DISCLAIMER: I do not own any of the characters from 'Mutant X'. They're not
my property. They belong to Tribune Entertainment.
***
*********
The hours faded into invisible sands across the room, dragging the consciousness of their passing from the two young souls. Their bodies listened little when it came tame for them to be separated. The warmth suited them, it was alluring.
Finally however, their faces met. His tears were wiped by the skin on her neck and were absorbed inside her. She engrossed some of his anxiety with them but it did not affect her senses, it only softened her even more towards him. She felt his emotions, not to a level that they could bring in negativity to her senses but rather forgiving closeness.
Their lips were empty of words for that moment, dry of everything. Emma stood up. She began walking away when a small thump inside her head, caused her to stop. Shutting her eyes, she slowly moved her hand up to touch her forehead but without any movement of her head so for Brennan to have no reason to suspect something was amiss. She intended to leave the room when his voice stooped her.
"I don't wanna go to sleep."
The lights were lowered until complete darkness was reached.
"Why?" She stopped and turned around.
"I'm. I don't want to."
"Why?"
"Because of the nightmares"
"You're not starting to get scared of them, are you?"
"Huh, that's an understatement."
"Maybe. Go to sleep."
"No."
"They won't come back."
"How do you know."
"I don't. But you'll be exhausted if you don't get some sleep." "If they appear, Ill be exhausted anyway... I usually am."
A sigh. "Maybe tonight won't be one of those nights."
"Maybe."
"So, go to sleep."
"Stay with me."
"What?"
"Stay with me again."
Silence.
"Emma?"
"Yeah."
"Please?"
"Bren, if its 'cause of the..."
"It's not 'cause of that."
"Why then?"
"Because when you did, they weren't there"
"It was just a coincidence."
"I don't know. So, will you?"
Silence again.
"Em, please?"
"No."
"Why not?"
"Because you don't need me for that."
"Why would you say that?"
"Because you don't. I can't help you with the nightmares."
"You did the last time."
"No, I didn't."
"Yes, you did."
"What makes you so sure?"
"It felt peaceful... like, they never happened."
"You were probably thinking of something else."
"No... I don't remember but I'm sure I wasn't. Stay."
"Brennan, I can't control what you're dreaming."
There was a smaller silence now... "You once did."
She turned to him in the darkness, despite the invisibility of his face. "What?
Nothing." He backed out quickly.
She did not push him... it was tempting but she stayed away. "I can be in the next room. it wont make much difference."
"I need you in the same room; it will."
"Stop it. You don't need me for this."
"I wouldn't be asking you if I didn't."
"You'll be ok. Good night Brennan."
Brennan stood up. "Em."
"What?" she responded almost irritably.
"Where are you gonna sleep?"
Emma shook her head. She hadn't planned that. Jesse and Shalimar had already occupied the bedroom. It had only occurred to her now. "On the kitchen floor, I've no idea."
"Don't be stupid. The couch is yours, I'm gonna get something for myself," he said and walked away towards the bedroom, leaving Emma with no chance of responding.
Leaning back on the wall, Emma took the chance to close her eyes again. Although Caleb hadn't hit her with such intensity to introduce a concussion, it had oddly weighty consequences of small tremors around her brain cells. Sudden trembling pressure rushed through her nose, forcing her to sneeze it out. The thought that she had been lying on the cold ground had unfamiliarly slipped through her until now. Perhaps she could take a warm shower.
*********
Stepping on the tiled floor that had gained some heath due to the overwhelming amount of steam emerging from the shower, Emma wrapped the towel tightly around her small body. Picking up the red t-shirt, she was pleased that she had managed to find some of Shalimar's clothes but regretting she did not consider taking any from her own place. Of course, Emma hadn't anticipated that the days would stretch on like they did.
Then the small yellow basket in the corner next to the door caught her attention. She approached it and when seeing the contents inside, Emma sighed sadly. She put her hand inside and pulled out a black sleeveless tee. The bottom of the clothing had been ripped and a dry blood stain had remained just above it. How did she not notice this before? The high and low emotions which Emma had received from Shalimar hours ago, rushed to the front of her mind, shutting her eyes quickly. A large rock dropped inside her, breaking away the planks of calmness but the Psionic quickly tried to rebuild them again. This was not the time to dive into more deep waters of aching and pitying. She had already tired herself enough from the constant swimming that she had to do to get away from the countless times she would dip her heart in the sadder, more depressing memories.
