Fruition

[Vivienne Esquire]

Vivienne hadn't been able to sleep all night. She'd barely even blinked since it'd happened. Constantly moving between hysteria and emotionlessness, she'd been sitting on a chair in the common room with her legs crossed, staring into the fire. As the hours passed, Vivienne's eyes finally began to droop slightly shut. Although she was still awake, she felt her legs drop to floor, as she rose slowly and headed to the portrait hole.

Although most people sleepwalked when they were.. well, asleep, Vivienne always did it when she was half awake, passing from one state to the other. Pushing the portrait open with a limp hand, she began the descent down to the Entrance Hall. As her feet touched the smooth marble of the large room, she stopped walking, frozen.

Usually, Vivienne headed straight out the large wooden doors and into the night air. She'd walk, and continue walking, until she reached the Forbidden Forest. There, she'd spend her nights stumbling deeper and deeper into the forest, never quite sure why she was there or what she was looking for. But this time, she turned to the side instead.

Switching from emotionlessness to hysteria once again, tears began uncontrollably streaming down her face as she felt herself being taken towards the Great Hall. Using her whole body to push open the heavy doors, Vivienne realised where she was. This was the place Njord had died, only a few hours earlier.

Her legs like blocks of lead, she slowly moved from one end of the room to the other. As she passed the place she'd been sitting as it had happened, Vivienne let out an audible sob, continuing onwards to the place the stage had been. Now, there was only the long staff table in it's place. Pulling out a chair that was tucked under, she climbed onto it, shakily standing up on top of the high table. Feeling her eyes flutter closed, she passed from wake into sleep, falling lightly onto the table.

Then, as she began to dream, she noticed a figure walk slowly towards her. The closer they got, the more details Vivienne could make out. It was a male.. A male with blonde hair.. It was the boy that had died. As he stopped in front of her, she sat up and put a hand to her mouth.

"Are you alive?! Are you a ghost?!" she asked, her hand shaking in fear. The boy glanced at his shoulder, covered in blood stained bandages, before turning his head back towards her.

"You could have stopped this. You could have let me live." he said, staring straight into Vivienne's deep, dark eyes. He walked to the left, his eyes still locked with hers. As he hopped onto the table next to her, she didn't dare break eye contact, or even blink.

"Are you alive? Are you okay?!" Vivienne pleaded. She just wanted to help him, he didn't deserve to die. The boy continued to stare at her, his blank expression causing her to shiver violently.

"You could have stopped this. You could have let me live." he repeated. Standing up onto the table, he finally broke eye contact. He turned his back to Vivienne, and stood there for a minute. As he looked back down at her, she gasped, his face burnt beyond recogtion, but still visibly twisted in anger and pain. "YOU COULD HAVE STOPPED THIS! YOU COULD HAVE LET ME LIVE!!" the boy screamed a deafening cry, making Vivienne cower away.

She sat there, sobbing quietly for a minute. The boy stood breathing heavily, his vengeful eyes boring into her back. As Vivienne turned around, he was gone. Lying back down against the table, she shut her eyes. As she opened them, now awake, the reality of everything hit her like a violent wave, pushing her back into a state of emotionlessness.

 

[Taylor Mercer]

Taylor tossed and turned in her bed, sleeping was becoming strangely difficult to achieve these days. Yawning she kicked off the covers angrily and jumped out of bed. Deciding a walk would tire her out so she could acomplish sleep. She roamed one of the corridors, not sure which one it was, she was thinking about the death at the play. What a horrible thing that happened. She shivered, realising it was late and she was alone in a dark and empty corridor, but something dared her to walk to the great hall. Some part of her wanted that frightened feeling of being where it happened.

Stepping down the stairs of the great hall in her socks so she made no noise, she reached the bottom and stopped. She heard someone cry out loud. She jumped and almost sprinted back up the stairs, but it was a desperate cry, it concerned Taylor. A little worried for whoever was residing in the great hall, Taylor took a few steps closer, hearing a faint thud, like a blow to one of the tables or something. Another step towards the large doors she waited in silence for a few moments, before only a soft crying was heard. Taylor finally stepped into the frame of the large doors to the great hall and saw a girl lying on the top of the staff table, the noise Taylor heard must have been her falling on it.

Stepping inside wearily, Taylor reached the staff table after what seemed like hours. The girl that was lying on the table was, Viv. She didnt know her very well, but she wouldnt forget her name. "Vivienne." She said in a whisper, noting the girl seemed fragile, Taylor did not want to startle her, she gently reached out an arm and touched Viv's shoulder, in a comforting way. She didnt know why she was crying down here, lying on the staff table, but she figured it must have had something to do with the events that happened earlier today.

