Hello again and welcome back to the Whale Pit. Chapter 7 is ready, but before we get to that, I wish to acknowledge my reviewers: Crowofdawn; ZestyCHicken, XV-Dragon; Daydreamer9; Nemrut; Nerd4eva; Lost Prince; Darev; Marooncartoonstar; Wolfgurll; Nightroad; ThePink1; and Shocklance. An extra thank you goes to Nightroad for visiting the Whale Pit forum and leaving some good insights.
Thanks also to Visigoth29527 for being my editor and confidante. Thank you very much.
Now on with the story.
Chapter 7
Monday dawned clear and chilly in Heatherfield. The awful storm had finally ceased pounding the city, and the previously flooded streets were now dry and peaceful. Adults hurried to work, and children hustled to school. Life was getting back to normal in the community.
Four teenage girls stood in the basement of the Silver Dragon restaurant, discussing strategy.
"It's occurred to me that this afternoon's intervention may get a little loud," Taranee said pensively. "Maybe we should think about moving it somewhere a little more remote?"
"Like where?" Cornelia asked.
Taranee shrugged. "I don't know, but I think any of our houses are off limits. Irma's not likely to think this is a good idea, so we should expect her to be pretty vocal about it."
"She may not like it, but it's necessary," Cornelia said. "We need to get her some help whether she likes it or not."
Will spoke up. "I agree, but she's probably not gonna want our help."
"So, we convince her otherwise," Cornelia answered.
"Yeah, but we need to be careful," Hay Lin chimed in. "I agree she needs us, but we need to help her see that rather than force her to accept it."
Cornelia's eyes narrowed. "I'm not talking about hurting her, Hay Lin; heaven knows she doesn't need any more of that. But she needs us whether or not she's willing to admit it. We're the only ones who can truly help her, and I think she needs to understand that as soon as possible."
"I know, Cornelia," Hay Lin answered. "You would never intentionally hurt Irma. I guess I'm just a little over protective of her."
Cornelia's eyes softened. "That's a good thing, Air Girl; she needs that kind of protection now."
"She's just been through so much...I don't want her to hurt anymore. I feel so helpless."
Will placed a hand on Hay Lin's shoulder. "We all feel a little helpless; that's why I think this intervention may be as much for us as for Irma. We need to feel like we're doing something, and this may be just what the doctor ordered."
"But we still need a change of venue," Taranee spoke up.
"A change of who?" Will asked.
"A change of venue," Cornelia answered. "She means we need to move the intervention to some other location."
"Couldn't you have just said that?" Will said
"I did say that..." Taranee answered.
"How about Shell Cave?" Hay Lin offered.
Taranee nodded. "That might work."
"It's Irma's favorite spot in Heatherfield; she may feel a little more comfortable there," Hay Lin said quietly. "If we're all about to gang up on her..." The Air Guardian shrugged and didn't continue.
"It's not like that, Hay Lin," Will said comfortingly. "We're just trying to help."
"I know; I just have a bad feeling about this."
"Look, if you're feeling uncomfortable, maybe we should call it off."
Hay Lin shook her head. "No, Will, I don't think we should do that. You're right...we all need this. I'm just worried about how Irma's going to react. I don't want her to think we're the bad guys again. After what happened with the Mage..." Hay Lin shuddered.
"That was a mistake, true enough," Taranee said. "But we can't keep beating ourselves up for it. We screwed up, yeah, but we can't undo it. All we can do is move forward and try to live with it."
"Irma's the one who's had to live with it the most," Cornelia spoke up. "We so owe her for that."
"I don't think we're ever gonna be able to repay that one," Will said somberly. "But like Taranee said, we have to try to get past it. If Irma can forgive us, then we need to be able to forgive ourselves."
"But what if she hasn't forgiven us?" Hay Lin said quietly.
Will nodded sadly. "She may not have, but that's not the issue. I'm looking to help Irma, not comfort myself. This is about her, not me."
"Red's right," Cornelia said. "We need to be thinking about Irma, not ourselves. This is all about her; let's try to focus on that."
"So Shell Cave after school, then?" Taranee raised an interrogative eyebrow.
Will nodded. "I like it. We'll tell her we need to practice; she won't suspect a thing."
"Oh this feels so much like an ambush," Hay Lin wailed.
