This story contains disturbing images and depicts mental illness. Reader discretion is advised.

(When reading chapter listen to the song above which is Control by Halsey)

✺ Genevieve Blackmore ✺

"Freak!" The girls sneered.

People fear those who are different. It's just human nature. I never fit into any category, and have always deemed an outcast. I wasn't like the other witches in the French Quarter coven, and they made sure I knew. While the other girls were casting spells with ease, I was struggling. My magic came and went. Some days I would have extremely dangerous and powerful spurts, other days I would be completely powerless. Everywhere I went, people would point and whisper. And ever since the incident, that word rang through my ears, echoing on an endless loop.

"Lay off will you? We're all adults here, so maybe act like it?" My best friend, Davina Claire, snapped back at the group of girls.

"Are you alright?" She asked, turning to face me once we sat down at a table in Rousseau's.

"Yeah. I'm used to it." I replied flatly, not meeting her gaze.

"Look at me," She said.

I raised my eyes, meeting her intense and lively blue ones.

"I said I'm fine," I answered.

"I'm just worried about you Gen...."

Davina had every right to be worried. One of these days I was going to snap. I was a ticking time bomb and I could feel it, deep down in my gut. And the kicker? I know that I won't regret anything. I can't wait to get my revenge and finally make everyone suffer for the past 18 years of torment.

"Did you hear me?" Davina asked, pulling me away from my violent thoughts.

"Yeah. You're worried about me." I said.

"And...?"

"I don't know."

"I said that I'm worried about you because you're acting stranger than usual. It always seems like you're zoned out and distant. And you seem so emotionless lately. I just don't want you to go off the deep end again, because this time you might not come back," Davina said.

A sharp, stinging pain coursed up my arm from my palms. "Ah!" I said, sucking air in through my teeth.

I unclenched my hands, looking down in horror at the four small crescent shapes, now oozing blood.

"Oh my god," Davina said softly, gently pulling my hands towards her, "You're bleeding!" She cried, a worried expression on her face.

"I didn't even know I was doing it!" I said before suddenly bursting into tears.

"What's wrong with me Davina?"

"I don't know..." She answered sympathetically.

"You don't understand! I'm fucked up in the head or something! I hear things that nobody else can hear! And the voices! There's voices in my head telling me to do violent, horrible things! And my mind is always racing from the moment I wake up, it's like I can never get any peace and quiet! And when I do—I can never escape! The nightmares that I have—it's awful! I drift in and out of consciousness constantly. I do things without knowing, like right now! I made myself bleed and didn't even feel a thing! I'm scared of myself! What I'll do next! Because the worst part is, is I don't feel anything! I might end up giving in and hurting someone badly, and I won't have a single ounce of remorse. God I'm a freak aren't I? I just wish it would all end! I'm just better off dead because then it'll all stop!" I sobbed.

Bottles of alcohol burst of the shelves, glass shattering everywhere as the lights flickered in the bar. People screamed and fled from the scene.

"See? There I go again!" I cried.

Davina wrapped her arms around me as I cried into her shoulder.

"You are not a freak. And don't you dare say that you're better off dead because you're not. You're just sick, that's all. I'm going to help you get better, and we'll get through this, together because I'm your best friend and I love you no matter what," She said.

Her words rang through my head. I pulled away from her.

"You're sick."

And then it clicked, "You're right. I am sick," I said all emotion leaving my body.

Davina stared at me. She was scared, I could tell, and she was fighting to not show it.

"What do you mean?" She asked shakily.

"I've tried to fight it for so long, but there's no escaping the allure of the darkness. Maybe it's time I embrace the madness," I said standing up, "I have to go."

"Wait what? Where are you going?" Davina said frantically.

"Don't worry about it," I said walking out of the bar.

I had a plan. I knew exactly what I needed to do.

"Genevieve wait!" Davina called after me.

I walked out into the street, briskly weaving in and out of the bustling night life. I finally came to the entrance of the cemetery and sat down in the middle of the tombs, leaning my head up against the cool stone. I always found the cemetery therapeutic to me. It was the only place where my mind would stop racing. I placed my palms on the ground, watching as orbs of light trailed along the ground and up my arms.

There was a coven meeting tonight. Every full moon, my coven would gather in the cemetery and replenish our powers. It was only a matter of time before they would all arrive and I could carry out my plan. My revenge.

I straightened my back, now on high alert as I heard footsteps approaching. I squinted, struggling to make out the figure in the dark.

"Davina?" I asked springing up, "You have to run. Get as far away from here as possible."

"What? I don't understand," She asked, getting worried.

"Just go! Promise me!" I said.

"But there's the coven meeting tonight!" Davina said.

"And that is exactly why I need you to get out of here."

"You're scaring me! What's going on?!" Davina cried.

"Just go!" I screamed.

Davina looked at me, tears streaming down her cheeks, "Whatever it is you're planning on doing, please don't," she pleaded.

"Oh Davina," I said wiping a tear from her cheek, "You have no idea."

"Please don't do this. I can help you!"

"Maybe I don't want to be helped! Maybe it's finally time I embrace who I really am!"

"Gen....please!" She sobbed.

"JUST LEAVE!" I screamed, tightly clenching my fists together.

The ground began to shake and flames danced on my fingertips. Davina ran away sobbing, not looking back at me.

I sat down again and leaned my head up against the tomb stone. I closed my eyes and breathed in deeply, trying to slow down my beating heart. I listened carefully as I could hear the coven starting to gather, and waited for the perfect moment.

Finally when I knew everyone was there, I stepped out of the shadows to face them.

"What are you doing here?" One of them taunted.

And then it happened. I screamed at the top of my lungs. A wave of power sent everyone flying through the air.  Some witches hit the sides of tombs with satisfying splats, others fell on the ground. With my now free hands, I held them out in front of me, flames shooting out from my fingertips, igniting everyone on fire.

I smirked as I watched them fall to the ground, writhing and shrieking as their skin bubbled and charred. The smell of burning hair and flesh filled the air.

"Who's the freak now?" I laughed.

But they weren't all dead yet. Strong arms yanked me up on my feet. On either side of me, two witches twisted my arms behind my back. I tried to break free, but they were much stronger than I was. I writhed and seized kicking my legs violently. Someone yanked my hair, snapping my neck backwards causing me to yelp. I felt the sharp, cold blade of a dagger press against my neck. I closed my eyes, panting heavily as I braced for the pain. With another surge of power, they burst into flames and fell to the ground.

My plan was complete. I just murdered my entire coven, and boy does it feel good.

My victory was short lived however, when I looked up and saw Davina. She looked so helpless and terrified, I almost felt bad for her.

"I'm sorry," She said, gripping a dagger, "You've gone absolutely mad. This is for your own good and for the safety of others."

Before I had a chance to react, she plunged the dagger into my chest. I gasped, looking down slowly at the handle poking out my chest, pain rushing through my body. My eyes rolled in the back of my head and I collapsed, everything going black.....

This story has been rewritten 7/7/20