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yourdeepestfathoms · 4 years

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Olly Olly Oxenfree (part three)

TW: Suicide

———————

do you wanna play a game?

Something about abandoned building lying around made Fort Milner ten times more creepy than the woods. Sure, the forest could hide so many things, but anyone could be peering out of those stained, murky windows.

The sudden sound of the loudspeakers cracking to life didn’t help the tense mood, either.

“Hello? Can anybody hear me?” Catalina’s voice spoke. “If- if anyone can hear me I’m at Fort Milner in the— I think the gym?”

“She sounds...scared.” Joan said.

“Yeah.” Cathy agreed. “I mean, I would be, too. I am, but at least I’m not alone.”

Joan nodded as they got to the door leading to the next area of the fort, only to find it locked. She sighed and walked to the other buildings as Cathy went on about their theory over the whole thing: It was a government experiment.

As she was explaining this, Joan noticed a red light flickering at the top as a gazebo-like structure.

It was the same shade of red that the lamp in the forest cabin was.

She climbed the ladder leading up to the platform. The higher she went, the louder a buzzing sound became, and it nearly overwhelmed her so much that she almost fell down onto Cathy.

Once at the top, Joan takes out her radio and began to tune in.

102.3

The red light overhead shatters into thousands of tiny pieces, sprinkling Joan and Cathy in shards. At the same time, the sky splits with a jagged bolt of white and rain came pouring down.

“𝔻𝕚𝕟𝕟𝕖𝕣 𝕥𝕚𝕞𝕖!” Chimed a gameshow host-like voice from the radio. “𝕀𝕥’𝕤 𝕟𝕖𝕧𝕖𝕣 𝕥𝕠𝕠 𝕝𝕒𝕥𝕖 𝕥𝕠 𝕞𝕒𝕜𝕖 𝕕𝕖𝕤𝕤𝕖𝕣𝕥! ℕ𝕠𝕥 𝕒𝕟𝕪𝕞𝕠𝕣𝕖—” It cuts off abruptly.

“What the hell is this?” Cathy muttered.

“𝔻𝕠 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕨𝕒𝕟𝕥 𝕥𝕠 𝕡𝕝𝕒𝕪 𝕒 𝕘𝕒𝕞𝕖?”

The locked door nearby swings open.

Inside in the fort’s facilities- dorms and whatnot. The storm rages outside.

“So... Maria and Catalina...they dated?” Cathy asked.

“Annoyingly, yes.” Joan grumbled.

“You don’t seem too happy about that.”

“Of course I wasn’t! I mean- I want Maria to be happy but- Catalina? She could do so much better!”

Cathy laughed slightly, then noticed a fleeting figure up a small set of stairs.

“Hey, that’s- that’s Catalina!”

If she noticed the way Catalina’s eyes glowed red, she didn’t think much of it as she chased the older girl into a side room.

The door slams shut behind her.

“Cathy!” Joan cried. She tried to open the door, but it was locked. “Cathy, what happened? Are you alright?”

No answer.

“Shit- shit, shit!” Joan turned around and passed by a large, rectangular mirror mounted on the wall to get to a staircase leading up to the kitchen area.

As she was walking up the steps, she tried not to look at the black figure staring at her from the windows.

She steps into the kitchen.

The figure was there again.

Its body was a mere outline of iridescent static, but its eyes remained a blistering shade of crimson.

Joan didn’t see it this time.

She walks to the end of the room, finding a light switch on the far wall. She flips in. The lights burst to life throughout the entire facility.

“Testing, testing-” Cathy’s voice come from the speakers. “Okay, I can’t hear anything outside, but there’s this radio thing so- Listen, Catalina’s not in here, it’s just a room, so riddle me that, first of all, and second- I can’t get out.”

“Hold on, I’ll figure something out.” Joan called out.

She walks down the staircase again. This time, the figure is not watching her.

However, when she passes the mirror, her reflection doesn’t move with her.

Joan froze.

“H-hello?” She squeaked out.

The reflection shudders and twitches before opening its mouth.

“When the time comes, let Cathy talk to her mum.”

“Her...her mum’s dead- I know her mum’s dead! How does...”

