Chapter 6

“Maddi,” The soothing voice repeated. “Maddi, dear. Are you with us?”

“Ugh.” Maddi groaned. Her heavy eyelids took a while to open; Then another minute to sit up and grasp a shred of consciousness. Her classmates surrounded her, each wearing their own look of concern. The four girls parted to make way for Diana with an icepack.

“Here we go, dear,” Diana cooed, pressing the coldness against her sister’s forehead. “You gave us a scare,”

As the sobering reality rushed back, Maddi knocked Diana’s hand away and clambered up the desk. “I’m fine,” She grunted, steadying herself on wobbling sticks for legs. Her sickly complexion flushed from cold to warm and back again.

“I don’t think you’re fine.” Dr. Bykov commented. “I want you to visit the infirmary.”

“That’s not necessary,” Maddi clutched her chest while she leaned on her desk.

“All the same,” Dr. Bykov blew off her student’s weak protest. “You’re going.”

“I know where it is,” Diana volunteered. “It’s in the administration building. I just came from there. I’ll take her.”

“That’s fine,” Dr. Bykov sighed. “We can continue without you. Mallory and Ashley can take notes for your respective groups. “Madison, once you’re feeling better, I’d like to see the two of you in my office. Preferably today.”

“Yes, Dr. Bykov.” The girls complied in staggered unison.

It was still a bright afternoon on the Moringa campus. Diana guided Maddi from behind, reveling in feeling the pronounced spinal columns in her anorexic sister’s back. As the beaming sun warmed their crowns, Diana let out a big chuckle. “Really, Maddi? Fainting in public? And people call ME dramatic.”

“BITCH!” Enraged, Maddi launched a blind elbow in Diana’s direction, striking the girl in her protruding gut. “Why are you here? Why are you not in jail?”

Diana caught her balance and took extra steps to catch up with Maddi. “I was taken advantage of,” She pouted. “My nurse was fucking me.”

“Nobody takes advantage of you, Diana.” Maddi scowled, walking faster. “It’s the other way around.”

Diana groaned loudly as she tried to skip ahead. “I’ll admit I’ve done some bad things, but even you have to admit they’re mostly justified, Maddi. I’m not a total monster. I brought you a present. Don’t you want to see what our baby looks like?”

She put some distance between them Maddi stopped dead in her tracks. As she turned, Maddi saw that Diana held a 3x5 in both hands, wearing a prideful smile.

“Well?” Diana goaded.

“Yes!” Maddi snapped, rushing back. “You know I want to see her.”

Then as Maddi approached, Diana’s smile bent suddenly. The picture ripped quickly into crisp strips. Diana kept tearing until the pieces sprinkled to the ground like confetti across the green. She cocked her head, capped with a cruel grin. “I’m sorry, did you want to see that?”

Maddi’s stomach turned. “Damn you. That’s my baby too! How could something so beautiful come out of someone so vile?”

“Not easily.” Diana raised a brow. “She was almost nine pounds. Wanna see my stretchmarks?”

“I don’t want to see you at all.” Maddi threw a palm in Diana’s face. “Please, just stay away from me.” Maddi could see the infirmary attachment on the side of the administration building. She pulled out her phone and started to send a text as she resumed her power walk escape.

“Are you about to call Savannah?” Diana called out. “Tell her that I’m sorry about her baby!”

“What the fuck,” Maddi stopped again, her sense of control cracking. “What do you know about Savannah’s miscarriage?”

Diana shrugged. “I know our impregnation race was an abysmal failure. Nobody kept their babies. All that work for nothing.”

“Yeah,” Maddi spat. “It’s almost as if it wasn’t the right thing to do. And why were you keeping tabs on me?”

“You’re one to talk.” Diana scoffed. “You didn’t even attempt to visit me in prison.”

“You told me not to!” Maddi yelled.

“That was a test, Maddi. To see if you actually cared about me.” Diana shook her head. “A test that you failed, by the way. You’re such a wicked thing.”

“What did you do to Savannah?” Maddi sneered. She hovered close enough to smell the seductive, floral scent of Diana’s skin. She had to admit--Diana looked good. Her sister’s face was full and rosy. Fresh from the salon, her golden straight hair was cut sharp at her jawline. Her platinum-blonde highlights shimmered in the beaming afternoon.

