Overdose

'' “'Cause the bads been slowly getting worse; And this fast lane, living it's a curse ''

'' Better tell me what's your life worth; I think it's time for a change ''

'' 'Cause the drugs don't work ''

Anymore”

~

I sit down at the long table in the Clubhouse. My locket is shiny and clean, but I can tastes blood in my mouth. Too much blood.

I look around. The rest of the members are here, eating breakfasts and holding conversations. It’s odd, dining with the same people who you know can switch to violence in an instance. Especially the man at the head of the table.

Demvare has been…oddly protective, as of late. Ever since that night when Caretaker busted into my room here and kidnapped me for about a year. I woke up and Dem was there telling me to go back to bed. He doesn’t allow me out of his or the other members’ sight, and during the night, he insists that I don’t leave.

Of course, I do so anyways because I’ve always loved freedom and the night is very pretty. My fun’s ruined most of the time, though, by my locket and by Caretaker.

I take a sip of my orange juice, then pull out a bottle of pills. I uncap it.

“Sass?” Charles looks over to my bottle. “What are those?”

“Anxiety pills.” I lie smoothly.

“Burf or Niall didn’t give you those.”

“I’ve always had these.”

“Since when?”

“I always have, alright?” I snap. I pop the lid off, pour three into my hand, then take a swig of orange juice to wash it down.

He gives me an odd look, then goes back to eating his pancakes.

The pills dissolve and travel through my blood stream. I can feel my locket start to feel lighter.

~

''“So this is Sassilia Abernthy?”''

''The scientist nods, her purple hair bobbing along. “Yes, sir.” Her FBI badge is shiny and well-taken care of. “Some of the agents found her on the forest floor, shivering and crying. I could only assume she was attacked or her locket had done something to her physical makeup.”''

''“If she was really shaken up, it changed more than what she looked like.”''

''Sassilia stays suspended in an odd liquid. She’s passed out and unconscious, her locket lightly glowing a purple color. Her hair is splayed out above her. She’s in a basic white nightgown that usually wears to bed.''

“Miss DeJorne, what do you know of her locket.”

''“Well, sir.” The scientist shuffles some papers and readjusts her electric blue glasses. “I studied this kind of science under Tace Erar.”''

''“Hm? Who’s that?”''

''“No one of important to us, sir. He was a very intelligent man with a very corrupt spirit after his awful situation.”''

''“Huh. We’ll look into him later.”''

''She pauses. “Sir, may I ask to watch over Miss Abernthy while she is here?”''

''“I guess so. You apparently know more about her than the rest of us do.”''

''“No, I do not. I know about the locket and that is it.”''

''“Uh-uh.” He yawns and stretches. “Anyways, it’s late. I’m going back home.”''

''“Sleep well, sir. I will keep my keen eyes on her and her accessory.”''

''“I don’t doubt it. You’re not a lead scientist here for no reason.” He walks out and shuts the door, keylocking it.''

''She pulls off her labcoat and takes her glasses off. She scans a few things, and the chamber opens up. The liquid sucks up into a tube.''

''I blink a few times. “H-huh?”''

''“Hello, Miss Abernthy.” DeJorne smiles friendly. “You’re here at the FBI because we found you in the forest.”''

''“Forest…?” I hold my head. “What time is it?”''

''“About one a.m., miss.”''

''“Shit.” I mumble. I hop out of the chamber and land on my feet. My locket stops glowing.''

''She nods. “Princess Sassilia.”''

''My head snaps up to her. “What?”''

''“I know who you are. I’m the only one here who knows.”''

“…how?”

''“You may know me. My name is Raine DeJorne.”''

''“Wait, like-”''

''“Yes. Exactly like him. I know he works in the Clubhouse with you and your friends.”''

''“Why are you working here if you could be working with him?”''

''“This was the only job available that could bring me closer to him. It has been so long since I have actually seen him.”''

''I nod. I wipe my eyes. ''

''“Erar. I studies under Tace Erar.”''

''“Caretaker.” I suddenly become defensive.''

''“Oh, no, no! I would not want to hurt you! I know something to help counteract the effects of the locket.”''

“Really?”

''Raine walks to a desk and pulls out a drawer. She hands a pill bottle to me. “These are called Lights. They will counteract the effects of the locket and disguise you around Caretaker. You will look different and your locket will look like a simple charm necklace.”''

''“Why are you helping me?”''

''“Just as you are, I long for the kingdom back.”''

''I smile. “It’ll be back soon, promise.”''

''She nods. “I will help you escape, but you must promise to take those pills.”''

''“I plan on it. Promise not to tell the FBI.”''

