Written 2024/8/11
It felt as if her intestines had come alive, a snake that slithered aimlessly, tying itself in knots. There was no other way she could describe the feeling, and it was agonizing. She had to get to the university's medical center, maybe get a med student— but the pain was too much, she couldn't get out of bed. Her mouth opened, letting a silent scream escape as her insides twisted again. The pain was so great that no human sound could do it justice.
She laid there for hours, trying to find the strength to move, to call for help. The rectangular patch of light cast through her window slid up the wall as morning turned to evening, sweat pooled under her as she lay immobile, though her stomach kept writhing. Her throat grew raw as she tried again and again to scream until, finally— her roommate returned.
“Alice?” The words came to her as if she was underwater. Dull. Muffled. Distant. “Oh my god, are you okay?! Alice!” The girl's face came into view as she leaned over, her brow knit with worry. Then, she jumped away, covering her mouth in horror. “Your stomach, fuck, it's moving!”
Alice locked eyes with her roommate, wide, terrified, exhausted. Help me! She wanted to say, though her lips barely moved, noncompliant traitors.
“Ho...hold on!” Her roommate stuttered. “The medical center is on the other side of campus, I...I think I know someone closer who can help, just hang in there, okay?” The girl took a few hurried steps towards the door, then turned back to give Alice a worried glance. “I'll be right back, I swear!” With that, Alice was left alone again.
The rectangle of light reached the ceiling as she waited. The writhing finally subsided, though not completely, as she heard the door open. Her roommate walked in with an unfamiliar boy in tow. He wore a calm, too-white smile that made Alice shudder.
“Alice, this is Roland— he's...the fish guy? The one who's been telling people things by reading fish guts?” Roland bowed, his white suit somehow not creasing as he did so. Alice wanted to scream every obscenity at both of them, she needed a doctor, not some wannabe cult leader! The best she could manage was a glare.
“Look, I...I know you might not like this, but he's magic, Alice, I swear!” Her roommate looked worriedly at Alice's stomach. “And this...this seems more like his realm than a doctor's…”
If Alice survived this, she was going to kill her roommate.
Roland placed a hand on her roomate's shoulder. “Leave us, this will require great focus, I cannot be distracted.”
Alice looked to her roommate, her lips moving as she tried begging not to be left alone with the creepy ‘fish guy.’
Her roommate gave her a false smile that barely hid her concern. “It'll be okay, Alice! I...I'll be right behind the door in case anything goes wrong, okay?” She stared at her for a quiet moment, hesitating, before turning away and heading out the door.
Roland kept smiling. That awful, haunting smile. “Stay still, now.” He placed his hands over her stomach, and whatever was inside reacted violently— as if the snake wished to escape and leap into the boy's arms. The pain came back, so much worse than before. The boy grinned wider, if such a thing was even possible. “I believe…” He began, as whatever was inside her began to push up against her skin, beneath his hands. “That you've been chosen for a great purpose.”
Finally, Alice screamed, loud enough to make up for all the sounds she was unable to make before. She screamed and convulsed violently as her abdomen burst open, her intestines coiling around Roland's arms. It was the last sound she'd ever make.
“A great purpose indeed!” Roland shouted with glee, almost laughing as he read the words writ into her innards.
If only she were alive to read them herself.