Buffy loses her towel (and gets cursed by Amy Madison)

Writer's note: This story is set in an alternative universe where Buffy is over eighteen and the events of the Buffy the Vampire Slayer episode "Gingerbread" never happened. Not yet anyway.

"Darn it, Amy," said Buffy as the two of them showered after gym class. "Use your own shampoo."

"Sorry, Buffy," said the girl everyone in school knew as Amy Madison. "But because I don't have a mother anymore, I don't have the same access to fancy store-bought shampoo like you do."

"Don't try that guilt trip on me," said Buffy. "You hated your mom, and anyway, Willow said you were living with your father and your step-mom. So you're not exactly an orphan."

"Well, you just say that because you don't know what my step-mom is like. She's a real witch."

"As compared to --"

"Anyway, thanks for the shampoo. Now if I can just borrow your towel ..."

"You're not borrowing my towel," said Buffy. "Use your own."

"But I forgot to bring one today."

"Tough."

"I'll think I'll take yours anyway."

"Oh, no, you won't."

"Oh, yes, I will."

"Oh, no, you won't."

"Oh, yes, I will."

"Oh, no, you won't."

"Oh, no, I won't."

"Oh, yes -- Wait! You can't trick me like that."

"Then how can I trick you?" asked Amy.

She reached for Buffy's towel.

"Just touch that towel and you'll be sorry," said Buffy, still shivering after her tepid shower.

"What are you going to do, Buffy? Hit me with your pointed stick?"

"What are you going to do, Amy? Turn me into a rat again?"

Amy paused for a moment. Then smiled. "No, not a rat."

Then she made a weird gesture and muttered something in Latin.

For some strange reason, the lights seemed to go out and Buffy could see nothing but darkness. Before she knew it, she passed out, not even feeling it when her head hit the tiled floor of the girl's shower room.