Katie-the-Angel-Witch

Content Warning:

Spoiler

Major Character Death

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I frantically grab my phone, pulling out the map app on it, desperate to find the dorm. In my panic I forget details, have trouble recollecting landmarks or information about it. It mirrors Wallhouse in the Eastern part of campus, okay, that’s one thing to narrow the search. What else, what else, what else can I use to search for it? 

Top meows out a question. “I need to find a place, need to find a building to run to,” I respond as I keep searching.

For a moment, I contemplate whether I should change, whether I want to risk being seen like this while trying to save a life. But that’s the thing, isn’t it? I’m desperately trying to save a life. Who gives a shit what I’ll be seen in. I don’t have the time to change anyways, every second counts. 

Top meows again. “It’s an abandoned dorm, really old one, something happened to make it haunted.” Right, that’s it! Cabbage Day Massacre of Tower University!

There! Found it. Shit, it’s pretty far on foot. Times like this I regret not having a driver’s license. But it would just be another piece of plastic labeling me something I’m not.

I run to the door, throw on my hoodie to deal with the weather, as well as to have pockets for my phone and keys. Top keeps meowing in confusion. “The Tau Eta Epsilon girls are trying to murder the girl they made fuck me and make it look like a suicide and I’m the only one who knows.” 

I leave the apartment accompanied by one mrrow of approval and one cat jumping on my shoulder, positioning herself in my jacket’s hood. “Right, smart, body heat from a cat.” She nuzzles my cheek. I pause and knock on Moss’ door. They open almost immediately. 

“Hi.”

“Can you drive?”
“Yes.”
“Have a car?”
“Yes, why?”
“No time, life in danger.” I run off, with Moss in my wake. I take the stairs two at a time, not giving a damn about waiting for the elevator. Every second matters, even in a car we’ll be cutting it close. Ten minutes was far too long a challenge. I could somewhat handle ten minutes with the extra layer of protective tissue. But her? With how thin she is? She’ll be delirious and unable to move after five. 

My hair and dress downright flail in the wind as I run, thoughts rushing through my head. I shouldn’t have done this. I shouldn’t have possessed Liz. She didn’t owe me her time, nevermind her whole body and private thoughts. It’s going to eat me inside that I even thought about it, that I ended up going through it. Nobody deserves to have their privacy invaded this hard. I’m a monster, the worst of the worst. But at least it brings one positive thing. One chance to make up for it. I can save Liz’s life and erase all the guilt. Nobody will have to know. Nobody will have to care. And I’m not and wasn’t trying to murder her, I was trying to be her, if only for a moment. A truly tragic villainess, almost sympathetic, in contrast to those that are hurting Liz. And unlike them, I might save a life at the end of the movie. Sure, I’ll be forever remembered as the tranny that saved a girl from suicide if it works out, but that’s a small price to pay.

Moss drives up to me, only stopping when I do to let me jump in. “Where?” I hand them my phone, navigation on and destination set. They speed off. “So, life in danger?” 

I nod, fidgeting with my hoodie. A part of me, a part that’s being shouted down by the part that’s panicking and worrying for Liz’s life, wants Moss to make a big deal out of me being in a dress. Out of how I don’t fill it out right. Instead, they help the worrying part out by asking follow up questions. 

“Whose?”

“Liz.” 

“Friend of yours?” 

“No, sadly.” 

“Then how do you know her life’s in danger?” 

You know how when you’re really worried, when your brainspace is in such a panic it keeps everything else at bay, when you’re so hyper focused that you completely lose your filter? “Magic.”

“Your eyes are way too wide for you to be making jokes right now.”

“I’m not.”

Considering the fact it’s Saturday it surprises me that we see nobody else out and about, but then again there are no bars or clubs down this way to party at. The sound of the tires shifts from asphalt to the sound of crunching leaves and then to the sound of gravel and dirt and small sticks. The building is in sight, so close, just a little bit more, just a short sprint left and I’ll save her. I practically leap out of the car as Moss pulls up, reaching for Top to make sure she’s safe, that she’s with me, that she didn’t fall out or get lost. Her fur grounds me, and I run inside. 

I spend no time getting to the correct door in the dorm. “Liz! Liz, it’s Kouzelna!” I bang on the door, hoping for any kind of response, even just a groan. Even just a gasp. Possibly an actual word.

Nothing. Fear starts rising in my chest. Am I too late? Did she freeze already? Will I find a popsicle on the other side of the door? “Zhamiek-Zhniech!” I yell out, my hand over the lock as the spell is cast, violently detaching the door from the lock. I don’t even care if Moss sees me use magic. I do not care for what they might think of me. I do not care for their “You weren’t making jokes” as the door swings open and the part of the door with the lock in it falls down due to gravity.  All I care about is Liz. 