"It is, but it's a necessary ambush," Cornelia said quietly. "She needs this, Hay Lin, and I don't think she would ever agree to come to an intervention on her own."
"I know, I know; I just don't like the secrecy. I know it's for a good cause, I just don't like deceiving her, that's all."
"I can't think of another way to do it, Air Girl," Cornelia said, laying a hand on Hay Lin's shoulder. "If she would just talk to us, this would all be moot. But since she won't, we have to take some drastic measures."
Hay Lin covered Cornelia's hand with her own and smiled gratefully at her blonde friend. "Then I'm glad we're getting it over with today. I don't think I could stand waiting a week."
"I'll tell Mrs. Lin," Taranee said. Telepathically, the Fire Girl contacted the former Air Mistress and told her of the change in plans.
"She says she'll meet us there this afternoon.
"Then it's settled," Will said resolutely. "This afternoon, Irma gets some help."
--
Irma tried to sleep through the last period of school that day, and Hay Lin had to kick her chair more than once to keep her awake. Irma tried not to be annoyed with her friend; she was just trying to help, after all. The Air Guardian couldn't possibly know about the previous evening's nightmare; the one that had kept Irma awake all night.
The Water Witch closed her eyes for the umpteenth time and tried not to remember the horrible images. Unfortunately, her mind had other ideas.
Cornelia and Irma walked along the beach at sunset. The ocean lapped gently at the sandy shore and Irma felt at peace. It was a feeling all too alien of late, and the young Guardian basked in the companionship of her friend and the sense of serenity.
"You must really love the beach, Irma," Cornelia said. "I'm sure you feel most comfortable around water."
Irma nodded. "True that."
The two friends walked along in silence for some time before Cornelia spoke again.
"I've often wondered what it would be like to float on the waves."
Irma looked sideways at her friend. "You can't swim, Corny."
"I know that, Irmy, but still...it looks kind of fun, I guess."
Irma raised an eyebrow. "You want me to teach you how to swim?"
Cornelia stopped and gazed intently at her friend. "Would you? I can't think of a better swimming instructor than a Water Guardian."
Irma grinned. "Sure. Come with me."
Irma took Cornelia's hand and led her into the ocean.
"Let's just practice floating first, then we can actually start swimming. Sound good?"
Cornelia saluted. "You're the teacher."
Irma laughed and instructed Cornelia to lie on her back in the water.
"Now just lie as still and as straight as possible. You'll float."
Cornelia tried to obey, but she began to panic. "Irma, I can't do this; I feel like I'm gonna drown."
"I won't let you drown, silly. I'm the freaking Water Guardian, for crying out loud. Just trust me."
Cornelia's panic began to die down. "I do trust you. Let me try again."
The young Earth Guardian again lay on her back and tried to float. To her amazement, she didn't sink beneath the waves, but floated right on top of the water.
"Wow, this is amazing, Irma!"
"See? Nothing to be afraid of."
After a little while of floating, Irma gave Cornelia a crash-course on how to swim. Then they proceeded further out. The water soon reached Cornelia's neck, while Irma was obliged to tread water. The auburn-haired girl could see the uncertainty in her friend's blue eyes.
"Don't worry...I'm right here. I won't let anything happen to you."
Cornelia nodded and began moving her hands like Irma had shown her. Soon, she was swimming for the first time in her life.
"Irma, I'm swimming! I'm actually swimming!"
"I told you you could do it."
Irma and Cornelia swam for a little bit, enjoying one another's company. Presently, Irma swam to Cornelia's side and began to tread water.
"Corny, there's something I've wanted to say to you for a long time, and I think now may be the time to say it."
"Sure, what is it?"
Irma's face suddenly turned to a mask of rage and she put her hand on top of Cornelia's head. "I wish you were dead!"
With that, the Water Witch pushed her former friend's head beneath the waves. Cornelia's cry of shock and terror was cut off as her lungs filled with water. Though she tried to fight, the blonde girl was no match for a Guardian in her element.
Irma laughed as Cornelia's body went limp and ceased to live. From somewhere far away, a bell was ringing.
"Irma!"
The young Guardian jumped and her eyes flew open as she recognized Hay Lin's voice. She realized immediately that she had fallen asleep again and the ringing was the bell signaling the end of the period.
