To fsfan, the guest who reviewed:
First off, thank you for the review! I'm glad you're enjoying the story aside from your concerns about Hal's actions…
And now to address those concerns: I know that it seems very unlikely for any of the Mason boys to resort to violence toward women. They are very respectful, that's true, but Hal's actions in last chapter are really meant to point out the state that Hal is in. Hal is confused, angry, and saddened all at once, and he's really not in his right state of mind at that point. Him hitting Demi is meant to show how truly broken he is (over Karen, the appearance of Demi, the disappearance of Tom, the injury of Ben, and all of those things), and how he really can't comprehend his actions at the time. Morals and inhibitions can go out the window when someone is feeling so worn down and confused- he's at the end of his wits here. Trust me, Hal will feel horrible about it later- he'll be horrified at himself!- but he's not thinking clearly then, and it's meant to show the heartbreak that's going on, not only for Hal, but for Demi as well.
And with that, I shall get on with the story!
She gently presses down on my cheek once more, the coolness of the cloth spreading onto my hot skin. There's an intense swelling in the side of my face, and nothing seems to be stopping it. It's as if my guilt is what's really filling the bump.
I try to give the doctor a grateful smile, but I'm sure the corners of my mouth are turned downward as I do so, and I turn away from her. I withdraw into myself, wrapping my arms up around my knees, making myself as small as possible. It's comforting; in the way it is to be wrapped up in the arms of a mother.
I tilt my head up to look at the lights emanating from the ceiling. They've become a sort of fixation point for me. After being in the darkness for so long, with a veil over my eyes and a knife in my heart, I want to absorb all the light I can before I return to the overwhelming midnight blackness. I was stuck in it for so long, my return seems almost…inevitable.
You don't ever really get away from them, though you might think you do.
And the fact that I can't even comprehend my own humanity…well, that could get me killed before they return for me. These humans have been hardened by loss, and are wary of anything that could pose a threat to those remaining. I can't blame them for their hatred.
And this brings me back to Hal, and his words and actions and his terrifyingly honest emotion in his eyes. It was almost easier to be behind that veil, and not be able to feel a single emotion- no sadness or anger or anything. No guilt. Because this guilt is something I don't think I can bear.
"It's not your fault," the woman next to me speaks up, in a quiet and careful voice. "Hal's going through a lot. And while that gave him no right to touch you…he was hurting before you came along, but he was bottling it up. He's a good kid, just put in a bad situation."
"And I've made it worse," I whisper, my voice hitching all through the words. I'm brought to that question again: How can my existence bring so much pain to one human being?
"Your arrival just set it off, but none of that is your fault. Really, it's no one's fault. We all just have to try and move on from what makes us sad these days. Dwelling doesn't help, but everyone gets stuck doing it anyway."
"Emotions are so confusing," I say in a bewildered tone, tugging at the ends of my hair. "How do you deal with them? It's been so long since I've felt anything, and now…I seem to feel everything."
Anne doesn't say anything; she just reaches toward me, presumably to pat my hand or my arm, in a comforting gesture. But my body won't allow this, and my natural reflexes kick in.
Before I know it, I've practically flipped over backwards, landing on my feet behind the medical table we were both sitting on. I stare at her cautiously.
She just shakes her head sadly, but smiles at me a little, and excuses herself from the room. The only person to be able to tolerate me in this place and I've scared her off. I don't understand the way human life works anymore.
"Demi?" It's a soft voice, spoken from the doorway Anne just left out of. I turn my head to see a boy with dark blonde hair striding toward me, a tiny gait in his walk indicating an apparent injury.
"Yes?" I reply guardedly, staring at the boy as he comes closer to me.
"I'm Ben." When I continue to stare at him with no flicker of recognition in my eyes, he explains, "Hal's brother."
"Oh." I turn away from him, perhaps so that he doesn't see the glimmer of tears forming, or maybe because I'm scared of what he'll do as he looks at my face and thinks of Karen.
"I'm sorry for what he did. He's really not so bad. Maybe once he gets used to you being around…" Ben trails off, and takes a seat on my previous resting place.
"Were you the one who was injured?" I ask, eyeing his leg, and trying to ignore his reassurance. As if anything he said could make me feel better. It seems humanity comes with all the negative feelings and none of the positive.
"Oh, yeah…But, I heal fast, you know, because of the—" He cuts off and just gestures toward his back, a blush creeping onto his cheeks. I peer at him curiously, my turmoil forgotten for a split second.
"The what?"
He turns around and just barely pulls his shirt almost over his head, revealing a line of protrusions coming from his back. Directly along his spine, it seems.
I reach a hand to the back of my neck and realize that I have the same things. Is this how the people recognize us as what we are? I don't know how I hadn't noticed their presence before.
"What do they do?"
He turns around, tugging his shirt back into place. "Well, they're what's left of the harness. So…we're…stronger than other kids. We can hear better, see better, heal faster. And…" He trails off and looks at me nervously. "We can hear their frequencies."
I put my head in my hands for a moment and then say, "That's bad." I shake my head again and again, not looking up at the boy in front of me. "That's horrible. They'll…We're not free. I need to talk to someone who's in charge. They need to know."
"They need to know what?" The words are said quickly, quietly, concerned.
"Something very bad will happen to these people if we stay here with them for much longer. Or at least…if I do." I stare at the lights again, transfixed. I might have to head back to the darkness even sooner than I had thought. That's what it means. What the tall ones were talking about.
If my assumption is correct, there's not much time.