cast
Alexandra Schröder (she/her)
18, 24–26
Bisexual
7-11 cashier
AKA: Alex, Lexy
Alex is depressed and directionless. Between living alone far from her hometown, becoming estranged from her parents, and spending every day simply going through the motions, she is a numb and restless creature on a cap dose of Xanax who yearns for something she can't even describe for herself. One day her boredom (or something worse) gets the better of her, and she wanders into the dangerous woods outside her apartment, not caring, or hoping, that whatever monster people say is in there takes her next. But however far in she goes, she finds...nothing. Then, thwack. A familiar face.
Alex had nearly forgotten about Natalie, her old classmate and bully, but even for lack of memory she knows this is not the same girl. Something is deeply wrong. She's stronger, looser, more unhinged and far, far more frightening than before. And Alex is trapped with her. With a Natalie who knows Alex's deepest, darkest, most terrible secret about those days. But Natalie doesn't seem to want to hurt her—in fact, it's kind of hard to tell what Natalie does want, other than to have her as company, poke at her, taunt her and cruelly remind her of everything that had happened between them six years ago. And afraid as she is, Alex also feels just...tired. Despite everything, she gets the feeling she's been dropped right back in high school again. Really, the only difference is a wig and an ax.
Natalia Calaveras (she/her)
18, 24–26
Lesbian
AKA: Natalie, The Crossbones Killer
Natalie’s job put her in a really shitty place, and occasionally snarking at a certain annoying, mousy nerd girl in her grade who she saw vomit into a trash can is about the only release she can get. She’d like more, though. So when someone posted photos of her working after school all over the wall on prom night, she decided she was done with school. Nobody knows what happened to Natalie after that night.
Six years later, a serial killer is on the loose, tagging their kills by arranging a skull and crossbones with their victims’ bodies. It’s advised that you keep your doors and windows locked at all hours of the day, and that you don’t let any bottle-blondes with lavish fur coats or red lipstick follow you home from the store.
After all this time, Natalie is really coming into a lifestyle that suits her: a nice cozy place in the woods all to herself, new clothes, new hair, and plenty of time to sharpen her ax (on somebody else’s head).
MANDATORY CREEPYPASTA DISCLAIMER
as much as i am tempted to bury it, this story began from a creepypasta fanfic and has since been adapted into its own original universe that I am trying not to associate, even slyly, with creepypasta unless with an inside joke or two. i'm sure you can guess who was who. this is its own thing now which is also why i'm currently abandoning the attempt to string all 4 of the (previously) creepypasta stories into Catalyst and instead settling with just the first two. it just doesnt make sense otherwise. i cover this in the main catalyst page. oki enjoy your stay :)
Spoiler-Free Synopsis
Alex lives in a small town in rural southern USA, alone, in a dinky apartment bordering a thick forest. Her daily routine consists of her commuting to work at the town’s 711, going home, making lackluster meals and yearning. In a deep but quiet depression, she lives with little purpose and has nothing to reach toward. The more folksy in town have told word of the danger of the forest Alex lives by. That people tend to go missing there, that there’s a monster or spirit living in there—a killer of youngsters that moves silently in the dark, that lurks and picks to the bone anyone who wanders in deep enough. Alex admits she’s curious, but never enough to ask or god forbid, step in there herself.
One day, a strange customer comes into the store while Alex is working—a tall blonde woman with a large fur coat, sunglasses, and snapping gum, looking around the store like she’s never seen a 711 before. After a strange interaction, the woman leaves Alex tired. At the end of the day, a word of warning from her manager about a killing near their town (possibly by a recent mysterious figure in these parts, the "Crossbones Killer") has her leaving work numbed, contemplative and slightly on edge.
That evening, Alex decides to go into the woods. Just a little break from the world. This time, she’s feeling just brave enough to try to explore it, to see what’s in there—but a small part of her is secretly hoping that whatever thing is lurking in there, that chews on the bones of young men or girls or whatever, if it even exists, takes her too. Nothing much interesting happens on her excursion, much to her disappointment, and frustration at herself for even believing something could happen. “God. There is nothing here.”
Thwack. She’s knocked out.
Alex wakes up in the basement of a run-down cabin, with some unhinged, out-of-view person trying to play a game of "guess who" with her. Her memory, for once, not failing her, she guesses correctly: Natalie. Her old classmate and bully in high school, who we have been introduced to in flashback by this point. But this is obviously not the old Natalie, vain, bratty and condescending; something seems to have cracked in her. Alex finally gets a good look at her by the dim light, and it's an eerie sight: she's grinning, her head shaved, her clothes disheveled and dirty, her figure much less slim and delicate than before, her movements fluid and energetic—she's gotten stronger and, apparently, a lot less restrained than before.
What scares Alex the most, though, is that as much as she tries to deny it to herself, she knows why Natalie has kidnapped her. It's because of what Alex and her ex-boyfriend, Blake, did to her six years ago. And apparently, Alex is the last loose end to tie up.
"Hi, Lexy."
CITW started because im a little gay fuck... :(
Alex and Natalie mean a lot to me as characters; to me, Natalie embodies a sort of female/queer rage that's indiscriminate and uninhibited, but that she's rarely faced the consequences of head-on. meanwhile Alex is a very bottled, untapped rage that takes a mental and physical toll. the kind that leaves you fatigued from all the continuous pressure of holding it in. they are both very unhealthy people, but in very different ways. of course the other side to this story is that they are really fucking gay and are barely restraining themselves from having sex w each other or whatever. i'll make it make sense. :)
at the moment i'm working on actually writing the thing and crafting the context that, in particular, makes Alex less of a blank canvas and more of a character with substantial flaws that's interesting to follow. the more you read and the more you discover about her relationship to Natalie, and their history in school, the more you should feel she's kind of deserving of some of the bad things that happen to her. of course "deserving" being a very subjective label. they were all what 18 years old at the time. still, some crazy stuff. i'm being purposefully vague just in case i ever actually finish this project lol
Alex and Natalie in-progress turnarounds. dont comment on the poses i KNOW i know this would never cut it as an actual like animation turnaround, but these drawings were originally from a shape language and posing exercise w them. i'm working on an alternative one for natalie where she's actually facing forward and you can like. see her. but behold, the worsties at 3 ages and at 3 different angles! ^_^
color studies/idk for the "honeybee" segment of the GTHT story. 1: Alex seeing something she shouldn't see, nor share. 2: Alex finding Natalie outside prom, alone, looking strange and volatile. i'm sure things are gonna be chill from here on out right
scenic piece of Natalie. POV you are about to get the worst head of your life (or die)
old-ish poses of the goils! alex in her "base escape" fit with canon compliant shoelaces, and nat kind of just busting a move!
Alex when she gets captured by the Family...Elise likes turning her into a perfect little princess guaaaaaa (she is an absolute freak about it) / Natalie bust. girl you can say that again *hides in the forest forever never to be seen again*
