Writing Practices

Tired and Dreary

((Trigger warning: slight mentions of suicide))

(( I copied my story from a different website and place it on here as filler, so apologies if there's a few things wrong with it, aka glitches))

The four stood in the Nurse's office, only companied by the overwhelming scent of hand sanitizer and the blank pale walls. Chasvo and Anna watched as Connor performed on Chloe's arm in silence. Chasvo was slight surprised that Connor didn't mind to try and help Chloe, even when they only met her two days prior. It didn't help that Chloe's arm wasn't anything short of grisly either.

"So, er, hey." He asked, breaking the silence. "How'd you arm end up like that in the first place?"

Chloe nodded, as if advising Connor through simple body language. "My arm got torn to shreds in an accident two years back. It slowly turned into a magic infection."

"A magic infection? I thought that was some crap our parents told us to keep from causing too much havoc." Anna butted in, her translucent pink wings twitching in clear disgust. "Besides, why don't you just cut the arm off entirely? G-general question, I'm not trying to be rude."

"You're fine." Chloe said, turned her head to look at them both. A few strands of her blonde hair were strewn across her face. "Magic infections exist, but they're not as common as your parents claim to be. I got mine cause' some hunters were tryin' to get into Nightgale. Probably shouldn't have intervened now that I look back on in, but hey, my arm's still intact."

"Besides, to cut off a Illuminate's arm is like sawing off a Celestial's wings." Connor said, keeping his eyes on his work. "She hosts most on her magic in her arms and hands, at most her shoulders too."

The room returned to silence, with Anna trying to keep her mind off of Chloe and Connor while Chasvo stared off into the abyss. It was only a single question that threw them all of their trails, even causing Connor to pause.

"Hey, what's up with locker 409?"

"Not today." Connor cursed, looking down at his lap. His gloved bloody hands slightly wavered over Chloe's arm, his needle almost falling into her open arm. "I've already mourned enough."

Chloe looked back at him, her tired emerald eyes filled with sudden guilt. "Oh Minerva, I'm sorry! I-I didn't mean to ask such a question. I just found it odd that so many cards and flowers and photos were around the locker-"

Chasvo cut her off, raking his sharp fingernails through his curly brown hair. "You're fine, I just- we just thought we didn't have to answer it." With a heavy sigh, the half Storlian sat on the chair next to Connor, who still refused to look at her.

"The locker belonged to a kid named Zachary Wild." Chasvo began. "He was actually apart of most of the classes we attend. He sat two seats in front of you, always quiet and polite, never asking many questions. Me and Connor started talking to him after we saw him waiting in the classroom at sunset as if he was refusing to go home. He wasn't even special either, just some quiet kid who did nothing but read and study in one of the classrooms."

"...I remember talking with him while walking home. We lived in the same neighborhood." Connor said, his voice barely a whisper. This is the first time I've seen him like this, thought Chasvo. "I remember he mentioned that he wanted to study at my place for the night. Maybe even stay over for the night, just not going home-"

"Abusive parents, or at least a bad adult figure." Chloe muttered. "I picked up that behavior from some of the other kids I met at Nightgale."

"He was also bullied too. I witnessed it one day when trying to get to homeroom." Said Anna, her back turned on the group. Her dragonfly wings were lowered with sorrow, nearly dragging on the cold floor.

"Well, he got fed up with all that. Tried to fight back and things only got worse. Secrets were spilt and drama ensured. Of course, he wasn't done fighting. This time, we was going to fight-" Chasvo balled his hand into a fist and hit his thigh, startling Chloe.

" ...He was going to fight himself. He was wheeled off to the hospital a week before you came along. He's currently in a coma to prevent further damage to his brain."

"Yeah, but he's in critical condition. I could've stopped this. We could've stopped this. He might pass away in his sleep any moment that I could've helped him with." Connor said, returning his gaze back to Chloe. He looked like he just mentally fought a couple dozen Atramento and won.

Chasvo wrapped his arm around the Illuminate to comfort him. "Zach's a fighter. Have you forgotten that already? He may not win against some taffy-for-brains bullies but he's killed someone with scissors"

"He did what?!" Said Chloe.

Connor sighed and shook his head. "Chasvo, he did not kill a grown man with scissors. He just barely shanked him in the head with them. He's not even dead! He's at the hospital recovering!"

"...why would he attack someone with scissors?"

"Oh. He snuck into Zach's backyard and apparently had blood on his boots, so Zach grabbed a pair of sewing scissors and fought him off."

"That's... An odd story."

"Agreed. Chasvo and Anna, you're both dismissed. It's nearing 5:30 anyways."

Chasvo sighed and wondered out, dragging Anna along with. "I'll tell Mrs. O'Riyen that you'll be late." He said before disappearing down the hall.

The room returned to silence, only eventually disrupted by the quiet sound of scissors. "I'd recommend you stay off that arm for a while. I'm not a professional in the slightest." Said Connor, wrapping her arm with a fresh bandage.

"Well, for an amateur, you seem rather skilled. I bet you've been studyin' the books in the second library, right?"

"Yes. I want to move to Eden once I'm done studying the books here in the overworld."

"So, you're looking to be a medic?"

"Oh course, and you?"

"Summoner, I believe. I'm not really sure what to do with my life at the current moment."

"Well, Chloe Clementine, I wish you luck. You'll be needing it untill that arms heals." Connor helped Chloe up and reachieved his scarf, returning to the doorway of the main room. "Give Daniel a hello for me. Didn't you mention you were his apprentice earlier?"

"Oh yeah, I guess I am."

"How lucky to be close to one of the greats."

Connor's parting words hung in the cold air for a moment, until they left Chloe alone in the quiet rooms of the pale nurse's office.

...

Keep fighting. You were given this life for a reason and there is no such thing as a reset button.

Momento Mori.