Something Wicked This Way Comes
Part II: Rahne's dream.
Evan sat in his room pulling the small needles from the cactus-like plant out of his skin. He had given up trying to count how many of them he had removed; now all he was concentrating on was not itching the ones that remained. Someone knocked at the door.
"Come in," Evan called, hoping it was Rogue with the ointment she had promised him before she left.
Much to his disappointment Kurt walked into the room. The blue teen smiled warmly, then saw Evan's leg and winced. "What happened?" Kurt asked. Kurt started forward, forgetting to close the door behind him.
"I was on my way to that little competition with Pietro and I wiped out into a prickle bush."
"Ouch. Are you okay, dude?"
"Yeah, just a little stung." Evan pulled another quill from his leg.
"You getting stuck in the prickles, ironic, huh?"
Evan ignored him. His legs felt like they were on fire. What had those plants been anyways? He hated to think, but it might have even been toxic.
The idea sounded insane. But why not? Xavier was keeping some sort of monster in the basement, and he obviously didn't want anyone to know about it. Not to mention the bodies. Bodies! And Xavier lectured him when he skateboarded in the house.
"Pietro said you were too scared to show," Kurt started. "He and the Brotherhood are gloating. They said-"
"Hey guys, what's going on?" Rahne asked as she entered the room.
"I-" Evan started, but by the time he could speak Kurt was already telling the story.
"He was going to the competition and tried to do a major stunt, but miscalculated and landed in the prickle bushes."
"Wow, ironic."
Evan groaned. Next time he was going to check who it was before he invited them in.
"Is that how you scraped your leg?" Rahne asked.
"Yeah."
"Painful?"
Evan rolled his eyes. He pulled another quill out of his leg. He wanted to tell them about the monster, and about the secrets that Xavier was hiding, but decided they wouldn't believe him. They might even leave. That made him contemplate the idea even more.
"Is it painful?" Rahne asked again, moving in front of him to make sure he was paying attention.
"Somewhat."
Where was Rogue with that ointment? Evan's entire body felt like it was burning up, even on the spots that hadn't been stung by the tiny needles.
"Want us to get anything for you, dude?" Kurt asked.
"Nope, but if you could give me some privacy that would be great."
"No way, we're here to help you, right Rahne?"
"Right."
"God isn't there a mailman or something you need to chase Rahne? And Kurt. why don't you go oogle over that picture of Amanda you have in your room?"
He could see that he had hurt their feelings. And Evan even felt bad about it. He hadn't meant to say those things. He hadn't even thought about saying them. They just came out.
Without saying another word the two turned around and walked out of their room. Evan could swear that he could see tears forming at the corner of Rahne's eyes. It wasn't her fault that all she could turn into was a wolf.
He got up to shout apologies at them, but the moment that he did Evan fell to the ground. The stings from the needles had proved too much for him. He wished that he had never gone into that room.
Rogue walked in through the opened door. "Oh my god, are you all right?" she uttered, making sure to close the door behind her. She dropped the container of ointment on the nightstand and rushed to Evan's side. Evan could feel his temperature start to drop. He felt so cold, despite the spring atmosphere.
"I-I don't know what happened. I was fine one minute, then the next." Evan trailed off. How could this have happened?
"I got that stuff you wanted. They didn't have the brand you wanted, so I got the generic stuff." She handed him the bag. For a moment the Goth paused. Then she added, "Maybe it's time we told the Prof what we saw. He might have something to help you."
"Are you nuts?" Evan asked. "You saw what was down there."
"Maybe it was part of some training exorcise that he's building for the Danger Room or something, you know? Maybe that's where he programs his holograms."
"A hologram didn't do this." Evan pointed to his leg, which they had wrapped in a bandage as soon as they returned to his room.
"A security device. You know what a fortress this place can be."
"And the plants?"
Rogue fell silent. Even her weak theories of computer programs couldn't explain those. She'd been trying to think of an explanation all the way to the store and back. She wished that Scott hadn't driven so fast.
