Castaways

Days, Nights, Weeks

"Maddie we need to talk" Wednesday said after rushing back to the dorms and bursting in on Maddie the next day.

"What's up?" She said worried.

"Enid... she wolfed out last night and I saw her fur and her eyes. She's the Golden Wolf."

Maddie shot out of her chair and started to head towards the door where Wednesday was, but she stopped her.

"She hasn't returned. She left last night and is still gone. I'm sure she'll turn up soon she just got some upsetting news."

"Billie related?" Maddie asked.

"I'd rather not speak of it."

Maddie gently took Wednesday's hand and held it. "You meant a lot to her alright? I don't know if that makes this situation better or worse but I felt like you needed to hear that."

Thinking about her felt like needles in her chest but she was more concerned about Enid and where she possibly went.

"I have to go and try to find Enid. She's a part of the council now and we have to do the initiation. Wednesday this is huge news and the whole reason I came here. A psychic we trust came to us one night and said she saw a vision of the Golden Wolf at Nevermore running through the halls."

"Why couldn't you tell any of us that before?" Wednesday asked curiously.

"We have to keep things more secretive otherwise people could lie and even bleach their hair when they're wolfed out with the help of friends. You'd be surprised how far people are willing to go to have power."

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The night passed.

Days passed.

After two weeks of Enid not returning to school, the police were at a standstill and asked for the Desmod and Lycan council to do what they could to help find her. There were posters in town, her photographs in newspapers, and on local television.

Maddie went in and out of the school grounds to help the investigators search further and further out into the county grounds.

It ended with the county sheriff saying they have done what they can but now it's on other nearby cities' reports to have their eyes out for her.

The gut-wrenching distress wore Wednesday down so badly that she stopped eating as much and lost more weight than was healthy. She had spent those first two weeks searching, then lost hope quickly that Enid would ever return.

Her depression made her unmotivated to keep looking for her and she had been missing a lot of classes to lay in bed and cry her heart out.

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Wednesday woke up from a nightmare she had in the middle of the night. She didn't like being awake anymore. She had one dream of Enid laughing and all she wanted to do was sleep so she could hear her voice again.

But it was just that one night.

It was exactly 9 days since her dream about Enid and when she awoke she heard a chair dragging in Maddie's room. Normally she didn't pay attention to her neighbor's noises but it was 4:00 in the morning and her curiosity got the best of her.

She knocked on Maddie's door and was greeted by dark circled eyes from lack of sleep.

"You should go to sleep" Maddie said with a yawn. Her door was cracked open so Wednesday could only see part of her face.

"I could say the same for you. Why are you up?"

Maddie was a terrible liar. "Can't sleep."

Wednesday peaked through the crack of the door and saw Billie sitting in a chair reading through a notepad.

"You!" Wednesday burst through the door and ripped the notepad out of Billie's hand, throwing it across the room. Some of the papers floated up in the air and onto the ground.

Billie was taken aback and stood up in defense.

"Wednesday please listen" she started to say.

"No you listen! You didn't say goodbye and now Enid is gone. It's all your fault, all of this stupid mess in on you."

"Enid didn't leave because I didn't say goodbye to you" Billie answered more softly.

"Yes, she did. How could you? How could you leave me without a word?" Wednesday balled up her fists and slammed them into Billie's chest, causing her to stumble.

Maddie stood uncomfortably in the doorway watching all of the emotions fly around.

"I couldn't bear to hear those words come out of my mouth, I didn't want to have to leave you behind."

Wednesday was at a loss for words and Billie told Maddie she'd be back in a few minutes. She led Wednesday to her dorm and sat on the bed.

"Come on, get yourself cozy and go back to sleep."

"I'm not going to be able to."

"What will it take?"

She thought for a moment and looked at Enid's belongings which were still on her side of the room. Everything but her bed which was still pushed against hers.

"She read me a story like I was a child."

"Meaning you'd like me to read to you?"

Wednesday furrowed her eyebrows. "I don't want you to think this means I'm any less intimidating."

"Yeah, sure. Big scary Wednesday needs a bedtime story to go to sleep."

"Nevermind. Leave now."

Billie sighed and laid down next to her and scooped Wednesday up in her arms.

"I'll stay until you fall asleep, how does that sound?"

"You'll be gone again when I wake up" Wednesday said sadly.

"No I'll stay. I'm here for a while and if I have to do this every night, I will."

Wednesday had lost herself in every way since Enid left. She felt vulnerable and small. She couldn't even recognize herself anymore and needed the comfort that Billie could provide, at least for the time being.

"Promise?" She meekly asked.

"Promise."