04-07-2025, 11:56 AM
Elyse got home and bid Anna good night. She wanted to talk to Nox - ask him about family, but had heard that he'd gotten himself hurt. Marta had filled her in via text. She also wanted to check in with Hayden, but she had a weekly meeting with him. That would be a good time to do that. Elyse knew Marta was staying here and so she went straight to her room, but was surprised to find Marta awake, and she smelled angry - very angry.
Nightmares - and it wasn't the monster - even though Elyse knew that Marta's nightmares were monstrous to her. They had subsided some, but she occasionally had them, but they never gave her this reaction. Marta had said she wanted to talk to Elyse about something good, but Elyse determined this wasn't the time. Marta said she didn't want to talk, her method of saying it was a little rude, but Elyse let it slide. Marta was working through things, and Elyse would allow that to happen.
It didn't take long for Marta to open up, and Elyse was there for her. Anger poured out of the girl - anger she had kept suppressed behind sadness, fear, and uncertainty. Marta had never sworn before, at least not that Elyse had known about, and Elyse could tell she felt some guilt at that, but she ignored it. Marta was processing, but her last words echoed in Elyse's ears.
Elyse told her it was okay to be angry and reminded her that there were people who cared for her and then Marta asked the question that she was afraid to answer herself. Elyse didn't want to scare her, but Elyse felt compelled to answer.
Elyse sighed. "I don't want to scare you," Elyse said. Marta's face, streaked with tears, was filled with resolve. Elyse wasn't getting out of this. "You know what Ricky does - and that I used to be a member right? You know what they do to people like us? Marta nodded - she knew about the Atharim. "Well my parents were too. I was born into the order. I told my mother what I was, and my father found out. He killed her and came here to kill me too. That's why I moved in here."
Elyse moved to sit on her bed. Marta sat next to her. "Things got pretty bad for me. Mae and I broke up...I miss her...but..." Elyse bit her lip, there wasn't much more to go on with that. At least they were still friends. "Things got pretty messed up in my head. I got really confused about a lot - family, friends, everything. I'm seeing a pyschologist now too - thinks that I've gone through a lot and it messed up the chemicals in my brain. I'm on meds now. But the point is, I felt very hopeless for awhile - and guilty. Guilty that I was making things harder for those around me.. Eventually, I just thought, well maybe everyone would be better off if I wasn't here anymore."
Elyse felt Marta's hand on her back as she leaned into Elyse. "I'm glad you're still here."
Elyse turned to look at Marta. "Me too," she said with a smile.
The two sat in silence for a bit before Marta spoke. "I just wish I could do something...something to stop this from happening to other people, but I'm not strong enough."
It then clicked for Elyse why Marta was so drawn to comic books and superheroes. The anger hadn't been uncontrolled. It had been strong, but calculated. It wasn't anger driven by hate or even a desire for revenge. It was anger driven by a sense of justice. "Maybe not a physical confrontation, but you can use your stories to send a message. You have a voice Marta."
Marta contemplated that and silence permeated the room for a few minutes. "It's going to be a while before I fall asleep again. Is it okay if I go downstairs and watch a movie or something for a bit."
Elyse nodded. "That's fine - you want me to come with you?
Marta shook her head. "No...I'd like to be alone for a bit if that's okay."
Elyse nodded. Marta needed to work through things. Marta stood up, grabbed a blanket and pillow and headed downstairs to watch a movie. She wondered which superhero was on her brain now.
Nightmares - and it wasn't the monster - even though Elyse knew that Marta's nightmares were monstrous to her. They had subsided some, but she occasionally had them, but they never gave her this reaction. Marta had said she wanted to talk to Elyse about something good, but Elyse determined this wasn't the time. Marta said she didn't want to talk, her method of saying it was a little rude, but Elyse let it slide. Marta was working through things, and Elyse would allow that to happen.
It didn't take long for Marta to open up, and Elyse was there for her. Anger poured out of the girl - anger she had kept suppressed behind sadness, fear, and uncertainty. Marta had never sworn before, at least not that Elyse had known about, and Elyse could tell she felt some guilt at that, but she ignored it. Marta was processing, but her last words echoed in Elyse's ears.
Elyse told her it was okay to be angry and reminded her that there were people who cared for her and then Marta asked the question that she was afraid to answer herself. Elyse didn't want to scare her, but Elyse felt compelled to answer.
Elyse sighed. "I don't want to scare you," Elyse said. Marta's face, streaked with tears, was filled with resolve. Elyse wasn't getting out of this. "You know what Ricky does - and that I used to be a member right? You know what they do to people like us? Marta nodded - she knew about the Atharim. "Well my parents were too. I was born into the order. I told my mother what I was, and my father found out. He killed her and came here to kill me too. That's why I moved in here."
Elyse moved to sit on her bed. Marta sat next to her. "Things got pretty bad for me. Mae and I broke up...I miss her...but..." Elyse bit her lip, there wasn't much more to go on with that. At least they were still friends. "Things got pretty messed up in my head. I got really confused about a lot - family, friends, everything. I'm seeing a pyschologist now too - thinks that I've gone through a lot and it messed up the chemicals in my brain. I'm on meds now. But the point is, I felt very hopeless for awhile - and guilty. Guilty that I was making things harder for those around me.. Eventually, I just thought, well maybe everyone would be better off if I wasn't here anymore."
Elyse felt Marta's hand on her back as she leaned into Elyse. "I'm glad you're still here."
Elyse turned to look at Marta. "Me too," she said with a smile.
The two sat in silence for a bit before Marta spoke. "I just wish I could do something...something to stop this from happening to other people, but I'm not strong enough."
It then clicked for Elyse why Marta was so drawn to comic books and superheroes. The anger hadn't been uncontrolled. It had been strong, but calculated. It wasn't anger driven by hate or even a desire for revenge. It was anger driven by a sense of justice. "Maybe not a physical confrontation, but you can use your stories to send a message. You have a voice Marta."
Marta contemplated that and silence permeated the room for a few minutes. "It's going to be a while before I fall asleep again. Is it okay if I go downstairs and watch a movie or something for a bit."
Elyse nodded. "That's fine - you want me to come with you?
Marta shook her head. "No...I'd like to be alone for a bit if that's okay."
Elyse nodded. Marta needed to work through things. Marta stood up, grabbed a blanket and pillow and headed downstairs to watch a movie. She wondered which superhero was on her brain now.