《I Breathe Salt》W̵̢̔̽̕͠ô̶̙̠͙̭͓̈́̆r̷̩̭̂̄̾̄ṃ̸̚ś̶̳̫͖̼͑͛͛͘
Advertisement
The worm is dead. All dried up from the sun, its carcass sticks to the rubber playground flooring, plastered down. If that weren't a dead giveaway on its own - literally - Lacey has also poked at it with her chubby little finger a few times, and it didn't start wriggling, so it must be dead. Not asleep. Things that sleep usually wake up. Not this one.
She pulls her scraped knees up to her chin and runs a fingertip along the red scratches. They sting. Her eyes cast themselves sideways, at the boys chasing one another on the jungle gym, rattling across the bridge and making close escapes down the twisty slides. It's like they've already forgotten the way their grubby hands shoved at her back, the way their grubby mouths said mean things about her looks and her weight and how nobody wants to play with her. They're fully content to forget about her now that she sits at the very corner of the playground, separated from everyone else.
Well, everyone except this worm.
She tightens her arms around her knees and juts her lip out. There is a small movement around the worm, but it's shaky, a misty scrunch pulling itself away from the fragile shell. A second worm crawls free of the first and starts to crawl away, but it's still dead. She's learned that the dead sometimes come back by now. Carol taught her that. Carol's dead too, but she's back. They met when she turned seven. Carol is nice.
When the first tear breaks free of her eye and starts running down her cheek, she tells herself that she's being sad for this worm since nobody else will, but she's sad for herself too. The other kids are right. She's too weird to be with anybody else.
A shadow slides across her and the dead worm, obscuring her vision. Without glancing up, she says, "You made your point. I wanna be alone now. Go away."
"But being alone isn't fun," an effeminate voice says, "and I know you don't really wanna be alone because nobody wants to be alone."
Surprise fills her features; she looks up, curious. There stands a girl, haloed by sunset hues of orange and red and the softest blue. Her skin is the color of bronze, and her hair hangs black and straight around her shoulders, small ears peeking through the mousy strands. She's very pretty and her face is soft and her brown eyes look nice and Lacey doesn't know what to say so she just keeps staring.
Without needing a response, the girl sits down criss-cross applesauce beside Lacey, hands in her lap. "What're you doing over here?" She sees the worm. "Oh, it's dead. That's sad."
"It's not fair," Lacey says. She buries her face deeper into the cuts on her knees.
"It's not fair those boys were mean to you. Does that hurt?" The girl gestures at Lacey's legs.
"No," she lies. "It's fine. They're right anyways. Nobody wants to be around me."
The girls face contorts into something she doesn't know what to call. Determination, maybe. Her brows knit together like she's angry and her features settle into something too harsh for her face. "Well, I want to be around you. So they're not very smart and they're kinda liars too." She jams her hand into Lacey's personal bubble. "I'm Stella."
Lacey looks at Stella's hand for a moment. She hears a gaggle of laughter from the boys at the side, and she frowns. Maybe this is a trick. She'll pull her hand away at the last second and start laughing in her face and tell her how stupid she was to fall for it. Still, she lets her hand creep forward until she's latched onto Stella's. She doesn't pull away. They shake. "I'm Lacey. Lacey Waits."
Advertisement
Stella giggles, and it might be the nicest laugh she's ever heard, small and tinkle-y. "Well what are you waiting for? Let's go play!" She tugs at her hand, trying to pull her up, but Lacey squirms out of her grip, hesitant.
"But..." Her lip wavers. "They'll chase me down and push me again and call me names. I'm not supposed to play around them."
A predicament Stella has. She taps a finger against her chin. "Well...we already know they're dumb liars. They can't make you sit over here either. They can't make you do anything you don't wanna do, nobody can. My daddy says we all need to do what makes us comfortable and that our needs come first before anyone else's. What those boys want doesn't matter." A sly grin slips onto her face then, and she leans close, voice quiet. "And if we see them coming we'll push them first and see how they like it."
This pulls a laugh out of Lacey, and it's enough to make her unravel and wipe the tear away. "I like that idea. But..." She looks back to the dead worm. "Can we bury it first?"