Static fills Joan’s mind. She screwed her eyes shut for a moment and when they open again, her reflection is moving with her.

“-and, you saw Catalina, too, right? I’m not crazy?”

Joan hurries over to the door.

She opens it on one try.

“Oh.” Cathy said from inside. “One way lock?”

“Maybe.”

“Anyway, thanks.” Cathy sidles past Joan while Joan went inside and checked out the room. There, she finds a padlock code for a door downstairs.

“Huh,” She said aloud. “They called codes ‘cookies’. Weird.”

“Hey-” Cathy said from outside. “Did you see that? In the mirror?”

Ice shot through Joan’s veins. She hurried over to Cathy, who is holding her phone out to the mirror. She takes the photo. They don’t inspect it for long.

They both saw the figure standing right behind them.

And this time it was starting to look a little red.

“I’m gonna really hate going out in that.” Cathy mumbled as they climbed through a window after unlocking the locked door. They both were now standing- in the pouring rain, mind you- on a platform with a ladder leading down to the gym facility.

And, below them, there was Catalina.

“Catalina!” Cathy and Joan shout as the older girl ran into the gym building.

“What is she-?!” Cathy sputtered.

“Damnit, Catalina! Come back!” Joan cried.

They, very clumsily, make their way down the slippery ladder. Joan ends up slipping and falling into the muddy gravel, completely ruining the back of her grey jacket. She groans.

“You okay?” Cathy asked while helping her up.

“Peachy.” Joan sighed.

The sisters step into the gym building. The only thing inside is a chalkboard, some old desks, and large, triangle shaped window on the wall.

No Catalina.

This time, they both groan.

“This door is locked,” Cathy said after she tried the knob on a door opposite of the entrance ones. She sighed as she took of her soggy beanie and wrung it out.

Joan looks around before realizing the dim glow illumination the room is coming from a hanging light.

A hanging light with a red bulb.

Joan looks at Cathy. Cathy nods. Joan takes out the radio and tuned in.

95.5

Static returned, filling the air with its horrendous buzzing. The bulb shatters, but the red glow still remains. The light now swings slowly back and forth.

“Joan...” Cathy said softly.

“ℍ𝕚𝕘𝕙 𝕚𝕟 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕞𝕠𝕦𝕟𝕥𝕒𝕚𝕟𝕤 𝕠𝕗 𝔼𝕟𝕘𝕝𝕒𝕟𝕕, 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝔹𝕣𝕚𝕥𝕚𝕤𝕙 𝕒𝕣𝕞𝕪 𝕠𝕡𝕖𝕟𝕤 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕨𝕠𝕣𝕝𝕕’𝕤 𝕝𝕒𝕣𝕘𝕖𝕤𝕥 𝕣𝕒𝕕𝕚𝕠 𝕥𝕣𝕒𝕟𝕤𝕞𝕚𝕥𝕥𝕖𝕣!” The gameshow host-like voice from before began to say energetically. “𝕀𝕥𝕤 𝕠𝕟𝕖 𝕞𝕚𝕝𝕝𝕚𝕠𝕟 𝕨𝕒𝕥𝕥𝕤 𝕔𝕒𝕟 𝕗𝕝𝕒𝕤𝕙 𝕒 𝕞𝕖𝕤𝕤𝕒𝕘𝕖 𝕒𝕣𝕠𝕦𝕟𝕕 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕨𝕠𝕣𝕝𝕕 𝕚𝕟 𝕒 𝕥𝕖𝕟𝕥𝕙 𝕠𝕗 𝕒 𝕤𝕖𝕔𝕠𝕟𝕕!” Buzzing overcomes it for a moment. “ℍ𝕖𝕪 𝕜𝕚𝕕𝕤! 𝕎𝕒𝕟𝕟𝕒 𝕡𝕝𝕒𝕪 𝕒 𝕘𝕒𝕞𝕖?”

A hangman pole is drawn on the chalkboard by an unseen hand.

“What is it doing...?” Joan muttered.

“Hangman?” Cathy whispered.

