First- Cold War Kids
5,475 tallies etched into a rusted metal wall. Carefully calculated, meticulously maintained, and carried in her heart like she had carved those lines in her body. Waiting patiently for a family that never came.
Fifteen years of waiting- of struggling to survive and within 24 hours the predictable desert monolog had been blown to hell. Rey supposed she would find the time to mourn, to reach the conclusion that others had some time ago.
They were never coming back.
In this moment- strapped to a metal chair- the only emotion she was able to find was annoyance and possibly a spark of fear if she searched hard enough. Annoyance at not moving fast enough, of losing track of BB8, of missing a target who hunted her; and the fear the looming shadow waiting for her to wake up.
"Where am I?"
A modulated answer crackled from the wraith in front of her "You're my guest."
"Bullshit" was the predominant thought in her head, the Hutts kept prisoners in better conditions.
Instead- "Where are the others?"
"The thieves, murders, and traitors you seemingly call friends? You'll be relieved to hear I have no idea."
So, there was some justice in the galaxy.
"You're frightened"
"It happens when you're being hunted by a creature in a mask."
The slamming of the helmet, the monolog of base thoughts he so carelessly picked apart. All seemed a bit much to Rey, this wasn't evil, it seemed desperate; and despite the splitting pain in her head caused by this human in front of her, fighting back seemed the only logical answer.
Grappling mentally and finding a thread, she pushed back- imagining her will rolling back like the legendary sand storms that wrecked Jakku. He seemed unprepared, and the storm tore through his mind, weaving through thoughts like winds whistling between Star Destroyers until Rey latched on to a familiar sight.
A mask- crippled and ravaged by something deadlier than time. Unlike the shadows chrome and black helmet- this mask leached horror and dread from every twist and crack gouged into its surface. The feeling of responsibility, of pride, longing, worship, and desperation echoed through this memory.
Darth Vader….
Rolling back the storm, Rey returned to herself only to watch the ragged breathing and wary eyes of a man who knew too much. He clearly didn't know enough.
"You're scared you'll never be as strong as Darth Vader"
The shock was palatable, the anger- just as strong; but Rey knew how to whether the fury of a storm, she knew how to withstand the crippling unknown that comes with 5,475 days of isolation and survival. Ten minutes of fury just blended into another grain of sand waiting to be shifted by some greater force.
If the last 24 hours had proven anything- it was that there was always a bigger force moving; and if the past 5,475 days were anything to go off of, Rey knew. The desert was a harsh mistress, the choices were to survive or die; and the man in a mask held little power when patience and restraint were lacking.
Allowing herself a moment of clarity, Rey almost missed the shadow's retreat. A quick glance up and she managed to meet his eyes before the helmet was replaced. Noting the uncertainty and apprehension that screamed from his dark eyes, Rey knew each of the five thousand marks and the desert had done their job- let her survive.
I'm posting this because I desperately want to add a little bit of my passion and love to the Star Wars universe. My dearest friend (hi Sammy) pushed me to take on a challenge that I could complete- a minimum of 10 chapters from prompts, songs, or whatever else inspires me. Heck yeah, it's Reylo and heck yeah, I'm just brushing the cobwebs off of my creative writing. Please critique, comment, and be constructive; if you have a request, I would absolutely love to try to make it happen for you.
