"Cathodos," PG-13 Title: Cathodos Author:kethlenda Prompt:At a private women's college, a young woman finds herself involved in a dangerous secret society. Rating: Teen Warnings: The biggest warning that comes to mind sort of spoils the fic. Basically, this fic contains a rather dark and perverse take on religion. Pagan religion, ironically enough. Summary:She'll never believe me. This isn't the movies. Stuff like this doesn't happen in real life. Word Count: 992 Notes: Original fic, for originalficfest. So, for once, no disclaimers about how this isn't mine. ;) Unbetaed, so even the mistakes are my sole property...
The President's office was in a building of bone-white stone, which swooped and arched in high Gothic style. The seal of Eleusis College, brightly painted and two feet high, was emblazoned over the vaulted doorway. The sheer officialness of the building did nothing to counteract the butterflies in Nina's stomach. She swallowed and clutched the notebook to her chest.
She'll never believe me. This isn't the movies. Stuff like this doesn't happen in real life.
The office was three flights up. Nina was a little short of breath as she rounded the last spiraling stair. I've got to get in shape, she thought, before remembering that her cardiovascular health was a moot point if Dr. Winter didn't listen to her.
Dr. Winter was new to the position. As the secretary motioned Nina into the room and closed the door behind her--leaving her alone in the room with the President--Nina noticed that Dr. Winter had made some changes to her demesne. (Nina had been here once before, during the reign of prim old Dr. Eggerton, a creature of pearls and pink fake Chanel suits. The place had been full of grandchild pictures and doilies and still lifes featuring roses. Lots of roses.)
There was no longer a snippet of lace in sight. The walls were vermilion, the desk a sleek modern construction of glass and ebony. Dr. Winter tapped imperiously on the surface with long red nails. "Yes?" she said, not sounding too enthusiastic about Nina's arrival.
Nina made eye contact in the hopes of projecting some facsimile of confidence. The eyes she found were icy, so pale a blue they were almost silver, and hard. Nina looked down at her hands instead, and the notebook.
"Well?" The nails drummed a complicated cadence. "Did you come here to see me, or to inspect the carpet?"
Nina drew a deep breath. "To see you, Dr. Winter. I think--I think someone's doing something really dangerous, and I figured you were the one who could do something to stop it."
Dr. Winter sighed. "I see. I think you meant to visit Student Health. They're the ones who are qualified to deal with these things. Drugs, I suppose. Or that wearisome hinting at suicide to which neurotic young ladies are so addicted."
"No!" Nina threw the notebook on the desk and was shocked at the loud slap it made. "I mean, no, ma'am, it's not like that. I think they're trying to kill me."
"Really." The President yawned and brought her hand to her mouth with a languid flutter of her long pale fingers. "And who might this be? The Mafia? Perhaps the Inquisition? I know you kids are into witchcraft these days…"
"My dormmates."
"Ah. So you've left your dirty socks on the floor once too often? Come home intoxicated at five in the morning and disturbed the general peace?" Dr. Winter's lips curved in a scarlet smirk.
Desperate, Nina flipped the notebook open to the page that had revealed the plot to her. She showed the President the crude pencil drawing of a nude young woman bound to an altar. Bleeding. With "Nina" written under it.
Dr. Winter's laugh could have cut glass. "Amateurish Sapphic pornography. Have you anything more interesting to show me?" She rose from her seat and turned her back to Nina. Around Dr. Winter's body, Nina could see a decanter of some kind of alcohol, and several glasses.
"I looked at the records. The archives. Did you know a girl has died here every year? Every May, right around the time of the May Ball. And it's always been a blonde. And the May Ball is tonight. I just know they're going to kill me. Dr. Winter. Please. I wouldn't come here if it weren't serious."
The President relaxed back into her seat. She crossed black-stockinged legs and set down two glasses, one in front of her and the other in front of Nina. "Brandy," she said. "To calm the nerves."
"I'm not of age, Dr. Winter."
"I've never known that to stop a college girl from tippling. Come now. It'll make you feel better."
Nina took a hesitant sip. It burned all the way down; she wasn't used to anything this concentrated. Mostly the dorm parties featured beer, with the occasional wine cooler. This was stronger, but also so much more luscious, as she realized as the second sip caressed her tongue. She thought she might get used to the burn. Eventually. "But what can I do about the girls? The sacrifice?"
Dr. Winter's smile was flowing and slow, or maybe the slowness was in Nina's own head and had something to do with the booze. "I shall investigate the situation to the best of my ability," she said.
"And for tonight? I don't think it's safe to go back to my suite. They have the keys."
"For tonight?" Dr. Winter reached across the desk and stroked Nina's cheek. Nina's skin burned, and the President's face wobbled a bit in her vision. "Stay with me…"
The next thing Nina knew was a musty smell, like basements and caves and something else she couldn't put her finger on. There was a soft susurrating noise. She opened her eyes and saw nothing but blackness.
A chant rose from the near-silence, filling the room with some language Nina didn't know. The dusty susurration mingled with the voices, an antiphon that made Nina shiver.
Where am I? She willed her arms to move. Her wrists pressed against roughness and she realized she was bound. Dry ropes undulated over her body. Snakes?
The sudden flare of torchlight was blinding. She squinted, trying to get a good look at the torch-bearer's face, and saw only the glint of a long blade and the curve of wine-red lips.
Nina gasped, knowing the next breath would be a scream, but the torch-bearer placed one long-taloned finger to Nina's lips. "Be at ease, Nina. I told you, you will be with me tonight."