Chapter 1
Wednesday didn’t feel well at all. The pain from her stab wound was intense, the skin too tight. Her head throbbed, and every few steps, a sharp, painful stab of pressure shot through her shoulder.
She had defeated Crackstone. He was dead, but she felt like she was barely alive herself. The only thing keeping her standing was her desire to see Enid. What had happened to her? She had fought against Tyler – the Hyde. Tyler hadn’t come to Laurel’s aid. He couldn’t help her anymore. Even if he tried, she had made sure of that. The damn gun had been worth it. One bullet had been enough to end her tormentor's life. She just wished Bianca hadn’t taken it from her. She had wanted it for Tyler.
Her feet dragged her out of the Quad. They felt like stone. She was cold, shivering more with each step. One step after another. She saw the other students around her.
“Is she alright?” Yoko asked Bianca and Eugene, who stood beside her. They’d clearly noticed she was paler than usual.
“Where’s Enid?” she mumbled, her voice weak, not at all the stoic tone she usually carried. She sounded exhausted. She was exhausted, but she hadn’t seen Enid yet. So, she forced herself to take another step.
Her vision began to blur. White stars and black streaks filled her sight. She knew she couldn’t go much further. Her body was betraying her, refusing to move another inch.
Then, Enid came into view. Ajax was right by her side, and Enid’s pink jacket was the only thing that stood out, helping Wednesday to identify her. “Wednesday!” Enid shouted and ran toward her. She embraced her, holding her in place, refusing to let her take another step toward danger. “Are you okay?” Enid asked, her voice laced with concern.
“I’m fine,” Wednesday mumbled, too tired to say more. She hugged Enid back, feeling an overwhelming sense of relief. It was so strange… her favorite friends? Had she ever really had favorites before? Her thoughts faded again, and another wave of pain hit her.
She winced, and Enid squeezed her a little tighter. Wednesday buried her face in the space between Enid’s neck and shoulder, breathing in her calming scent. She wanted to stay like that a little longer, needing the warmth because she was so damn cold.
Enid looked helplessly at Bianca and Yoko. She had never seen her best friend like this – so human. “Wednesday, are you really okay?” Enid pulled back and looked her over, noticing how pale and weak she seemed. Of course, Enid noticed, but Wednesday was too far gone to answer. The blood loss and constant pain reminded her of everything that had happened.
Suddenly, she went limp in Enid’s arms. Enid barely managed to catch her before she hit the ground.
“Wednesday! I need help! Yoko!” Yoko immediately rushed to her side and examined the pale girl. “She’s bleeding too much. Look at her wounds! The bleeding needs to be stopped! Bianca, help! Eugene, call an ambulance!” Yoko tried to help, but the overwhelming scent of blood triggered her instincts. Her eyes glowed red beneath her sunglasses.
Bianca knelt beside Wednesday, assessing the situation. “She’s got an arrow wound in her left shoulder,” Xavier called out from the background.
“What?!” Enid whimpered, quickly using her claws to tear open Wednesday’s jacket and undershirt, revealing a sports bra underneath. It barely held anymore.
Bianca carefully peeled away the fabric, exposing the wound. A small trickle of blood leaked out, but it didn’t explain the large pool of blood on her stomach. “This can’t be right. The wound’s too small for the amount of blood,” she muttered, looking at the dark stain on Wednesday’s stomach. Enid felt queasy. She struggled to control her claws. “Bianca, her pants… pull them down.”
Bianca hesitated, but seeing the blood pooled around her, she quickly unzipped the trousers.
They both gasped when they saw the wound. “Is that a fucking stab wound?” Bianca whispered, horrified.
“Eugene, how long until the ambulance comes?” Enid asked frantically.
“They should be here in at least five minutes!” Eugene replied.
Goody had never told her the whole truth. The wound wasn’t meant to heal for long—just enough so she wouldn’t bleed out before killing Crackstone. Now the wound was open again, bleeding in waves, matching her heartbeat.
“You need to put pressure on the wounds,” Yoko instructed, her voice urgent.
Enid and Bianca both pressed down on Wednesday’s wounds, trying to stop the bleeding. They didn’t know that these wounds weren’t the only ones. They didn’t know that her back was in just as bad, if not worse, condition. They didn’t know that the Hyde had taken his time with her, leaving deep marks that would haunt her for life.
Suddenly, Wednesday made a choking sound. Bianca and Enid immediately turned her onto her side as she began to vomit blood.
