Katy's Memory

Katy's Memory is the forty fifth chapter in the Wombles Eight.

''Katy was in her apartment watching a horror movie. It was an advert break at the moment – currently advertising Monin Christmas syrups – so she was texting back and forth with her newish friend Inez. The conversation wound up with Inez coming over and when she got there, Katy was sipping a banana milkshake as she stared wide-eyed at the screen.''

''“Woah. You look like you sucked a lemon, and then it turned out to have lethal spices in it and you just realized that it’s too late to stop your death.” said Inez, swinging her handbag onto the computer desk.''

Katy laughed sweetly and said, “Shush, Inez, I’m trying to watch this thing.”

''“Yeah, sure you are.” Said Inez. “Inez!” whined Katy between giggles. “Woman, I got somethin’ better to show you.” Said Inez. “And it is?” asked Katy with an unexpectant yet joyful look. “Oh, this.” Said Inez.''

''Inez put out her hand and blew on it and a cloud of black glitter smoked out everything in the room. Katy spent five seconds choking on it before everything cleared and she saw not Inez, but a sparkling scarlet-skinned woman with silver-and-black hair which seemed to reach miles away, and staring silver eyes that glowed as though she were in the act of lycanthropy.''

''Katy screamed as if she’d seen the devil. Then she hit the woman with the back of her hand, crying. No reaction. Just the same, small, smug smile.''

“Who the…the hell are you, and what have you done with Inez?!” screeched Katy.

''When the woman spoke, she sounded like a storm made flesh. “I am Inez.” she said, plucking a blade out from her black minidress. She sharpened it with her glittering gold nine-inch fangs and continued, “I have been hunting you from the day you were born. Magic was accidentally hidden inside of you by a demon who intended to kill you when they mystically foresaw your potential as a hero, who would work closely with a brunette named Tara Angelica Kingston, and a blonde named Taylor Alison Swift – among others.”''

''Katy was on the floor now, supported  by her hands and drowning in her tears. “I’m not a hero.” She whispered. “I’m not some…magic-wielding wonder. Please…please don’t kill me.”''

''“Oh, I don’t plan to.” Said Inez, crouching down and pushing Katy’s head up to look her in the eyes. “At least, not exactly.” And with that, she plunged the blade into Katy’s neck.''

''“You’re not listening to me! I don’t even have any stupid magic!” screeched Katy as pain soared through her body.''

''“You have it.” Hissed Inez. “But you can’t use it unless it’s unlocked. If you carry on the way you are, it will be unlocked by an agent of good named Inlustris. That would give it a pathetically goody-two-shoes formation. But with this little trick, it will be unlocked by someone quite different. And you will wreak havoc on the mortal world, living in it, despite the fact that you yourself are immortal. And you shall rule.”''

Katy collapsed to the floor like a corpse, and Inez vanished in an instant – leaving her blade in Katy’s hand.

''When Katy awoke, it was three weeks later and she remembered nothing except for the blade, and the last words she’d heard. And you shall rule.''

''Katy smiled, a cruel, twisted thing, and clutched the knife in her hand like a small child might clutch their favourite teddy bear. “You shall rule.” She whispered in a soft and cruel manner before sitting up a little and laughing like a manic villain.''