It was a bright happy morning at Nancy Reagan High School. Clear skies, fresh air, and cheerful attitudes. Just what Wednesday hated.
A young teenager around the age of 16 passed through the halls of the school. Students staring and steering clear of her as she walked through the building. Dressed in a full black and white dress with black stockings beneath. Complete with dark heeled boots.
'I'm not sure whose twisted idea it was to put hundreds of adolescents in underfunded schools. Run by people whose dreams were crushed years ago . . . But I admit the sadism.'
As she walked her expression never shifted nor changed. Her face was framed by dark black hair, while the air around her remained cold like that of a corpse. Or a fresh freezer filled with still beating organs. Wednesday stuck out like a black sheep amongst the other attendants of the school.
The bell echoed through the halls and people began to file out of the hallways. But Wednesday continued on as she approached a particular locker that was hard to miss. Given that it was covered with crass and ill-mannered drawings. She quickly pulled open the locker only to discover a younger boy tucked inside. Tied up with rope and an apple stuffed into his mouth. He was similar yet completely different to Wednesday. They may have shared a similar face and complexion but the demeanor and air was nothing alike. But despite that he was indeed her brother, Pugsley.
Now that the door had been opened and the boy had nothing to lean against he fell out onto the floor. Wednesday quickly knelt down next to her sibling. Snatching the apple out of his mouth as she spoke.
"I want names." she demanded, in a flat even tone.
She began untying his binds as he spoke.
"I don't know who they were honest. It happened so fast." he replied in a broken, shaky voice.
"Pugsley, emotion equals weakness. Pull yourself together." her younger counterpart whimpered beneath her. "Now." she said sternly.
Wednesday was about to finish the undoing the binds when suddenly her head shot upwards. And her vision was ovetaken by a vision. Her mind showing her a group of jocks in letterman jackets stuffing Pugsley inside the locker and slamming it behind him. The final shot being a clear image of all of their faces.
And in an instance the vision passed and she returned to the normal world.
"You okay?" Puglsey asked in concern.
'I'm not about to confess to my brother that I've recently been plagued by visions. They come on without warning and feel like electroshock therapy, but without the satisfying afterburn.'
"Leave this to me." Wednesday assured Pugsley. Standing back up as she stalked off down the hall.
Pugsley looked back up at his sister. Getting in one more word before she left. "Wednesday, what are you going to do?"
She looked back over her shoulder as she replied. "What I do best."
In a moments notice her plan was already set in motion. As she calmly walked up the steps entering the pool area of the school. Where the same guys who had antagonized pugsley were practicing water polo.
As Wednesday emerged from the stairs one of them noticed her. Pointing her out to what appeared to be the leader of the group from her vision in the hallway.
"Yo, Dalton, look. Pigsley's sister."
The team all halted their practice to turn and look at Wednesday. Dalton being the first to react.
"Hey, freak. This is a closed practice." he said, as all the other guys laughed. While Wednesday stood unamused.
"The only person who gets to torture my brother is me."
And as she spoke she held up two large bags of gnashing bloodthirsty piranhas. Standing over the edge of the pool as all of the bullies grins turned to expressions of fear. And in a pnaci they all began pushing and shoving eachother to get out of the water. As Wednesday dropped the bags into the pool.
Everyone managed to file out of the pool in time as the fish swam after the group. But Dalton was not so lucky. For as he was about to pull himself out the piranhas reached him. And it wasn't long before blood filled the water and his screams echoed through the building. Leaving Wednesday smiling ever so slightly.
On a new day, but a few weeks after the catastrophe at the school. A night black car drove through the large forests of Vermont. With suitcases tucked in the truck and strapped down to the roof. The vehicle continued along the road like it had just returned from a funeral.
Inside the car Pugsley sat in the front beside their butler and driver Lurch. While meanwhile in the back sat Wednesday across from her two parents. The first was Morticia, a tall pale skinned woman with similar night black hair and garment. The second being Gomez, a shorter stout and darker skinned man. Dressed in a semi-professional suit and subsequent attire.
Wednesday looked on in expressionless disapproval, as her father sang along to the romantic music playing through the radio. Her mother joined in as well, as the two became more entranced with each other. Eventually falling into a kiss before turning back to Wednesday.
"Darling, how long do you intend on giving us the cold shoulder?" Morticia asked calmly.
In response Wednesday turned back to Lurch in the front seat and addressed him.