And Liz looks unconscious. I don’t think as I put my arms into the freezing cold water to pull her out, wetting my sleeves in the process. “No pulse. No breathing. Fuck.” Top jumps out of my hood and sniffs Liz, recognising the smell she bumps her head against Liz’s. I get my phone out quickly and scroll through the contacts, reaching the most important number there. I barely register it as Moss enters my peripheral vision.

“Hello, you’ve reached the King Hospital Emergency Services, what is the nature of your emergency?” First day on campus an older student handed me a list of contacts so that I could avoid calling 911 under any circumstance. Every freshman got the list. Anything to avoid calling the cops after they got them off campus.

The only thing on my mind is saving Liz’s life. “Hi, this is Kat Kouzelna, I’m at the abandoned dorm of Tower University. I have a girl here suffering severe hypothermia, no pulse or breathing, I’m about to attempt CPR.” You wouldn’t be able to tell from my tone that I’m freaking the fuck out. It was too coherent, too audible, not a single word stumbled over. If I had anyone to play Texas Hold ‘Em with I’d be rolling in dough.

“Understood Mr. Kouzelna,” this is not the time to get mad at a nurse for misgendering me when I had the balls to be truthful, so I bite my tongue as she continues. “We’re sending an ambulance right away, you know how to perform CPR, correct?” 

“Bee Gees’ Stayin’ Alive, one breath for ten compressions, tilt head back to make sure the windpipe isn’t blocked.” I put the phone on speaker and place it next to me. I have spent way too long learning everything I can about first aid.

“Correct, please stay on the line while performing it.” I start as the nurse says this, as if I would end the call and not keep them up to date, and with each compression I just think I’m Sorry. 

I’m sorry it took so long, I’m sorry I didn’t get up sooner, I’m sorry that I have to revive you. I’m sorry that I possessed you, I’m sorry I was disappointing in bed on purpose. I’m sorry I wasn’t honest with you, I’m sorry I lied, I’m sorry I hid. I’m sorry I might never get to know you. I’m sorry that you went through this. Moss jumps in to do the mouth to mouth so that I can keep compressing.

Please don’t be dead, please don’t be dead, please don’t be dead, please don’t be dead, please don’t be dead, please don’t be dead, please don’t be dead, please don’t be dead, please don’t be dead, please don’t be dead. Breathe.

Time slows down and my focus narrows. There’s only me, Liz, my hands firmly on her chest, arms straightened out so I can use my full weight, and my poor singing voice. “Well you can tell by the way I use my walk I’m a woman’s dyke, no time to talk.”

Top drags over Liz’s top, trying her best to pat Liz dry using her paws and her teeth to move the top. Moss helps her between breaths. I can’t tell how successful the two of them are, but by the time Top drags the soaked piece of clothing away she’s curling up next to Liz’s chest, hoping to share some of her warmth. 

I keep compressing. I keep trying. If Liz wakes up she’ll have a killer bruise on her sternum. A small price to pay for survival. 

I feel strong hands on my shoulders and I’m jerked away. It takes me a second to realize the EMTs have arrived, that those hands are Moss’. Top hops on over towards me and makes her way into my hood again. I see the EMTs trying as well, trying to bring Liz back. I sit down against the wall near the door and Top moves from my hood to sit in my arms to comfort me. Her purring doesn’t do enough to calm me down. “You tried, you tried, you did your best, it’s not your fault.” Moss whispers into my ear, holding me close.

One of the EMTs crouches in front of me, rubbing her eyes. “I’m sorry.”

My lip quivers. Tears start flowing. My throat feels tight and I hold Top closer. “No no no no, she, she can’t be, she can’t be…”

“She is, hun, I’m afraid she is. Did you know her well?” I got as close to her as a person can, physically and spiritually, but…

“No…” And I’ll never get a chance to. If only I wasn’t an idiot. If only I had tried to meet people. If only I had risked opening up, maybe this could have been prevented. 

But no. I was late. 

I was too late.

Katie-the-Angel-Witch

Scene. End of Act 1.

I could be an asshole, tell you "Thank you for reading the demo! Please purchase the rest of the story over on Itch!", but I won't be. I'd still love it if you went and bought this thing that I spent two years struggling to finish while burned out. Hell, I'm uploading it in the hopes of the engagement encouraging me to write again.

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Thank you so very much for reading. Next week starts Act 2.