Thanatos : The Red Dawn

(9)Rusted in Resistance

  "And aren't those the worst kinds of people? People that live for nothing but themselves?" 

Rusted in Resistance

The sun was blinding, but it felt good.

It kept him away.

"So, usual spot?" Trita asked as we walked down the sunny, lively beach full of vacationers.

I nodded, but my smile was so false. Sonya replied enthusiastically; "Defs!" She kept close to my side ever since this morning. It was both a comfort and a bit annoying. She left no place for me to let my mind wander off too far and yet the thought of her being so close made me feel safer. I wasn't that exposed. Or at least in my mind I wasn't. 

I could feel the worry radiate off her and Trita's growing concern was definitely clear. Trita rarely showed that kind of emotion, but I think I really scared them this morning. I couldn't help it- everything today was so magnified. The light, the smell of salt and the burning taste of mint in my mouth.

"Aurora, did you call your parents?" Sonya's asked with a motherly tone. I registered her words, but I admit it took me a while to form a coherent answer. I nodded my head once, but figured that if I wanted them to budge off a bit, I needed to be a bit more convincing than that.

"Yeah." I said with a bright smile so fake it hurt. 

This morning, after my episode, I just lied and told them that I'd had an awful nightmare and I was just feeling a bit sick. They bought it after some convincing, but it's been a few hours since then and my excuse was waning.

The anxiety and paranoia was rolling off me in waves. Soon, I'd have to start acting normal.

If only I could remember how normal felt like.

"What did they say?" Sonya was trying to make conversation. I wanted to laugh at her obvious attempt at prying. Trita kept quiet; just listening from the side. I thanked heaven she left me in peace, because once Trita began investigating or meddling, no one was safe. I wasn't in the mood to be pestered. I hadn't even figured out what was going on myself.

When we got back to Sonya's house, I quickly made the excuse that I needed to phone my mother to talk about university stuff. I slipped away to the back study and closed the door. I just needed the time to think and process things in private, without them prying. Of course I knew they were only worried- I would probably have reacted the same, but I really needed to be alone for a bit.

"They...um..." I shrugged, as if it had just been like any other phone call. "They just said they miss me."

That was the wrong thing to say.

I mentally hit myself as tears pricked at my eyes. What if I never see them again? What if Death takes my parents as some sort of sick leverage to use against me? It was complicated enough keeping my mouth shut around my two best friends to make that they were safe, but what's to say he won't just go after my parents? What morals does he have anyway?