From Ashes ✗ Stiles Stilinski [#𝟏]

𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐲 𝐨𝐧𝐞 [ chaos. ]

A/N: I kind of wanted to build dramatic tension, so here we are a month later! I'll make this short but I also want to thank the readers responsible for the 15k views the past month while I've been toiling away. You all are amazing af. Enjoy!

Song Recommendation ["Living Dead Girl (subliminal seduction mix)" - Rob Zombie]

NOTE: For the full experience, I do personally suggest seeking out each song rec.

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"Your power is rooted in darkness. You must feel it." 

- Buffy the Vampire Slayer, "Buffy Vs. Dracula"

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The darker the root, the bloodier the fruit.

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May 2003

The day was too bright, too warm. Her eyes couldn't completely focus the moment she set foot on the front steps of the school. Her body still felt like it was buzzing, full of light and energy. Still, her stomach coiled whenever she thought about it for more than a few seconds, which made it particularly hard to get any rest in the nurse's office. Instead, she found it much easier to focus on everything else - for instance, a blindingly sunny day. Or even her missed math test. She groaned softly and allowed her head to fall back in exasperation. She'd have to retake it during lunch tomorrow.

A hand gripped her arm tightly and yanked her down the steps. Taken off guard by the sudden movement, she willed her legs to move when she caught sight of whom the hand belonged to. The other girl's jet black hair was in a ponytail, making it easier to see her face. She was met, at an alarmingly close proximity, with the wide hazel eyes of Trista. Her pulse quickened but she allowed the girl to drag her into the shadows of the school, the reality of her situation sinking into her chest. She wasn't there to give the larger girl the answers. She wasn't there to ensure a passing grade. She wasn't there. She wasn't there. She was a dead girl walking.

She could feel the tears begin to stream down her face.

They stood in the shadow of the sun bleached brick building and Madeline Hayes found herself rushing to the ground in one throw. She landed face first in the dirt, perhaps with a few scrapes on her face from tiny jagged rocks. Her cheek was on fire and she felt something dribbling down it.

She could feel the girl above her glaring and hear her quiet snarls, soon accompanied by the other children in the distance shouting. "Fight! Fight! Fight!"

Something in Maddie was still coiling tightly, like her insides had turned into a spring that was being pushed in on either side. She wiped her wet cheeks on the sleeve of her violet shirt and stood. Once she slowly turned around to face the girl, she was immediately met with the sting of a hard slap to her left cheek. Bright, violent pain tore through her for a moment, easing into a throbbing pulse in her under her eye. Maddie touched her cheek and and whimpered from the pain.