Breath of the Wild College AU fanfic │Thinking About You

I Will Wait For You

My eyes are chained to the screen of my phone. This isn't real. It can't be. I blink a couple of times but the message stays the same. Link is awake...

Wake up, Zelda, wake up. I shut my eyes, painfully so, until I see snow dancing behind my eyelids. I pull my phone to my chest and lean my forehead against my knees. Wake up. Please wake up. Sweat is dripping down my back. I'm shaking uncontrollably.

I open my eyes... I'm still here. Hiding in a criminal's house. I have to go. But Malice... What's going to happen to her? I can't let her take the blame for my actions. Not when the punishment is physical.

I'm too scared of moving... The silence is paralyzing. I bring my hand up, it feels so heavy but weightless at the same time... I reach for the closet door and push it open. It takes me a couple of seconds to find the strength to get up. What now?

I can't stand up to Ganondorf. It has to be the police. I walk up to the door. In a stupor, I manage to get a hold of the doorknob without tripping over. I stop there. What if they're out there? What if they catch me? What if Ganondorf locked the doors and I can't even get out anymore? Should I call Impa?

I let go of the doorknob. Trying not to make a noise, I walk over to the window. No lock. I push it open, slowly, biting my teeth harder with every noise that comes from it. I lean my body over the edge. It's far to the ground. Not too far though... I could jump into the pool, the water would dampen my fall, but the noise would get me killed.

I look back into the room with a frown. I'll come back for you, Malice. I'll get help. My eyes land on the closet just before I turn back toward the window. I hurry across the room one last time, pull my sleeve down to cover my hand, and pick up the baseball bat. Keeping it as far away from my body as possible, I return to the window.

I feel dizzy just looking at the ground. Not because I'm afraid of heights, but because I feel like my body consists of nothing but bones and air. I take a deep breath. I'm going to have to jump...

I lean over as far as I can and bring the bat as close to the lawn as I can before dropping it. The noise was subtle. I have to move quickly now. Clutching to the ledge, I quietly lower my body toward the ground. Then I let go!

I try to catch my fall but my ankle bends and I plunge to the floor in flaming pain. Shit! I have to bite my hand to swallow the scream pushing against the rear of my throat. That hurt! And it wasn't exactly a silent escape either! 

I pull down my sleeve once more, grab the bat, and cross the street in a painful crouch. I steer for Impa's car without checking for oncoming traffic, then I yank the car door open and jump in. 

"Drive," I heave. "Go!"

"Finally! I started to get worried," she turns the engines on and starts driving. "Mipha called–"

"Ganondorf was home," I interrupt in a puff of air.

"No way... He saw you?"

"No, but Malice did!" I open the window. I need air! "They have guns!"

"I don't know a single American who doesn't."

"Stop the car!" I beg.

"What?" 

She pulls over, having noticed that I am unable to answer. I open the door, lean over, and throw up the two bites of rice I had for dinner last night. My body craves to empty my stomach even more but there is nothing left to give. I cough and spit at the curbside. I feel like I'm dying rotting on inside.

"Are you having a panic attack? What happened in there?" Impa asks, now adapting to my panic.

"He hits her," I say.