MUTE

Author: MereImage
Sleep Deprived

I couldn't sleep.

My mind wouldn't settle, eyes wouldn't close; excuses for my lack of rest. But in truth, my body wasn't able to fall into the tranquility just yet. Neither was my mind.

A puff of steam wafted from my tea, both hands cuddling the cup to my chest. The main room was cast over in a dark spell, a peacefulness that was rarely found throughout the day. My legs were crossed, leaning against the couch, sitting on the floor. The air beyond the window held a brief thinness, one not plagued by this world. Cleansed, pure… lost.

For some reason I was chilled. I clutched my tea closer. I inhaled deeply, closing my eyes; I remembered.

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"Raven?" I clutched a bundle. A soft, warm bundle.

"Raven…I always hoped- hoped we would become better friends." Blue eyes gazed up into mine; quivering with every breath she took, "That someday you would forgive me."

"Terra, you need treatment." I tried with all my might to keep my voice steady, the walls giving the illusion of a red outline along the cavern.

"No…I…want you to go Raven. I am already dead. I was dead the night I ran away. You have life. You have friends," she pulled me closer by the cuff of my shirt in a desperate attempt to make me understand, "friends that have always stuck by your side. Friends that treat you like a queen. Friends that care more deeply for you than even a loving family. I was always jealous of you, because of your friends, and how you never showed them you cared. Yet they always came back to support you. I was so jealous… so jealous…"

I brushed her hair back, trying to keep it pure. To keep the golden locks away from her bloody skin. I was trying to keep that last thing she had disinfected by life itself. Her body was beyond repair, but her mind still had a chance.

"I'm going to die tonight Raven. I know I am. It was written in the stars ever since the beginning. A prophecy told me I was going to be betrayed by someone I trusted dearly, so I assumed from the start it would be you... but in turn, I just realized it was me. I betrayed myself and everyone that was close to me." Her voice was growing rapidly, as if she thought she wouldn't have enough time to tell me everything. "Whatever you do Raven, don't loose your friends! If everything good in your life dies, it isn't worth living anymore." Her hand drooped lightly, a tainted gold surrounding her figure.

I said nothing as her eyelids slowly began to descend.

"No!" I didn't know what to do as her body grew limper, skin paler. So I did the one thing I could.

"I forgive you Terra. We all forgive you." A smile played on her face, using the last bit of energy she had left to show me she heard.

I placed a hand on top of her shoulder as she mouth hung open, eyes now closed. The power inside me, every tendril flowed from my fingertips into her as I gave the small girl before me the only thing I had left. It mixed in with the yellow glow as she finally passed away in my arms that dieing moment.

I had given her hope, strength and courage for the next journey beyond, even if it meant sacrifice for myself. I knew I would never again be able to harness my powers. I gave them to her with no doubts even now. She needed them more than I ever would.

As I laid her down softly, I never realized that those last few words I spoke to Terra would change my life forever. It was the night I lost my voice, and I still have yet to find it.

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"….." I took another sip from my tea.

And I stayed silent.

I slid the butterfly burette into my hair, flowing evenly with my cropped hair, feeling a connection between us.

A stir behind me. I blinked, turning steadily around.

Before me was Starfire, clad in her night outfit, starring solely towards me. We looked at each other in turn. I turned around with a fluid movement, returning back to my original position. I could hear her footsteps cautiously approach me from behind before her arms wrapped around my in an embrace.

Words weren't needed for that moment. Words are such a trivial thing.

We sat their together, a sister hood of many, as my mind grew heavy against the overall weight of my body. I blearily blinked my eyes, loosing focus on what was right before me, what was yet to come. I couldn't help but wonder who was going to arouse me from my silence. Who was going to wake me from my prolonged slumber…

And for a moment or two, I could have sworn I heard Terra whisper to me behind that clear night sky. I forgot the words as soon as they crossed my mind, but a small smile lit up my face none the less.

I had never welcomed sleep with such open arms.

And for the first night in ages, I slept soundly.