Stella nods, and she bends over the carcass, not worried about the fact that it's dead or a worm. Her fingers peel it up from the rubber with the gentlest care she's ever seen, and with Lacey's help digging a small hole in the mulch, Stella lays it down. Together they cover it with mulch. When they're done, they beam at one another, and in the background, they hear laughter. The boys have become glowing skeletons, chasing one another around and around against a burning sky, flush with angry hues-
-flickering softly in conjunction with one another, backdropped by the dark stone of a fireplace. Its warmth spreads outward, far enough to reach the brown leather couch the two girls sit upon. Despite this, they wrap their legs and feet in knitted blankets and keep their hands secure around steaming mugs. Lacey still has it up to her lips when she laughs, and the air she blows makes the liquid bubble up and pop hot against her cheek. She tastes chocolate. Stella cackles, a hand on her stomach as she tries to keep from sloshing her cup everywhere. "It hurts! It hurts, ha!"
A calm falls over them as Lacey leans her head back and stares up at the ceiling to catch her breath. How her parents managed to pool together the money for a weekend trip here, she'll never know, but this is the most fun she's had, and with Stella here? It perfects everything. She's glad they managed to convince Elijah to let her come with them. It's not like he wouldn't've. They're thick as thieves, bonded by pinky promises and handshakes and the trauma bonding of having to endure middle school together. Eighth grade shouldn't be as hard as it is.
Stella's taken nicely to it, though. Her face has gotten thinner since the beginning of the year, her hair longer, more silky. And her ease with talking to people, teachers and peers alike, leaves her beloved and coveted. It's like second nature, knowing just what to say. And she's gorgeous to boot; it's no wonder everyone adores her so much. Pretty Stella, she thinks, her chest gone to soft mush, perfect Stella. Even her nose is a marvel on its own, sharp and slender with this small, hardly noticeable freckle on the side unless you're really looking, and her lashes are long and dark and they flutter real nice-
Advertisement
"Why're you staring at me like that?" Stella asks, trying to fit the words around another imminent fit of giggling. She takes a sip of her cocoa, looking Lacey in the eye. The color is glossy and bright. Like topaz. "Do I have a chocolate mustache?"
Warmth flushes her cheeks, and she averts her gaze, chuckling to herself to hide the embarrassment of being caught. There's a nervous tingle in her chest as she fiddles with the mug in her hands. In that moment, she gets an idea, an idea that keeps coming back to haunt her: she should tell Stella about the ghosts. If anyone's not going to peg her as a weird lunatic, it's Stella. Stella will listen; she'll believe her and think it's cool. Unless she doesn't.
Pressure, soft and reassuring, lands on her shoulder. Stella's voice has a similar cadence to it. "What's wrong? You look...uncomfortable. Conflicted. Tell me about it."
And she wants to. She opens her mouth to, but it's so big, too big, and the way Stella rubs her thumb over Lacey's shoulder, it makes something else entirely pop out: "I have a crush on you."
Silence. In the back windows, skeletal faces watch and leave their mandibles agape, glancing at one another behind the frosted glass. They aren't supposed to be part of this memory, Lacey knows that much, and the windows are smaller than they ought to be, but the anticipation of this moment makes her disregard these small details. There's a terrified tingling in her gut, almost sickly. She shouldn't have said anything. This'll ruin everything. Oh, God.
"I knew that already," Stella finally says, unbothered.
"Oh."
"Yeah but uh, I like you too, y'know. I wanted to tell you first since I thought you weren't gonna, but...I've been thinking about it a lot."
Excitement, building, bursting, spilling out between her ribs and into the space between them. "Yeah?"
"And I wanna do something about it, like date maybe, if you want to, but if we do..."
"I'm in, I am one-hundred percent in, Stella, let's do this."
"...I want it to be a secret."
Oh. Well that stings. What's wrong with Lacey? Why does it have to be a secret? Discomfort replaces the anticipation, replaces the excitement, and makes her shoulders droop. She burrows deeper into the blanket. "I'm not sure I'm comfortable with that."
"Well, why not?" Now Stella's riled, and a bit of cocoa wets their blanket. "I mean, I'm not out to anyone else yet, I don't know how my family'll take it, being strict Catholics and all, plus people say bi is just a phase and I don't feel like dealing with it, and if we hide it we won't have to deal-"
"I'm not comfortable with that, Stella," Lacey says firmly, setting her mug down on the floor. "You said I shouldn't do what's uncomfortable for me. I don't want to be a secret. It feels...wrong. It'll go wrong if we do it that way."
"But-"
"No."
