Creative Indulgence [2430-1-3 Sat 1:00 pm]

[Skye Thompson]

After a moment’s hesitation, Skye decided to be honest. “I- yeah, I just really don’t want to talk about it right now. Honestly, I don’t even want to think about it.” She looked up at Persephone, trying to make the ground stay still. Her friend looked upset, sad, and Skye immediately felt guilty. “I’m sorry. It’s just that there are so many things I’m trying to forget, or things I’ve already forgotten that I don’t want to remember again.”

Images were flashing through her mind, the ground starting to move under her feet. No. Please. Not again. Skye closed her eyes against the images. Stop. Please stop. Go away. I want to forget, I want to forget everything. I don’t want to remember what he did to me. Please. Stop. Stop. “Stop it.” She whispered, “Stop.” Her father’s dark, beady eyes were staring at her from the depth of her memories, and he was muttering a soft stream of curses as he lumbered forward, reaching for her… “Stop!” Skye screamed the word at the top of her voice. It startled her, and for a moment she just stood there on the balcony, blinking confusedly at Persephone. Then her mouth opened and slowly, surprising herself with what she said, she spoke. “It… it stopped.”

[Persephone Ruspoli]

Persephone hovered near as Skye had another episode. Where was she? Back in her step-father's home? Unable to fight back? She wanted to touch Skye's shoulder and steady her, but she wasn't sure that was a good idea. Persephone was even more sure when Skye screamed out and Persephone flinched back.

Skye needed help. Persephone was going to have to do her best to make sure she got what she needed. "Sweetie, are you okay?" She asked, letting herself reach out and touch Skye's arm now that she was sure Skye was back on Terra, instead of caught up in her nightmare. "What stopped?"

[Skye Thompson]

“It… the- the memories. The voices. The fear. It just… stopped.” Skye felt strange, blank, almost as if she were in a trance. Emotions were coming to her slowly, reminding her bit by bit what it was like to feel human. Then the spell was broken, and the emotion came crashing down on her like a tidal wave. She threw her arms around Persephone and clung tight, as if to the last shred of hope in the world.

Fear was back, and sadness along with it. Guilt had come too, but there was in addition something strange, a hard, merciless emotion that frightened her more even than her father. She shoved the feeling away, as far as it would go and held tighter to Persephone, sobbing into her friend’s shoulder.

[Persephone Ruspoli]

Persephone didn't quite understand, but that didn't matter. She didn't need to understand. Right now, all she had to do was hold Skye tight and let the girl cry out all the hurt and pain. So she did, supporting Titus' sister and stroking her hair.

"It's alright." She said softly, looking out onto the cityscape, and then back to Skye. Persephone tried to find other words to say, but there weren't any. So she just said it again, soft enough that the wind caught it and took it away. "It's alright."