''“I would not dream of it.”''

~

My hands shake. Day 24 of these pills. So far, they’ve worked, but some weird things have started to happen. My vision gets blurry and I start to see some… less than appealing visions.

I shakily pop open the lid, feeling the pills effect wearing off from the other day. I only have half a pill left.

Half a pill.

I quickly dry-swallow it down, and I feel heavy. I try to walk to my window to sit on the sill, but I end up falling out the window. My torso hands out upside down, my legs keeping me on the sill. My hair falls, following gravity, and my locket holds strong to my neck. Something is keeping me up, but it’s nothing physical.

Staring out into the townscape, colors start to distort until I see a kingdom landscape. At first, it’s bright and beautiful, then it gets dark. I blink. The castle is broken and burning, nearby building in the same condition. The screams of women, children, and men ring loudly and tortuously in my head. I thrust my hands to my ears. “Shut up shup up shut up shut up!” I choke up. “It’s not my fault!”

The vision blurs and the cityscape replaces it. I feel things crawl along my body, like little bugs communing on my skin. I start to scratch and claw at them. Eventually, I fall back inside my room, and I can smell the drenched scent of blood.

I look up. Dead bodies hang there, bleeding out and rotting. Their flesh drips and drains of blood and other fluids. Their skin is peeling and shriveling.

I scream loudly as the same thing starts to happen to me. I throw myself to the floor, flopping and shaking.

Suddenly, the screams quiet. The bodies disappears. I stop screaming. I stop scratching. Luckily I wasn’t scratching too hard.

My head pounds and my stomach turns. I quickly run out of my room.

“Sass?” Raf asks as I race towards the bathroom.

I fling myself in, slamming the door shut. I keel over the toilet and throw up. “DeJorne…” I groan. “What the hell…”

My locket pulses purple, almost alarmingly. I lock myself in the bathroom, turning the lights off, and curl up.

The day passes, and thanks to it being a slow day, people don’t question where I am.

When the dead of night appears, I get to the forest field and wait patently with the empty bottle.

Raine comes out from behind a few trees. “Hello, prin-”

I thrust the bottle to her face. “What the hell is this?! LSD? Xanax? Molly? What the hell is this?”

“I was being truthful. They are pills to counteract Caretaker and the locket’s antics.”

“I know that! But what my whole day today was hallucinations of vision and sight, throwing up, headaches, a whole bunch of fucked up shit!”

“That should not have happened. I made those myself and I knew for a fact they would work.”

“Well, you should have experimented better because I almost fucking killed myself!”

She stops, suddenly getting quiet. “My apologies, my lady. I did not mean for harm to come to you.”

My tone shifts to a softer one. “It’s alright, Raine. I know you didn’t mean to.”

“Has it been working though?”

“Yeah. It has.”

“That is wonderful! What of Charlie?”

“Oh, Charles. He’s doing fine. You should visit him someday.”

“I… do not think your Godfather would be pleased with an FBI agent coming in the Clubhouse.”

“He might if you’re with me.”

Her eyes wander off. “I suppose I might soon. As for now, I shall continue to my lab and work on more pills. You will just have to be cautious with withdrawal effects. Expect-”

“Heightened anxiety, jumpy, panicky, memory issue, sleeping issues, sickness.”

“Yes, exactly. Do be carefully, Princess Sassilia.”

“I will, Raine.”

She gives me a quick hug. “Pass this onto Charlie for me.”

“I will for now, but this needs to be one to him soon.”

“It will be.” She moves away from me. She waves, running back through the forest.

I wave back, then head back to the Clubhouse.

As expected, Demvare is in front of my door, a disappointed look on his face. “Where were you?”

“Shooting up heroine.”

“Sass.”

“Dem.”

He rolls his eyes. “I’m being serious. What were you doing?”

“I was in the forest.”

“Doing?”

“Picking flowers and berries.”

He peers at me, closely scanning me. He sighs out a little. “Turn around.”

I turn around. It’s usual now for him to take off my locket before bed. He puts his hands on the chain, then lifts it over my lockets. I feel his hands linger in my hair for a second or so longer.

I move out of the locket, and he pockets it. I start to unbutton my overshirt. “Goodnight, Dem.”

He stays silent.

“Goodnight, Dem.”

“Hm?” He looks to me. “Yeah, uh, night.”

I give him a nice smile before I walk in, preparing for bed.

He lingers outside my shut door, scowling as he messes with my locket in his pocket. He knew I was lying through my teeth and he knew for a fact that my locket was going to keep being hell on me.

Not as much as these next few days are going to be though.