#chatzy: that path we tread

[bountybossier]

That Path We Tread | bea, blanche, luce, nell, nic, & winston

TIMING: Right after this. LOCATION: Bea’s necromancy clearing. PARTIES: @nelllraiser @beatrice-blaze @divineluce @danetobelieve @harlowhaunted SUMMARY: Help. They're dying. I need help. Warnings: Vomit tw, body horror tw

Like a jacked mother possum with all the children on the back.

Exhausted, Winston wrapped their arm more tightly around Bea. Watching Nell and Luce and Blanche. Everything had gone wrong. They’d got her back. Bea was alive. But everyone was fucked up. Winston could barely stand. Fuck they could barely feel like they could breath. They were so hot. Their phone would work to call an ambulance. Sweat poured down their back soaking their shirt. Whenever Winston tried to operate their phone it just refused to work, the screen crackling and it overheating whenever they went near it. So right now it was lying on top of their bag. They spotted someone coming and tried to scramble to their feet before spotting the biggest, burliest man they’d ever seen. The type of man you definitely wouldn’t want to see on a dark night in the forest. Winston had never been more overjoyed to see Nic in their life. Heart swelling with relief, Winston basically choked back a sob of emotion before gaining their composure. “Nic, Nic!” Winston shouted at him, “Fuck, please you need to help, we need to get Luce to a fucking hospital and I can’t get my phone to work and I’m too tired to move Bea and Nell and, fuck, please, help us.” They looked at him pleadingly. Why the fuck was it like one hundred degrees at midnight?

Help. They’re dying. I need help. Nicodemus hadn’t expected anything good to come from what it was they were doing. It was out of his area of expertise, sure, but what was asked of him wasn’t. His expression grew bitter and he moved as soon as his eyes passed over help. Follow the smell of blood and burnt flesh. His empty stomach roiled as he neared the clearing and broke through brush. The smell was thick in his nose and throat. Jesus fucking Christ, what had they all done? Everyone was damn near injured and briefly, he wondered if an attack of some sort happened. There sure as shit was a body. He didn’t know shit all about magic. Had it gone the way they wanted? As he processed, his eyes shot over to Winston. “Fuckin’ shit, Winston,” he said as he walked over in long strides. Put a hand on their shoulder as if it might steady. “It’s alright.” He wasn’t sure about it even as he said it but he understood what they asked of him well enough. “Gonna get y’all outta here.” He sought out Nell and tried to keep the worry from spilling out. She was alive. Luce was alive. Blanche was too. Where the smell of blood came thickest, he saw Bea. ...Maybe alive? “...Well alright,” he said carefully. He didn’t feel the need to reach for his knife but he eyed her warily. He took in a heavy breath before he looked at Blanche. “You got your car?”

Luce started breathing again soon after she began CPR, but not after Blanche heard the crack of Luce’s ribs. She was bent awkwardly over Luce, whispering to her not to move and that she was going to be okay. At some point, she had shrugged off her white jacket and handed it to Nell. “Arms. Wrap them as best you can. Please.” Before going back to make sure Luce was alright. Bea was fine - or, well, as fine as she could be, if a little disoriented. “Luce, it’s okay don’t worry. Don’t move. You can’t move yet.” Blanche whispered again, brushing her hair out of her face just as Winston began shouting Nic’s name. She almost forgot she texted him, but relief and hope hit her as she practically sprang to her feet. “Nic!” Blanche cried. “We need to get them to the - oh. My car? Yes. That way.” Blanche pointed down the slight path. “Not even 10 minutes, I pulled up as close as I could. But I can’t carry them myself. I think Nell can walk. Winston can, maybe. But Luce - I think she had a heart attack? And Bea - she’s confused. And - I need help. We need help. Please.” Blanche rushed through the facts as fast as possible, looking at the others in concern.

