Page 27 of Neon Pestilence
“I love you too, Indy.” Her voice sounds lighter; her excitement for me is trumping any emotions she had just moments before. “Tell him to take care of you, or your best friend will hunt him down and gut him like a pig.” She laughs, but I know she’sserious. Liseth is the type of friend who would track down the world’s most renowned hitman, probably one with superpowers, just to be able to find me again.
I laugh along with her, her blessing meaning more than she’ll ever know.
“I promise I will, babe,” I choke down the tears, excited for the future but so fucking scared nonetheless. I’m entering new territory here, and I won’t have my one true constant by my side. It’s terrifying.
“I’m only a text away.” She interrupts my thoughts, already knowing where my mind is going. “Go get ready, you have to leave soon, and you’re procrastinating the inevitable again.”
I dramatically groan. “I hate it when you’re right.”
“I know, babes, but we both know you’re going to take a thousand years getting ready, and you don’t wanna be late to this.”
“I know, I know. Thank you again for being so supportive.”
“Always. It’s what best friends are for. Love youuuuu,” she sings. “Byeee, babe, have funnn.”
And then, the line goes dead.
I take a deep, steadying breath.
Time to see The Doctor.
Time moves slower when you’re inching toward change. It’s like the world knows your life is about to turn into something you’ve never known.
No matter how much preparation you take, there’s still the buzz of anxiety that runs through your veins. The mental gymnastics you give yourself, going over whether it’s the right decision or not.
It’s never easy. Not something you can ever fully prepare for. Like stepping into a ring of fire. You’ll either burn or come out on the other side, barely touched and thriving.
I stand there, watching my reflection in the mirror. The face that stares back at me has changed. She’s sharper, more fierce, more beautiful, more understanding. Someone I’ve always dreamed of becoming. A woman whom I can only admire.
I’m ready now.
Ready to take the chance, ready to fall into The Doctor’s infection.
It may be a stupid decision, and I know that, but I’m also ready for something to change. For years, my life has been hollow, devoid of feeling. A place where I always felt like I was drowning.
Here. I’m living. Without judgment, without fear. And most importantly, with love. Something my past was never kind enough to gift me. A child born from hate that’s now a cure.
The irony doesn’t get away from me.
I lace up my platform boots and throw my vapes in their bag. I take one last look in the mirror and whisper to my reflection.
“Thank you for trusting me. I know it’s scary,” I say, my breath ghosting against the mirror. “We’ve survived worse, we’ve got this.”
I turn, heart racing in my chest, and walk.
Out of the tent.
Away from the girl I was.
And into his world.
His infection.
Chapter 27
The Doctor
My palms sweat as I wait, and my heart feels like it's going to jump out of my chest at any moment.