"I don't know, but there must be something."
"As far as I'm concerned we should just keep our lips shut and our minds off the subject. As soon as I figure out how, I'm out of here. If you're smart you'll do the same."
"What about the others?"
"We don't know who's in on it with Xavier!"
"Evan, you're being crazy! These are our friends; remember? These are the kids that we go to school with-"
"And have crushes on?"
She knew what he meant. It was true she did have feelings for Scott, but he didn't return those feelings, and Rogue had accepted that.
"If we run, we have to tell them."
"Then I'm running on my own."
"Fine."
Rogue stood up. She couldn't believe what he was saying, but at the same time it did make sense. She didn't know for sure if Xavier had any of the students under mind control, or all of them. She wasn't even a hundred percent sure that he didn't have her under mind control. And she didn't like that.
* * * *
Scott winced in pain as he felt a pin prick the bottom of his right foot. He lifted his leg into the air and examined it. Soon, he found the cause. A small splinter had broken through his sock and penetrated his skin. He removed the splinter and continued on to the nearest trash retainer.
"We've found those all over the place today," Kitty announced from behind him.
"Huh?" Scott asked, taken off guard by her presence.
"Those quills, we've found them all over the place. Like, pretty much everyone's been stung by one. Apparently Evan was doing some trick to show off for a group of girls and ended up in some prickle bushes. He was, like, covered with them. And since he got home everyone has been stung by those things." She pointed to her feet, which were covered by thick fuzzy slippers. "I'm not taking any chances."
"I see. How is Evan?"
"No one knows. He doesn't want to talk to anyone since this all started. He's acting weird. Like, weirder than usual."
"That's Evan for you. Night Kitty."
"Night Scott."
* * * *
Rahne watched the full moon above her, smiling. If she didn't know it would wake everyone she would have howled. As it was the girl and learned to control herself, she decided it was more peaceful to lie on top of the Xavier Institute in silence and solitude than to fully express herself and be irritated by every student and faculty member in the entire place a long time ago.
She scratched her leg, the same spot that she had discovered the quill that she had attained from Evan earlier that day. That ass. He hadn't even apologized to her. She thought that the comment was humorous, be he had meant it to be mean, and that made all the difference.
Something in the bushes below moved. Rahne moved to the edge of the building and looked down. She could see someone moving. It smelled like Evan. What the heck was he doing?
She didn't care. Whatever he was doing was his business. She moved back to the center of the building. Rahne considered jumping down to surprise him; even scare him; a werewolf on a full moon. She smiled. Her hand moved down her pant leg and she started to scratch again.
What the hell was that pin?
The itch became a burn, severe and vicious. Rahne looked down at her leg and could see that some blood had soaked through her jeans. She cursed silently to herself and undid her pants, then pulled them down to her knees. To her horror Rahne could see worms had gnawed through her skin. They crawled in open wounds, eating as they went.
Rahne screamed, suddenly feeling the same burning feeling at her cheek. She reached her fingers up and scratched, pulling out a handful of loose flesh, worms, and blood. She screamed and got to her feet. Rahne wanted to run, but as she started to move the bottom of her leg fell off. She screamed, falling to the roof. The burning started in her back.
Rahne looked up to see a single figure standing above her. Xavier. He was standing, watching her slowly be devoured. An even grin stretched the corner of his face, pure satisfaction that the teen was dying. Rahne stretched out her hand, hoping that the man would help her. Hoping that he would save her from the annelids that attacked her back.
He did not move. Her bloody hands slid down his pant legs, leaving four trails of blood.
Rahne opened her eyes and screamed. She looked down at her legs. Her hands searched frantically and she finally pulled down her pants. Nothing. No worms. No blood. Just the swollen spot where the quill and struck her. She pulled up her pants, changing back to her human form as she did. It was time to go inside.
Rahne did not sleep any more that night.
* * * * *
A.N. Is this good? Should I dump the entire story? Please R & R. I need input.