“Nic?” Nell’s confused voice pervaded the air, unable to make sense of where the hell he’d come from in the middle of all this chaos. Nevertheless, a way of utter relief slammed into her as he arrived, knowing that if Nic was here- everything would be okay. He’d proven more than once just how capable his hands were, and by now he had a way of making Nell fell calm, like everything was in control when he was around. The jacket that Blanche had given her to cover her arms was already soaked through only a few moments after she put it on, and everytime she so much as moved- the way the fabric brushed against her skinless arms just made the excruciating pain start anew. Thankfully, the peeling had finally stopped near the tops of her arms. “She’s okay?” Nell asked tentatively, scared of the answer that she might get. Which sister was she even talking about? Bea or Luce? Both. She needed to know that both were alright. Now that the initial panic amongst them had subsided, she looked to Bea, her heart stopping in her chest as her sister sat there, staring back with open eyes that were alive. “Bea?” she asked nervously. Had she come back right? Bea had said her name, hadn’t she? Both Nell’s and Luce’s. She knew them. That was a good sign, right? What was left of Nell’s magic began to try and stitch her arms back together, but instead of growing new skin, the tips of her hands simply scabbed, nothing more.

The world was swimming. It felt like Bea had just spun around in an office chair so many times she could count. It was enough to make her nauseous. Listing away from Winston, she heaved, nothing more than bile left her. She looked up to see Nic standing over her and Winston and squinted her eyes. “Brownies?” She slurred at the hunter, unable to think of anything meaningful to say to him. She had no idea why he or Winston was here, but she was very grateful to see them. She knew her and her sisters weren’t capable of taking care of themselves at this point. Her head lolled over to look at Nell, reaching a shaking hand out to her youngest sister. “Nellie,” She rasped again, trying to focus on the younger woman. “You’re… hurt.” It took more strength than Bea realized to be speaking. Her chest heaved as she tried to catch her breath. “We…” She took a deep breath before speaking again, eyes slipping closed as she tried to force words from her mouth. “... Need to go.” It wasn’t good for them to spend any more time in this circle. She could feel the grass around her already withering. They had to get somewhere less shrouded in death if they wanted to have any time to breathe.

Struggling to their feet, Winston turned to assess the situation. Honestly, everything hurt. Their head was swimming and they couldn’t think clearly. Everything was so hot. It hadn’t been this hot earlier and Winston pulled their jacket off and staggered over to their bag. Stuffing everything inside, they couldn’t help but notice that their phone was still being weird. But that was a problem for later and Winston had to make sure that everyone got out okay. Even if they felt terrible. Sweat had already drenched their clothes. Staggering back to Nell, Winston helped her to her feet without touching her skin. It looked, well it looked painful and Winston was pretty sure that was the second or third white jacket that Blanche was going to have to replace now. “I agree,” Winston pulled their inhaler out of their jeans and sucked down several puffs, “we need to get Luce and Nell to a hospital and Bea too really.” Winston wasn’t sure how they were going to explain this. “Nic, I don’t think Luce can walk, I don’t know about Bea either… do you think you could,” Winston gestured awkwardly at them before miming at lifting motion, “y’know?”

The hardened edge that had settled over Nicodemus’s face softened by a fraction when Nell spoke to him. “It’s me, kid. I gotcha,” he said as he looked at the red jacket that covered her arms. At her question, he glanced over to her sisters. Far as he could tell, they were, but he had a sneaking suspicion that would fade the longer they lingered. He swallowed down the feeling in his throat and nodded at Winston. “Yup, gonna get y’all there.” How he had come to be the safety net and wrangler of a bunch of magical younglings, he didn’t know. It didn’t bother him in the slightest. With apprehension, he looked at Bea and for a moment didn’t breathe. Brownies. Well, at least it wasn’t a knife. Slowly, he nodded at her. “Didn’t have time to put the fuckin’ oven on,” he muttered dryly as he shrugged off his top layer and threw it around her. “Gonna need you to get on my back here in a second, Bea. Gonna get Luce and then we’re goin’.” The middle sister’s breath was faint but her heart was still in it. The hunter could feel it as he looped an arm under her shoulder and the other under her legs. He walked back over to Bea, Luce in arms, and crouched. “Ain’t gonna drop you. Just hold on as best you can, alright?” As soon as she was on and secured, they could get gone from whatever the fuck had transpired.