"Lurch, please remind my parents that I'm no longer speaking to them."
Mrs. Addams cleared her throat as her husband continued for her. "I promise you, my little viper, you will love Nevermore. Won't she, Tish?"
She quickly nodded in reply. "Of course. It's the perfect school for her."
"Why?" Wednesday snapped back. "Because it was the perfect school for you?"
Her two older counterparts exchanged a look as she continued.
"I have no interest in following in your footsteps. Becoming captain of the fencing team, Queen of the Dark Prom, President of the Seance Society."
"I merely meant that finally you will be among peers who understand you." Morticia corrected. "Maybe you'll even make some friends."
Gomez continued as Wednesday looked back thoroughly unconvinced.
"Nevermore, is like no other boarding school. It's a magical place. It's where I met your mother. And we fell in love"
The two leaned in to engage in another kiss. But Wednesday cut in before they got close.
"You guys are making me nauseous." she said. "And not in a good way."
"Darling, we aren't the ones who got you expelled. That boy's family was going to file attempted murder charges. How would that have looked on your record?"
"Terrible." Wednesday quickly responded. "Everyone would know I failed to get the job done."
The rest of the drive continued in silence as the car emerged out of the tree line and into a much larger open space. Ducking beneath a black fence and sign that read 'Nevermore Academy'.
Rain began to pour and lightning thundered in the distance. As the once blue skies turned gray, and the wind began to moan.
"At least it's turning out to be a beautiful day." Morticia observed.
The car then pulled up in front of the school itself. A large gray and black gothic castle like structure. That towered overhead and set an imposing edifice on the surrounding landscape.
And it was nto long before Wensday found herself sat inbetween her parents in the head office of the principal herself, Principle Weems. A much taller pale skinned woman of similar age to Morticia and Gomez. Who appeared overly cheery and polite.
"Wednesday is certainly a unique name. I'm guessing it was the day of the week you were born?" she asked.
"I was born on Friday the 13th." Wednesday promptly responded.
Morticia then piped up to give more explanation. "Her name comes from a line from my favorite nursery rhyme, 'Wednesday's child is full of woe'."
"You always had a unique perspective on the world, Morticia." Weems responded. "Did your mother tell you we were roommates back in the day?"
"And you graduated with your sanity intact? Impressive." Wednesday commended.
"You've certainly had an interesting educational journey. Eight school in five years," Weems observed.
"They haven't built one strong enough to hold me. I bet this place won't be any different."
Her father quickly spoke, attempting to salvage the situation in some way. "I believe what your daughter's trying to say is that she greatly appreciates the opportunity."
Weems sighed. "Nevermore doesn't usually accept students mid-term. But given Wednesday's perfect grades, your family's long history with the school. And the other recent exception made for another mid-term student. I've spoken with the board and we believe we can make this exception for Wednesday."
Mr. Addams rubbed Wednesday's back in some minor form of comfort as his wife continued.
"Larissa, what about Wednesday's, um . . . therapy sessions? The court order them."
Principal Weems thought for a moment. "Hmm. The school has a relationship with a therapist in Jericho. She can meet twice a week."
"Did you hear that, my little storm cloud? You're in excellent hands."
Wednesday's expression still remained unchanged. "We'll see if she survives the first session."
Weems cleared her throat as she continued. "Yes, well there may be a slight problem. You see the other mid-term accepted student just took up those last therapy slots. So-"
Morticia quickly spoke. "That's quite alright. Wednesday, can take her therapy session with this student as well. She's great at making connection with new people."
She then turned towards Wednesday urging her to agree. "Yes, I am also quite skilled at severing connections throughout the human body."
Morticia smiled and Gomez nodded as Ms. Weems continued. "Right, I will notify the therapist of the change." she said. "And Wednesday I've assigned you to your mother's old dorm. Ophelia Hall."
Mrs. Addams gasped lightly, before slipping into an excited chuckle. Until Wensday continued to speak.
"Refresh my memory. Ophelia's the one who kills herself after being driven mad by her family, correct."
Her father stared off absent mindedly, her mother nodded happily. And Ms. Weems grinned all too widely.
"Should we go meet your new roommate?"
In an instance the group had made their way through the halls and up to one of the higher floors of Ophelia Hall. Principal Weems hastily opening a door into one of the rooms as the Addams's all entered. Only to find a vibrant rainbow and brightly colored smorgasbord of a room inside.