If anyone should understand, it should be Stella, the one who gave her the advice in the first place. But instead of going soft like Lacey's used to, her face hardens, and she lifts herself from the couch, reeling from something - rejection, maybe; it's not like the determination she shared above the corpse of the worm. This is fresh, new, not a look she likes. It's powerful anger and even though she remembers there being more to this conversation Stella takes off into the back wall, which no longer exists, instead giving way to an open forest. The bony fellas run at her side.
There should be snow on the ground; there's only mud. Lacey herself is gone, too; there's only Stella. It's strange, being in her head, seeing through her eyes. It's not as amazing as she thought it'd be. It's pretty scary, actually, feeling her heart pound so violently, tasting blood in her mouth, experiencing an agonizing burn in her lungs. "Help!" she belts. Her throat feels like it's on fire, raw and overused. It echoes and no one answers.
She throws all of her weight into sprinting. There is disorientation in the air. Her shoulders keep slamming into trees, bark slicing through skin. Warm tears break through the grease and grime on her cheeks but she keeps running. Her bare feet sink into the mud and squelch. Her ankles feel just as raw as her throat, inflamed. "Fucking help!"
There is noise behind her. Feet crunching. Boots, heavy boots. An involuntary scream lurches out and she throws herself forward with every step, stumbling but never stopping. In truth, there are foggy skeletons dangling from the trees, watching intently, but she passes them by without a single hint that she knows they're there. Empty sockets gaze into other empty sockets within the canopy, and in them, as impossible as it should be, there is worry floating in the air, intent with no outlet. Lacey, from within Stella's skull, tries to yell at them to help, to do something, to lift her up and away from the danger, but her voice never makes it out.
A heavy force slams into her back. Their screams intermingle. She tries to scramble away, palms clasping onto a stray branch, but it cracks off the log and she's dragged back. She tries to dig her fingers into the earth but it's too moist and slips away. The hands that flip her onto her back are soft but dig. Stella is too frantic, too busy searching around for escape, for a weapon, for anything at all to see the face.
She sees a rock and reaches out for it, but then pressure clamps down on her throat, forcing the heavy gasps to stay where they are. Her body lurches, and the hand that was so close to the rock curls back into her body, towards her neck. She claws.
There's a lot of kicking, a lot of thrashing. Desperation pushes for air, but there is none. Her eyes bulge; she can feel the agonizing pop of blood vessels under her skin. Her fingers slow and she begins to fade. The dark blue sky drops rain upon her weak body, and the last thing she sees is the rustling canopy above her as droplets fall into her eyes.
One hand goes limp against the mud, and a plump worm writhes between her fingers, finding a home in a sleeping girl plastered to the wet earth. No, not sleeping. Things that sleep usually wake up.
Not this one.
Worms, by AlicebanD
Advertisement
The Law of Webnovels
Ham Dani, a normal student whose hobbies were to read novels.
8 396“ Don't Fall In Love With The Main Lead ”
Death greeted me when I was riding a train... Did I die? Where am I?Who am I? I've become the the second female lead on my favorite visual novel game! As I realized my fate, I've accepted it, Is it so wrong to accept the world of my dreams? Read my journey of how I break the rules of the game and use them for my own selfish reasons!