“Be careful. Her ribs,” Blanche said quietly to Nic has he scooped Luce up in his arms. “Please. I - she - CPR.” It was the only explanation she could manage to get out. At least she was breathing. At least it didn’t take her long to start breathing again. At least Luce was alive. She looked between Bea and Nell, almost guiltily as he Nic crouched to Bea could climb on. God, Bea was confused, but lucid enough to know that they had to get out of here and that Nell was hurt. That was a good sign. Or, she hoped it was a good sign. She didn’t actually know.  Blanche looked at her one stark white jacket now stained red from Nell’s arms. Bile rose in her throat and she coughed once - twice - no. Not now. Blanche swallowed it back, shaking her head as she inched closer to Nell and Winston. “Do either of you need help?” Blanche asked quietly. She could help the both of them, if they needed it. Nic would take care of Bea and Luce and they would all get to the care and it would be fine. They just needed to get to her fucking Jeep.

The hospital? Even now Nell’s stomach turned nervously at the word, that place always making her anxious. But Nisa wasn’t here, and even if their mother had been- she wouldn’t be able to see them all at once. And something was very wrong with Luce. Why had she just collapsed like that? As Bea touched her, Nell half expected that same, clammy touch she’d felt when she’d picked up Bea’s body from the god forsaken death site in the woods to take her to Nic. When she’d first died. But there it was thrumming away underneath Bea’s skin, and though her sister’s jostling hurt, she wouldn’t have traded the feeling of Bea’s hand for anything in that moment. “You’re- you’re here.” Again, it seemed that everything she’d been keeping carefully locked up these last few weeks were surging forwards, and something about Bea caring that Nell was hurt caused more tears to fall down her cheeks. Her sister was alive, breathing, and could care again. A true reunion would have to wait when everyone needed medical attention, but Nell was already yearning for it. “Thank you,” she said to Winston as she tested her feet, somewhat unsteady, but able to walk despite the burning of her injuries. “I can walk. Let’s go.” They needed to get Luce and Bea to the hospital, to actual help. Ever so slowly, her arms were beginning to magically scab over, leaving a rough trail up to the middle of her forearms. Still no new flesh to be told of, though.

Her eyes were finally beginning to adjust and Bea recognized that she was meant to do something now. She didn’t want to stop looking over Nell, but Luce was dying and the littlest Vural was bleeding so much Bea wasn’t sure how she could be standing. She pulled herself onto Nic, grimacing as she realized she was still covered in blood. “Thank you,” She told him softly. Fragments of memories were starting to flow through her. Find someone willing to take care of me. She didn’t know who she said those words to, but something told her that Nic was this person. Her eyes trailed back to Luce, fierce now, she was not allowed to die. She wasn’t even allowed to think about dying. Bea would personally bring her back to scream at her for dying. Even if it would have been Bea’s fault for asking for this. She wanted to lay her head down and fall asleep, but the necromancer forced her eyes to stay open. She could not fall asleep when her sister was on death’s doorway.

Winston’s head was swimming. A dull throb rang over and over and over and over again. But they kept plodding onwards. Sweat pouring down their back. It was so goddamn hot. They took another step. The grass golding beneath the soles of their shoes. Then another step. Then another. They could feel the energy surging within them and Winston knew that something was wrong. They stopped dead in their tracks. The group continued around them. Their breath quickened. Their heart was racing. Their blood pulsed. It felt like it was boiling within them. Why were they so hot? Everyone was a few feet away. It struck them, a groan in their stomach, a bead of sweat trickled down their face and suddenly they couldn’t help themselves. A moan of pain erupted from their stomach and as Winston opened their mouth to make a sound, a roiling wave of fire exploded from their mouth. They did their best to point it towards the sky, and avoid burning anyone. It lasted for a few seconds maybe, but it left Winston doubled over and curled up in the grass. “Oh, fuck, I don’t feel so good,” they groaned.

