MetaHunter - ON HOLD

MH 21: After-math

Warning: Longest chapter ever!!

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How long she'd been running, Terra had no idea. She only knew that she had to run, to get away, maybe at some point, she would leave all the exploding pain that was spreading through her chest behind. She wished she could knock herself out. Forget about all she'd heard but she couldn't so she kept running.

Even as moisture blurred her vision, when physical pain began competing with emotional, when people shouted as she shoved past them, when someone seemed to be shouting her name she kept running. Until firm hands grabbed her from behind and halted her mad dash. Then she trashed. Wildly in every direction, her vision still blurred but the hands only tightened around her, pulling her close into a vibrating, warm wall.

"There now, it's okay. It's okay." A voice cooed from above her head and she felt it vibrate on the wall she was pressed into. She wanted to scream that it was not okay but she only sagged against the wall, her energy seeping away from her.

"You want to go someplace?" The voice asked and she felt the vibrations again. Weakly, she shook her head. She only wanted to stay where she was. Wrapped in his warm hands as the whirlpool of feeling coursed through her. They stayed that way for a while, her face buried in his chest and his arm around her while tried to control the sobs rocking through her body. Her heart felt like it had been clenched with a furious fist and her breath came out ragged.

Finally, she raised her weary face to his and croaked out "Let's go".

It was barely above a whisper but Drake heard her and he nodded. Together, they moved at a slow pace away from the sidewalk and towards where Terra thought was home. She wasn't really paying attention. She didn't know whether to be relieved or hurt that neither Mitch nor Marie had followed after them even though they saw her run out. After a few blurry minutes, Drake held his hand out to her. Confused, she looked up at him to see that they were at the Park which wasn't far away from the TC. He patted the space next to him on the swing and Terra promptly sat down.

In silence, they both watched as the sun slowly dipped down the horizon and disapper from view casting the sky to abject darkness. No stars and a quater moon that was barely visible. Terra thought dimly that the sky mirrored how she felt. Dark and empty.

The Park lights came on now and there were only a handful of people around. Most of them were couples with the occassional mother pushing a stroller or a man walking his dog. Terra's broken mind wandered to the night she'd had a showdown with the Hooded Figure. The Park had been dark and deserted, a contrast to how it was now. She wondered what had happened to the Hooded Figure. It had been almost three weeks since she'd confronted it and it was like it vanished. No sign, trace or even the prickling feeling of being watched.

She knew she ought to feel relief but ever since that night, she hadn't really Changed. Sure when Austin and Marq annoyed her, she had but that was it. No midnight, midday, unexpected or any other Change at all. That, had been nagging at the corner of her mind --through Racia of course-- until Marie's confession changed it all. Now all her thoughts circled around one thing.

She had a father. Her father was not dead. He didn't even know of her existence until a few hours ago. Her father was Mitch. Mitch was her father. She had a father. Her father was alive.

With a loud groan, Terra dropped her head on her palms. Marie had lied to her all-along. She had told Terra to forget about her father, that she didn't have one. Terra had assumed that he was dead and maybe that was why Marie was so bitter towards her but she'd been wrong. Her father was alive and hadn't even known she existed. Her head hurt from thinking too much and she wanted nothing more than to lie down and forget all that happened but that meant she had to go home and going home meant facing Marie which she wasn't ready for.