 

[Vivienne Esquire]

Vivienne lay on the table, her eyes blank and her mind swarming with thoughts. She kept picturing the boy's face, and his sudden change from calmness to hatred. She thought about what he'd said, that she could have prevented it all. Was this true? Vivienne only assumed that Arisa had let off the fireworks, she had no proof. But then again, it was only a dream.. right? It had felt so real at the time, but it couldn't be. If only she could talk to Arisa right now, then she could tell Vivienne that it had been nothing to do with her.. but they'd been separated in the commotion, and not seen each other since.

As Vivienne felt a hand rest on her shoulder, she jumped, a silent scream escaping her lips. Could this be Njord? She was definitely awake now, but reality and fantasy were colliding in her mind, so she couldn't tell one from the other. Looking up, she saw that the figure was female. Taylor Mercer. They'd met a few times, but for some reason Vivienne still didn't feel safe.

Flinching away, her eyes were a stark comparison to her usual self. A hollow shell, she looked as though she'd been in azkaban; aged by the events of just a few short hours. But they weren't short. They were the longest hours she'd ever endured. Fighting with herself, Vivienne turned to look at Taylor. She saw something genuine in her face that she hadn't seen in a while.

"Taylor.. what are you doing here..?" she asked, her voice lacking the usual carefree lightness. Vivienne hoped that she wouldn't catch on, or presume the worst. Probably not, as Vivienne would undoubtedly be feeling the same way had she not watched him die. She was very emotional, too emotional. Something she hated about herself at this moment.

 

[Taylor Mercer]

Taylor withdrew her hand as a scream came from Viviennes lips. "Sorry, i didnt mean to startle you." She said softly, trying to be as comforting as possible. Although she was sure Viv heard her, as the girl shyed away from Taylor. She looked terrible, had this been happinging longer than Taylor assumed, maybe this had nothing to do with the events today. No one could look this bad simply because a boy died? Taylor's worry increased dramatically. There had been so much worry running through Taylor's body as of late, with her Mum going through the divorce and Taylor not being able to see her and everything, she didnt know how much more she could take, but Viv looked like she needed someone right now, whether she wanted someone or not. Taylor was definatly not about to walk out of here, she had to at least try as hard as she could to help.

The girl on the table spoke and Taylor snapped her attention to her straight away. She drew in a bit closer to Viv, but didnt reach out to her as before, she needed to be gentle. "I couldnt sleep." She spoke softly and carefully, "Whats wrong." She said seriously, tilting her head to the side slightly, Vivienne's state was concerning, to say the least. Taylor wanted to know what was wrong, but she would not pressure her, Taylor only wanted to help. Heck, she would just get her safely back to her dorm if thats all Viv would allow.

 

[Vivienne Esquire]

(( Sorry for the late reply, I've been way busy ))

Vivienne softened slightly, as she noticed how worried Taylor looked. She hated causing anyone pain, especially those who were trying to help. "No no, you didn't startle me, I was just having a bad dream.." she lied, knowing how ridiculous her excuse sounded. It was obvious that this had been more than a simple dream. Catching herself, Vivienne realised that she'd been lying a lot more often recently. Even though it was mainly to protect other people, it was lying all the same, and she could never live with knowing she was a liar or a fake. "Okay, it was a really bad dream. But I'm calming down now.." she admitted, her hands still shaking slightly.

Vivienne shook her head when Taylor asked what was wrong. "Nothing, nothing. The death just affected me I guess.. Seeing him die right in front of me was pretty traumatic.. You see, I already sleepwalk, but this is just going to make it worse, I know." Vivienne frowned, her voice no more than a whisper. She hated so many things about herself. She was always happy on the outside, no matter what was happening on the inside. And now, she couldn't even manage that.

What a waste of space, she thought, bitterly.

 

[Taylor Mercer]

Taylor furrowed her brow and listened intently to Viv. "Are you sure your okay." She said once Viv said she calming, she noticed the shaking hands and reached out again, pretty sure she wouldnt startle Viv. She placed a hand on the girl's shoulder. She then explained the reason. Viv saw it happen? Taylor was there, but she never saw it happen, just knew it did. Poor Viv, it must have been a horrific experience. "Viv," She said with symathy, "Im so sorry that had to happen to you." She said sincerly. No one deserved something like that happening to them.

She thought for a moment on a possible way to end sleep walking, Taylor wasnt aware Viv sleep walked in the first place. She was somewhat releaved she had found Viv here. The girl shouldnt be alone in this place after watching it happen.