cab pulled up in front of the creepy-looking wrought-iron gates. The driver gave her a worried look. "You sure you'll be okay, kid?"
Adriane fought down the urge to snap at him. Instead, she just told him lifelessly, "I live here." The driver half-smiled and drove off. Adriane watched the tail-lights vanish into the night. She then lifted the iron latch on the gate and let it creak closed. She had only walked a few yards when she heard a rustling in the bushes. Even though she lived here, night-time forest sounds would freak anyone out. "Hello?" She called.
"Adriane."
The warrior instantly recognized the voice. "Lyra. Thank God. You scared me."
Lyra purred, the equivalent of a laugh. "Little me, scared the big strong warrior?"
Adriane smiled and continued to walk down the path. Lyra followed her, her pawsteps barely making a sound. "How's Gran?"
"She's going away, to a hospital that can take better care of her. Where's Dreamer?"
"He went to go check on the other animals. He thinks something magical is to blame for Gran's illness."
"He could be right." She said thoughtfully as they were approaching the cottage.
"Perhaps. Do you want me to stay with you?"
"Thanks, but I'll be okay. Go get Dreamer, though, could you?"
Lyra nodded and padded off into the woods.
Adriane reached above the porch lamp for the spare key. When she felt the cold metal in her hand, she scraped it off the lamp and deftly turned the lock. The door opened silently, and Adriane was greeted by a dark house. She flipped on the kitchen light and turned up the heat. It was late autumn, after all, and it was starting to get cold. She leaned against the counter and closed her eyes, trying to will the sudden feeling of loneliness away. She noticed the fruit basket to her left and grabbed a red apple and a knife from the cutlery set on top of the fridge. As she placed the apple on the cutting board, she caught her reflection on the thin knife.
As if instinct took over, she slowly drew the knife across her arm. The cut stung, but strangely, it didn't feel bad at all. She felt her anger and loneliness bubble over the top as the blood spilled over her skin. She watched in sick fascination as the red dripped onto the spotless white linoleum floor. Then the cut began to bleed faster, and the warrior quickly grabbed a paper towel from the roll and pressed it to her skin. The white towel was mostly red in a matter of seconds. Adriane began to panic. What if Lyra and Dreamer came back soon? How would she explain the cut to them?
She raced up the short flight of stairs to her bathroom, frantically searching for a bandage whilst holding her bleeding arm in the air. Finally, she found a pack of Band-Aids. They weren't the kind she was looking for, they were the big, square kind. But as far as she could see, there were no other choices. She quickly unwrapped the skin-color bandage and pressed it over the cut. There was blood on the vanity and the peach-colored tile floor, but what she was really worried about was the mess she'd made in the kitchen. She swiftly clambered down the steps and skipped over the last two. She ran water over a few sheafs of paper towel and cleaned up the blood before she heard Dreamer bark at the door. She threw away the towels and opened the door to Lyra and Dreamer.
Watch me fault her
You're living like a disaster
She said "kill me faster"
With strawberry gashes all over, all over
"It smells like blood in here," Dreamer commented. Lyra gave Adriane a curious look. The teen's dark eyes scanned the kitchen and fell precariously on the knife, still glaring red, sitting almost innocently on the counter.
"I'm going to change and go to bed," she stated, trying to hide the tremble in her voice. Lyra fixed emerald eyes on her. "Alright. I'll be back in the morning." With that, the leopard stepped out the door.
"Dreamer, you can run upstairs now. I'll be up in a few seconds."
The wolf, blood-scent forgotten, bounded up the stairs. Adriane turned on the faucet and picked up the knife. She put dishwashing liquid on a small hand towel and wiped the knife clean of any blood. When she finished, she, too, climbed the steps once more, thinking about what a close call that had been.
I lay quiet, waiting for her voice to say
"Some things you lose and some things you just give away"
Scold me, failed her
If only I'd held on tighter to her
Pale white skin that twisted and withered away from, away from me
Watch me lose her
It's almost like losing myself
Give her my soul and let them take somebody else
Get away from me
Watch me fault her
You're living like a disaster
She said "kill me faster"
With strawberry gashes all over, all over me.