“𝔹𝕖 𝕤��𝕒𝕣𝕡 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕝𝕚𝕤𝕥𝕖𝕟, 𝕞𝕚𝕤𝕤!” Said the radio. “𝕋𝕙𝕚𝕤 𝕚𝕤 𝕘𝕠𝕟𝕟𝕒 𝕥𝕖𝕝𝕝 𝕥𝕙𝕖 ℂ𝕝𝕒𝕤𝕤𝕚𝕗𝕚𝕔𝕒𝕥𝕚𝕠𝕟 𝔹𝕠𝕒𝕣𝕕 𝕒 𝕝𝕠𝕥 𝕒𝕓𝕠𝕦𝕥 𝕨𝕙𝕒𝕥 𝕔𝕒𝕟 𝕓𝕖 𝕖𝕩𝕡𝕖𝕔𝕥𝕖𝕕 𝕠𝕗 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕚𝕟 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕗𝕦𝕥𝕦𝕣𝕖. ℍ𝕠𝕨 𝕞𝕒𝕟𝕪 𝕢𝕦𝕖𝕤𝕥𝕚𝕠𝕟𝕤 𝕨𝕚𝕝𝕝 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕓𝕖 𝕒𝕓𝕝𝕖 𝕥𝕠 𝕘𝕖𝕥 𝕚𝕟 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕒𝕝𝕝𝕠𝕥𝕥𝕖𝕕 𝕥𝕚𝕞𝕖?”

“This isn’t how you play Hangman.” Joan said uneasily.

“ℍ𝕖𝕣𝕖’𝕤 𝕒 𝕤𝕚𝕞𝕡𝕝𝕖 𝕠𝕟𝕖 𝕥𝕠 𝕤𝕥𝕒𝕣𝕥. 𝕊𝕠 𝕕𝕠𝕟’𝕥 𝕙𝕠𝕝𝕕 𝕪𝕠𝕦𝕣 𝕓𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕥𝕙.”

On the second chalkboard, three names are written. Fort Milner, School For Armed Services, and UK Army Radio Communications School.

“𝕎𝕙𝕒𝕥 𝕚𝕤 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕟𝕒𝕞𝕖 𝕠𝕗 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕤𝕔𝕙𝕠𝕠𝕝 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕒𝕣𝕖 𝕤𝕥𝕒𝕟𝕕𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕚𝕟?”

The radio began to count down from ten.

“School?” Cathy said. “This is a school?” She looks at Joan, who is shocked.

“Umm- uhh- F-Fort Milner?” Joan tried weakly.

A buzzer noise emits from the radio.

A head is drawn on the chalkboard.

“𝕆𝕦𝕣 𝕗𝕣𝕚𝕖𝕟𝕕𝕤 𝕒𝕣𝕖 𝕗𝕚𝕟𝕕𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕥𝕙𝕚𝕤 𝕥𝕠𝕦𝕘𝕙!”

Blurriness and static hazes distorted Joan’s vision for a moment. She grunts and hears Cathy utter a pained noise at her side. Her sister clutches tightly at her skull.

“Ðð ¥ðµ †hïñk. Ú§. Çrµêl.”

It was the cave voices.

“Ðð ¥ðµ †hïñk. Ú§. Çållðµ§.”

“I don’t care!” Joan said. “Just don’t hurt-”

A buzz of static through her mind silences her.

“Wê Ððñ’† hµr† þlå¥må†ê§.”

The whole room twists together into one big, messy blob. Joan stumbles, feeling like she’s upside down and that’s she’s about to fall. She paws for something for grounding and finds Cathy. She grips tightly to her sister’s hunched shoulder.

“Ughh...” Cathy groaned. She’s hugging her stomach with one arm.

“I think I’m gonna be sick...” Joan moaned miserably.

“𝕁𝕦𝕤𝕥 𝕜𝕖𝕖𝕡 𝕪𝕠𝕦𝕣 𝕗𝕚𝕟𝕘𝕖𝕣𝕤 𝕠𝕟 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕓𝕦𝕥𝕥𝕠𝕟.” The radio pipes back up. “ℚ𝕦𝕖𝕤𝕥𝕚𝕠𝕟 𝕥𝕨𝕠!”