8 103Witch of Andania
Laura Alexandra Muriel is the willful 16-year-old crown princess of the island kingdom of Andania. Endowed with breathtaking beauty and well-versed in both the twin arts of magic and the zither, she’s the gem of the imperial family. However, the golden age of Andania is long past and the weakened nation is besieged by the northern protectorate of Vaishya and threatened by the southern slave empire of Saadian. As the flames of war ignite throughout the world and Andania teeters on the brink of destruction, the nation’s survival demands the ultimate sacrifice from one to save the many. A civilization with two opposing systems of magic. Ancient Magic: Wielded only by Andanian witches, emphasizes innate Talent and self-sacrifice for higher magic (Talismans, Song). New Creation Magic: Preferred by the high gods & the rest of the world, requires sacrificing the life energy and blood of others for higher magic (Spells, Incantations & countless other forms). A world with two antagonistic superpowers and an island nation forced to the brink of extinction. Protectorate of Vaishya: The world’s largest trading union. Calcutta, the capital is the wealthiest city on earth, and ruled by the benevolent Zimran royal family, who seeks to establish a trading monopoly on unique Andanian magic. Empire of Saadian: The world’s mightiest slave empire. Riyadh, the capital is the grandest city on earth, built on the backs of countless slaves, and ruled by the Immortal Emperor Xerxes, who seeks exclusive rights to the immense military potential of unique Andanian magic. Andania: In its golden age, its unrivalled magical wares were famous throughout the known world. Magical artifacts with unimaginable power, flying fleets of steel, and enchantments that rivaled the divine blessings of gods. But today. An aged powerless king clings on to power with his two young daughters, the last of the ancient witches of Andania. And as the fleets of both Vaishya & Saadian crest the horizon, the survival of the nation is threatened as never before. And two princesses that simply wanted to spend a happy childhood together in peace. Laura Alexandra Muriel: The willful & stubborn elder sister and The Witch of Andania, the title granted to the most accomplished witch of her generation. Her sworn duty, to sacrifice even her very life, to ensure the safety of her people. Her greatest love and lifelong competitor, her dearest younger twin sister. Lily Alexandra Muriel: The kind & supportive younger sister and the undisputed genius in the zither and song. Her only wish, to live in peace and quiet with her elder twin. Her curse, a power that could doom an empire to desolation. What’s the worst that could happen? A forbidden Tower, that can grant any wish. A forgotten Species, resides within the darkest depths of the seas. An ancient Serpent, plots to usurp the remnants of the high gods. Powerful witches, desperate wishes, lost memories. Immortal emperor, devious archmages, blood sacrifice. High gods, undead diviners, hidden costs. Will the mortal witches finally triumph? Will the Immortal rule the world? Will the gods survive the serpent’s schemes? And what about that cute fluffy kitten? Will she ever have her heart’s desire? Tags: Fantasy, Action, Tragedy, Romance, Comedy, Adventure, Strategy, Magic
8 229Serendipity
When shy bartender Elliot is approached by a handsome stranger on a park bench at midnight, their unlikely attraction unravels everything they thought they knew about themselves... and the crime-ridden city around them.=||=||=A struggling Elliot Taylor didn't expect to lay his head on a park bench to get a good night's sleep for once, away from his ruthless father and a house that never truly felt like home. He didn't expect to meet a biker that night, either. Much less Noah Black, the Vice President of the 'Stray Dogs' biker gang. Contrary to the rumors that paint him out as a man of danger and mystery, Elliot discovers that he radiates an easy-going energy, and a flirty charm that makes him difficult to resist.Through chance encounters and sleepless nights, the two can't seem to avoid each other. And it doesn't help that Noah has a sharp eye for Elliot's bruises, especially considering that the last thing Elliot wants is the help of somebody else. So, how long can Elliot turn him away? How long before the electricity he feels for the boy who seems to be too nosy for his own good... turns into something much more than Elliot had ever expected?|| Weekly updates!
8 178IN CONTROL || lgbtq+ / boyxboy ✔️
❆ book one of the Soulmates Series ;; can be read as a stand-alone ❆Jake Hart's life is about to get a little more interesting when he finds a strange looking remote outside of his dorm room, and starts playing around with it, utterly unaware of it being the reason Caiden Lee, down the hall, is simultaneously in pain and pleasure. All Rights Reserved UNBROKENSMILE - Copyright © 2020 Cover: artsylivia♛ Awards ♛⇛First Place Young Adult in Ink Awards⇛First Place New Adult in Creory Awards⇛First Place General Fiction in Vintage Awards⇛Chicklit July Winner in Colorful Awards⇛Second Place Romance in Cerulean Awards⇛Second Place LGBTQ+ in Libra Awards⇛Second Place General Fiction in Author's Books Awards⇛Second Place Chicklit in Wildwood Awards⇛Second Place Chicklit in Aspirants Awards⇛Third Place LGBTQ+ in Mono Awards⇛Third Place General Fiction in Glorious Awards⇛Third Place General Fiction in Evergreen Awards⇛Third Place General Fiction in Belle Lettres Awards ⇛Third Place Chicklit in Aurora Awards⇛Third Place Chicklit in WOD Awards⇛Third Place Chicklit in Discovering Elites Awards⇛Special Award LGBTQ+ in Creator's Choice Awards
8 67My Hot Demon✔
BTS JUNGKOOK X READER"You are hot.""Never knew that my life would become a harem which I used to watch on websites."_____________All Rights Reserved Story by @haru__btsCover by @Reeruworld00
8 91