Silent Heroes: Wildcat

Chapter 51: Vigilante Wildcats

"Are you entirely sure this is necessary, Deanna?"

"Isaac, people judge each other based on appearances," Deanna said.  She didn't look at Isaac: she was focused on me.  Sweeping blush across my cheek-bones while I stood perfectly motionless.  "That's just a fact of life.  What are they going to think if Eve walks out there looking like she just spent all day running barefoot through the woods?"

"Umm, through a parking garage, actually," Reza said.

"And a huge corporate building owned by a complete jacka-" 

"Be nice, Jewel," Deanna said.

"We're wasting time, here," Isaac said.  "The longer we wait, the bigger the crowds are going to get."

I wiped sweaty palms on my thighs.  The urge to vomit was getting stronger every second.  Deanna had asked me repeatedly to sit still while she fussed with my appearance, but I was finding it exceedingly difficult. 

"We could just... you know sneak away or something," I suggested.  My throat was so tight that I could hardly speak.

"Evelyn, I explained this to you already," Isaac said.  "We can't simply walk away when the public has seen something like that.  It could be disastrous."

"But-" 

"Eve, look up at the ceiling and try not to blink."

I followed Deanna's instructions while miniature tremors raced up and down my spine.  I was actually kind of grateful for the simplicity she was bringing to the situation.  She wasn't asking me to make a completely improvised, world-altering speech to thousands, perhaps millions of people.  A speech that would likely be played on every single news station all over the world for days and weeks and maybe even decades to come. She wasn't asking me to reveal a massive secret the entire world.  All she wanted was for me to hold perfectly still while she applied a coal black liner to my lower eyelids.

I tried to focus only on that.  On keeping my arms and legs steady.  On keeping  my head tilted slightly backwards.  I focused on the cool, gentle pressure being applied to my eye-lids and the look of concentration on Deanna's face...

Nope, not working.  I still wanted to throw up.

Deanna caught my eye and gave me a reassuring smile.  "Listen, Eve, don't worry.  We'll be right there with you."  She looked my up and down.  "Okay, let's deal with that hair."

"What's wrong with my hair?"

"It's looks like you just stuck your finger in an electrical socket.  Here,"  she rummaged around in her purse and pulled out a black elastic band.  "How about we tie it back?"

I hated having my hair pulled back.  All that mass and volume scrunched up and wrenching on the back of my scalp.  It never failed to give me a headache.

But, I didn't protest.  I had bigger problems to worry about at the moment.

I planted my feet in place while Deanna forced my hair into a tight bun, leaving a few curls loose around my face.  What the heck was I going to say to all those people?  How was I going to explain this?  Where would I even start?

And, more importantly, how were they going to react?  Would they even believe me?  Would I believe all this if I were in their position?

"Remember, Evelyn," Isaac said.  "This is going to be a big shock to most of the people out there.  Try and ease them into it."

"Umm, right," I said.  Like I had any idea what that meant.  Seemed like pretty vague advice to me.

"There may also be a few skeptics.  Although... considering what they just saw... maybe not as many as you might expect.  In either case, they'll ask you some tough questions."