Three more words are drawn on the chalkboard- sɹǝɥdıƆ 'sǝpoƆ 'sǝıʞooƆ- but they’re upside down. Or maybe Joan is upside down- she doesn’t know.

“𝕎𝕙𝕒𝕥 𝕕𝕚𝕕 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕔𝕠𝕞𝕞𝕦𝕟𝕚𝕔𝕒𝕥𝕚𝕠𝕟 𝕠𝕗𝕗𝕚𝕔𝕖𝕣𝕤 𝕒𝕥 𝔽𝕠𝕣𝕥 𝕄𝕚𝕝𝕟𝕖𝕣 𝕔𝕒𝕝𝕝 𝕔𝕠𝕕𝕖𝕤?”

A lightbulb went off in Joan’s mind. That she knew.

“Cookies,” She said with as much confidence as she could muster. “They called codes...cookies.”

The radio dings.

“𝕋𝕙𝕖𝕣𝕖! ℕ𝕠𝕨 𝕪𝕠𝕦’𝕣𝕖 𝕔𝕠𝕠𝕜𝕚𝕟𝕘!” It praised. “ℂ𝕠𝕕𝕖𝕤 𝕣𝕒𝕕𝕚𝕠 𝕥𝕣𝕒𝕟𝕤𝕞𝕚𝕥𝕥𝕖𝕣𝕤 𝕙𝕒𝕧𝕖 𝕒𝕟 𝕚𝕞𝕡𝕠𝕣𝕥𝕒𝕟𝕥 𝕛𝕠𝕓. 𝔸𝕟𝕕 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕨𝕠𝕦𝕝𝕕𝕟’𝕥 𝕨𝕒𝕟𝕥 𝕥𝕙𝕖𝕞 𝕥𝕠 𝕓𝕖 𝕦𝕟𝕢𝕦𝕒𝕝𝕚𝕗𝕚𝕖𝕕.”

“Why- why would I? What does this have to do-?”

Her vision bugs out again and twin hammers beat down against both temples. She feels Cathy slip from her grasp and appear in front of her. But...

But it isn’t Cathy.

It looks like Cathy, and it sounds like Cathy, but it isn’t Cathy.

Cathy doesn’t have glowing red eyes.

“We are an island race...” Not-Cathy says. Her voice is wrong. It’s hers, sort of, but has a distorted tone to it, like dozens of other voices are whispering the words along with her. It’s too dark. Too edged with razor sharp barbs. “And through all our times the sea has ruled our breaks. Be wary, young ones.”

“No!” Joan cried. “Leave Cathy out of this!”

They- the things- don’t listen. In fact, they seem to tease her by making Cathy’s body shudder in a way that looks absolutely painful.

“𝕆𝕟𝕖 𝕞𝕠𝕣𝕖 𝕢𝕦𝕖𝕤𝕥𝕚𝕠𝕟 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕪𝕠𝕦’𝕧𝕖 𝕔𝕠𝕞𝕡𝕝𝕖𝕥𝕖𝕕 𝕪𝕠𝕦𝕣 𝕖𝕩𝕒𝕞!” Chimed in the radio. Its chipper voice doesn’t go right with this horrifying situation that will be sure to haunt both girl’s dreams for years to come. If Cathy even remembers her body being piloted by some unseen force, that is. “ℙ𝕖𝕟𝕔𝕚𝕝𝕤 𝕦𝕡!”

This time, numbers are scrawled on the board with chalk that isn’t there- 12, 53, and 85. Joan can barely see them. Not because of her messy vision, but because of the haze of tears forming in her eyes.

Cathy’s shoulders are heaving up and down like she was breathing heavily, but Joan couldn’t even hear the inhale and exhale of oxygen. She may not even be breathing at all.

“ℍ𝕠𝕨 𝕞𝕒𝕟𝕪 𝕠𝕗𝕗𝕚𝕔𝕖𝕣𝕤 𝕕𝕚𝕖𝕕 𝕚𝕟 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕤𝕚𝕟𝕜𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕠𝕗 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕌𝕂𝕊 𝕂𝕒𝕟𝕒𝕝𝕠𝕒?” Asked the radio.

“Nnng... Fifty-three?” Joan squeaked out.

