MTM.53

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what defines evil?

I slid the socks off my feet, wiggling each toe.

The material was sullied with sludge, which smelled fresh like the woods, but it felt so itchy that it was like being attacked by gnawing termites. A layer of grime coated much of the skin, damp with sweat and mucky with dirt.

An obvious knock resounded throughout the room, but there also seemed to be a quiet greeting that followed close behind. The name, and frankly, the voice itself was lost on me as I focused on throwing the filthy pair of socks into the nearest trash can. They were not only stained, but littered with holes, too. In response, I hummed a gentle welcome.

The familiar figure of Annora stepped into view. Other than the stray wisps of blonde hair poking out from her unusually messy bun and the noticeable puffiness underneath her cerulean eyes, Annora was relatively unharmed. I glanced upwards from my sitting position on the bed to catch her glum gaze, and her small lips quivered at the attention.

A flash of recognition crossed my mind. The memory of her lifeless body being left in a bath of her own blood was pure torment to my then drowsy conscious—but, there was more to that story than what originally met the eye. It was only after being awoken by Johnny, and when I was told the full extent of the instance, that I realized what had really happened. Annora was not at death's door, but she certainly had me fooled.

It had always been misunderstanding, after misunderstanding, after misunderstanding.

Through a flounder, she whined with both glee and guilt. She sniffled loudly, "Miss Luna, oh, I can't seem to find the right words to explain how terribly sorry I am."

"You're sorry? Annora-"

"Oh, Miss Luna, please, believe me when I say that I am so sorry from the very bottom of my heart!" She pattered forward with her hands outstretched, reciting a prayer. "I have thanked the great Goddess of the Moon a thousand times for returning you safely to us! Yet, I am still plagued with nasty nightmares about how badly I have failed the pack, the alpha, and most importantly, you. Even now, I am paranoid at the mere thought of it happening again!"

"Annora-" her pace did not falter as she darted across the room with one lone target in mind, and I shut my mouth as she wrapped her arms around me.

"No, Miss Luna, I do not deserve to bargain with excuses." She pushed the sides of our cheeks together, leaning in as she hugged my body close. In a solemn voice, she continued, "I have been trained all my life to serve you—to protect you. In my gut, I knew that something was wrong, but I wavered, and thought that it was something I could fix. I should have done more. You relied on me, and I failed you."

"You stayed with me." I threw my arms around her. "You never once left my side. You kept me safe by being there. Annora, you did the best that you could think to do in that situation."

"I'll never let it happen ever again."

I patted her bent back, feeling how her grip tightened, and said, "I know you won't."

A moment of comfortable silence blanketed the room as we embraced. And, I strongly hoped that my words had reassured her of not only her physical strength but her inner strength, as well. While I was busy thinking and recollecting, I created a mental note of what she had truly done that night. Annora did not falter, despite what she believes, but rather, she reacted with a powerful solidity. She mind-linked many others, including Morpheus, she fought off Lyonechka and Johnny, who are both pretty intimidating, and she never once thought to run away, which would have been my first response. If I could, I would repeat the list over and over, so that she would never question herself ever again.

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