She saw her trip in reverse—the ocean and crashing waves, the wolf and Anne’s strange tree house and candles, the tower oasis and Aiden and Harper, the never-ending snow and Leona and Cadence, the mushrooms, Sakari and Aryana and Elu, the musician, the bad men, and then the rollercoaster. She swirled through blackness, and then she was on the rollercoaster, going in reverse, going backwards down deep drops that made her stomach go in her throat, hearing the creaking of the wheels on rusted metal, and then the blackness cleared and she sat in the rollercoaster cart, heart racing, and she was alone.
She blinked, and she saw the sun, rising upwards, and it was morning, and there was no fog. She was back in her world, though she didn’t know the time or date, and felt like she was waking up from a strange dream, but she knew it wasn’t a dream because she tasted blood on her lips and when she opened her hand saw the stinging scratch on her palm. She wondered what time it was. She wondered what day it was. She wondered how long she’d been gone.
She really needed to take a shower. She was covered in sea water and grime and blood and didn’t know how she was going to explain her appearance to her parents.
But she wasn’t too worried about it.
She had to get to Elizabeth.
She stood up, legs shaky, and left the abandoned amusement park, boots crunching over dried leaves, the light still dim but bright enough where she could see where she was going, which she was grateful for because her phone was still dead. Her car was where she’d left it, and she rummaged in her bag for her keys and got into the car. She lit up a cigarette and smoked as she drove through the forest, until she came back to civilization and the light of the sun grew brighter. She’d never been more happy to see the sun.
She drove home, parked her car on the road, and got out, prepared for the shit show she was about to walk into. She wasn’t afraid of her mom anymore. She’d faced her demon.
Inside the house her mom waited at the table and stood up when she came in.
“Where have you been?” she demanded. “It’s seven in the morning! You’ve been gone all night! You went back to that Elizabeth girl didn’t you? I already said I forbid you from seeing her!”
Then her mom looked her up and down and frowned.
“Why are you covered in blood? Where have you been!”
“I need to take a shower, mom,” said Ava. “And I am seeing Elizabeth again.”
“No you’re not. My daughter will not be a dyke!” She spit out her words, face turning red with anger.
“I’m a lesbian, mom,” said Ava.
Her mom took a deep breath. “You’re going to hell if you really are! Aren’t you worried about your soul?”
“No,” said Ava, and she walked past her mom and went to her room, where she grabbed a fresh pair of black pants, some cute kitty socks, and another black sweater. She plugged in her dead phone. It was time to read those text messages, but after she took a shower. Squeaky clean, Ava changed into her new outfit.
Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.
“You’re going to hell. My daughter will not be a dyke!” her mom said to her as she passed her and went to her room. It felt good to be clean again. She was prepared for her parents to kick her out now, so she really hoped Elizabeth would forgive her for running away. She checked her phone, deleted the texts from Mark and read the ones from Elizabeth.
I’m so sorry Ava.
Please forgive me. I shouldn’t have done that.
Where are you? Are you okay?
Ava responded.
You wouldn’t believe me if I told you. Trust me. I’m coming over.
Ava just wanted to sleep for two days straight, but she needed to see Elizabeth first.
Elizabeth texted back immediately.
Explanation?
I’ll explain when I come over. You won’t believe it.
Okay. What about your mom?
Fuck my mom.
Oh wow!
See you in a bit.
Okay.
Ava grabbed her bag and took out the book and set it on her bed. She really should have given that to Ezzie before she went through the archway. It could have helped her get back to her sisters. She’d never know if Ezzie made it back okay. She didn’t like thinking about that. She brushed her teeth and ignored her mom’s glare as she put on a new pair of boots that weren’t wet.
“Where do you think you’re going?” her mom asked.
“To see Elizabeth.”
“Oh no you’re not!”
“Yes I am. Sorry, mom.” Though Ava didn’t know why she was apologizing. It should have been her mom apologizing to her, for saying those awful things.
“A dyke.” Her mom shook her head. “What about Mark? You were going out with him! That good Christian boy—”
“I’m leaving now,” said Ava, interrupting her mom because she didn’t want to hear a huge rant about how great Mark was. “He raped me and drugged me.”
“What! I refuse to believe it!”
“Well it’s true.”
And Ava left the house, leaving her mom’s aghast face behind. If she didn’t want to believe that was fine. With a massive tired headache Ava drove to Elizabeth’s house. She breathed in the fresh smell of dried leaves, of fall, as she walked through the bright sunlight to Elizabeth’s front door. She knocked, and Elizabeth immediately opened it, wearing flamingo pajama bottoms and a large t-shirt. She was beautiful, hair framing her face and freckles and Ava smelled cinnamon.
“I’m so sorry, Ava,” she said. “I shouldn’t have—”
“No. I’m sorry. Will you forgive me? I really fucked up.”
“No you didn’t.”
“Yes I did.”
And Ava kissed Elizabeth, her lips soft and warm, and she smelled the cinnamon incense in her hair. Elizabeth seemed shocked at first, but then returned the kiss, and Ava was home and happy, and this time she didn’t run away.
“I love you,” she whispered in Elizabeth’s ear.
“Oh, Ava!” Elizabeth cried out, pulling her into a tight hug. “You have to tell me everything.”
“You’ll never believe me.”
“Try me.”
“Okay.”
“Come in,” said Elizabeth, and Ava went in.
#
Ezzie lay in her pool of warm water, only this time the water warmed her, straight to her bones, and no ice chunks floated in it, only fragrant and pretty purple flowers. It had taken a long time, but she’d made it back to her sisters and her soothing oasis, and her sisters had welcomed her back with open arms. Now she was as rosy and chubby as her sisters, after choosing to drink blood again. Her sisters had welcomed her back and forgiven her, like Ava had said they would. She’d stood in front of one of Amelia’s many mirrors, stared at her emaciated face and body, stared in horror at what she’d done to herself. Now she had a full-length mirror in her dwelling, and she liked looking at her chubby, rosy reflection. She was as beautiful as her sisters again, and she didn’t feel the emptiness inside of her, like she had before. The blood filled it, and the love from her sisters.
She touched one of the purple flowers. Wisps of gray fog covered the night sky and stars above, and Ezzie was happy to be home. She’d explained depression to her sisters, had explained the barbaric violence of the mortal world, and they’d understood, especially Rosalie who had actually read about depression. Ezzie didn’t need what Ava had called an antidepressant. She just needed the support and love from her sisters, and the blood of course. She needed the blood.
Now Ezzie wondered what had happened to Ava. She supposed she would never know, and that made her sad, but she had a feeling that Ava was okay, and she was okay, and all was right in her world.