The radio makes a buzzer sound.

Cathy groans softly.

“𝕐𝕠𝕦’𝕣𝕖 𝕨𝕣𝕠𝕟𝕘, 𝔹𝕠𝕓!” The radio said. “ℕ𝕚𝕟𝕖𝕥𝕪-𝕤𝕖𝕧𝕖𝕟 𝕓𝕣𝕒𝕧𝕖 𝕞𝕖𝕟 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕨𝕠𝕞𝕖𝕟 𝕕𝕚𝕖𝕕 𝕠𝕟 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕤𝕚𝕟𝕜𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕠𝕗 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕌𝕂 𝕂𝕒𝕟𝕒𝕝𝕠𝕒. 𝔼𝕚𝕘𝕙𝕥𝕪-𝕗𝕚𝕧𝕖 𝕠𝕗𝕗𝕚𝕔𝕖𝕣𝕤. 𝕋𝕨𝕖𝕝𝕧𝕖 𝕡𝕒𝕤𝕤𝕖𝕟𝕘𝕖𝕣𝕤.”

A body for the hangman scratches loudly down the chalkboard.

“𝕀𝕥 𝕒𝕝𝕝 𝕒𝕕𝕕𝕤 𝕦𝕡 𝕗𝕠𝕣 𝕥𝕙𝕖 ℂ𝕝𝕒𝕤𝕤𝕚𝕗𝕚𝕔𝕒𝕥𝕚𝕠𝕟 𝔹𝕠𝕒𝕣𝕕! 𝕁𝕦𝕤𝕥 𝕒𝕟𝕠𝕥𝕙𝕖𝕣 𝕗𝕒𝕔𝕥. 𝔸𝕞ðñ𝕘 𝕞𝕒𝕟𝕪.”

The radio cuts to white noise. Cathy hunched over in a position that looked very uncomfortable, even for someone that may be flexible. She’s mumbling incoherently.

Just like Anne had.

“Cathy?” Joan whispered. “Cathy, come on, talk to me!”

Cathy does not.

Joan knows what she has to do.

She began to tune in with that blasted radio.

106.2

Cathy falls to her knees.

92.1

Cathy is dragged into the air and begins to spasm.

104

The triangle is complete.

This time, instead of green, then interior is dark, bubbling blue.

Like the bottom of the ocean.

Cathy is dropped to the floor, limp.

“𝕋𝕙𝕖 𝕌𝕟𝕚𝕥𝕖𝕕 𝕂𝕚𝕟𝕘𝕕𝕠𝕞 𝕊𝕦𝕓𝕞𝕒𝕣𝕚𝕟𝕖 𝕂𝕒𝕟𝕒𝕝𝕠𝕒 𝕚𝕤 𝕤𝕙𝕠𝕨𝕟 𝕗𝕠𝕣 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕗𝕚𝕣𝕤𝕥 𝕥𝕚𝕞𝕖 𝕚𝕟 ℙ𝕒𝕔𝕚𝕗𝕚𝕔 𝕨𝕒𝕥𝕖𝕣 𝕡𝕒𝕥𝕣𝕠𝕝𝕝𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕗𝕠𝕣 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕖𝕟𝕖𝕞𝕪.” Crackles the radio. 𝕋𝕙𝕖 𝕙𝕠𝕤𝕥’𝕤 𝕧𝕠𝕚𝕔𝕖 𝕤𝕠𝕦𝕟𝕕𝕤...𝕕𝕖𝕞𝕠𝕟𝕚𝕔. “𝕋𝕙𝕣𝕠𝕦𝕘𝕙 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕡𝕖𝕣𝕚𝕤𝕔𝕠𝕡𝕖, 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕔𝕠𝕞𝕞𝕒𝕟𝕕𝕖𝕣 𝕝𝕠𝕠𝕜𝕤 𝕠𝕦𝕥 𝕠𝕧𝕖𝕣 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕠𝕔𝕖𝕒𝕟 𝕤𝕦𝕣𝕗𝕒𝕔𝕖— 𝕂𝕒𝕟𝕒𝕝𝕠𝕒 𝕨𝕒𝕤 𝕝𝕠𝕤𝕥 𝕥𝕠𝕕𝕒𝕪— 𝕝𝕠𝕤𝕥— 𝕒𝕥 𝕤𝕖𝕒— 𝕟𝕖𝕒𝕣—”

“Is this...” Joan finds her voice and it’s a mere squeak of noise. “Is this the dead officers who sunk on the Kanaloa?”

