Bête Noire | wednesday

1: A Serie of Unfortunate Events

It was a whim when my mother had died and left me alone in the hands of Jericho's Nevermore, a supposed prestigious school. I recon that word has its different meanings, if prestigious had meant a prison for freaks of nature then it that would be more accurate. Yet, it was of a peculiar...circumstance, her death I meant.

My mother, Lilith, is an esteemed student of that glamorizing establishment. The one of the best of their batch, it seemed. She was rumored to be of an enchantress for her undying beauty and her charisma but no one knew what her true colors were. Her talent in all kinds of magics made her become the best of Nevermore and utilized her to create such a good name and environment with her allure and her leadership, until a murder of a certain someone.

Turning back, it was peculiar because my mother died. She could not have been killed too easily, too precise. Her head in tact but she was scratched by an unknown being. It must have been coordinated some how, and I know my mother more than anyone in the world. She was the one who had taught me to kill with a keen eye, and the only one who had so much talents and power that a single measly scratch like that wouldn't have killed her.

She was robbed of her life, but I wonder why...and who were her assailants. A thought for later on.

"Nice to meet you, Ms. Noctifer—you know, your mother used to—" The principal of Nevermore, Weems as she's called, gracefully welcomed me.

"I know." I answered nonchalant, "you need not to tell me about the origins of this dull place."

Principal Weems cleared her throat. "Well then, I suppose you'd love to know that you'd be spending your campus life here with two lovely girls. I hope you don't mind."

"The fact that I've already stepped in these grounds already meant my defeat." Principal Weems looked at me, as if she's expected differently of me. She smiled and showed me the way to my eventual jail cell.

Opening the door to the room, I was greeted with two girls almost biting their heads off of each other. I supposed my appearance was a good thing for this schools reputation, they could have killed each other. Or maybe, this was a friendly banter. Probably that.

"I'd leave you three at it."

Once Principal Weems had left, the two cooled it off as if it was a ploy to scare me. I was bunked with the peppy one, the depressing one had no interest in becoming a friend. I looked at the peppy one and she smiled at me, seeming that they had qualms earlier, it felt like that fog disappeared.

"Hi, I'm Enid! You must be Anathema, there's so much gossip about you. Even in TikTok!" She showed her hand out and she was waiting for a hand shake. I haphazardly shook her hand, as not to intimidate her.

"I don't even know what TikTok is." I remarked and placed my items down at my small corner taking up Enid's space. Enid rolled her eyes and plopped on her bed.

"You'd be great friends with Wednesday. She's just a little shy." I looked at the lady clad in black. She finally spoke up, I didn't suppose she'd do that.

"Incorrect. Being shy is an act of weakness, I just don't like interactions. Especially new ones."

I smiled. "You and I the same."

Wednesday stopped to type and stood up as a response. "No, we are not."

I looked at her dark demeanor, observed her, deducted her. Neatly braided pigtails, monotonous coloured clothing, darkened eyes that showed manipulation, her hands are callous from steel strings of an instrument. The only splash of color that she had was the pink of her lips.

"You come from a old fashioned prestigious family with parents who cannot fathom a life without each other and a dumb brother, so you chose to take the role of the one who has gumption. Despite that, your father raised you to become a fighter, to forge your own path into this world causing you to become reckless and a hazard to those around you. You had a trauma that made that stoic face unmovable, seeing that you do not need feelings as feelings do nothing but to express. You also use writing a way to vent your expressions rather than to act upon it. Am I wrong?"

There was a silence between Wednesday and I. The peppy girl crossed her arms and nodded at the description of my insightful hypothesis confirming my suspicions.

I walked up to the lady. Her gaze was piercing and dead, I took the pleasure of enjoying it. Seeing how she felt like she was found out so easily by someone like me, like a child caught by their parent stealing cookies at midnight.

"Then, if that case is correct, you and I are in a sense. Though I would say, I'm not a pathological liar nor am I a fan of obsession. I'd say I'm a pompous person, but never that."

I placed my suitcase at my small corner and pulled out a few books and a carefully sealed Venus Flytrap on the small desk. I fed the carnivorous plant and I picked up a book; it was the metamorphosis. It was one of my favorite stories of psychological horror although I would quite admit that it is funny. Out of everything, you've picked an oversized cockroach to make a story about. You do you, Kafka.

"Hm," she observed me. "I think we'd do alright together. Of course not with Enid."

The platinum blonde jolted up. "I'd like to remind you that I'm here!"

Wednesday looked at her dead in the eyes. "Who said anyone wanted you here? Leave."

Enid rambled before complying and leaving me with Wednesday to go to Yoko or whoever that is. There wasn't much silence and even I was surprised that a person like her was quite chatty.

"How did you know about me? You're new. I recommend you speak if you so want to live."

I flicked a page. It was quite funny to me that Wednesday was still fazed about the information that I've known about her. What can I say? I am great at observing; the eye is the gateway to one's soul, even if one does not harbor one.

"I observed your part of the room. The colors, or lack thereof, and your belongings. Pray tell, what is happening in this school? You seem experienced." I flicked from a different page.

Wednesday was walking back and forth thinking whether it was the right decision to talk to me about these things. Whether I am the person or not, I still have the right to know what is happening in school grounds especially that they're the only ones I've met.

"I will tell you full details only if you accept to help me—even if it disgusts me so to ask for it. You may be an asset, even, to me." I closed the book and I nodded. Wednesday scrambled to get a piece of paper shown to me, there were drawings of which resembled her behind a fire and some pilgrim.

"A student had died recently in an attempt to kill me, he told me that I was destined to harm everyone. I don't like being liable to the hands of fate, I'd rather kill these people on my own hence why I'm trying to find out what causes this 'prophecy' so I could stop it." She briefly explained. "However, when I've discovered this fact, things seem to take its own turn. The student who I thought was dead from Harvest day suddenly rose up from the dead and that monster still bothers me. Soon is Rave'N, which is where people join a foolish soiree to have fun. I'd like for you and Eugene to investigate the woods with me, and if things turn for the worst, we will extract information from a suspect."

"Using manipulation, I assume?" I chuckled, putting stands of hair behind my ear. My eyes examining Wednesday's body language.

"I don't think these are random, but rather everything strangely interconnects. You see, my mother died earlier at Harvest day and she is not the type to die so easily to a scratch. There must be something that your situation and mine have in common."

Wednesday and I look at the picture. Well, my first day became interesting.