Chapter 1
Disclaimer: In order for this to make sense, you should read "Face of Fear." I do not own any of the characters, except for the ones that I personally made up. BTW, I got the title from Macbeth. Read on :)
Something screeched overhead.
Marie gazed upward at the twisted branches that reached for her. She could see nothing, save for the tangled gray trees and the black expanse of sky. Warm water lapped at her waist, soaking her clothes and slowing her down as she waded through the opaque stream.
Where am I? she wondered, feeling the sharp branches of the trees ripping at her hair and drawing long scratches across her flesh. It was too dark to see anything, and she felt goosebumps form along her arms, despite the warmth of the inky water. Marie could not, for the life of her, remember why she was here, shivering, in these wet clothes. Rubbing her arms, she looked around until she spotted a large rock, overgrown with green moss. Rogue splashed over to it, trying to climb onto the huge chunk of stone. But it was too slippery, and she found herself skidding backwards, the jagged edges of the rock cutting into her bare skin. Her damp clothes served as a weight and hindered her as she tried to pull herself up.
On the third try, she heard a splash behind her. Rogue turned her head, still clutching at the mossy rock, and saw the figure approaching, cloaked in deep shadows.
"Who's there?" She called out, her voice echoing. The person, who she now saw was both gaunt and willowy at the same time, did not answer. Instead, the figure stepped into full view, the cold light of the crescent moon illuminating her white face.
"It-it's you-," Marie sputtered, as Aileen Mason stared at her with soulless black eyes, her scrawny arms spread wide and her pale face horribly contorted with a malicious grin. The other mutant, who so much reminded Rogue of a Gothic scarecrow, or perhaps a mummified witch, came toward her, thick black hair hiding her grotesque face.
"Wha' do you want?" Marie tried to sound angry, but her voice was strained with raw terror.
"You."
"Ah don't know wha's goin' on, but-," Rogue snapped, and Aileen held one emaciated finger to her thin purple lips, her smile growing larger. She approached Marie without causing a stir in the murky water, and, much to Rogue's surprise, reached out and snatched her by the hair, ebony eyes growing wide with glee. Marie froze, terrified for a few seconds, and then reached out with one ungloved hand, only to find it pass harmlessly through Phobia's wasted form.
"Wha'-," she choked out, feeling the pale mutant's spidery hair tangled within her hair. Aileen's eyes, hidden deep within their hollow sockets, reflected Rogue's petrified face as she leaned forward.
"I never did pay you back for breaking my legs," Phobia announced softly, as voice as soft as a serpent's.
"I never meant to hurt you," Rogue whispered, feeling Aileen's fingers tighten around her hair.
"Never meant to hurt me? That's what they all say." She expected Phobia's grin to vanish, but it only grew, colder and wickeder.
Rogue became aware that the water was gradually rising, and that Aileen no longer even resembled a human.
"Please," Rogue started, only to feel herself sinking, the warm water dampening her hair as Phobia pushed mercilessly.
"Too late for that," was the last thing before she felt burning water fill her mouth and nostrils, and her vision blackened as she sank under the opaque liquid...
Her own scream woke her up.
Marie kicked at the sweaty sheets wrapped around her legs and gasped for air, still tasting the swamp water in her mouth. Her throat burned from all the shrieking, and she tried to swallow as she threw the blankets off of her quivering body.
My God, it seemed so real...
Her hands shook as she turned on her lamp, yellow light flooding her room. Thank God that no one had heard her; the embarrassment of Kurt or Kitty or Scott finding her there, frightened like a little girl, would have been terrible. She went straight to the sink and drank some cool water, telling herself that it was just a nightmare.
Still, it was almost like she was there...
As Marie looked into the mirror above the sink, her short hair a dreadful mess, she could almost see Aileen's face staring back, those inhuman eyes slicing deep into her very soul. Several emotions, the most distinguishable of all, washed over her as she gripped the porcelain sink with both hands.
For what seemed like an eternity, she held on, then reluctantly loosened her fingers.
She straightened her tangled hair and took several deep breaths, telling herself that it was all a dream, nothing more. Aileen was-well, she wasn't sure where the strange mutant was, for she had disappeared shortly after Magneto, but Rogue was certain that she was gone.
Still, when she climbed back into her bed and pulled up the sheets, still sticky with her fevered sweat, she did not dare close her eyes.