"It's so . . . vivid." Gomez observed.
Soon after they had all entered the inhabitant of the room stood up from their desk. Briskly walking over to Wensday in excited glee.
"Howdy roomy."
She was a young girl of similar age to Wednesday. Containing light blonde hair dyed with pink and blue at the tips, and overall dressed in bright colorful attire.
"Wednesday, this is Enid Sinclair." Ms. Weems introduced.
"Are you feeling okay? You look a little pale." she asked, concerned.
"Wednesday always looks half-dead." Mr. Addams assured.
"Oh." Enid quickly spread out her arms. "Welcome to Ophelia Hall."
She then moved in for a hug but was quickly denied as Wednesday back peddled to avoid it.
"Oh okay got it, not a hugger." Enid apologized.
"Please excuse Wednesday. She's allergic to color." Ms. Addams explained.
She nodded. "What happens to you?"
Wednesday responded in a flat even tone. "I break out into hives and then the flesh peels off my bones."
Enide gulped and steadied herself from a wave of nausea as Principal Weems continued. "Luckily, we've special ordered you a uniform. Enid, please take Wednesday to the registrar's office to pick it up along with a copy of her schedule, and give her a tour along the way."
Wednesday remained expressionless as she turned and walked past her parents. Enid quickly followed from behind while skipping in excitement.
Soon the pair had made it through the halls and were heading down the main stairs. When Enid began the rudimentary introductory speech to Nevermore.
"Nevermore was founded in 1791 to educate people like us. Outcasts, freaks, monsters, fill in your favorite marginalized group here."
Wednesday quickly shut her down. "You can save the sanitized sales pitch. I don't pan on staying here for long."
The two stopped in the middle of the hall.
"Why not?" Enid asked.
"This was my parents' idea." Wednesday glanced over at a picture beside a row of trophies. A black and white one, with a younger version of her mother standing at the front with a full team of fencers behind her. "Oh look, there's my mother smirking at me."
She turned back to Enid as she continued. "They've been looking for any excuse to send me here. It's all a part of their nefarious, yet completely obvious plan."
"What plan?" Enid quickly asked.
"To turn me into a version of themselves."
Enid continued the conversation as they kept walking. "In that case, perhaps you can clear something up. Rumor's been swirling around that you killed a kid at your old school, and your parents pulled strings to get you off."
"Actually, it was two kids but who's counting?" Wednesday clarified as she continued ahead.
And soon enough the two pushed past the crowds opened the doors to the central courtyard of the school.
"Welcome to the quad!" Enid declared.
"Actually it's a pentagon." Wednesday corrected.
"The whole loner goth girl thing may have worked in normie school. But here things are different." As Enid continued Wednesday looked around unamused and unphased. "Let me give you a wiki on Nevermore's social scene."
"I'm not interested in participating in tribal adolescent cliches." Wednesday affirmed.
The two began to walk around the perimeter of the quad as their conversation continued.
"Well then use it to fill your obviously bottomless pit of disdain. There are many flavors of outcasts here, but the four main cliques are Fangs, Fur, Stoners, and Scales."
She quickly pointed out a group of kids sitting around a stone table in the quad. "Those are the Fangs, AKA vampires. Some of them have literally been here for decades."
They continued along as Enid pointed out another more rambunctious group of teenagers. "That bunch of knuckleheads are Furs AKA werewolves."
Her statement was met with a cascade of howling from the quad. "Full moons get pretty loud around here. That's when they tend to wolf out, so I suggest getting a pair of noise canceling headphones."
They eventually stopped at the main entry side of the quad facing the fountain. "I'm assuming Scales are sirens."
"You catch on quick." Enid spoke as she then pointed out another teenaged girl sitting beside the fountain. "And that girl, Bianca Barclay is the closest thing Nevermore has to royalty. Although her crown's been slipping lately." she then pointed out another guy across the quad painting a mural of birds flying through the sky. "She used to date our resident tortured artist, Xavier Thorpe. But they broke up at the end of the semester. Reason unknown."
Wednesday then scanned the courtyard for another moment. Until her eyes settled on another teenager sitting atop one of the edges in the side of the building about thirty feet up. He seemed to pay no mind to everyone else around him, as he was fully engrossed in a book of sorts with a laptop sitting beside him.