"Sorry, I guess I drifted off."
"Yeah, like all period," Hay Lin said, her voice echoing concern. "Are you alright?"
"I'm fine, Hay Lin. I just didn't get a lot of sleep last night."
"Another nightmare?"
Irma swallowed hard. "Yeah."
"What was it about?"
"I really don't wanna talk about it, Hay-Hay."
"Irma, if you don't-"
"I said no," Irma replied sternly. Seeing Hay Lin's hurt eyes, the Water Guardian sighed.
"I'm sorry, Hay Lin...I just really want to be left alone, you know?"
"Well that may be a little difficult today. Will wants to practice."
Irma shook her head as the two friends left the classroom. "No can do today. I'm grounded, remember? I have to go straight home, otherwise I think my dad might have a coronary."
"We can send your Astral Drop home, then smuggle you in after practice."
Irma thought about that. It would be nice to get out of her room for a while, but she really didn't want company. Still, it looked like she didn't have much choice. Her leader was calling, and Irma felt honor-bound to obey.
"Alright," Irma sighed. "Astral Drop goes home, I go to...where are we going?"
"Shell Cave," Hay Lin answered. "It's big and quiet. Should be a good place to practice."
Irma nodded and fell silent. Presently, the two friends met up with Will, Taranee, and Cornelia outside Sheffield Institute.
"Hey Irma," Will greeted brightly. "Did Hay Lin fill you in on the plan?"
"Yeah she did. We'll have to send my Astral Drop to my house; otherwise I'll get in trouble for not coming straight home."
"No problem. Let's head for the cave and then we can summon Miss Drop," Cornelia suggested.
Irma nodded but didn't say anything. She fell into step behind her friends as they headed for Shell Cave. She couldn't help gazing at Cornelia's back, thankful she was actually alive. Irma had no desire to kill her or any of her friends, but she worried that she was capable of doing so. After all, she had tried to kill Hay Lin, Cornelia, and Yan Lin just weeks ago on Candracar. Irma shuddered at the memories.
Suddenly, she felt a dull ache in her left arm.
"Hey," Hay Lin said, playfully punching her friend in the arm. "You're awfully quiet. What's wrong?"
"I'm just thinking, Hay-Hay. Don't worry..."
"Too late."
"Well stop it. I don't need you to worry about me."
Hay Lin was about to reply, when she was cut off by Taranee's voice in her head.
Don't go there, Hay Lin. Save it for the intervention.
As much as Hay Lin wanted to comfort her friend, she knew Taranee was right. So she chose a different tact.
"Can you believe all the homework Will's mom's boyfriend gave us?"
"Hay Lin!" Will said dangerously.
"Oops, sorry, Will. Sore subject?" Hay Lin's eyes were dancing.
Will responded with a low growl. Hay Lin laughed.
The smallest Guardian kept up a light banter all the way to Shell Cave. Irma said nothing at all.
Once they reached the cave, the Guardians ditched their backpacks at the mouth and proceeded inside. Will pulled out the Heart of Candracar and quickly summoned Irma's Astral Drop.
"Any instructions for it, Irma?"
Irma looked at her double; the doppelganger stared blankly back.
"Just go to my house, go straight to my room, and climb into the bathtub. That's all you have to do."
The Drop nodded and headed for Irma's house. Once she was out of sight, Irma turned back to her friends. They were all staring at her strangely.
"What?" Irma asked, confused.
The four girls looked at each other for a moment. With a nod from Will, the girls fanned out until they had Irma surrounded.
Panicked, Irma looked from one to the next. "What's going on?"
"Irma," Will said, "we're not actually here to practice."
"Yeah, Will, I figured that much out. What are we doing?"
Will decided not to try and sugar-coat the issue. She plunged right in. "Irma, you need help, and we're the only ones who can give it to you. You've been shutting us out and quite frankly we're getting tired of it. No more pussyfooting around..this is serious."
"We need to be included in what happened to you," Taranee continued. "It's partly our fault, and we want to help you get through it."
"You're not dealing very well," Cornelia chimed in. "None of us can blame you for that, but it's time you got the help you deserve. We're here to give it to you...today."
"Please don't be mad," Hay Lin said quietly. "We're just trying to help. Can you understand that?"
"All I understand is that I've been setup. How long have you been planning to ambush me?"
