The Witch’s Ichor

Ryker's last few mornings felt like roller coaster rides. This one feels depressingly ordinary. No strange new body parts. No weird feminizing shenanigans. No magic.

He woke up from a nightmare he can't recall, and now he's sitting up in bed with a blank look on his somewhat squarish features. His phone dings. He checks it, and sees its a message in the group chat.

Jamison: Hey Ryker, are you staying home today?

Ryker: Oh shoot. I totally forgot to tell you guys last night!

Theo: Tell us what

Ryker: My mom and I visited the witch and she fixed me.

Derek's taking his time typing out a message. Ryker shrugs, getting up to get dressed. He absentmindedly puts on a dirty shirt adorned with a video game logo, and some baggy jeans. He grabs a hoodie off his closet floor.

The sight of his old self in the mirror is conflicting. Ryker pushes down the bad feelings, and gives himself a thumbs up in the mirror. His phone buzzes. He quickly checks it.

Derek: What do you mean she "fixed" you???

Ryker: I'm back to normal now. No tits or whatever lol

Ryker: Good as new

Ryker grabs his backpack off the floor and makes his way downstairs. The smell of french toast has him drooling by the time he takes a seat at the dining table. Ryker's mother is grabbing her coffee when she turns to see him.

"Morning, honey! How'd you sleep?" She asks.

"Fine." Ryker lies.

The soft peck of his mother's lips on his forehead barely registers as he looks down at the plate of french toast she's just served him. She walks to the door while Ryker starts pushing forkfuls of french toast into his mouth.

"Oh, your father and I are having a date tonight! You'll have the house to yourself." Ryker's mother announces.

Ryker gives her a nod of understanding while chewing his food. She waves goodbye and shuts the door behind her. The faint sound of the car's ignition mixes with the sound of Ryker's fork scraping his plate. Ryker mechanically shoves the food on his plate into his mouth. Another notification interrupts his robotic motions.

Jamison: Ryker could you meet us in the courtyard?

Ryker: Sure

Ryker puts his dirtied dishes into the sink, and picks up his backpack. He walks stiffly out the door, heading to school.

~

Jamison's height always makes him stick out in a crowd. The tall boy could do without the attention, but the view is nice. His dark eyes scan the courtyard for any sign of Ryker.

"Do you think he really did it?" Derek mumbles.

Derek is seated on the concrete wall beside Jamison. Derek is wearing his usual tank top and shorts combo, but he's not his usual self. The boy is feeling guilty about Sunday, but wonders if Ryker will even want an apology if he's back to his old self.

"He must have. There's no way he'd lie about it." Jamison replies.

"I think Derek is worried Ryker is... deluding himself." Theo says clinically.

Theo is sitting on the wall beside Derek. The bespectacled boy is busy filling out a supplementary worksheet for his chemistry class.

Jamison finally spots a familiar face. Ryker's appearance almost feels nostalgic as Jamison watches him approach them. Ryker's wearing some of his old ratty clothes, and is back to being square and tall.

"Hey guys, what's up?" Ryker greets them.

Derek and Theo look at Ryker with dull gazes. Jamison forces a smile and leans on the wall next to Derek.

"Oh we were just making bets on if you had really managed to change back, haha." Jamison jokes.

Ryker replies with a hollow laugh. He doesn't make eye contact as he smiles, and Jamison can see the smile doesn't reach Ryker's eyes. Jamison watches Derek put on a fake smirk as he hops down from the wall. Derek rests his elbow atop Ryker's head.

"Damn, still short, though." Derek jabs.

Ryker rolls his eyes up at the slightly larger boy.

"I'm way taller than I was, dude." Ryker retorts dryly.

Derek pulls his arm off Ryker with a forced chuckle. He leans against the wall as if mirroring Jamison. Theo finally joins the conversation.

"It's bizarre seeing you like this after all that's happened." Theo comments.

"Yeah? It feels like it was all just a dream." Ryker replies.

Jamison glances over at the other students in the courtyard. The crowds are moving indoors for classes.

"Time for class, fellas. Let's boogie." Jamison says.

