The Mask Effect (EDITING)

Chapter 19- The Downside To Insanely Good Hearing

Dedicated to @Vapid_Ink for bringing Eli, the Official Snark Master, and Matthew (who's Matthew ;) ) into this world and making those two basically my favorite super-and-human pair ever!(yep, Eli just punched me...)

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Noah's POV

"Cookie?" Maddy stuck her head into my field of vision, half of her latest peace offering already popped into her mouth. "It's delicious."

I didn't know how to tell my younger sister it was pointless. This wasn't something that could be fixed by hugs, by promises... or even by cookies.

I silently turned away.

My sister glanced toward the cookies, as if wondering why they weren't delicious enough. She'd been trying all morning to cheer me up- from begging me to smile, to promising she'd tell me where she hid my suit, to threatening that the only thing I'd ever taste was ORS if I didn't perk up immediately.

Nothing could erase the memory of the people standing around the Forever Urn, with his... ashes.

"Noah," Maddy was saying. "I want to hit something, too, but you're still intact." She put the tray of cookies onto my bed, scooting even closer.

I wished I'd never found out why we had a holiday. My own thoughts had begun to hurt.

My sister studied me, desperation beginning to etch itself into the worry on her face. "Look, don't blame yourself. You're making me blame myself- but technically, it's Mom who should be blaming herself, not us. After all, it was Mom's job; but no matter who we blame, he's not coming back-" Maddy's voice had been getting quieter, and it cut off with a small yelp as she pinched herself.

All of a sudden, my sister stalked outside, fists clenched. For the next few minutes, the walls thudded, hard. They fell silent when the door re-opened, my sister closing the door behind her as if nothing had happened.

"Noah? You're still there?" Maddy asked, rubbing one hand along the red knuckles of the other. Red lined both her eyes and bloomed on her nose.

My mind tugged me to the last time she'd been so angry, so broken. Back when I was in fourth grade, I'd accidentally flown on top of her in a game of tag. We'd both ended up with skinned palms and hands. But while I was trying to figure out how to explain, this seven-year old girl had looked straight at me, daggers in her gaze. "You should be sorry."

I am sorry, Maddy.

Once we were old enough to keep from arguing about who started it, I'd simply said- "I just didn't want you to break your bones."

"I'm sorry." I looked into her eyes- dark brown, just like mine.

"You shouldn't be." Maddy looked out the window for a moment, expression unreadable- just two shining eyes and pressed lips. If I didn't know better, I'd have said she was about to cry. "What about breakfast?"

I winced. "Too soon."

"If it's any comfort..." Maddy paused. "It couldn't have been her."

"Her, who?" Maddy was confusing and scaring me at the same time.

"Her." She seemed uncomfortable, but went on anyway. "The report didn't say anything about fires, or even fire-related injuries, so... Yeah, it wasn't her."

"Inferno?"

"Madeline." My sister crossed her arms and leaned on her closet. "I know I've been... suspecting Madeline from the start, but this time, it couldn't have been her. Because-"