Part II: Rahne's dream.
Evan sat in his room pulling the small needles from the cactus-like plant out of his skin. He had given up trying to count how many of them he had removed; now all he was concentrating on was not itching the ones that remained. Someone knocked at the door.
"Come in," Evan called, hoping it was Rogue with the ointment she had promised him before she left.
Much to his disappointment Kurt walked into the room. The blue teen smiled warmly, then saw Evan's leg and winced. "What happened?" Kurt asked. Kurt started forward, forgetting to close the door behind him.
"I was on my way to that little competition with Pietro and I wiped out into a prickle bush."
"Ouch. Are you okay, dude?"
"Yeah, just a little stung." Evan pulled another quill from his leg.
"You getting stuck in the prickles, ironic, huh?"
Evan ignored him. His legs felt like they were on fire. What had those plants been anyways? He hated to think, but it might have even been toxic.
The idea sounded insane. But why not? Xavier was keeping some sort of monster in the basement, and he obviously didn't want anyone to know about it. Not to mention the bodies. Bodies! And Xavier lectured him when he skateboarded in the house.
"Pietro said you were too scared to show," Kurt started. "He and the Brotherhood are gloating. They said-"
"Hey guys, what's going on?" Rahne asked as she entered the room.
"I-" Evan started, but by the time he could speak Kurt was already telling the story.
"He was going to the competition and tried to do a major stunt, but miscalculated and landed in the prickle bushes."
"Wow, ironic."
Evan groaned. Next time he was going to check who it was before he invited them in.
"Is that how you scraped your leg?" Rahne asked.
"Yeah."
"Painful?"
Evan rolled his eyes. He pulled another quill out of his leg. He wanted to tell them about the monster, and about the secrets that Xavier was hiding, but decided they wouldn't believe him. They might even leave. That made him contemplate the idea even more.
"Is it painful?" Rahne asked again, moving in front of him to make sure he was paying attention.
"Somewhat."
Where was Rogue with that ointment? Evan's entire body felt like it was burning up, even on the spots that hadn't been stung by the tiny needles.
"Want us to get anything for you, dude?" Kurt asked.
"Nope, but if you could give me some privacy that would be great."
"No way, we're here to help you, right Rahne?"
"Right."
"God isn't there a mailman or something you need to chase Rahne? And Kurt. why don't you go oogle over that picture of Amanda you have in your room?"
He could see that he had hurt their feelings. And Evan even felt bad about it. He hadn't meant to say those things. He hadn't even thought about saying them. They just came out.
Without saying another word the two turned around and walked out of their room. Evan could swear that he could see tears forming at the corner of Rahne's eyes. It wasn't her fault that all she could turn into was a wolf.
He got up to shout apologies at them, but the moment that he did Evan fell to the ground. The stings from the needles had proved too much for him. He wished that he had never gone into that room.
Rogue walked in through the opened door. "Oh my god, are you all right?" she uttered, making sure to close the door behind her. She dropped the container of ointment on the nightstand and rushed to Evan's side. Evan could feel his temperature start to drop. He felt so cold, despite the spring atmosphere.
"I-I don't know what happened. I was fine one minute, then the next." Evan trailed off. How could this have happened?
"I got that stuff you wanted. They didn't have the brand you wanted, so I got the generic stuff." She handed him the bag. For a moment the Goth paused. Then she added, "Maybe it's time we told the Prof what we saw. He might have something to help you."
"Are you nuts?" Evan asked. "You saw what was down there."
"Maybe it was part of some training exorcise that he's building for the Danger Room or something, you know? Maybe that's where he programs his holograms."
"A hologram didn't do this." Evan pointed to his leg, which they had wrapped in a bandage as soon as they returned to his room.
"A security device. You know what a fortress this place can be."
"And the plants?"
Rogue fell silent. Even her weak theories of computer programs couldn't explain those. She'd been trying to think of an explanation all the way to the store and back. She wished that Scott hadn't driven so fast.
