✓ DEFENSIVE | Z. BERMAN

iii. THE BULLIES

JULY 19th, 1978
5:27 P.M.

As Ziggy open the door to the medical building, calling out for Nurse Lane, Y/N looks around the familiar space.

"Nurse Lane, hello?" Ziggy shouts, the bell ringing above them. "I'm in trouble again. Help. I brought a friend down with me this time," She calls in a monotone voice, making Y/N snicker, "Nurse Lane, come on, she could die any minute now!"

Y/N continues to scope out the space and sees the door to her office, which is usually practically bolted shut, to find it open just a crack. She motions to the door with her head and Ziggy's eyebrows raise with surprise as Y/N makes her way over, "Nurse Lane?" She calls, pushing the door open to see her clattered desk.

Ziggy comes up behind her as she traces a strange marking on the page of an open book, with a symbol labeled 'The Witch's Mark.'

"What are you doing?" A stern voice comes from behind them, making them both jump as they turn to face the nurse.

"Nurse Lane, you scared the shit out of me." Ziggy laughs uncomfortably. Her eyes narrow when she gets a better look at the Nurse's face, "Are you ok?"

Nurse Lane exhales and sniffles quietly before declaring, "I am." She turns her attention to Y/N, "Ziggy Berman, who is this?" She watches as Y/N runs a hand through her hair, raising her arm to reveal her burn, "Oh my goodness," Nurse Lane mutters, "Dear, what did we do now?"

Y/N steps forward as she motions her to follow as the Nurse goes back to the main area, Y/N sitting down on a cot as Ziggy stands to the side, Nurse Lane looking through the supply cabinet before finding a circular tin and coming over to sit on the cot across from Y/N.

Opening the lid, she explains to her, "So you are gonna apply this for three days, ok?" She says, showing Y/N the ointment as she nods along, "It's gonna protect against infection."

Y/N reveals the burn once more and Nurse Lane applies the salve, making her cringe. "It's gross." She murmurs.

"You'll survive." Ziggy snorts at the woman's response.

Coming to sit next to Y/N, she looks around, bored, before her eyes land on the door to the Nurse's office. "So, um..." Ziggy starts, "What's the Witch's Mark?" She queries, making Nurse Lane freeze for a moment before drawing her hand away from Y/N's burn.

She clears her throat and looks between the two expectant girls, "You know about my daughter, right? Ruby Lane?"

Three girls share a glance before Ziggy speaks up, "I don't — "

"Of course you do." Lane cuts her off, "Everybody talks, I know." She says, capping the salve, "Tell me, what do they say?"

"They say she, uh... she killed people," Ziggy answers, her voice getting quieter at the last words, "At a party."

Y/N's gaze is no longer on the two as she stares at the ground, "Seven," She pipes up, "Seven friends."

"Eight." Lane corrects her, "She killed herself that night too. So eight."

Ziggy glances at Y/N to see her squeeze her eyes shut before blinking rapidly, then pinching the inside of her arm, making her brows furrow.

"Ruby was such a sweet girl," Lane continues, her gaze settled somewhere far off, "Oh, and she had a sweet voice. She was in choir. She wanted to be a singer." She pauses for a moment before shaking her head, "I was so proud of her. So proud." Lame repeats, grabbing the bandage wrap to protect Y/N's burn.

She lifts her arm as Lane starts to wrap over the burn as she continues her story, "The doctors say it was a psychotic episode, that she just snapped. But the kids... the kids say Sarah Fier made her do it." She recites, tugging the bandage around her arm making Y/N wince.