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The waypoint lit up and Katie toppled out of it, gasping for air, falling onto the floor.
No, she thought to herself as she watched the waypoint turn its self-off.
She waited, laying on the floor, for anyone else to come out.
No one did.
Broken. She felt broken as she rested her head on the floor looking up to the celling of spawn, her mind whizzing with thousands of thoughts all at once.
I escaped. I did it. She thought to herself.
Finding the strength to pull herself up she winced as dizziness washed over her, using the waypoint to help steady herself.
She looked down at herself, her clothes where dirty and torn, her glasses gone and tight knots have formed upon her head.
She could feel her eye throbbing, reaching up to touch it she winced feeling the swollen area, her cheek was black and bruised and she could taste the blood coming from her lip.
Pain stabbed deep as she tried to inhale deeply, her hand falling to rest on her ribs.
A sharp wince escaped her at the pressure. Don’t cry. She told herself.
Her vison blurred anyways.
Looking around she tried to get her bearing before spotting the KFC.
She took a deep breath before slowly limping her way over.
By the time she reached the table, her legs have given out. She collapsed into the seat, gripping the edge tightly and her breathing turned uneven.
She thought to the last time she slept, maybe two days ago. It showed through her dark circles, shaking hands and her thoughts being all over the place.
I should go home. She thought then laughed at herself because of course she should go home she just didn’t have enough XP to teleport anywhere other than spawn.
She rested her head onto the table with a sigh. She had nothing. Everything was taken off of her. She has no way of communicating with anyone. She needed a plan.
Rest. Find somewhere to hide. Try and contact… anyone.
That’s the best she could come up with and knew she needed to move quick.
But the tablecloth felt so soft against her cheek.
And she was so, so tired.
She tried to remember everything in order, The Elections, humiliation… The argument.
Ewron.
The cat.
A shiver ran through her.
Though they always argued, Ewron wouldn’t hurt her. No matter how bad things got. He wouldn’t She thought to herself, Would he?
You may thank Ewron for his contribution.
The words cut through her mind.
Her breath hitched.
No… no that didn’t make any sense,
The sound of the waypoint going off made her flinch, but her exhaustion kept her still, her head resting on the table as she looked toward the kitty café.
The sound of muttering reached her ears. The Żabka’s sliding doors opened and closed, indicating someone had entered the shop and then, a couple of seconds later, opened and closed again.
Maybe they would just leave her alone if she stayed still.
She had no energy to talk. Her eyes slipped closed as sleep began to wash over her.
Well… that was hopeful thinking.
The next thing she heard was: “Well... well... well... if it isn’t my arch-nemesis, KatieB.”
Ewron.
A flinch ran through her body, adrenaline flooding her system, though she remained still. Panic rushed through her as the words echoed like a siren in her mind:
You may thank Ewron for his contribution.
His footsteps grew louder as he approached the fence that separated his establishment from hers.
“You have the audacity to show your face now after what? … three days of attention-seeking?” he said.
She didn’t move, trying to steady her breathing.
“But I like the commitment… messy hair and dirty clothes. You had a couple people worried. Not many… but don’t worry, I made sure to tell them what had happened.”
Ah…
So that was why no one had come to find her.
Tears began to fall silently down her cheeks, any remaining faith she had in Ewron dissolving.
“Oh, so you’re giving me the silent treatment now? Wow Wowwwww?” he asked, his voice rising slightly.
She slowly pushed herself up from the table, slipping out of the seat and holding onto it for support for a few seconds before limping away.
She couldn’t deal with this right now. She couldn’t deal with him.
If she had been in her right mind, she would’ve quipped back, keeping up their usual banter; sometimes playful, sometimes just mean depends on their friendship status that day.
But not now.
Not after what had happened.
“Katie.”
His voice rang out as she limped toward the kitty café. Maybe she could sleep in her therapy.
“Katie,” he called again, louder. “Oh, so you are just ignoring me… wow, okay KatieB”
She heard him jump the fence. She tried to move faster, but it was impossible.
“I thought after everything you’d at lea—”
A hand grabbed her wrist turning her around.
She cried out in pain, her knees wobbling, her vision going white for a second.