Enid quickly caught where she was looking and piped up. "Yep, that's the other midterm student. He got here just a week before you. But no one's exchanged more than three sentences with him. Apparently he wasn't even assigned a roommate, because of 'potential danger' as the rumors go. Some even say he was put here after disemboweling three different people."
Wednesday nodded. "Sounds like I may have some competition after all. I'll need to start surveying the woods for good body pits."
And with that Wednesday left Enid by the quad, leaving her even more concerned and confused over the enigma of her new roommate.
Within a few minutes, Wednesday had picked up and changed into her new uniform and had returned to the front entrance of the school to say goodbye to her family. Walking out to the road where her family waited beside the car.
"Look at you, my little deathtrap. Seeing you in this uniform brings back so many terrible memories. Doesn't it Tish?" Mr. Addams said.
"Yes. Why don't you boys wait in the car? Wednesday and I need a moment." she suggested. "Puglsey say goodbye to your sister."
Wednesday's younger counterpart soon wrapped her in a hug to which she did not return. Instead offering another grim observation.
"Pugsley, you're soft and weak. You'll never survive without me. I give you two months, tops."
"I'm gonna miss you, too sis." he responded.
And with that father and son entered back into the car as mother and daughter stood to converse.
"Any plans you have of running away end right now. I've alerted all family members to contact me the minute you darken their doorstep. You have nowhere to go."
Wednesday crossed her arms. "As usual, you underestimate me, mother. I will escape this educational penitentiary and you will never hear from me again."
Morticia sighed. "You are a brilliant girl, Wednesday, but sometimes you get in your own way. I'm sure you'll grow to love Nevermore. Find it as life changing as I did."
She then pulled out an object from her back pocket, fiddling it between her fingers. "I got you a little something."
She held it up to reveal a silver necklace engraved with the emblem of a letter.
"It's our initials. M or W. It's made of obsidian, which Aztec priests used to conjure visions. It's a symbol of our connection."
She handed it over to Wednesday, who examined the necklace with disapproval.
"Which one of your spirits suggested this toe-curling tochtcke? I'm not you, mother. I will never fall in love, or be a housewife, or have a family." she affirmed.
Morticia stood tall and attempted to keep a calm expression.
"I'm told girls your age say hurtful things, and I shouldn't take it to heart."
"Lucky for you, you don't have one."
Morticia smiled in response. "Finally a kind word for your mother."
She then turned back to the butler as she spoke. "Lurch the crystal ball please."
Lurch shambled over and handed off a large black case to Morticia, who in turn handed it off to Wednesday.
"Now in the first week we aren't permitted to call you. So we'll talk to you next Sunday."
She then attempted to touch her daughter with a comforting hand only for Wednesday to recoil from her. Leaving Morticia to walk back to the car and blow a kiss as a sign of goodbye. Closing the door behind her as they began to drive off, disappearing beyond the tree line.
And as the rain began to pour and the wind blow stronger. Far off into the woods a crime scene was being investigated.
Two cops stood over a bloodied and torn backpack. One wearing that of a sheriff's badge the other that of a deputy. The pair looked down at a severed head along with the bag.
"Where's the rest of him?" the sheriff asked.
"Well the torso and arm are over there. We found a leg by the lake. There's an arm in that tree over there, and the rest of the parts are so far unaccounted for. It matches the profile of the other two attacks last week."
The sheriff sighed. "All right, issue a warning. Keep hikers out of the woods. Don't approve any more campfire permits for the foreseeable future."
"What do you want me to tell the press? You know they're going to be swarming like mosquitos in July."
"Tell them the bear is back," he suggested.
"You don't believe that, Sheriff-"
"No I don't." he quickly responded. "But whatever did this wasn't human. Look, I know these murders are connected to Nevermore. So until I can."
But while the two stood by the site and spoke their conversation. Unknown to them a young boy was skulking in the bushes. Putting more distance between him and the cops, until he was out of sight and earshot. Breaking into a dead sprint as he clutched a blood soaked bag to his chest.
Author Note
Hello dear reader. Hope you've enjoyed this first chapter of the story and willing to see where it goes next. Apologies there's not much Y/n, but that was kind of unavoidable in the first chapter. Aside from that I just released a Percy Jackson and Steven Universe chapter along with this chapter. So check those out at your leisure. Anyway's I won't hold you for long. Thank you for reading. I tip my hat to you as always and bid you adieus. (Side not I'll figure out a better cover eventually)
- Machine Herald