Disclaimer: Frozen is copyright to Disney
Anna had always heard that when you were about to die, your life would flash before your eyes. In the first instance that the beast had charged her after he'd carved into Elsa's face, she braced for the impact of that long, slow vision.
Instead, she had gotten a crystal clear image of Elsa's blood dripping in rivulets from Hans' claws, the very idea of what that now meant imprinting the sight on her brain, never to be let go. When he was flying through the air, the memories had surfaced. It wasn't her life. Instead, her mind rapidly sped through every instance that Elsa and Kristoff had seemed suspicious to her.
The moment they met in the general store.
The moment Elsa had said she would help, right after confessing that she was a monster.
The moment Elsa stomped Kristoff's foot to stop him from talking.
Every glance between the two, looking to one another to confer about where to let lies of omission slip by.
Vague and dodgy words like, "Something like that," and "You're the one who's incredible."
Standing inside entry of her house, the door closed behind her, Anna shrugged her shoulders to slide off Olaf's coat, letting it fall to the floor as she took a confident stride forward, then another, holding her head high as she strutted with conviction to the bathroom, the tears of Elsa's departure gone from her eyes. The limp in her gate was absent, no longer a factor of pain in her battered body. There were greater concerns at hand. She shut the door quietly once she entered her personal restroom, moving over to the mirror to check herself over.
Little flashes of Hans closing in on her.
Sighing, the girl shook her head, hands acting to pull her shirt off over her head and toss it to the floor, eyeing herself yet again. She was tired.
She could see it clearly now. The talons. The streams of red.
With a deep, cleansing breath, Anna reached behind her back to undo her bra, wincing and sucking her teeth when she brushed a tender spot. Allowing the fabric to drop the floor, Anna didn't look up yet, slowly turning her back to the mirror.
The redhead watched the wall for a few minutes, just breathing. Calm. Then she twisted a bit at the hips, and looked over her shoulder and into the glass. This had been why she'd stolen Olaf's coat. It hadn't been "chilly", and they both knew it. She'd had plenty of opportunities to tell Elsa, but she didn't. Instead, she hid it.
Her gaze fell to the four previously angry gashes that began at her lower back and streaked into fading pinpricks as they crawled toward the side of her ribcage.
Hans may not have been able to gut her, but as he plowed into her, bowling her over, he unwittingly got a sweeter revenge, one that would leave Anna forever effected. He had won from beyond the grave. Even had he infected her with his own blood, it just wouldn't have been quite as poetic.
Anna studied the already-healing scratches that would mark her by moonlight just as they had Hans. Closing her eyes and taking a last, deep breath, the redhead gradually drew her gaze up to stare at herself with remorse. The girl was lost.
Her eyes flickered gold when they locked with their reflection.
Anna really wished she could have convinced Elsa to stay.
A/N: Well, I didn't say that the epilogue would make you feel any better, now did I?
Disclaimer: These chapter titles are copyrighted ideas to their respective owners
Just a few notes. The titles of the chapters were references to horror and mystery classics, in case you didn't notice.
Chapters 1-3 refer to "the Adam's Family".
Chapter 4 is a reference to Lovecraft, as his heroes typically suffer some sort of insanity from the things they witness.
Chapter 5 & 6 are a reference to Atticus Finch from "To Kill a Mockingbird".
Chapter 7 is (obviously) a reference to "Soylent Green" (it's people, you know; spoiler alert).
Chapter 8 & 9 reference "Silence of the Lambs". The words are reversed, but fitting, as the consequence came before giving in to the "application of the lotion".
Chapter 10 refers to Se7en, and the line, "Become vengeance, David. Become Wrath."
Chapter 11 is taken from "Hannibal"- transcript of it follows.
Hannibal Lecter: Given the chance, you would deny me my life, wouldn't you?
Clarice Starling: Not your life.
Hannibal Lecter: Just my freedom. You'd take that from me.
Hope you all enjoyed my spin on this classic genre.