Race to my heart

XXIII

  Ericka was getting out of control.

  She could end up hurting us all.

  "You!" She pointed at All Might. Her hands couldn't stay still. Her entire body was shaking. Her voice broke, as she herself was slowly breaking.

  She was breaking apart. And none of else could help her. We were all too scared. Too scared to touch her. Too scared to do anything.

  "I'm leaving." She grabbed her jacket off the chair and walked off.

  We all stood silently without a move. We had no idea what to do.

  I was the first to move.

  I was the one who told her to leave. I was the one who told her I didn't need her.

  But in reality I was scared. Scared. Scared that he would come back. Scared to walk out this door. Scared of being in my own house. He could come in without a sound and take me again.

  With her, was the first time I wasn't scared.

  My feet moved on my own after her.

  They ran and ran down the stairs.

  I tried not to trip.

  I wasn't being careful. She was dangerous. All three of us were dammed with quirks that could kill.

  "Ericka." I called out to her finally.

  She didn't reply nor look back.

  "Ericka stay." She was by her motorcycle, about to drive off.

  "Ericka." I grabbed her hand. She flinched.

  "Don't touch me." She whispered. Not yelling or cursing at me. But it was a whisper with so much pain. Pain she had been holding on too. And now it was all going out.

  "Come with me. I know a place." I felt bad. I felt horrible. I shouldn't have said that.

  I shouldn't have been thinking of that place. It was our place, not hers.

  "Let's talk. You could tell me everything." Her purple eyes stared back at me. Not with anger, not with hatred, but with pain. Her eyes glittered with tears. Horrible tears.

  She didn't say anything but just got on her motorcycle. I followed behind her.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  We sat down staring at the ocean water.

  "I'm hurt." She finally broke the silence.

  I stared at her. She looked out at the ocean. Her hands balled into fists. There was no hint of smile on her face.

  "I was hurt. All the parents I had would hurt me. Because I hurt them. It felt like torture. You know that saying. 'I'll wash out your mouth with soap'? That's what each one did. They would make me eat soap. They would slap me across the mouth. They would tape my mouth. Anything to make me stop talking. Because my quirk was a curse. I was seven." She sighed. Tilting her head slightly to look at the lowering sun.

  "Each one hurt me. Until there was a point where no one wanted me. When I turned twelve I escaped that home and ran. Ran as far as I could. Then there was a man. He would wash out my mouth in different ways. Horrible ways. I wouldn't wish it on anyone. He was the first person I killed." My eyes widened but I didn't move. She's killed people before.

  "After that I didn't let anyone keep my mouth shut. I talked and talked and talked. That talking turned into cursing. I was sixteen when I stole that motorcycle. Then I just got away from California. I moved everywhere. Never stayed in a place too long so they wouldn't find me." She took a deep breath in. Closing her eyes.