"We've been setting this up since Saturday, but that's not the point," Will answered. "Irma, you're our friend and we've been pretty lax in that department of late. You need us whether you realize it or not. We're the only ones who can understand what you're going through. Please, let us in."
"How can you understand what I'm going through? How can any of you understand what I'm going through? None of you were there."
"I was," Hay Lin answered softly. "At least, I tried to be as much as you would let me. I felt some of your pain, and some of your despair. It was crippling to say the least, but I didn't leave you then, and I won't leave you now."
Irma glared at her best friend and turned to leave. Taranee blocked her path, refusing to allow her passage.
"Out of the way, Taranee."
The Fire Girl shook her head. "No."
"I don't wanna hurt you, but I will if you don't move."
"Then you're gonna have to hurt me, cuz I'm not moving."
Balling her fists, Irma tried once more. "Move, Taranee, or I'll punch your lights out."
Taranee calmly reached up and removed her glasses. Placing them in the pocket of her jumper, she stuck out her chin. She wished she felt as brave as she looked. "Then hit me, Irma. If it makes you feel better, let me have it.."
"You asked for it!" Irma pulled her fist back to punch her friend.
Hay Lin caught her arm before it could spring forward. She twisted her friend around held her arms to her sides. "Irma, stop. You don't want to do this."
With a growl, Irma broke Hay Lin's grip and shoved her best friend to the ground. Leaping on top of her, the Water Guardian's fist connected with the Air Guardian's jaw. Immediately, Irma was tackled to the ground by the remaining Guardians.
"Let me go!" Irma screamed. "Let me go!"
"Don't let her go!" Will shouted. "She needs this; we have to make her see that!"
Irma screamed like a madwoman and struggled, but the Guardians held her down.
"I'll kill you! Let me go!"
"Irma, it's us," Will pleaded. "We're your friends. We just want to help you."
"Don't touch me...don't let her touch me!"
"What?" Cornelia was confused. "What did she say?"
"Oh gosh, Will," Taranee said, her voice betraying the panic she felt. "She's having a flashback. We have to let her up."
"No, she'll hurt someone," Will answered. "If we hold her down long enough, she'll tire herself out. Then we can talk."
Hay Lin finally joined the fray and sat near Irma's head. She held the beautiful face in her hands and tried to calm her friend.
"NOOOOOO!" Irma screamed as her back arched and she continued to struggle. She could see the Mage standing over her, the awful spell ready to be cast.
Just then, Yan Lin entered the cave. Seeing and hearing the struggle, the former Air Mistress hurried towards the pile of Guardians.
"Girls, What are you doing?"
"Trying to exhaust Irma so we can talk," Cornelia answered through clenched teeth. She wasn't sure who was going to tire first.
Irma, can you hear me? It's Taranee...you're safe. No one is going to hurt you.
"Stop, please, stop," Irma pleaded, her struggling becoming less and less. "Don't hurt me anymore. I'll do anything you want."
Stop struggling, Irma, we're your friends. We don't want to hurt you. Listen to my voice; we're here to help you.
"No, no, no..."
Irma, listen to my voice. Let it lead you back to reality.
Something in Irma's crazed mind clicked then...Taranee.
Taranee? Help me please.
We're trying but you have to stop fighting us. Stop struggling...no one is here to hurt you.
It's the Mage, Taranee. She's Nerissa...she's going to hurt me. Please don't let her get me.
No, Nerissa is dead. She can't hurt you anymore. Please, Irma, stop fighting. Trust me!
Irma eyes darted wildly around the cave. She didn't see the Mage, nor did she see any sign of the Mage. She suddenly remembered she was in Shell Cave and that the Nerissa was dead. Her friends were holding her down because...
...she had attacked Hay Lin.
Immediately, Irma stopped struggling and relaxed visibly.
Good, Irma, that's better.
"She's calmed down now, Will. Can we let her up?" Taranee asked.
"No, not yet. She may be faking. I don't want anyone else hurt."
Will she was having a flashback. She realizes what's really going on now.
I get that, T, but that's why she attacked Hay Lin in the first place. She wasn't having a flashback when she punched her best friend.
True, but still-
No, Taranee, not yet.
