I am. So sorry for how long this took. And for the first 700 words.

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Madison's POV:

I tried to climb out of the boat when I was grabbed into a bear hug by one of the mafia men.

"Let me go! Don't you see she's a kid! She's crazy!—let me go this instant!" I screamed, kicked, anything to try and get them to let go.

"Girl very strong," one mafia said, trying to soothe me or something, "she not get hurt."

"She will! And when she does she'll just-just reset everything! No one will even know and I can't-can't let her suffer—"

How many times had I killed her? How many times did Vanessa hurt her the first time? What about that crazy blonde girl? She's probably died in every way possible—and she's never had someone around to care. That wasn't fair. I'd care. I do care. I won't let her die alone.

I'd never forgive myself.

I can't forgive myself.

The man holding me sat down at the front of the boat, and one of the others dug a rope out from under one of the seats. I looked up at them and then started to struggle more aggressively. I won't be tied up.

I won't be chained up again.

"No-no, no no no-nononononono—" I tried anything, but it was useless. They put the ropes around me and tossed me in the back corner of the boat.

I couldn't focus. I wanted to see what they were doing and take my mind off all of this, but there was no point. Everything was muffled and I gave up trying.

It's cold...my arms ache...when was the last time I felt warm...?

I can't even raise my head anymore I don't have enough energy...

Maybe I'll just drift off into death...the peacefulness of nothing.

But no...no I fell. I fell and clattered against the damp stone floor. I had to live on in memory of everything...

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"Madison...?" I was being tapped on the shoulder. I nearly thought I didn't have the effort to push my head back up, but I did. It was Hattie. Did she come back? How long did I disassociate?

As quickly as these thoughts came to mind they left as Hattie cut me free. I shifted and gripped my hands. They didn't feel like mine. I looked at the kid, and I had a lot I wanted to say, but I couldn't find the words.

"I'm sorry for worrying you so much..." she mumbled, "I just wanted to help them-it was my fault and...well I got another timepiece-"

"w-wait..." my mouth was dry, but I swallowed down the lump in my throat and shifted onto my knees, "what do you mean 'your fault'..."

She didn't respond. There's no way she could have...unless she was the one who went to the helm and did it on purpose. She has a ship of her own there's no way.

"Hattie—"

"I didn't mean to, it was an accident," she pleaded, "I won't do it again! I'll be good, I promise I'll be good it...it was an accident..."

There's no way...that cruise ship crashed because of her? I had to take a breath to collect myself.

"It was an accident," she mumbled again, thinking she had to convince me.

"I'm sure...it was..." I breathed out, "but you still did it..."

She nodded solemnly, and I let out a small huff. This has probably been one of the worst couple of hours of my afterlife. Trying to wrangle this kid is like trying to get a cat to take a bath.

Impossible...nearly.

"Excuse me," the captain grunted from behind me, "I couldn't help but overhear—"

"Whatever you heard," I stood up, "you heard incorrectly...we'll be taking our leave."

"Wh-leave!?? But—"

I'm quite done with this place. If there was any reason I stayed in Subcon is because I hated everyone outside of it. Imbeciles in my opinion...this captain was no different. And I'm starting to worry that without me there, and my cursed magic...he might be trying to slip through the cracks...

I looked up at the moon for a moment. I saw the faintest blue glow and looked back down at Hattie.

There wasn't anything to fear...he was still there...stuck on the horizon. That's what's important.

"Let's go, Hattie," I insisted, and she nodded, taking hold of my hand as she zipped us back to her spaceship.

She looked up at me as we landed back in the laundry room, "good thing we got out of there...that captain would have got me in big trouble, huh?"

"Oh don't think you're out of that trouble yet, kiddo..." I glared and snatched her hat from her head.

Her eyes widened, and she tried to reach up and take it back. I dropped it into my pocket dimension so she couldn't reach it.

"You. Young lady. Are grounded," I scolded...I didn't like it-but it was needed, "you could have hurt yourself. And. You are aware you shouldn't have done that. So obviously you know this is—"

"It's not enough to be GROUNDED for...!" She argued.

"You crashed an entire cruise ship, Hattie," I refuted. She fell silent, and I took that as a victory. "Now, come on. You're going to bed."

"what!?" She exclaimed, getting on the defense and taking out her umbrella, "no way."

"Hattie."

"No."

"Kiddo."

"I'm not tired...!"

"Well, I am!" I grabbed her by the back of her cape. She struggled, trying to whack me but her arms were just a little too short, even with the umbrella. I took her into that...elevator, back up to the main floor, and carried her back to her bedroom.

I plopped her down onto the bed, and she kept trying to hit me with the umbrella. I backed away, and she stood up on the bed.

"Give me, my hat back," she hissed.

This wasn't like her...

"Kid," I tried to soften my tone to see if that would help, but she raised her weapon of choice above her head. One of my feet slid back slightly, getting ready to be on the defense, "Hattie...what are you doing..."

"I'm..!" She trailed off, stopping mid-wind up. She blinked, and her voice faltered, "I'm....I...I..."

Her arms dropped to her side and she sat down on her bed. The umbrella slipped from her fingers and rolled off the bed. It clattered against the floor and she sniffled.

"I-I don't know...I don't...I didn't mean to..." she crunched her shirt in her little palms, "I don't know why I got so m...mad...you're right I'm-I'm sorry..."

This felt oddly familiar...I shook off the feeling, not wanting to make my decisions from old memories. I approached slowly to not overwhelm her, and she looked up at me with tears in her eyes.

"I think...we just need some sleep..."

She nodded, moving back to her feet and weakly hugging me. I returned it and gave her a small pat on the back. I'm sure after all the running around today she was tired...and I don't have the place to judge her for getting mad over something so important to her. I've certainly grown angry over futile things...

There was still something...off. I didn't know what. I let her go and she slinked under her blankets the same way she always did, curling up. I watched for a moment, thinking something would change, anything that would prove my uneasiness.

Nothing did.

I sighed and left the room. Ducking through the hallway, I heard a loud sort of groan from outside the ship.

What. The heck was that?

I stopped and looked out the small window in the hall, but there wasn't much to see there.

I quickly moved into the main space and looked out the front
window. The crescent moon was peaking out from just beyond the planet, it had always been there, but after the frightening experience of having a nightmare again, it seemed to stick out like a sore thumb.

Seeing it still there eased me though, and continued my search for the peculiar noise.

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So. Turns out. That's the sound the safe clock makes every hour and a half hour. It's an unsettling noise if you hear it from anywhere but the main room...I think I am just tired.

I sat down in the seat I have been sleeping in whenever on the ship. After sleeping in an actual bed, even if it was only for a couple of hours before I ended up asleep on a balcony, it was a downgrade...

Then again, the best place I've ever got even a nap is my reading chair...

I rested my head on my arms as I hunched over onto the top of the flat surface next to the wheel. I let out a breath to wash away as much tension in my shoulders and back as I could.

Whatever that was bothering me wouldn't leave though...the hairs on the back of my head wouldn't relax even after I fell asleep...

I'm not going to lie to you. Up until they got back to the ship I hated this too :')

Needed them o u t of the Arctic it was stunting my creativity I swear.

Hopefully-And I cannot guarantee bc of my ADHD ass-this will return to a regularish time of updates.

And again, I'm Sorry for such the long wait..!