Shit, she thought. She had forgot about the giant gash sliced down her arm.
At her cry, Ewron pulled his hand back rapidly. She clutched her wrist to her chest, cradling it as she finally looked down at him.
Her friend.
Her best friend…
Her ex-best friend.
She stared at him blankly as tears streamed uncontrollably down her face.
It was as if he was seeing her for the first time.
His face went pale as his eyes scanned her, lingering on her injuries, the dark bruises visible beneath her torn clothes, the dark blood dotting her pink clothing.
Not giving him a chance to speak, she turned back around and continued limping towards the therapy building.
“Wait. Katie… what happened? Katie—”
He followed.
She reached the fence of the kitty café and grabbed onto it, not trusting her legs to hold her any longer.
A wave of dizziness hit her.
She couldn’t stop it.
She threw up all over the pink patio.
Fuck, she thought. I’m going to have to clean that up later.
Ewron started talking rapidly again, but the ringing in her ears drowned most of it out.
“Katie… blood… oh my god…”
That was all she caught before she slid down the fence, ending up sitting beside her own sick.
Sleep sounded nice.
Her vision blurred, her blinks growing longer.
Ewron’s face appeared in front of her, his hands cradling her face to look up at him, forgetting everything for a moment, she smiled.
She had missed her best friend.
She had hoped that, even after everything, Ewron would come and save her. That everything was all a big joke and he was going to come around the corner and say, “did you really fall for it” like he normally would.
But he hadn’t. She remembered being alone, scared, feeling like she was losing every bit of herself.
And her smile faded.
She tried to turn her face away from him, but his hands still held onto her face keeping her head still.
When did they get there? she thought, weakly trying to push him away.
“Katie… you’re burning up.”
Yeah, no shit idiot, she thought. My whole body feels like it’s on fire.
Rolling her eyes weakly, she tried to push herself up.
She failed, collapsing back down onto the ground, a groan releasing from her.
“No! No. Katie, stop it!” he cried, trying to keep her still. “I’m trying to help! You are losing a lot of blood.”
Only then had she felt his hands had left her face and were putting pressure on the gash in her arm.
“Get… off,” she muttered, breathing heavily.
“Katie, I’m trying to help—let me,” he said, his voice soft, "please."
She paused for a second.
Then—
You may thank Ewron for his contribution.
She flinched violently as his hand moved toward her face again.
“Get off,” she cried out as loud as she could, trying to keep her words steady but failing as her voice cracked and tears flooded into her eyes.
Finally, he pulled himself back staring and looked like he wanted to say something but was holding himself back.
Properly looking at him, for the first time, she thought she saw panic in his eyes.
Good. She thought to herself. I hope you are scared Ewron.
“But Ka—”
“Not you,” she crocked “anyone… But you."
He stared at her for a moment his face going unreadable, as if trying to understand, before pulling out his warp stone and teleporting away.
Relief washed over her.
She pulled herself back up using the fence.
Therapy building, she focused. Not much further.
Carefully avoiding her own sick, she made it to the edge of the patio before falling off it, faceplanting hard onto the grass below.
She cried out in pain, then laid still.
A strange sense of comfort washed over her.
This will do, she thought, letting her eyes close.
If she slept, it didn’t last long.
The next thing she knew, the waypoint went off again, and Ewron’s voice filled the air.
“I DON’T KNOW!” he shouted. “I thought it was a prank— a joke. She plays those a lot. But I had this bad feeling, and she wouldn’t look at me. She always looks at me. And always has something to say no matter what but she just didn't. And then—”
His voice cut off as they made it to the patio and saw Katie face down in the grass.
“KATIE—fuck!” Multiple footsteps rushed toward her.
She flinched as hands rolled her onto her back.
“Katie, why the fuck—why did you move—” Ewron's muttering reached her ears, not sure if it was meant for her or just his own panic.
She tried to open her eyes, but everything was blurry, so she closed them again.
“Hey, Katie, hey, can you keep your eyes open for me.”
Another voice.
She turned her head slightly, unable to make out who it was, but she still gave a weak, bloodied smile.