Hay Lin gently stroked Irma's hair and spoke quiet words of comfort. Irma had stopped struggling, and was breathing hard. Her heart pounded mercilessly in her chest, as she tried to calm herself. She could hear Hay Lin's soft words, and they served to assuage her panic.
"Hay Lin, forgive me. I'm sorry..."
"Shh; no need for that. You didn't hurt me anyway. You hit like a girl."
Yan Lin's head snapped to her granddaughter, her eyes raking the porcelain face. Only then did she notice the bruise forming on the left side of Hay Lin's jaw. The tiny grandmother narrowed her eyes and tried not to snap at Irma.
Will spoke. "Irma we need to help you. If we let you up, will you promise not to try and kill us or run away?"
Irma swallowed hard and nodded.
Will's eyes met Taranee's. The black girl nodded silently.
Will swallowed and nodded. "Alright, people, let her up."
The four Guardians released their friend, and she sat up. Irma rubbed her left wrist, but appeared otherwise unhurt.
"Irma? Are you okay?" Cornelia asked, concern in her voice.
Irma turned her beautiful eyes to Cornelia's and nodded slightly. "I'm sorry. I don't know what happened. I saw the Mage...or rather I thought I saw her. I don't know what's happening to me."
"Then tell us what is happening, Irma," Yan Lin said. "We cannot help you if we don't know what's going on."
"I can't..."
"You can and you should. It's long overdue. Let your friends help you."
Irma stared at her hands, defeated. Perhaps they could help her; they certainly seemed to want to try. But she knew she would hurt her friends if she told them everything. Nonetheless, now was as good a time as any to let it all out.
"I'm afraid...all the time. I'm afraid to be alone, but afraid to be around people at the same time. Everything feels so much smaller than it was, and I often find myself unable to breathe. I don't feel safe unless I'm in the water, and I'm having nightmares every night. I can't get any sleep because they keep repeating over and over all night long."
Irma took a deep breath and plunged on. "I've taken to listening to death metal because I just want to die. I want it all to stop and I don't think it ever will...not until I'm dead. My emotional pain is so out of control, and I want some physical pain to match it."
The young Water Mistress took another deep breath and answered the question she knew everyone was silently asking. "If I have to concentrate on physical pain, then my emotional pain stops. Even though it's just for a little while, it's worth it. The death metal gives me a bad headache, so..."
Irma shrugged ashamedly. She couldn't believe she was actually admitting to all of this.
"I see Nerissa everywhere; in the halls at school, under my bed in my room, in my dreams. She's everywhere...I'll never be free of her, just like she said. I know she's dead, but she's also very much alive in me. I can't fight her anymore...I just want to give up. She beat me, she won, I'm totally cracked. She broke me, you guys; and I don't know how to put myself back together."
Completely sapped, Irma buried her face in her hands so her friends wouldn't see her haunted eyes.
"Why didn't you tell us this before?" Will asked gently.
The question Irma was hoping no one would ask. How could she tell them the truth? And yet, how could she tell them a lie? She had come this far, so she decided to continue...no matter how much it hurt.
"Because I blame you guys for what happened as much as I blame Nerissa. I blame Will in particular because she let them take me. She didn't find me. She made the decision to put me through the Joining. She gave the order to help the Mage. All of this helped to destroy my mind. The physical pain I think I could handle...it's the constant mental agony that hurts the most."
Will was speechless. All eyes had turned to her, each pair filled with sympathy and shock.
Irma couldn't bring herself to look at her leader. "I'm sorry, Will, but that's the truth. That's why I didn't tell you guys. That's why you can't understand...because you helped make me this way."
Will felt as if she had just been punched. She opened and closed her mouth like a fish. She wanted nothing more than to run and hide, but this was about Irma.
"I'm...I'm glad you told me, Irma," Will finally managed. "I'm sorry for my role in what happened to you. I have no excuses and no defense. I screwed up."
"Yeah, Red, you did. But I don't want you or anyone else to feel like I do, so stop beating yourself up. It happened and now I have to live with it. By now you know I lied to you back on Candracar a few weeks ago; but it's what you needed to hear at the time. Someday I'll be able to forgive you...but not today."
"Admitting something like this was hard for you, Irma," Yan Lin said. "Now that it is out in the open, perhaps you can begin to heal. Let your friends make amends by helping you get through this."