The hunter was careful not to jostle the two Vural sisters as he walked. They needed to get away from the clearing. Away from the body and the blood and whatever else. Nicodemus paused as Winston groaned and immediately, his eyes shot over to them. Shit. It wasn’t likely that he could bundle them up on top of the two he already carried. And then Winston spat fire. He blinked. Alright. What the fuck was happening to all of them? “...Get ‘em up,” he said to Blanche, not too unkindly. Each minute they lingered, the worry kicked up in his pulse. What good would it be if they all died out in the fucking field? Nah, he was tired of people dying and he reckoned the lot of them were too. “Please. We gotta get. We gotta get ‘em all--” He didn’t finish as he started up again, quicker but no less careful, towards Blanche’s jeep. His eyes narrowed as a storm of thoughts clouded his head. He could sort it out later. As the rest grew closer to the jeep, he spoke up again. Something told him it was necessary. Especially after whatever the hell she might’ve seen and he carried the aftermath of. “Blanche, when we get ‘em all in, let me have your keys. You ain’t drivin’.”

Fuck, Winston just breathed fire. Blanche sprang back from them with a low shriek, staring at them, aghast. “What - “ But there was no time. Nic told her to grab them, pull them up, and she listened. Blanche hadn’t liked the feeling of this place since Bea had shown it to them weeks before, but now the feeling of death and despair clung to the air, making it thick and suffocating. She pulled Winston to their feet, careful to help them walk.  The walk to the Jeep wasn’t terrible. Blanche was hyper focused on it: Get everyone there, get everyone to the hospital, make sure everyone was okay. “Luce and Bea - lay them in the trunk. Nell and Winston can have the back. By the windows.” As the black jeep came into sight, she almost started crying in relief, and she almost missed what Nic said. The car unlocked and she was already shuffling Winston into the back seat and rounding the body of the car to open the door for Nell. “What?” She stared at Nic. “I -” She what? Blanche realized how sick she felt right then. She silently held out her pink lanyard once Luce and Bea were settled, before going to sit in the passenger side. They were going to be okay. They were going to get to the hospital, and then everything would be all better.

The sound of a steady electrical beeping. Repetitive, droning. Over and over. That was what first filtered in through the darkness. Then, pain. Sharp surface level pain, stinging and fierce. And underneath it, there was a dull, heavy weight that pressed down upon her chest. With a low groan, Luce forced her tired eyes to open. A sterile white room greeted her, bright fluorescents blinding and she shut her eyes immediately. Pillows, she could feel them behind her head, and sheets oddly warm against her skin. Her chest, her chest ached. Gritting her teeth, Luce willed herself to power through the fatigue that pressed down upon her body. She opened her eyes once more, glancing around the room. She wasn’t alone-- there was another bed next to hers. Someone else lay in it. Her eyes struggled to focus, the image a blur. Finally, she realized it was Nell-- her arms wrapped up in bandages, the edges stained pink. Letting out a shaky sigh, she shifted her gaze to the chairs around the room. Four people. One small, blonde hair streaked with bits of pink. Blanche. And another, a burly man. Who was he..? The thought was pushed from her mind as she saw Winston, their face slick and shining under the bright lights.

With all the energy she could muster, Luce tilted her head to look at the last person. Familiar long tresses of dark hair, dark eyes staring back at her… “Bea.” She managed, a hint of a smile on her face. That was all the strength she could muster, her body still aching and exhausted. Her head fell back on the pillows, her eyes closing once more. A comforting blanket of weariness pressed down upon her, dragging her once more into the darkness. A sense of relief washed over her, more soothing than the promise of sleep. Bea. She was back. Nell was safe. Winston was here, Blanche as well. Her family was whole.