This chapter was inspired by a TikTok I saw which so happened match with my story. Credits to the creator.
Arie's POV:
No amount of coaxing would bring me out of the lost state I was in.
The images, the pain, the memories.
It all seemed to be remaining as I sat staring at the glass wall blankly.
Singing random songs under my breath as tears fell down my face while I stared blankly out the glass window.
I knew that everyone expected me to slowly begin recovering, but I felt like I was drowning as each memory began to pour into my head.
It felt as if I was two people in one body. Constantly fighting over dominance.
My mind ached at all the thoughts I constantly received, even from down here. I could feel people's apprehension of me being here.
All except the team's. The faith they had in me, was yet another nail to the coffin I seemed to be laying in.
Each day passed, and each day more and more poured in. Some memories were clear, yet others were blurry, and faint.
People kept walking in and out of the small glass room, that they liked to pretend is a cell, but we all know what it really is a cage, a display case to monitor me like an animal.
To disable me from using any of my powers.
Well, not all of them, just teleportation.
Many times I entertained myself by waving my fingers and watching different colors fly out if my fingers and up into the air. Watching the small flickers bounce off the walls and disappear into the air.
I had yet to give them the flash drive I knew was still in my breast-pocket.
I sighed, as I stared up at the ceiling, bleary-eyed, as I focused on something else.
A short red-headed woman, and another woman with long waist length chestnut hair had been nice enough to bring a speaker, allowing music to flow through it constantly.
As the familiar tune of a song began to play, I felt a sigh leave my lips.
My lips slowly began moving on their own as the song slowly began to increase tempo.
"...Unbreak the broken
Unsay these spoken words
Find hope in the hopeless
Pull me out the train wreck
Unburn the ashes
Unchain the reactions
I'm not ready to die not yet
Pull me out the train wreck
Pull me out, pull me out
Pull me out
Pull me out, pull me out"
Tears continued to flow, falling harder, as I sang. My voice slowly increasing as the song continued.
Pain that I knew all too familiar, burned and clawed at my chest as I steadily sang.
"Underneath our bad blood
We've still got a sanctum, home
Still a home, still a home
It's not too late to build it back
'Cause a one in a million chance
Is still a chance, still a chance
And I would take those odds"
The man with the pretty, mesmerizing shade of blue eyes walked in, as I turned away, and continued to sing.
I clenched my eyes tightly, even though the tears kept coming down nonstop. I hated feel this helpless. This weak.
"Unbreak the broken
Unsay these spoken words
Find hope in the hopeless
Pull me out the train wreck
Unburn the ashes
Unchain the reactions
I'm not ready to die, not yet
Pull me out the train wreck
Pull me out, pull me out
Pull me out
Pull me out, pull me out
Pull me out"
'She's in so much pain…' He thought, as looked at me.
I could feel his stare bore into my back as I continued to face away, singing and pretending being like this didn't hurt.
Even though the scar on my left wrist clearly meant something to both of us. It was scared as if they tried to burn my skin away.
"You can say what you like
Don't say I wouldn't die for it
Ah Ahh Ahh Ahh
I'm down on my knees
And I need you to be my God
Be my help, be a saviour who can
Unbreak the broken
Unsay these reckless words
Find hope in the hopeless
Pull me out the train wreck
Unburn the ashes
Unchain the reactions
I'm not ready to die, not yet
Pull me out the train wreck
Pull me out, pull me out
Pull me out woah ooh oh oh
Pull me out, pull me out
Pull me out"
When the song finished, I slowly reached up to wipe my face, and stare down at the spot between my legs on the floor.
"How are you feeling?" He asked quietly from the seat by the corner of the room.
"Fine…" I whispered as the song changed.
"You are clearly not fine, doll. I can see it in the look in your eyes, the pain there guts me." He said, as he leaned forward, placing his elbows in his knees.
I frowned, looking over at him, before looking away as another tears slipped down my cheek.
"How do you really feel?" He asked.