It was late, Emma felt tired, and she needed sleep.
*********
The silent clock rang inside her, bringing her consciousness to the surface. Her eyes opened to the quiet night air; the absence of traffic in the lateness of the hour; a few steps of strangers rushing on the lonely pavement, eager to escape the insecurity of the nearly empty streets. She breathed in. The overdose of air struck a stingy area inside her head giving it brief aching. Her eyes closed and opened. It felt cold. Her hands took a firm grip of the blanket's edges even though they felt weak. She slid the fabric higher up until it touched the skin of her chin. The warmth applied itself on her arms and it felt better. The sudden insomnia opened her eyes widely, letting them absorb the lonely night life or its absence in front of her. They stared intensively as if anticipating something.
The square windows captured by her gaze morphed into the single entrance and exit of the alley. The morning light had done almost nothing to improve her vision, letting everything be darker, grimmer, and hopeless. Her jaws shut tightly, trapping the dense air before swallowing it hungrily, although it only served as cold salty water when it reached further down, hitting the punctured corridor through her waist. She watched them walk away from her to stop at the entrance. "You weren't ordered to kill her!" a person's annoyed voice was heard.
"We received what we needed; there is no need for her to remain alive," the other person argued calmly.
"Who told you to do that?"
Two of the men looked at each other and then back at the person in front of them. There was no response to his question.
"You did more than you were supposed to do. Now leave. I'm going to finish the work here."
"Yes, sir," the men agreed and walked off.
Watching him approach her with quick steps, her eyes widened in shock as the blood and tears rushed with lightning speed to her eyes when he stood next to her, look down. The beatings of her heart drastically increased with the intention of nearly ripping the organ through her chest. "Oh my god..." she barely spoke as the shock sent the thick colorless liquid to trap the few strong cords of her voice and even blocking her windpipe for a millisecond.
His soft eyes shone back at her with a strong form of regret and misery painted on them. He kneeled down and touched her cheek softly. "I am so sorry, Shalimar. Please..." he whispered with the caution to be heard by no one else except for her. "I didn't think this would happen... They weren't supposed to do this." His voice gave away the struggle inside him to sustain his calm exterior from the rush of millions of feelings from this site before him.
She couldn't speak. A million thoughts were swirling inside her head to be transformed into proper questions and be blurted out but the stronger emotions rigorously forbid them any such action. The image before her was beginning to lose the colors, receiving a pale overlay. She blinked hard twice to maintain her focus of the person she believed was only a mirage. "A-Adam?" was one of the few words able to jump through those restrains and escape her lips. "It's y-ou?"
He reached to the inside pocket of his coat and pulled out a thin, gray object, the size of a pen. When he pressed one of two blue buttons, a thin, short needle rose up from the upper edge. "This will help," he said and soon the Feral felt a short sting above her elbow. It caused her to moan painfully. All the aggressive injections she had endured moments before had made her more vulnerable to even this small needle. He then retrieved the needle and placed the object back in his coat. Once more he placed his hand on her cheek. Shalimar could notice that her condition was tearing him inside even more, knowing that he had no other option to help but with the injection. "I'm so sorry, Shalimar... I really am. You're going to be fine." He nodded.
His voice stroke deep inside her as his touch was helping in the conviction that this was real. His presence was real and not an illusion. "Adam, how? You... you're dead... you..."
He turned his head quickly behind him before returning his gaze on her. "I have to go. Shal, listen to me. You can't tell anyone about this, ok? You must not, *must not* tell anyone you saw me, alright? Not Emma or Brennan or Jesse. It's for their and your own safety. Do you understand that, Shal?"
She nodded in response with tears. Her lips opened again to ask but Adam had disappeared before she had the chance.
The entrance dissolved into the present form of the windows. She continued staring at that space before closing her eyes tightly, burring the side of her face in the soft surface of the pillow. "Forgive me..." Shalimar whispered. "Forgive me, Emma..."
The knowledge she kept inside crushed her slowly, demanding to be released but she held it mightily back. Even her mind had placed iron bars on its front, to keep the Psionic's waves from reaching the information.
