Chaotic Good | the umbrella academy

TEN

CHAPTER TEN
' EVERYTHING IS SO
SIMPLE HERE. '

Eddie wandered through the gardens of her world, vegetation now neatly trimmed back and decorated with variations of colourful flowers. As she followed the dirt path leading to the house, she glanced down at her simple shoes and the flowing dress rippling from her body.

Vines no longer suffocated the building's walls. Instead, they weaved around the edges of windows and the sides of the house. She moved forward, pushing the door open with her back as her eyes wandered over the pristinely painted walls and spotless laminate flooring. Before entering the house, she kicked off her shoes and directed herself to a large room.

Floor-length windows showcased the picturesque surroundings as the sun melted into the horizon, spilling its tender pools of fire across the ombre sky. She stopped before the window, her eyes dancing across the afros of leaves that sat upon the rough, scarred trunks. Abrupt movements seemed to disturb the gentle atmosphere, birds erupting from the duvets of green, their melodies caressing the air into tranquillity once again. The sun's rays managed to peep through the cluster of leaves, its amber caresses reflecting in the deep virescence in her eyes. She turned away, her eyes tracing a grand piano sitting in the centre of the room. Her fingers went to play the keys, but she stopped and lowered to sit on the stool.

How could people say it was a fantasy when everything felt so real? How could they deny its reality when she could interact so perfectly? See everything so vividly? Hear everything so vividly? Live everything so vividly?

She could exist for the rest of eternity here.

Gentle.

Calm.

Tranquil.

She could be herself. She could live. Why should she maintain control? Why should she fight the calling of the world?

Because it was just that.

A world.

A mere fantasy her mind had created for her when things got too much. Her body would shut down, and she would go to a safe place - where everything was nonexistent, apart from her.

She sighed, laying her hands on her lap, and her eyes flickered over the contrasting keys of the instrument before her. Footsteps sounded behind her, and she lamented slowly.

"Miss, you need to wake up."

She tilted her head. "And why is that, Hermes?" she replied softly. "Everything is so simple here."

"You know it isn't real," he replied, and she blinked.

"That's what makes it so fantastic." She turned, facing the man before her. "It can be whatever I want it to be. And right now, it's what I need it to be."

"An escape from reality?"

"Yes. What it's always been. Give me a reason why I should return?"

"Your siblings." A new voice interrupted, ruff and articulate.

She turned rigid before slowly turning in the direction of it. "You shouldn't be here." Eddie got to her feet. "You can't be here. How are you here? You're the reason I made this place!" The words left her in a rush, fists clenching at her sides and eyes narrowing.

Hargreeves scoffed. "You know I'm not really here, Number Eight. You know none of this is real... this... juvenile delusion of yours. You cannot run from your problems and hide away like this. Maybe I'm a manifestation of your guilt-"

"-SHUT UP!" Eddie shouted, hands moving to press against her head. "SHUT UP! SHUT UP! SHUT UP!"

"You need to wake up! You are no longer a child! Get a hold of yourself-"

The redhead let out a shrill scream, which pierced through the house, followed by a burst of energy erupting from her body, her eyes glowing. Glass shattered around them, Hargreeves and Hermes disintegrating, and the house groaned under the force applied to it.

Eddie fell to her knees, head held in her hands as it throbbed, her breathing laboured.

The silence that settled was eery in the aftermath of destruction. Only the sounds of interrupted breaths occurred - even the birds and wind had fallen mute under their master's anguish. She inhaled sharply, slowly looking up through her hair, body trembling from her crumbled heap.

A retro television sat in front of her, one that hadn't been there before and out of nowhere, she found the monocle in her hand. The redhead furrowed her eyebrows and sniffed, pushing her hair away from her face and rubbing the edges of the monocle.

The television suddenly burst into life, and her eyes flickered to it. She saw herself from the outside, and her confusion increased.

Eddie swung around in an office chair, her head dropped back as she whistled. She kicked her legs onto the desk and gazed out the window.

"Miss, Pogo is on the line," Hermes spoke.

"Hello, Miss Edelyn."

"Hey, Pogo." She smiled softly. "What do I owe this pleasure?"

"It's Grace," he replied evenly, and Eddie ran her tongue over her teeth. "It's something neither me nor your father can do," he paused. "It's something more advanced."

"What's wrong with her?"

"Nothing's wrong, necessarily. Your father wants to replace her first aid programming, but much to his dismay, it's beyond his capabilities. He has the code written. However, he needs assistance to apply it."

Eddie sighed, closing her eyes before nodding even though he couldn't see it. "Alright. I'll stop off this evening. Just... make sure he's out, yeah? I can't face that man right now."

She stared at the screen even as it switched off before her grip tightened on the monocle. Maybe she hadn't intended to, but a small piece of satisfaction formed in her chest regardless.