I sighed, shaking my head, before turning to look him in the eye, "You know when you're about to drown, and your lungs begin to burn from lack of oxygen, or inhale just before you're about to black out…". I softly said.
His eyes widened, "H-how? W-Why would you want to hi…?" He stuttered, as his eyes became glassy.
"The instinct to not let any water in is so fierce,that you won't open your mouth until you feel as if your head is about to explode… and when you finally let it in, that's when it stops hurting…" I continued to speak, as I ignored the pain in his cerulean eyes reflected back at me.
I wiped away my face ignoring everything. "Funnily enough, this isn't just an example. I've lived through that experience. There is no worse fear than to fear to take in your next breath, not knowing whether or not it'll be your final one. There is no worse fear than to be powerless to do so, even when knowing you could drown."
His expression grew horrified as he stared at me.
"I-is that how you feel? Like your head is about to explode? Like you're drowning?" He asked, brokenly as his fists clenched tightly on his thighs.
"Constantly, actually. But as I said before I'm— I am fine." I whispered back, my voice cracking with each word I spoke, wiping my face again.
"Please don't lie to me, doll. I need to know what you're really feeling…" he begged, moving to his feet, as he walked over to the glass, and pressed his hand to the glass.
I looked away, before staring up at his tall frame as it towered over me.
I swallowed thickly, before shrugging indifferently. "Yeah, I am fine, I guess. I mean aside from not the not sleeping, the jumpiness, the constant overwhelming crushing fear that I will never be able to get out of this… to be normal, I guess I am fine." I said softly as I looked away.
"I need to ask a big favor of you… I need you to talk to someone about this… I need you to allow us to help you." He said as he kneeled down next to me.
"It won't help, you know… What they did to me… how they did it… I don't think I can ever recover from it… I don't deserve your or your friends' help. I'm not worth all the effort." I said, softly.
His fist clench, as his hand strained probably from breaking the glass, as he took a deep breath. "Marie, you are worth that and so much more… you have to know that we all love you so much…" he said, as he stared me down.
I nodded, staring around the cell, "I've heard this dozens of times… But I hardly think a heartless bitch like myself should get a second chance." I whispered, looking away.
I gasped when I heard him break the glass this time, causing me to put a shield around myself as glass rained down around us.
I watched him storm into the cell, before yanking me to my feet by the shoulders, and staring at me, angrily.
"Listen to me, because I am growing tired of your martyr, self loathing attitude. You are not a heartless bitch, or a murder. All the things you did, I did too. You are my wife, mother to my children, and the most caring, nurturering, lovable, selfless person, I know you to be. So, fuck what everyone else says! Fuck the world if that's what it takes to bring you back to us! We need you here! We care about you! You do deserve a second chance and I will die trying to give it to you…" He said, firmly, even though tears ran down his face.
"You don't understand… I hate myself… I hurt those we swore to protect. I killed the poor and defenseless… How can I live with myself? I am no longer that person. I am broken, I am worthless… Don't you see? If I failed at that, how do I get past it?!" I cried out as more tears ran down my face.
He stared at me with the same heartbroken expression.
"How do I face everyone else knowing I did all of those things?" I whispered as he yanked me towards him, fiercely pulling me into his chest and embracing me tightly.
"Oh, baby… I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry I couldn't protect you." He whispered into my hair as I sobbed into his chest.
The pain shattering me as I let out a gut-wrenching sob. My entire body shaking as I did.
"I can't— I can't..." I gasped, as my knees gave out.
I felt him pull me into his arms, lifting me off the ground and taking me to sit with him on the couch.
"No, you don't give up. I won't let you give up. Even if it takes years. I will be there with you. You hear me? You are not allowed to give up." He firmly said, holding the sides of my face to force me to look at him.
"I—I…" I stuttered, still sobbing.
"You will. Arie, for the love of God, don't give up." He said. "Promise me— promise me you won't give up."
I sighed, staring at him, before nodding in his hands, feeling his stuttered sigh, as he pulled me tightly against his chest.
Both of us hiccuping every once in a while.