“Wê. Ärê. †hê §µñkêñ.”

Chills ripple up Joan’s spine. She steps back, but she knows there is nowhere to run.

“What...what do you want?”

“𝔽𝕠𝕣 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕗𝕚𝕣𝕤𝕥 𝕥𝕚𝕞𝕖... 𝕗𝕠𝕣 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕗𝕚𝕣𝕤𝕥 𝕥𝕚𝕞𝕖... 𝕗𝕠𝕣 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕗𝕚𝕣𝕤𝕥 𝕥𝕚𝕞𝕖...”

Bubbles rise up from the triangle window on the wall. The entire building seems to rock backs and forth. The churning of water fills Joan’s ears.

“†ïmê. Jµ§† †ïmê.”

White handprints splatter against the chalkboards.

The lights flicker and come back to life.

The once-locked door swings open.

Cathy groaned.

“What... I...” She struggled to push herself up, but managed to get to her feet. “I...”

“Just take it slow and easy.” Joan said, hurrying over to her. She steadies her sister gently. “You had an...experience.”

“Yes, yes... Great.” Cathy sighed. She rubbed her aching head. “Let’s- let’s go.”

“Are you sure?” Joan asked worriedly. “You don’t want to sit down for a moment?”

“No, no, I’m sure.” Cathy said. “Come on.”

They both walk through the door and up the rest of the way to communication booth. As they do so, the speaker Catalina had talked on before turns back on.

“Catalina’s asleep right now. Be still as to not wake her.”

Cathy and Joan both paused for a moment.

They say nothing about it.

“Cross your fingers.” Cathy said.

They both step inside the radio room.

“Oh my god! You guys came!” Catalina jumped up from where she was standing over the control panel. “Wait- how did you even know I was here in the first place? Are you just...aimlessly wandering around or, like...”

“Anne told us.” Joan cut her off. “Are you alright?”

Catalina tilts her head a little. “Yeah, I’m alright. Why? Do I not look alright? I guess, sure, my hair might be a little weird, but...”

“You just sounded...distressed. That’s all.” Joan said.

“Well, I mean-” Catalina does look distressed. It’s unlike her to be this way. To see her without her pompous, hawk-like features was strange, to say the least. Even a little unnerving. “I dunno. I’m fine now, so...”

“Alright,” Cathy cut in. “Where’s this famous radio?”

“There.” Catalina nodded at the control panel. “I can’t get it to do anything.”

Joan walks over to the machinery and began to tinker with the buttons and switches. She gave up after a moment, swallowing thickly, but doesn’t look at the other two. She doesn’t want to see their scared expressions.

“Yeah, no, it... It’s like a low frequency thing? It’s just for the fort. I don’t think-“ She sighed, “I don’t think it can beam out.”

“No. No no no no no!” Catalina ruffles up. “Isn’t there a way to—”

“†hê ð££ï¢êr§ whð kñðw ¥ðµr þrðßlêm§ £µll åñÐ wêll wïll gïvê ¥ðµ å £rïêñÐl¥ åñÐ §¥mþå†hê†ï¢ hêårïñg...”

“Who is that?”

“Oh god no—”

.. ..-. / -.-- --- ..- / ..-. . . .-.. / ... --- -- . --- -. . / --. .-. .- -... / -.-- --- ..- .-. / .... .- -. -.. --..-- / -.. --- -. - / .-.. --- --- -.- / --- ...- . .-. / .- - / - .... . --

“Cross your fingers.” Cathy said.

“Aaagh!!” Joan cried, “Not now! We’re looping again!!”

“Oh crap.” Cathy’s eyes widen. “Well...keep me posted.”

Joan sighed.

“Will do.”

They both step inside the radio room.

And Catalina is hanging from the ceiling.

There’s a noose around her neck.