“Shit, shit, shit… this shouldn’t be happening!” Enid cried out in panic.
Bianca saw that Wednesday’s back was exposed, and a fresh wound peeked through. “Oh no…” she gasped, trembling as she pushed the fabric higher. The sight made her sob—Wednesday’s back was covered in deep claw marks, shredded and agonizing, but not actively bleeding. “What the hell happened?!” Bianca whispered, stunned by the brutality of it all.
Enid fought back her own nausea as she focused on putting pressure on Wednesday’s stomach wound.
None of them noticed Morticia slipping through the crowd of students, gliding toward them with an unsettling calm. “Oh, darling. You seem to be in trouble again,” she said, her voice not betraying any concern as the ambulance sirens grew louder. “It’s not the time to succumb to such minor injuries, darling.”
The others stared at her, confused. Her daughter was dying, and she didn’t seem to care.
Morticia pulled a vial from nowhere and knelt beside her unconscious daughter. She gently repositioned Wednesday, laying her flat on her back. She opened the vial and poured the contents into Wednesday’s mouth, then closed her jaw to make sure she couldn’t spit it out.
Wednesday didn’t react at first, but then her eyes shot open, and a blood-curdling scream ripped from her throat. Her body surged upward, and she clung to Bianca, burying her face in her chest, sobbing silently. Her wounds began to sizzle, and smoke rose from them. They watched in awe as the head wound closed before their eyes, and the other injuries began to heal too.
Wednesday’s sobs eventually subsided, but she held onto Bianca, her grip as tight as ever.
“Darling, your wounds are taken care of. Now, show me where Larissa is. I still have a bad feeling about her.” Morticia’s voice was cold, commanding.
Wednesday tried to steady her breath, but Enid growled, her eyes narrowing at Morticia. Something felt wrong. Morticia may have seemed like a loving mother, but her expectations for Wednesday, after all she had been through, seemed callous.
“Principal Weems is dead,” Enid snarled, positioning herself protectively in front of Wednesday.
“Oh, lobita, you can’t know that. Larissa can’t die so easily. She just needs to be reminded. Now, will you let go of my daughter?” Morticia’s eyes bored into Bianca’s. She wasn’t asking; it was a command.
Wednesday opened her eyes just enough to meet her mother’s gaze. Slowly, she let go of Bianca and tried to stand, though she swayed dangerously. Bianca and Enid rushed to steady her, but she didn’t speak. She took a slow, faltering step toward the Greenhouse, grateful that her two friends were there to keep her upright.
“You need to make yourself presentable,” Morticia said as Bianca helped Wednesday into her blazer. Enid assisted with the buttons, but the jacket was far too large on her. Wednesday looked smaller, paler, and not at all like her usual self.
“Yes, mother,” Wednesday murmured, her voice barely audible. She glanced at Bianca and Enid. “Thank you for your help. It’s no longer needed.”
She walked ahead of Morticia, but her pace was slow, stumbling. Morticia sighed. “Where is Larissa?” she asked, noticing Wednesday’s slow movements.
“In the Greenhouse,” Wednesday answered quietly.
Morticia clicked her tongue in frustration but continued ahead, expecting her daughter to follow at her own pace.
Wednesday stopped for a moment, watching her mother walk away. She didn’t say anything, but she felt a sense of relief knowing Morticia was leaving. Her legs shook, and she collapsed to her knees. Enid and Bianca were at her side in an instant.
“Wednesday, what do you need?” Enid asked, kneeling beside her.
“Sleep,” Wednesday mumbled, her voice heavy with exhaustion. The potion had healed her, but the aftereffects were taking their toll.
The ambulance arrived just then, and Eugene directed them to her sitting form.
“I’m not hurt anymore. Enid, go with them,” Wednesday muttered, though she didn’t seem to be in any condition to make such a decision.
“I’ll stay with Wednesday. You should get checked out, Enid,” Bianca said, her voice firm. Enid hesitated but trusted Bianca and left to get herself checked.
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Half an hour later, Lurch arrived, after Wednesday had slept against Bianca—though she would never admit it. Lurch gently lifted Wednesday into his arms and placed her in the hearse. She didn’t stir; she was completely unconscious. Bianca couldn’t even say goodbye, as Morticia immediately climbed into the hearse after Wednesday was laid inside. Lurch closed the door, and the hearse drove off.
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