"Forgive me," she whispered once more.
*********
***
*********
The hours faded into invisible sands across the room, dragging the consciousness of their passing from the two young souls. Their bodies listened little when it came tame for them to be separated. The warmth suited them, it was alluring.
Finally however, their faces met. His tears were wiped by the skin on her neck and were absorbed inside her. She engrossed some of his anxiety with them but it did not affect her senses, it only softened her even more towards him. She felt his emotions, not to a level that they could bring in negativity to her senses but rather forgiving closeness.
Their lips were empty of words for that moment, dry of everything. Emma stood up. She began walking away when a small thump inside her head, caused her to stop. Shutting her eyes, she slowly moved her hand up to touch her forehead but without any movement of her head so for Brennan to have no reason to suspect something was amiss. She intended to leave the room when his voice stooped her.
"I don't wanna go to sleep."
The lights were lowered until complete darkness was reached.
"Why?" She stopped and turned around.
"I'm. I don't want to."
"Why?"
"Because of the nightmares"
"You're not starting to get scared of them, are you?"
"Huh, that's an understatement."
"Maybe. Go to sleep."
"No."
"They won't come back."
"How do you know."
"I don't. But you'll be exhausted if you don't get some sleep." "If they appear, Ill be exhausted anyway... I usually am."
A sigh. "Maybe tonight won't be one of those nights."
"Maybe."
"So, go to sleep."
"Stay with me."
"What?"
"Stay with me again."
Silence.
"Emma?"
"Yeah."
"Please?"
"Bren, if its 'cause of the..."
"It's not 'cause of that."
"Why then?"
"Because when you did, they weren't there"
"It was just a coincidence."
"I don't know. So, will you?"
Silence again.
"Em, please?"
"No."
"Why not?"
"Because you don't need me for that."
"Why would you say that?"
"Because you don't. I can't help you with the nightmares."
"You did the last time."
"No, I didn't."
"Yes, you did."
"What makes you so sure?"
"It felt peaceful... like, they never happened."
"You were probably thinking of something else."
"No... I don't remember but I'm sure I wasn't. Stay."
"Brennan, I can't control what you're dreaming."
There was a smaller silence now... "You once did."
She turned to him in the darkness, despite the invisibility of his face. "What?
Nothing." He backed out quickly.
She did not push him... it was tempting but she stayed away. "I can be in the next room. it wont make much difference."
"I need you in the same room; it will."
"Stop it. You don't need me for this."
"I wouldn't be asking you if I didn't."
"You'll be ok. Good night Brennan."
Brennan stood up. "Em."
"What?" she responded almost irritably.
"Where are you gonna sleep?"
Emma shook her head. She hadn't planned that. Jesse and Shalimar had already occupied the bedroom. It had only occurred to her now. "On the kitchen floor, I've no idea."
"Don't be stupid. The couch is yours, I'm gonna get something for myself," he said and walked away towards the bedroom, leaving Emma with no chance of responding.
Leaning back on the wall, Emma took the chance to close her eyes again. Although Caleb hadn't hit her with such intensity to introduce a concussion, it had oddly weighty consequences of small tremors around her brain cells. Sudden trembling pressure rushed through her nose, forcing her to sneeze it out. The thought that she had been lying on the cold ground had unfamiliarly slipped through her until now. Perhaps she could take a warm shower.
*********
Stepping on the tiled floor that had gained some heath due to the overwhelming amount of steam emerging from the shower, Emma wrapped the towel tightly around her small body. Picking up the red t-shirt, she was pleased that she had managed to find some of Shalimar's clothes but regretting she did not consider taking any from her own place. Of course, Emma hadn't anticipated that the days would stretch on like they did.
Then the small yellow basket in the corner next to the door caught her attention. She approached it and when seeing the contents inside, Emma sighed sadly. She put her hand inside and pulled out a black sleeveless tee. The bottom of the clothing had been ripped and a dry blood stain had remained just above it. How did she not notice this before? The high and low emotions which Emma had received from Shalimar hours ago, rushed to the front of her mind, shutting her eyes quickly. A large rock dropped inside her, breaking away the planks of calmness but the Psionic quickly tried to rebuild them again. This was not the time to dive into more deep waters of aching and pitying. She had already tired herself enough from the constant swimming that she had to do to get away from the countless times she would dip her heart in the sadder, more depressing memories.