"Boogie?" Derek questions.

Ryker and Theo move toward the doors as Derek gives Jamison a disappointed shake of the head. Jamison's goofy smirk only grows in response to Derek's disapproval.

"What? I thought it sounded fun." Jamison defends.

Derek and Jamison follow their two shorter friends into the school building, and their Monday starts.

~

Mrs. Johnson's lectures on literature normally pique Ryker's interest, but not today. She's writing some key points on the board. The book they're going over is a romance novel, but Ryker isn't sure what it's really about.

I don't even remember the title.

Ryker's focus is drawn to his left when a notebook is casually slid to his side of the shared table. Ryker looks up to see Tracy Newman, his table partner. He looks back down at the notebook.

You OK?

Ryker tilts his head at the question. Tracy is just a classmate. He doesn't know this girl, nor does she know him. He carefully writes a response in the margins of his own notebook.

Im fine

Tracy waits for Mrs. Johnson to look back at the board, and reads Ryker's note. She arches her brow as if to say she isn't buying it. She writes a reply, the words are both neat and pretty.

u look like a zombie...

Something about the way Tracy puts it so bluntly brings a tired smile to Ryker's face. He writes his reply. His handwriting is legible, yet messy.

I'm not green enough for a zombie. If anything I'm a ghost

Tracy smirks at the casual reply, but she straightens up when Mrs. Johnson's hand carefully taps the table between the two teens. She clears her throat.

"Mr. Kim. Ms. Newman. Do you mind paying attention?" She asks sternly.

"Sorry, Mrs. Johnson!" They both apologize.

Mrs. Johnson lets out a little huff as she returns to the front of the classroom. Tracy and Ryker take the hint and stop passing notes for the rest of 4th period.

~

The bell rings. Most of the students scramble their way out of class. Others take their sweet time before moving onto 5th period. Ryker is taking his time when Tracy speaks up.

"If you need someone to talk to, I'm around." She offers.

"I'm good, but thank you." Ryker replies flatly.

Tracy can see how Ryker's smile doesn't reach his eyes. She doesn't press the issue, and leaves the classroom. Ryker follows suit a half a minute later.

The sheer quantity of students in the halls of Witchburrow High is suffocating. Ryker squeezes his way through the masses. His phone buzzes, so he checks it as he walks.

Derek: Yo I got us a table already

Derek: Where u all at?

Ryker: ???

Ryker: 4th just ended, how the fuck you pull that off?

Ryker's question goes unanswered as he enters the cafeteria. Derek is already sitting at a table with a tray of food, and he gives Ryker a cheeky nod.

"He sure is proud of himself." Theo comments.

Ryker is a little surprised when Theo is suddenly standing next to him. He looks up to see Jamison's towering figure is here, too. Ryker turns back to look at Derek taking pleasure in his little victory.

"I think he gets a kick out of stuff like this. It's kind of cute." Ryker says thoughtlessly.

Jamison and Theo exchange a look. Ryker walks to the lunch line as if nothing happened, and his two friends follow.

"So do you like Derek, then?" Jamison asks gently.

"What? No, I'm not gay!" Ryker protests a little too loudly.

Several passerby give Ryker weird looks, but lose interest fast. The lunch line is moving, after all.

"You do know being gay isn't bad-" Theo starts.

"Yes. I know." Ryker cuts him off.

The rest of their wait is spent in uncomfortable silence. The lunch ladies give Ryker his food, and he moves with the line as if on a conveyer belt. He joins his friends at their usual table.

The pizza on Ryker's tray isn't enough to uplift his spirits. Derek's smarmy grin doesn't help, either. Ryker just feels hollow inside.

"What's up with Debbie Downer?" Derek teases.

"I don't think he wants to talk about it." Jamison deflects.

The four of them start eating, and small talk gradually picks up. Ryker isn't really listening. He's just going through the motions of eating. Food goes into his mouth. He bites and chews it. He swallows the food. Repeat.

"Hey are you good? You look pale." Derek asks, gently shaking Ryker.

