the fall

[LUNA LACHESIS TRELAWNEY]

Early August 2028

Luna's life had spiraled from idyllic to out of control. Or at least, that was how she felt. Since she'd found out she hadn't made the national team again, she trained harder, pushed herself further, all without allowing herself rest. Her body screamed at her, but her normal self wasn't good enough. She had to be better if she ever wanted a chance of being on the national team. Once in her life, she'd fought to escape the shadows of her sisters. Her gift had never been as strong or useful as theirs - and this was just another way that Luna was challenged. And she was sure that she would overcome this challenge as she had so many times before.

Luna's insane regiment included little food and a lot of exercise. Simon had always commented on how she wasn't eating enough, but Luna dutifully ignored him. He could do whatever he wanted and he was still on the Swedish national team. Meanwhile, she had to be better. Distantly, Luna knew that she had to fuel her body, but her mind whispered that it was yet another weakness. Like a snake, she had to shed the skin of her past and be borne into something greater.

"You're not looking well, Trelawney," said Millie, the Harpies captain, as the team kitted up for a friendly match against Appleby. "I'm fine," Luna replied brusquely. Millie opened her mouth to say something else but Luna instead walked away under the pretense of refilling her bottle of water. Hydration would help the burgeoning headache forming at her temple. She drank deeply, ignoring the concerned looks from her teammates. She fixed the other beater with a glare, and she shrugged, backing off. Luna sighed, hating that the camaraderie between the team was broken. What she didn't notice was that the only relationships fraying were those with herself.

Mounting her broom, Luna kicked off with the rest of her team, zooming up into the air. The ground fell away beneath her, and rather than the freeing feeling that usually accompanied kickoff, Luna felt increasingly dizzy. Her brow furrowed in confusion, but the swooping sensation in her body didn't let up. Her stomach flipped, and her palms grew slick, her mind confused as to which way was up. And suddenly, she couldn't see, couldn't think, and she was falling.

Millie Dawes cottoned on to the fact that her beater was in trouble a second too late. "Luna!" she cried, but no one was close enough to the young woman to catch her as she plummeted to the ground. Thankfully, they'd had a spell of rain and the ground was soft, as Luna landed with a resounding splat. Millie and the others on the team raced to her side, but Luna was well and truly unconscious. Her skin was slick with sweat, and had taken on a ghostly pallour. Millie had had her suspicions about Luna's mental wellbeing, but this cemented it. Her cheeks were gaunt, and she looked so, so fragile.

The team healer raced to the pitch, and the referee looked from Millie to the sky where the Arrows were flying, though concern was etched on their faces as well. Millie had a decision to make. She turned to the medic. "She needs help. More than what we can give her today," said Millie, and the medic nodded in agreement. "Take her to St Mungo's, please. We will come check in on her after the match." Millie turned to the bench, eyeing Slater who's face was white with shock. "Slater, you're in. Beater. Make me proud," said Millie, giving one last glance towards Luna before shooting off into the air to continue the match.


Hours later, Luna felt a dull throbbing throughout her whole body. It was like she'd been thrown off a mountain - or perhaps something even worse. She groaned, and she knew she'd broken at least one bone in her body. Her eyelids fluttered open, and she was surprised to see stark white walls surrounding her. Frowning, Luna tried to sit up, but a kindly looking young healer that she hadn't noticed before sat beside her, pressing her back into the bed. "Welcome back, Luna. You took quite a fall," said the healer. He checked her vitals. "Why am I here?" asked Luna, her voice scratchy. She remembered the vertigo, she remembered falling, and then nothing else. Surely she could have been patched up on the pitch? "Am I at St Mungo's?" she asked weakly.

The healer gave Luna a pitying look. If she'd had more energy, she'd be incensed. "We patched you up alright from your fall, but we want to keep you for observation," said the healer. He appraised her thoughtfully. "And Miss Trelawney... well, you're being kept here for another reason." Merlin, if that didn't sound ominous enough. "I want to go back to the pitch. I need to get back," said Luna. "I'm afraid you can't. First off, the match ended hours ago. Harpies won, I'm told. Your teammates have been by to check in on you," said the healer.

"Miss Trelawney, we're keeping you here for your other condition. Your eating disorder. You've pushed your body so far, it will no longer be able to function normally. Your blood vessels and heart have weakened immensely, as well as your immune system. We're here to help you," said the healer, but Luna shifted uncomfortably. "I don't need that, I'm fine, I just need to get back to my routine," she said, but the healer stopped her. "The mind healer will be in shortly now that you're awake. We're going to help you, Luna." The healer rose, and with an other sad smile, left Luna to herself.

Shame. Failure. Despite how hard she'd been trying, Luna's plans had backfired on her. In defeat, she slumped her head back against the pillow, and closed her eyes. Emotion welled over her as she saw her dreams crashing around her. It was too much. She just wanted oblivion to take her. All she had wanted was to be good enough. And now, it seemed she never would be.



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mentions addilyn elara slater and simon sixten svendsen