I told myself that this story would remain a one shot, how did this happen?
You're drowning in darkness, and you hear faraway sounds that you can't understand.
You're scared that he's still inside, you wonder if he's still haunting you even in death.
You can't breathe.
You can't move.
You're scared.
You try and try to reach and hold on into something, but you just keep drowning, and then you feel a heavy pressure on your body.
You finally wake up with a gasp. You pant, feeling the cold sweat dripping down your skin. Your blurry vision starts to improve, and you see a white ceiling, and you feel the sunlight warming your cold skin.
How did you make it? How did you survive?
You wonder, and you close your eyes, as if searching for something inside. You feel as if something is missing. There's a strange emptiness inside.
That's when you remember, that he's no longer controlling you.
He's no longer looking through your eyes, messing with your thoughts, controlling your moves.
You're finally free.
And yet it feels as if something is wrong.
You shake the thought away, then decide to inspect the room. You look to your right, and you're surprised to see another bed beside your own. Your breath is caught in your throat when you're met with Chariot's face. She looks so peaceful, and her long hair is red instead of blue.
The more you're awake, the more confused you feel.
You're sure that Chariot was not badly injured during the fight, and you know that your wound was supposed to kill you, and yet, here you are, both of you, sleeping in hospital beds.
You try to push yourself with your elbow and sit, but the intense pain in your body stops you from doing so.
"Oh, you're finally awake!" You turn your head to see the headmistress walking in. You feel a wave of guilt running through your body, and you look down immediately, unable to look at the good hearted woman.
"How did I make it?" You ask, with a low tone. You lied to everyone, and at some point, you even used them. You're not sure how you could face anyone.
Perhaps death would have been easier.
You can feel Holbrooke's gaze, and somehow, you end up looking back, and you're surprised to see her smiling at you.
You don't want that.
You want her to blame you, yell at you, and tell you how ashamed you should be.
She should hate you, not smile at you.
Everyone should hate.
You hate yourself, so why shouldn't they?
"It's all thanks to her." Holbrooke says, and you turn your head to look at Chariot. The last thing you heard before passing out, was her scream, and it was so heartbreaking that you felt it cutting into your soul. You're glad to see her resting. "She used a forbidden spell to save you. We decided to have her share the room with you, it's better to have you close to each other for the next few days so the spell wouldn't have any side effects." She explains, but there was sadness in her tone, and it makes you uneasy. Some spells are forbidden for a reason.
"What spell did she use?" You ask, worried, hoping that you did not cause her any more damage.
You have done enough already.
"It's a spell that requires the witch to share her lifespan with the person it is casted on."
You feel your heart stopping, and you wonder if the horror you're feeling is reflected on your face.
"No… there must be a way to undo it!" You're desperate, and you wish that Holbrooke would tell you what you want to hear, but she doesn't, she just shakes her head. "Please… Chariot's life… shouldn't be intertwined to someone like me… I have done so many terrible things… Headmistress, please tell me there's a way to undo it."
You sit up despite the pain, and you beg her, but it's all in vain.
"There is no way, and even if there was, would you want to disrespect her decision?" She asks, and you find yourself at loss. "You have done nothing wrong, Croix. If you haven't sealed the darkness inside you for all these years, who knows what would've happened? The witches would have ceased to exist. You have saved us all, and we're all grateful."
How…
"I…"
How could she say that?
"I'm sorry…"
How could she not hate you? How could she not fear you?
"I'm so sorry…" You ask for forgiveness as you feel tears making their way down your cheeks.
You feel like a child under Holbrooke's warm and motherly smile. You cry for everything you lost in those ten years.
You cry for the thanks you don't deserve.
You eventually cry yourself to sleep, and you find yourself in darkness again.
However, this time, you're not drowning. You find yourself facing your own reflection, a darker, possessed version of yourself.
He is smiling at you through that reflection, mocking you, reminding you of his existence. His eyes are tearing into your soul, and you feel scared and vulnerable. You look around, and you see lifeless bodies of people you know, people you tried to protect.
He promises you, that he would take away everything you love.
And you know he never breaks such promises.
You hear someone calling your name, and you jolt awake, surprising the person beside you. You grasp the fabric of your clothes, and you feel as if your heart would jump out of your ribcage.
"Croix?" You look to see Chariot looking at you, concern. She must have been the voice calling you out. You immediately feel guilty for waking her up. Her hand reaches out to touch you, but you pull away and look at her terrified.
You can see hurt in her eyes, but it's quickly replaced with concern.
You're not afraid of her… You're afraid of what YOU could do to her.
You wonder if you're really in control, and if he's really gone.
You feel sick.
You feel scared.
You feel like a lost child, and there is no where you can hide.
"You shouldn't have saved me." You say, and you regret it because now Chariot is looking at you with fury in her red eyes, and she has already climbed into your bed, so there's no way you could avoid whatever scolding she's about to give you.
"How could you say that?!" She asks, angrily. "I couldn't let you die like that! I couldn't just abandon you! You sacrificed so much, you don't deserve to die like that!"
"But how am I supposed to live with so much guilt? I'm a monster like him now! I hate myself and I can't go on for a second without thinking about him!" You tell her, hoping to convince her how hopeless you are, how much of a mess you are. "I don't deserve to be saved."
You look away, but you feel her hand touching your face, bringing your gaze back to her.
"If it weren't for you, these girls and this school wouldn't be here. You also saved my life twice. You can think all you want, but I'll be here to remind you that you deserve this!" She says, and for a moment, you see the Chariot you've always known, and you feel a laugh escaping your lips.
"That sounds like something you'd say!" You say as a genuine smile appears on your lips. She laughs softly, and you feel her laughter vibrating through your body. Her voice is clearer, and you feel closer to her.
You can tell that it's the effect of the spell, and you wonder how much your doubt and fear affect her.
"Croix?"
"…Yes?"
"You have survived this long, so could you survive a little longer?" She asks and gazes into your eyes, and you can't look away.
She's asking you not to give up, and you know you'll do anything for her
"I'll try."
You answer, and her bright smile warms your heart. She throws her arms around you, the way she used to when you were kids, and although you feel unworthy of touching her, you hug her, wishing that her light could heal you.