"I don't know, but there must be something."
"As far as I'm concerned we should just keep our lips shut and our minds off the subject. As soon as I figure out how, I'm out of here. If you're smart you'll do the same."
"What about the others?"
"We don't know who's in on it with Xavier!"
"Evan, you're being crazy! These are our friends; remember? These are the kids that we go to school with-"
"And have crushes on?"
She knew what he meant. It was true she did have feelings for Scott, but he didn't return those feelings, and Rogue had accepted that.
"If we run, we have to tell them."
"Then I'm running on my own."
"Fine."
Rogue stood up. She couldn't believe what he was saying, but at the same time it did make sense. She didn't know for sure if Xavier had any of the students under mind control, or all of them. She wasn't even a hundred percent sure that he didn't have her under mind control. And she didn't like that.
* * * *
Scott winced in pain as he felt a pin prick the bottom of his right foot. He lifted his leg into the air and examined it. Soon, he found the cause. A small splinter had broken through his sock and penetrated his skin. He removed the splinter and continued on to the nearest trash retainer.
"We've found those all over the place today," Kitty announced from behind him.
"Huh?" Scott asked, taken off guard by her presence.
"Those quills, we've found them all over the place. Like, pretty much everyone's been stung by one. Apparently Evan was doing some trick to show off for a group of girls and ended up in some prickle bushes. He was, like, covered with them. And since he got home everyone has been stung by those things." She pointed to her feet, which were covered by thick fuzzy slippers. "I'm not taking any chances."
"I see. How is Evan?"
"No one knows. He doesn't want to talk to anyone since this all started. He's acting weird. Like, weirder than usual."
"That's Evan for you. Night Kitty."
"Night Scott."
* * * *
Rahne watched the full moon above her, smiling. If she didn't know it would wake everyone she would have howled. As it was the girl and learned to control herself, she decided it was more peaceful to lie on top of the Xavier Institute in silence and solitude than to fully express herself and be irritated by every student and faculty member in the entire place a long time ago.
She scratched her leg, the same spot that she had discovered the quill that she had attained from Evan earlier that day. That ass. He hadn't even apologized to her. She thought that the comment was humorous, be he had meant it to be mean, and that made all the difference.
Something in the bushes below moved. Rahne moved to the edge of the building and looked down. She could see someone moving. It smelled like Evan. What the heck was he doing?
She didn't care. Whatever he was doing was his business. She moved back to the center of the building. Rahne considered jumping down to surprise him; even scare him; a werewolf on a full moon. She smiled. Her hand moved down her pant leg and she started to scratch again.
What the hell was that pin?
The itch became a burn, severe and vicious. Rahne looked down at her leg and could see that some blood had soaked through her jeans. She cursed silently to herself and undid her pants, then pulled them down to her knees. To her horror Rahne could see worms had gnawed through her skin. They crawled in open wounds, eating as they went.
Rahne screamed, suddenly feeling the same burning feeling at her cheek. She reached her fingers up and scratched, pulling out a handful of loose flesh, worms, and blood. She screamed and got to her feet. Rahne wanted to run, but as she started to move the bottom of her leg fell off. She screamed, falling to the roof. The burning started in her back.
Rahne looked up to see a single figure standing above her. Xavier. He was standing, watching her slowly be devoured. An even grin stretched the corner of his face, pure satisfaction that the teen was dying. Rahne stretched out her hand, hoping that the man would help her. Hoping that he would save her from the annelids that attacked her back.
He did not move. Her bloody hands slid down his pant legs, leaving four trails of blood.
Rahne opened her eyes and screamed. She looked down at her legs. Her hands searched frantically and she finally pulled down her pants. Nothing. No worms. No blood. Just the swollen spot where the quill and struck her. She pulled up her pants, changing back to her human form as she did. It was time to go inside.
Rahne did not sleep any more that night.
* * * * *
A.N. Is this good? Should I dump the entire story? Please R & R. I need input.