Ryker stops his motions. The food is gone now. His friends are all looking at him with concern in their eyes. Ryker suppresses the pit forming in his stomach.

"Yeah... I'm all good." Ryker replies.

I'm normal.
So of course I'd be good... right?

~

The smell of sweaty teenagers and waxed flooring permeates the gymnasium. Coach Bertram blows his whistle. He's a well built man with a kind face. He and Derek get along wonderfully.

"Let's move onto pushups!" Coach Bertram barks.

Ryker gets down into position, and his hands and feet support his body weight without issue. He ensures his back is rigid. Ryker lowers himself using his arms until his nose is almost touching the floor, and then he goes back up.

The first pushup is easy for him. The second pushup is just as trivial. Several effortless pushups follow. Ryker moves his body as if on autopilot. Up and down. Up and down. Up and down-

The coach's whistle signals the end of pushups.

"Nice work, Ryker!" The coach compliments.

Ryker realizes he did the most pushups, and coach is congratulating him for the feat. He isn't anywhere near the most athletic guy in the gymnasium, so it comes as a surprise. Even Derek looks a little shocked by Ryker's performance. Ryker nods to Coach Bertram.

I guess I'm strong again.

The coach's whistle blows again. The routine of doing several workouts continues, and Ryker performs each one like a machine.

"Alright, free time! Good work today." Coach Bertram dismisses them.

Ryker stares down at his hands numbly. His eyes move down to his hairy forearms, and then to his semi thick biceps. A ball slams into Ryker's back. He turns around slowly.

"You coming, Hercules?" Derek calls out.

Jamison and Theo are standing in their usual positions already. Derek has that playful smirk of his on. Ryker grabs the ball off the court, and walks over.

Being strong is a good thing.
So why do I feel so numb?

Ryker bounces the ball off the court and catches it with one hand. He tosses it casually to Jamison. The taller boy catches it before passing it off to Derek.

"I was thinking we could go downtown after school?" Jamison offers.

Derek catches the ball without issue. He turns and gives Theo a little smirk. Theo takes a wide stance. Derek throws the ball straight at Theo's face, but Theo manages to duck in time. The stray throw bounces harmlessly off the gymnasium wall.

"Try catching it next time!" Derek taunts.

Theo turns to go grab the ball, and gives Derek the finger over his shoulder.

"I'm good with downtown as long as we hit up the arcade. I got a score to settle with the speed bag." Derek finally replies to Jamison.

"What about you, Ryker?" Jamison asks.

Ryker imagines a trip downtown. The atmosphere there is always enjoyable. Maybe it could cheer him up to hang out with his friends outside of the school's confines.

"You could probably give me a run for my money on the speed bag, haha." Derek compliments.

I don't want to.

Ryker shakes his head with an apologetic smile.

"Sorry, but it's a family movie night." Ryker lies outright.

Theo returns to the group with the ball. He tosses it to Ryker. Ryker catches it absentmindedly, and starts bouncing it off the court idly.

"It's fine, we get it." Jamison replies.

"What's up?" Theo asks.

Ryker tosses the ball to Jamison. The taller boy catches it without even looking, and dribbles it off the court.

"Jamison wants to hangout downtown after school. Ryker can't come." Derek explains.

Theo nods in understanding. Jamison passes the ball over to Derek, who snatches it out of the air.

"I'll come." Theo says.

Derek throws the ball faster than last time. Theo is caught off guard, and takes the ball straight to the stomach. Theo coughs as the wind is knocked out of his lungs.

"That's payback for Thursday!" Derek laughs triumphantly.

Jamison gives Theo a pat on the back. The ball rolls over to Ryker, so he picks it up. The bell rings.

"Ugh. See you after 7th period?" Theo groans.

"You got it." Jamison confirms.

Derek and Theo make their way toward the exit. Derek gives Theo an apology as he helps him get his breathing back to normal. Jamison walks over to Ryker.

"You sure you're ok, dude?" Jamison asks.

Why does that sting?

Ryker nods to assuage his friend's worries. Of course he's okay. Why wouldn't he be?