It was late, Emma felt tired, and she needed sleep.
*********
The silent clock rang inside her, bringing her consciousness to the surface. Her eyes opened to the quiet night air; the absence of traffic in the lateness of the hour; a few steps of strangers rushing on the lonely pavement, eager to escape the insecurity of the nearly empty streets. She breathed in. The overdose of air struck a stingy area inside her head giving it brief aching. Her eyes closed and opened. It felt cold. Her hands took a firm grip of the blanket's edges even though they felt weak. She slid the fabric higher up until it touched the skin of her chin. The warmth applied itself on her arms and it felt better. The sudden insomnia opened her eyes widely, letting them absorb the lonely night life or its absence in front of her. They stared intensively as if anticipating something.
The square windows captured by her gaze morphed into the single entrance and exit of the alley. The morning light had done almost nothing to improve her vision, letting everything be darker, grimmer, and hopeless. Her jaws shut tightly, trapping the dense air before swallowing it hungrily, although it only served as cold salty water when it reached further down, hitting the punctured corridor through her waist. She watched them walk away from her to stop at the entrance. "You weren't ordered to kill her!" a person's annoyed voice was heard.
"We received what we needed; there is no need for her to remain alive," the other person argued calmly.
"Who told you to do that?"
Two of the men looked at each other and then back at the person in front of them. There was no response to his question.
"You did more than you were supposed to do. Now leave. I'm going to finish the work here."
"Yes, sir," the men agreed and walked off.
Watching him approach her with quick steps, her eyes widened in shock as the blood and tears rushed with lightning speed to her eyes when he stood next to her, look down. The beatings of her heart drastically increased with the intention of nearly ripping the organ through her chest. "Oh my god..." she barely spoke as the shock sent the thick colorless liquid to trap the few strong cords of her voice and even blocking her windpipe for a millisecond.
His soft eyes shone back at her with a strong form of regret and misery painted on them. He kneeled down and touched her cheek softly. "I am so sorry, Shalimar. Please..." he whispered with the caution to be heard by no one else except for her. "I didn't think this would happen... They weren't supposed to do this." His voice gave away the struggle inside him to sustain his calm exterior from the rush of millions of feelings from this site before him.
She couldn't speak. A million thoughts were swirling inside her head to be transformed into proper questions and be blurted out but the stronger emotions rigorously forbid them any such action. The image before her was beginning to lose the colors, receiving a pale overlay. She blinked hard twice to maintain her focus of the person she believed was only a mirage. "A-Adam?" was one of the few words able to jump through those restrains and escape her lips. "It's y-ou?"
He reached to the inside pocket of his coat and pulled out a thin, gray object, the size of a pen. When he pressed one of two blue buttons, a thin, short needle rose up from the upper edge. "This will help," he said and soon the Feral felt a short sting above her elbow. It caused her to moan painfully. All the aggressive injections she had endured moments before had made her more vulnerable to even this small needle. He then retrieved the needle and placed the object back in his coat. Once more he placed his hand on her cheek. Shalimar could notice that her condition was tearing him inside even more, knowing that he had no other option to help but with the injection. "I'm so sorry, Shalimar... I really am. You're going to be fine." He nodded.
His voice stroke deep inside her as his touch was helping in the conviction that this was real. His presence was real and not an illusion. "Adam, how? You... you're dead... you..."
He turned his head quickly behind him before returning his gaze on her. "I have to go. Shal, listen to me. You can't tell anyone about this, ok? You must not, *must not* tell anyone you saw me, alright? Not Emma or Brennan or Jesse. It's for their and your own safety. Do you understand that, Shal?"
She nodded in response with tears. Her lips opened again to ask but Adam had disappeared before she had the chance.
The entrance dissolved into the present form of the windows. She continued staring at that space before closing her eyes tightly, burring the side of her face in the soft surface of the pillow. "Forgive me..." Shalimar whispered. "Forgive me, Emma..."
The knowledge she kept inside crushed her slowly, demanding to be released but she held it mightily back. Even her mind had placed iron bars on its front, to keep the Psionic's waves from reaching the information.
"Forgive me," she whispered once more.
*********