“M’ tired,” she muttered, "and sick"
“I know, I know but you have to drink this first. It’ll help you feel better," the voice replied.
Panic surged through her.
The last time someone had asked her to drink something, it had left her weak and dizzy and unable to move as...
She shook her head as quickly as she could.
“No. No, pleasee no. I'm sorry. I'm sorry I promise. I won't do it again, I promise I'm sorry-" she cried out pushing the potion away weakly and trying to pull herself up.
“Hey… hey…" hands fell on her shoulders to hold her still, she cried out louder "it’s me. It’s Don. Hey, remember me, it’s your brother. Trust me Katie. I won’t let anything bad happen to you. This is a health potion. It should help you. Make you feel better.”
His voice was soft, kind and she did remember it. His hand held onto hers placing it onto his chest breathing in deeply. She copied his breathing, deep in and out.
She turned her eyes toward Ewron, who had gone completely silent. He sat next to her, biting his own lip, watching her with wide, anxious eyes. She'd never seen him like this. Ewron always had something to say even in the worst of times, sometimes he had too much to say...
She looked back at Don and slowly nodded, calmness taking over her.
He gently lifted her head and poured the liquid into her mouth. She swallowed, letting out a soft sigh as her head rested back against the ground. The effects where immediate, a lightness taking over her and the pain numbing.
Her blinking slowed. She could feel herself drifting again.
She glanced at Ewron, who had moved closer to her, and she felt his hand reach down to hers.
Then her eyes finally closed.
And sleep overtook her.
----
Katie woke slowly. Soft.
That was the first thing she noticed.
Not pain. Not cold.
Just Soft.
Her brows furrowed as her eyes opened, landing on the ceiling of her therapy room.
…What? When did I get a bed in here?
She stayed still for a moment, trying to piece things together, before slowly turning her head.
Someone had quite literally dropped a bed in the middle of the room.
Her fingers twitched.
She frowned, looking down… Someone was holding her hand, her eyes followed it.
Ewron.
Curled awkwardly in her pink chair, head tilted at an uncomfortable angle, fast asleep his hand loosely wrapped around hers, like he’d refused to let go even in sleep.
On the other side, Don sat calmly, flipping through a copy of Qnews.
Katie stared for a second.
Then slowly as carefully as she could she pulled her hand out of Ewron’s.
The moment she moved, Don looked up.
“Whoa… Katie, take it easy,’ he said.
She flinched at his voice, shoulders tensing, before forcing herself to relax. Slowly, she pushed herself upright into a sitting position.
Everything ached, but the pain as subsided. She noticed her arm was wrapped up tightly and the throbbing in her eye was gone.
“What happened?” she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
Don didn’t answer straight away. He watched her, like he was choosing his words carefully, “I was hoping you could answer that for me.”
Katie just stared at him blankly.
Then she pulled her legs up to her chest, resting her head against her knees.
Don exhaled, “All I know is Ewron teleported in, he was panicking. Shouting that you needed help.”
Her gaze flickered briefly to Ewron, then back to nothing.
“And when I got there…” Don hesitated, “…you were face down in the grass. You looked half dead.”
Silence.
Heavy.
Don leaned forward slightly, his voice quieter now his eyes shifting from Ewrons sleeping form back to her, “…Katie. I know you and Ewron are best friends but I also know he sometimes takes things too far…” pausing as if trying to find the right words to say “Katie… did Ewron do this to you?”
She flinched, Small but sharp.
Because no. Not physically.
But the words
You may thank Ewron for his contribution.
Rang through her ears again louder, closer than before.
She swallowed, looking down and shrugging.
Don straightened, frowning. “Katie… help me out here. What does that mean?”
She stayed quiet for a moment, searching for something that made sense.
“I don’t think… he hurt me,” she said slowly. “Not like that. I want to hope not on purpose as well”
A pause.
“But I don’t know if he… set it up,” The words felt wrong in her mouth.
Unstable.
Uncertain.
Looking at Don in the eye she continued, “I think it was the feds, though they blinded me and used weakness… but I kept hearing the same sentence over and over.” her voice dropped, “… ‘you may thank Ewron for his contribution.’”
She looked away, “I think it was about the cat.”