“CATALINA!!” Cathy shrieked.

Joan can’t even speak. Tears are filling her eyes and running down her cheeks in an instant.

Catalina was dead.

Catalina was dead—

She couldn’t be. She and Joan still had to make amends! They still had to go through their emotional bonding moments that would make them friends for life! There were still things Joan wanted to say to her- albeit some were a bit snarky- and things she wished she hadn’t said.

But it doesn’t matter now because Catalina was d—

-.. --- -. - / - .- .-.. -.- / - --- / - .... . / -... --- -. . ... .-.-.- / .. / -.- -. --- .-- / - .... . -.-- .-. . / . -. - .. -.-. .. -. --.

“Cross your fingers.” Cathy said.

Air stings in Joan’s lungs as she inhaled sharply.

“Holy crap...” She mumbled.

“What?” Cathy asked. “What is it?”

“Brace yourself.” Joan whispered.

They both step inside the radio room.

But Catalina was nowhere to be seen.

A tape player was the only thing in her place.

“What the-? I could have sworn I heard her in here.” Cathy said.

“Better gone than dead...” Joan muttered. She turned to the tape player. “Great. One of these things again.”

Cathy gestured for it. Joan gives her a look.

“What? It seems to be your job! Go on!”

Sighing heavily, Joan began to crank the handle around and around.

Reality and awareness distorts like so many times before. Joan winces at the familiar rap against her skull.

“Catalina?”

She turned quickly at Cathy’s awed mumbled.

Catalina is in there with them.

But she’s standing on the sill of the open window, peering out.

“Catalina!” Joan said. “Oh, thank god! We saw you— I saw you—”

“Joan. Don’t worry.”

There’s an edge to her voice...

“She’s like- she’s like how Anne was!” Cathy said.

“Catalina, wake up!”

Catalina chuckles. She doesn’t turn to face them.

“There will be other ships...and other souls to sail them.”

Then, she teeters forward-

“NO!!!”

-and falls out back.

Joan ran to the window, nearly flipping out of it herself before she fell to her knees, leaning out of the sill, one hand outstretched as if she thought it would do something. The resounding crack and snap of shattering bones will stick with both her and Cathy for the rest of their lives.

“Oh my g— why would she do that?!” Cathy cried.

Cathy rushed to the window and peered down into the blackness below, mouth hanging open. It was too dark to see anything and she could hear no signs of life.

“We’re— we’re— it’s not like—” Cathy babbled. Her hands are at her head, fingers tangled in her hair.

“She killed herself.” Joan muttered. “Oh my god, she just killed herself! They made her—” The image of Catalina going down replayed in her mind. “I just— this is— Cathy, this is so horrible!”

Her sister looks equally as stunned and sickened.

“I don’t... I don’t even know what...” She murmured, standing up shakily and backing away. “I didn’t know if things were— Was she upset— Oh my god. Why?”

She has her hand over her mouth, eyes wider than saucers. She looks to be in more of disbelief than grief.

They both hurried for the staircase.

“I can’t...I can’t believe this. I-I know I haven’t known her long, but this— What are we going to tell the others?” Cathy said in a rush.

“The others?” Joan yelped, “How am I going to tell her mum? I mean, she knows me, she— and, god, the fact that I was here— God.”

Any kind of reassurance to that was left unspoken when they got to the outside of the gym. The dull light from the lampposts shined onto the large dark red splotch that the rain was washing away, but no body.

“She’s...alive?!”

She glanced at her sister, who was biting her nails.

“She’s alive!” Joan said in relief. “Maybe she just twisted her— twisted—”

“Joan-” Cathy cut off her babble of false hope. “Even if she had fallen feet-first she still would have broken every bone in her body!”

“Okay, maybe!” Joan said, “But still!”

“Right, yeah... Good news?”

Joan snapped her head to her sister.

“Yes, Cathy, it is good news that Catalina isn’t dead. Christ.”

“That isn’t why I hesitated!!”

#olly olly oxenfree #catherine parr #catherine of aragon #joan on the keys #six the musical #six the musical fanfiction #six the musical fanfic #six fanfiction #six fanfic #six fic #tw: suicide

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