“That was another test you failed, Maddi.” Diana sucked her teeth. “You were never upfront with her about your love for me.” She flashed another evil grin as she sharpened her glare. “Imagine her surprise when she saw our video.”

Maddi retched. A wet gagging sound came up her throat as she held her stomach. “Oh my god,” She muttered through burning tears. “I was going to confess. I fucking hate you for this.”

“Mmm...” Diana licked her lips. “You maintain that contempt, Maddi. I might let you hate-fuck another baby in me.”

“Christ,” Maddi’s voice trembled. She stepped back. “That’s why you’re here, isn’t it?”

Diana swaggered up to Maddi and wrapped her arm around her sister’s bony hips. She whispered. “I think I’ll keep what I really want a secret until you’re ready to beg for it. In the meantime, you’re going to let me suck your cock, dear sister.”

Maddi gasped. She looked down at Diana with wide aqua eyes and scowled. “You can’t be serious.”

Diana tilted her head and leaned in on Maddi’s shoulder. “It’s been a very stressful three months for me. My throat’s been violated so many times. I just want to gag on something familiar.” She laid a gentle peck on Maddi’s chest and giggled. “You’re not fighting me off anymore. Any reason?”

“Damn,” Maddi carefully pried herself from her sister’s embrace, her heart pounding in her chest. “You should go back to class. You’re not a very good student.”

Diana pursed her lips. “Oooo. Savage. But you’re right about that. I guess I’ll see you later.”

Maddi fumed. Diana’s wave goodbye was so cavalier that it irritated her more than her sister’s presence. She stormed off, across the green, past the infirmary, and down the winding path away from campus.

As she turned towards the buildings, Diana brandished her phone to send a quick text. “SHE’S HEADED TO YOU.” A gleeful giggle escaped her lips as she hit send.

“Savannah,” Maddi cried into the phone as she sat alone in the busy city center park. Passersby were too enamored with the rabid construction of climbing buildings downtown to pay attention to the teary girl. “I’m so sorry you had to find out about me like this. I was so ashamed. I still am.” Maddi winced as the pain of embarrassment, overtook her. “The truth is I haven’t told a soul about Diana and me because I knew how terrible I’d feel.” She choked on her phlegm and coughed again over her shoulder. Drowning in shame, Maddi forced a smile onto her crimson-blotched face before she resumed. “I’m not gonna lie, I feel like if anybody else knew the truth, it would destroy me. But I can do it for you.”

Maddi wobbled to her feet and took off. “I’m going to check on the house. Please come to Moringa Island.” She couldn’t explain it, but as she ended the voicemail, Maddi’s spirits lifted. Her short affirmation to the void on the other end of the phone quickly became her self-appointed turning point. Until she heard her name called behind her.

“Maddi!” Mary’s voice shrilled. “Do you remember me?”

Maddi shrank. Her ex-girlfriend’s slender white sundress barely clung to her boney shoulders as she closed in with a sense of urgency.

“Do you remember me?” She repeated. Even though she was in arm’s length, Mary still preferred to yell. “DO YOU?!?”

“Of course, Mary.” Maddi scowled. “Please lower your voice.”

“Do you remember what it felt like to be on top of me?” Mary’s bright red cheeks were flustered. “When you whispered all those bullshit lies in my ear while you stole my purity?”

“I--I know.” Maddi bowed her head. “But I thought we were finished. I confused about trying to get you pregnant, you slapped me and stormed off. Now we’re here.” She locked eyes with Mary. “What do you want, Mary?”

Mary smiled before brushing her tattered orange bangs from her freckled brow. She turned over her shoulder and screamed. “I WANT YOU TO TELL EVERYONE HOW YOU STOLE MY INNOCENCE!” A few bystanders gathered around the juicy gossip. Encouraged, Mary decided to twist the knife. “DID YOU STEAL MY INNOCENCE LIKE YOUR STOLE YOUR OWN SISTER’S?”

Now over a dozen people communed for the salacious scene. Their eyes burned Maddi’s skin. She fidgeted, recoiled, and kept her eyes downcast. “Mary, stop.”