Don blinked.
Once.
Twice.
“…Surely not all this,” he said quietly his eyes swiftly roaming her injuries again. “You two are—” he stopped himself, correcting, “—were best friends. He showed everyone the video. It was clearly an accident. You didn’t mean to—”
Katie just curled in tighter and didn’t respond.
Didn’t look at him.
Silence filled the room as Don tried to process what he’d just heard.
“Don.. They know” she broke the silence looking back up at her brother, tears threatening to spill from her eyes, “They know im---“
She was cut off when Ewron shot upright.
“KATIE-”
Both of them flinched.
“Oh my god- Katie-- Katie, you’re awake-- ” he stumbled over his words, rushing forward, relief flooding his face. “You had me scared for a second there-”
He reached for her.
Katie pulled away instantly and didn’t even look at him.
The movement was small, but it hit.
Hard.
Don stood up immediately.
“Hey Ewron. I think you should leave,” His voice was firm hand already resting on his sword.
Ewron froze. The smile dropped off his face.
“…What?” Disbelief was clear in his voce.
His eyes flicked to Katie; her back was turned.
“I said,” Don stepped forward slightly, “I think you should leave.”
A beat.
Then Ewron laughed, too loud, too forced.
“You’re funny, Don.” His tone shifted, light, but edged. “My bestie is hurt. My bestie. Not yours.” He tilted his head slightly, “Maybe you should leave.”
Don didn’t budge, “Ewron. I’m not joking.” His grip tightened on his sword. “For Katie’s sake… you need to get out. Now.”
Katie looked up at that, eyes widening slightly. She had never heard Don like that before.
Ewron’s expression twisted. Annoyance. Then something sharper.
“No.” His voice dropped. “I’m not listening to you.”
His gaze snapped back to Katie, “I’ll listen to her.”
A step closer.
“You want me here, right?” His voice softened, but there was something underneath it now.
Tight. Somewhat possessive. Desperate.
“Don’t you, Katie?” he pressed. “You want me to stay.”
It was as if the room held its breath.
Katie looked up slowly, like she hadn’t been fully there until now and her eyes moved between them.
Don.
Ewron.
She met his gaze, hoping her gaze is as close as she feels, and shook her head.
No.
Ewron blinked, “…What?”
Quiet. Too quiet.
“Katie… what did I… what did I do?” His voice cracked slightly. “What did I…”
The door slammed open, all three of them flinched.
Ewron spun, sword already in hand and Don followed.
Katie’s heart lurched, they found me. She panicked as she scrambled off the bed.
Ash stood in the doorway, fully armoured, frowning.
“I heard shouting,” he said. “Thought Katie might be back… I needed to…” His sentence was cut short when his eyes landed on her, “…Katie.”
Relief hit and her breathing steadied as she sank back onto the bed, distant again.
Ash stepped forward but Ewron blocked him, placing a hand on his chest.
“Ewron, what the fu—” Ash started,
“Actually—” Don cut in, shoving Ewron back slightly. “Ewron. I won’t ask again.”
Ewron’s face tightened, “No.” His voice sharpened. “I’m not going anywhere.”
His eyes flicked back to Katie. Locked on.
Ash didn’t hesitate and grabbed Ewron by the back of his collar and yanked him backwards and out of the door.
“You are clearly unwanted,” Ash said flatly eyes skimming onto a pissed looking Don and a blank faced looking Katie. “Now leave, we can talk later.”
Ewron struggled, anger flaring, walking back towards the door.
But Ash shoved him again hard before slamming the door shut, locking the door.
And for a moment there was silence.
But that was sort lived and Ewron’s banging and shouting rang through the building.
Ash rolled his eyes at the dramatics, and Don looked like he could kill.
They ignored it turning to look back at Katie who hasn’t moved still sitting curled in on herself on the bed.
“He won’t stop” she muttered eyes reaching up to meet them both, “he always has to say the last word.”
Ash smiled gently and pulled out his warp stone, ‘well let’s go someone a little more private”
Don nodded pulling out his own and offering his hand to Katie.
Hesitantly she took it.
The therapy was filled with shouting and banging, but no one was there to hear it.