You slay me

Part 7

''say wha now?'' it was the brunette boy who spoke first with a scrunched and stretched face of confusion and shock.

''wait so you're the slayer- the chosen ONE who fights the demons?' the redhead said sceptically as she squinted and chewed her lip to mull over my words.

''yep'' I replied sighing as I realised just how hard this job was going to be. It was already complicated by the fact that two civilians, maybe more, knew about the slayer. Not to mention the over friendly vampire in my cousin's bedroom. oh god. I will no doubt be sharing that bedroom until the spare room is habitable- maybe I can ask to live in the basement. Or not since it probably has some other secrets buried down there...

''no you're not.'' Came a low and angry voice from behind me. I looked over my shoulder briefly to see that Buffy's world was being rocked again. I couldn't watch for long as I let my head drop to stare at the floor.

''it's why I'm here Buffy. I was called.'' My voice was quiet as if I was speaking only to her. But I wasn't there were still three other people who wanted be clued in. the boy was silent his face focused as he tried to wrap his head around this. Obviously, both the teens had been introduced to this underbelly of civilisation when they came into contact with Buffy but I suppose they had learned set rules for it which were now being broken.

''i- uh- I'' Giles began to stammer out as he slowly came back to life having been shocked into a statue for the past few minutes. His voice was breathy with disbelief. '' I don't see how this can happen. And you- you say the council – they sent you here to take over Buffy's duties?'' he said his eyebrows crashing down on his glasses.

''yes- they said that Buffy died-''

''last year you said'' Buffy said in a dead tone as if she wasn't really in the now.

''- is what I told your mum. In reality, the report came through in the beginning of summer- it took a while for them to check in with the current watchers and find the next Slayer- I wasn't exactly their first call...'' I ran a hand through my cropped hair- the sensation of my cropped hair brushing through my fingers was a small comfort in these stressful times. I had long locks once. Dark copper tones that my mum would twirl around her fingers when I curled up next to her. But the weight of the past was cut away and that was better.

''so there are two Slayers?'' the brunette boy asked moving a step closer. He chopped the air with his hands as he tried to cement the fact in his brain. He looked at Buffy who was imploding at the news.

Giles remained calm. His tone quickened with worry but he knew this wasn't a time for panic and emotion. He needed the facts. ''but are you sure that you were called? Is it not possible you were mistaken? It is strange that a blood relative would be called.- the council has been wrong before...''

I quirked an eyebrow at the man with his last statement – certainly odd for a watcher to admit the council's weakness. But I responded as best I could. ''it was prophecised I believe.'' I looked around the room seeing that the simple sentence rang a bell with them all. Buffy finally looked up to Giles with the realisation on her face.

I waited to be clued in but they just stared at each other with knowing looks. I blew air from my cheeks before continuing with growing restlessness as I looked at the clock watching the afternoon roll on. ''well something must have happened- and you don't really mistake the calling. It's like falling with the Balrog and fight for your life while everything you've learned about the world is tested and in my case confirmed- the earth becomes stable and you feel your place in it – your purpose and how you fit into the cosmic design... all in a split second of agony and euphoria.'' I stroked my ring absently as I stared through the small windows behind the book shelves. To remember that moment kept me up at night it made me so happy and incomparably sad at the same time- I had never felt it before and would never again I was thankful and forlorn. To be chosen was something you couldn't share with anyone because ordinarily, the previous slayer was already dead.