Shadow's Dance (old)

Chapter 31: Physical to Mental

Jane's unbroken gaze on the ceiling lasted for hours. It was late, dark, silent. Her eyes were red from the tears that streaked down her cheeks. She laid on the floor. The bed felt too soft, like at any moment it wound swallow her up in its plush mattress.

Jane felt the rip in her side, she hadn't noticed it before but it had been there for a while. It slowly broke her, broke everyone around her, and that eventually even Moon would break. Everyone did. Loneliness stung like alcohol on it. Not even with time did it heal. She wanted to feel loved.

Every time she felt a small but of it something would go wrong.

She hadn't noticed but there was warmth against her back, arms that cradled her, and someone that made her feel safe. It was Moon looking at her with a hurt gaze. Had she said something? When did he come in?

"Hey, there she is." He said in a warm voice. "I'm not going anywhere."

"I'm sorry" She cracked out. "I'm sorry for taking you with me."

Moon spoke in a whisper as his face lightened. "I wanted to come with you J. You are the reason why so many of us can see the light."

Jane sank further into his chest. " I don't want to be a freak."

"What do you want Jane? Not what you want for me or anyone else. I'm asking what you want to become."

"I want to be a citizen. I want a driver's license. I want to do what I'm good at." She looked into his eyes. "I want to know what it means to let someone in."

He smiled. "I think you're already starting to."

Jane shifted to curl up in his lap further before whispering. "It's the memories."

His head rested on her shoulder.

"I'm scared." Her voice trembled. "I don't want to lose everything again."

"You aren't, not as long as I'm here." His arms crossed over her. "I'll stay with you till morning."

The two laid on the floor. His hair was a mess along with the wrinkled grey shirt and plaid pants. She probably didn't look any better than him with her black tank top and striped red and white shorts. They look at each other.

"I promise." Moon whispered. "I'll stay with you forever and a day."

Jane looked into his affectionate eyes that sparkles with flecks of teal into her silver ones. "Being with you doing nothing, means everything to me."

She could see the smile that crept on his lips. "You deserve someone who can't fix your problems but will try anyway."

"I remember how we looked at each other when we first met and how we set our minds on fire." Jane grinned. "Remember how we had to get through that course tied together?"

"Yea." Moon laughed. "We ended up destroying it instead, hated each others guts out."

"Then we were friends till the end."

Moon went on about the stories he recalled as Jane felt her eyes getting heavier until sleep overtook her mind.

Darkness, but warm.

It was comforting, like a blanket covering her. It felt safe, even if it was just a moment. It wasn't a happily ever after but it was a moment just like all the others.

"Moon." Jane whispered.

"Yea?" His head shifted to focus on her.

"I'm not going to pull my punches anymore. If I want to succeed I need bold strokes." Her eyes lit up back to life. "I need to change the game."

Jane raised herself up. "I be been playing by imaginary rules." A stunned expression followed by dancing eyes as her brain worked. "I've been trying to work ahead 2 to 3 steps ahead."

She turned to Moon who had propped himself up with his elbows. Jane looked at her bare hands.

"I need to change my approach, the way I'm doing it now won't be successful."

Moon got up. "Finally decided to get serious?" His eyes fully lit up. "Then let's do this."

Jane's hands lit up blue. She held an open hand infront of him.

"Like crows." He grabbed her hand as his had also started glowing.

As their hands touched flicks of lightning spewed.

"The Crows." She emphasized the beginning as her gleeful smile shown brighter than the sun.

The flickers grew into bold strokes as the two were coated in a white outline. As the lightning around surrounded them they showed confidence in a silent conversation. In a bright flash of light both of them could feel a surge through every bone. It gave them strength in knowing that the revelation was right. Neither appeared frightened by the reaction around them. Frozen in each other's grip when suddenly Moon's expression changed and he let go of Jane's hand.

Stumbling back he rubbed his eyes with one hand. Worry crossed his face as Jane gave him a puzzled look. The white lightning and glow died off and so did their regular glow.

"Why didn't you tell me?" He whispered before speaking up. "Why didn't you tell me about what would happen?

"I knew that you'd try to prevent it. In order for Nick to die by my hand, I do as well." Jane said almost ashamed of the fact. "I'm not scared to die Moon because I know you'll be here to protect all."

"You've let the game change who you are, the old Jane wouldn't have accepted it."He walked out of the room.

She stood looking at the door and spent the rest of the night sitting alone.