"How? How can they do that? They can't begin to understand what it's like to live like this. How many times have any of you wished for something to stop so badly you would do literally anything to make it stop? I begged them, begged them to stop hurting me. But they didn't stop; no, they just kept whipping me, burning me, cutting me, trying to pull my wings off. I was beaten mercilessly by Frost, carved up by Miranda, electrocuted by Nerissa. I survived all of that; I healed from all of that. But this constant mental anguish...I can't heal from that, and I don't believe anyone can help me."
This was the first time Irma had actually talked about what was done to her. Hay Lin had tears in her eyes as she listened to Irma's anguished descriptions. She knew it had to be the most awful thing ever, but she wasn't willing to let her best friend give up.
"We can help you bear the burden, Irma. We can be here when it all becomes too much. Maybe we can't understand what it's like to be tortured in every way possible, but we can understand that we love you and want to help you in any way we can. Please let us."
Irma just shook her head in defeat. She wasn't going to talk any of them out of it, and truth be told it was actually a little comforting to know she wasn't alone.
"But what's happening to me?"
"You have Post Traumatic Stress Disorder," Cornelia answered calmly. "PTSD, as it's called, is a pretty debilitating condition. The fact that you're not in a mental institution or on drugs is a testament to your strength. You're stronger than you think, Irma, you're going to get through this; and we're going to be here every step of the way."
"Post Traumatic Stress Disorder?"
Taranee nodded. "It explains your flashbacks, your nightmares, your unwillingness to talk about what happened. Most PTSD sufferers would rather avoid talking about what happened because it doesn't hurt as much. But you need to get it out, Irma. Please tell us everything that happened to you."
Irma felt cornered, but she knew Taranee was right. So for the next hour, she described in great detail everything the Knights and Nerissa had done to her. Everything from the physical to the mental torture. She even described the Joining, and how she had experienced that horrific torture for weeks after it had stopped. By the time she was finished, Irma was trembling visibly, in spite of Hay Lin's efforts to comfort her.
"Irma, I know I'm the last person you want to have here right now, but I do know what the Joining is like. I went through it to heal my face, remember?"
"Yeah, Will, I remember, but I think you did that out of guilt more than anything. You knew I did it because you forced it on me, so you figured you had better do it because of that."
Will closed her eyes. Irma was right, she had done the Joining partly out of guilt. Mostly it had been a desire to heal her facial injuries, but it was also because she felt responsible for Irma's mental trauma. Her friend had been strong enough to experience it, the least Will could do was experience it with her.
"Yes, Irma, that was part of it, but not all of it. I felt responsible for what happened to you, and I felt I could help you by experiencing what you did. Was I wrong?"
Irma looked into her leader's brown eyes. So much hurt and stress...Irma felt terrible for her. "No, Red, you weren't wrong. I guess you can understand that part of it. I'm sorry, I just-"
"I know, I know," Will said, laying her hand alongside Irma's cheek. "You don't have to say it. Whatever you think of me, I can handle it; I just want to help you in any way I can. Will you let me in?"
"Will you let us all in?" Cornelia asked.
Irma's eyes filled with tears. Her friends hadn't abandoned her even though she blamed them for her mental anguish. They truly wanted to help her. Her heart suddenly felt like it would explode. She took Will's hand and squeezed it gently.
"I don't feel like I can ask for your help; not after you know how I feel. Why would you want to help me after that?"
"Oh gee, I don't know, because you're our friend maybe?" Cornelia said, her blue eyes dancing.
"We know it's been hard for you," Taranee chimed in, "and we want to help. We do feel responsible for what happened and we want to help set it right."
"Irma, we love you and we don't want to see you hurt anymore," Hay Lin said gently. "We may not be able to take the pain away, but we can help to dull it so it doesn't rule your life."
"We are all disturbed by what happened to you," Yan Lin said. "We all need to be here for you now. And so we shall be if you will let us."
Irma couldn't hold back the tears anymore, and she let them flow freely. "Guys, I need help. I have nowhere else to turn. Please, in spite of myself, will you help me?"
As one, the Guardians and Mrs. Lin fell on Irma and hugged her tightly. It wouldn't take the pain away, but it was a start.
--
And there it is...the long-awaited intervention. Hope you enjoyed it. I appreciate any and all reviews. Thanks for reading.