“No, Maddi.” Mary clapped. “YOU. STOP. You’re a fucking monster, and you ruined my life!” She whipped around to the crowd, some of which snickered and pulled out cellphones. Mary addressed them directly, “AND THAT’S WHAT FUTANARI DO!” She pivoted and jabbed her index in Maddi’s side. “THEY FUCK PURE AND INNOCENT GIRLS AND MAKE US DIRTY!”

“Oh my god!” Maddi howled. Her feet took off before she even decided. Moringa Island’s warm winds picked up, whipping against Maddi’s face as she ran. The commotion soon faded as the mortified futanari scrambled across two busy intersections, coming to a third stop. Taxis, vans, and bicycles--They all zipped thought the four lanes of traffic. Finally, a break in the flow, and she leaped off the curb. The thick leather heels of her oxford shoes clunked heavily on the pavement as her lean feet threatened to slip out.

As Maddi’s back leg jumped cleared the street, she collapsed on the sidewalk. Her weak heartbeat with a painfully irregular thud. There she drew another crowd of concern. A tan burly gentleman offered his thick, and she accepted, throwing her paltry weight at his body. Maddi steadied herself and declined an escort to the hospital several times before staggering down the street.

“Am I lost?” Maddi’s head swiveled as she mumbled to herself. The Island sun-faded gently as warm tones of violet filled the sky. “I don’t remember any of these buildings.” Indeed, several office buildings, some five stories tall, had popped up since her last visit to the town--if she could even call it that anymore. As dusk settled and the neon lights of a busy metropolitan area blared, Maddi’s stomach began to churn. She stepped into the closest restaurant she could find, a cafe/bar that appeared to sell mostly salads.

“Grilled chicken salad and diet coke, please.” Maddi gave the middle-aged bartender a half-smile before plopping herself up on a stool near the entrance. With the embarrassment from her confrontation with Mary slowly fading, she enjoyed the piercing sound of her fork, impaling the crisp lettuce in peace.

From Maddi’s perspective, the place must’ve just opened for dinner, with only a few tables filled. “What a day,” She sighed, her tired eyes fixed on the mixture of greens and meat as her fork moved the parts from one side of the bowl to the other. “I should eat something. I’m starving.” She thought. “But my food intake is the only thing I can control. I can’t believe Di and Mary teamed up.” Maddi shut fast her eyes before shoving a fork full of warm salty chicken and cold, leafy greens between her lips. She chewed quickly and swallowed the chunks prematurely.

Soon the foot traffic picked up. The thin door behind her banged open behind her every other minute, like clockwork. Maddi finally found a rhythm of shoveling food into her face when she heard the voices of suspicion behind her.

“Isn’t that her?”

Maddi’s heart pounded again. She dropped the fork with a clank and looked around. There were only a handful of gawkers from the scene at the city park, but that was enough for Maddi. “C--can I have the check, please?” Her trembling hand knocked on the bar.

“How stupid can one person be?” Maddi had much time to contemplate on her shameful walk back to campus. “I just wanted things the way they were.” She glared at her phone after opening her video. “I wanted my sister back--the one I grew up with. But the minute I saw you, I realized the sister I knew was dead.” Her neck cracked loudly as she rolled in her fatigued head. “And I guess she won’t be coming back.”

She held her breath as she highlighted the video file and pressed ‘delete.’

As she topped the stairs to Lavender House’s second floor, the giddy cackles Maddi first heard when she walked in the building became louder. “What the fuck,” Maddi cursed. From down the hall, she could make out several feminine figures standing in her doorway. When she got closer, her cross-hall neighbors Ramona and Shawna, wearing short green sleep shorts and shirts, greeted her with sloshing Solo cups of juice.

“Oh my god!” Shawna’s big brown eyes widened with joy. “There she is!” She extended her wiry arms to greet Maddi. Then Sunny and Mallory spilled from the room, each in sleepwear and carrying matching plastic cups.

Mallory’s eyes sharpened when they met Maddi’s. She grabbed Maddi’s thin wrist and yanked her. “Oh, you HAVE to get in here and explain the story we were just told.”

Maddi had to force each step forward, her muscle turned to jelly as she rounded the corner. She tensed her abs in preparation. There in the middle of the room, Diana sat cross-legged, chubby cheeks rosy from drink. She adjusted her tight powder-pink tee as her baby fat spilled from the sides. “Hey, stranger!” Diana grinned. “Feeling better?”