Disclaimer: In order for this to make sense, you should read "Face of Fear." I do not own any of the characters, except for the ones that I personally made up. BTW, I got the title from Macbeth. Read on :)
Something screeched overhead.
Marie gazed upward at the twisted branches that reached for her. She could see nothing, save for the tangled gray trees and the black expanse of sky. Warm water lapped at her waist, soaking her clothes and slowing her down as she waded through the opaque stream.
Where am I? she wondered, feeling the sharp branches of the trees ripping at her hair and drawing long scratches across her flesh. It was too dark to see anything, and she felt goosebumps form along her arms, despite the warmth of the inky water. Marie could not, for the life of her, remember why she was here, shivering, in these wet clothes. Rubbing her arms, she looked around until she spotted a large rock, overgrown with green moss. Rogue splashed over to it, trying to climb onto the huge chunk of stone. But it was too slippery, and she found herself skidding backwards, the jagged edges of the rock cutting into her bare skin. Her damp clothes served as a weight and hindered her as she tried to pull herself up.
On the third try, she heard a splash behind her. Rogue turned her head, still clutching at the mossy rock, and saw the figure approaching, cloaked in deep shadows.
"Who's there?" She called out, her voice echoing. The person, who she now saw was both gaunt and willowy at the same time, did not answer. Instead, the figure stepped into full view, the cold light of the crescent moon illuminating her white face.
"It-it's you-," Marie sputtered, as Aileen Mason stared at her with soulless black eyes, her scrawny arms spread wide and her pale face horribly contorted with a malicious grin. The other mutant, who so much reminded Rogue of a Gothic scarecrow, or perhaps a mummified witch, came toward her, thick black hair hiding her grotesque face.
"Wha' do you want?" Marie tried to sound angry, but her voice was strained with raw terror.
"You."
"Ah don't know wha's goin' on, but-," Rogue snapped, and Aileen held one emaciated finger to her thin purple lips, her smile growing larger. She approached Marie without causing a stir in the murky water, and, much to Rogue's surprise, reached out and snatched her by the hair, ebony eyes growing wide with glee. Marie froze, terrified for a few seconds, and then reached out with one ungloved hand, only to find it pass harmlessly through Phobia's wasted form.
"Wha'-," she choked out, feeling the pale mutant's spidery hair tangled within her hair. Aileen's eyes, hidden deep within their hollow sockets, reflected Rogue's petrified face as she leaned forward.
"I never did pay you back for breaking my legs," Phobia announced softly, as voice as soft as a serpent's.
"I never meant to hurt you," Rogue whispered, feeling Aileen's fingers tighten around her hair.
"Never meant to hurt me? That's what they all say." She expected Phobia's grin to vanish, but it only grew, colder and wickeder.
Rogue became aware that the water was gradually rising, and that Aileen no longer even resembled a human.
"Please," Rogue started, only to feel herself sinking, the warm water dampening her hair as Phobia pushed mercilessly.
"Too late for that," was the last thing before she felt burning water fill her mouth and nostrils, and her vision blackened as she sank under the opaque liquid...
Her own scream woke her up.
Marie kicked at the sweaty sheets wrapped around her legs and gasped for air, still tasting the swamp water in her mouth. Her throat burned from all the shrieking, and she tried to swallow as she threw the blankets off of her quivering body.
My God, it seemed so real...
Her hands shook as she turned on her lamp, yellow light flooding her room. Thank God that no one had heard her; the embarrassment of Kurt or Kitty or Scott finding her there, frightened like a little girl, would have been terrible. She went straight to the sink and drank some cool water, telling herself that it was just a nightmare.
Still, it was almost like she was there...
As Marie looked into the mirror above the sink, her short hair a dreadful mess, she could almost see Aileen's face staring back, those inhuman eyes slicing deep into her very soul. Several emotions, the most distinguishable of all, washed over her as she gripped the porcelain sink with both hands.
For what seemed like an eternity, she held on, then reluctantly loosened her fingers.
She straightened her tangled hair and took several deep breaths, telling herself that it was all a dream, nothing more. Aileen was-well, she wasn't sure where the strange mutant was, for she had disappeared shortly after Magneto, but Rogue was certain that she was gone.
Still, when she climbed back into her bed and pulled up the sheets, still sticky with her fevered sweat, she did not dare close her eyes.