Celia Thorpe

No abhorrence of danger

Celia was sitting on her bed, quietly reading, when the peace was shattered.

Their dorm room door swung open with such force Celia thought it might break off the hinges. Bianca stood panting in the doorway. She was still wet, and her eyes were frantic.

"Wednesday?" She called.

"Bianca? What happened?" Wednesday stood up from her desk. Enid removed her headphones.

"There's something out there. In the lake. I went to find answers, and something moved. Wednesday, I think it's an outcast."

Celia couldn't sleep. Her mind was buzzing with thoughts of everything. Ever since she had arrived, things had been going wrong. Divina was hurt, Bianca saw something in the lake, and she couldn't shake the feeling that she was connected to this. Suddenly, she felt her bed jolt.

Celia sat bolt upright. At the end of her bed, Wednesday was staring at her.

"Jesus Christ! What the hell?"

"I didn't mean to wake you." Wednesday replied in a monotone voice. She continued walking to the window door.

"Wait, wait! Where are you going?"

Wednesday sighed.
"I'm going down to the lake. It has to be connected to Divina, and my blackouts. I need to find out what that thing is and why it's there."

Celia paused.
"Ok. Let me come with you."

"What? No way."

"I can help! Two pairs of eyes are better than one."

Celia watched Wednesday. She seemed to be about to say no, but sighed.

"Fine. Let's hurry."

Celia followed Wednesday through the window. They scaled the building quickly and started towards lake. Celia had to run to catch up. She was suddenly starting to second guess her decision.

"Uh, so what exactly are we going to do?"

"We get in the lake."

Celia stopped in her tracks.

"What? What if we find the monster?"

"You can always turn back."

Celia cursed herself internally before following Wednesday to the edge of the lake.

The moon was barely visible, and the lake was still. It's oily black surface showed no sign of movement. Celia was having serious misgivings.

"Come on." Without hesitation, Wednesday walked into the lake. Celia followed.

The water was freezing, and sucked all warmth out of Celia immediately. She began shivering.

They both waded out as far as they could. When Celia was on tiptoes, she called out.
"I can't see anything."

"That's because you're barely looking."

Wednesday began swimming across the lake.

Celia was about to reply when she saw something that made her blood freeze. Behind them, coming from the shore, something was moving in the murky water.

"Uhh, Wednesday. Wednesday! I think we've found your monster!" Wednesday turned around sharply. Celia started for the opposite shore, but Wednesday stopped her.

"No. That's where whatever attacked Divina is."

"So what are we meant to do?!"

"We have to swim back."

"Are you crazy? That's where the monster is!" Celia hissed.

"Sea serpent. I've seen it before. We need to get out. Now."

Tentatively, Celia began towards the shore. Keeping her head above the water, she looked around anxiously for the serpent, which had now disappeared. For a moment all was quiet.

Suddenly, Celia felt a tug on her ankle. Something scaly and cold had wrapped itself around her ankle. She shrieked as the serpent dragged her away from the shore.

When she was in the middle of the lake, the creature pulled her down. Celia released a muffled scream as she was dragged down into the murky depths. From out of the shadows, a nightmarish figure appeared, staring at her. Celia looked into its bulbous, pale yellow eyes as she felt her body cry for air.

Time passed. It may have been a minute, it may have been an hour, but all Celia knew was that she was going to die.

Come on Wednesday. Where are you?

Her vision began going black, when she felt a pair of hands pull at her. The grip on her ankle loosened and her head broke the surface. Another pair of hands pulled her onto a wooden surface. Taking deep, gasping breaths of the frigid air, Celia's vision came slowly back.

Staring at her was a familiar blonde.
"Hello." Said Enid. "You cut that a bit fine."