Shattered Sunshine

Group Therapy

Ray

It had initially been a relief to know that Oscar was back, though I couldn't explain why, nor had I really acknowledged that I had been concerned over the fact that he had not returned. I refused to acknowledge that I had slept lightly, listening like a soldier on watch for the sound of him walking toward his own home not far from my window.

If he noticed me, and I was aware of how hard it would have been for him not to see me with the horses, he didn't look my way, walking with a single determination to keep his eyes on the ground, though I could see anger in his features. I went through my mind, wondering if he had somehow figured out what exactly I was feeling for him and if his reaction had anything to do with it, or me. I didn't even know what I was feeling for him, an attachment, surely. An attraction, but beyond that I had no experience in these things.

I didn't see him for the rest of the day, though I found myself straining to hear him or even scent him as I walked through the grounds. So much so that I know I didn't perform my job to the standards that I should have been, though no one seemed to notice. At least the worry over Oscar kept me from contemplating the task that lay ahead of me before supper.

When I was reminded of the time by Kyle, I nodded and walked to the building that housed most of the other adult participant's group activities. I had avoided it, with the conscious effort to give these people the space they no doubt wanted from someone like me, and felt the tension build as I stepped through the door.

Signs pointed me from a modest lobby with posters, books and benches, down a hallway to a room containing chairs that sat in a circle. Doctor Heffenen was sitting on one of the chairs, writing something down when I walked in, but the sudden silence from the dozen others in the room drew her to look up.

"Ray. You came. Welcome. There's coffee or juice over there." She smiled at me, then nodded to a table that had a couple containers that must have contained the mentioned beverages. But there were three people standing there, all supernaturals, tensing as they glanced my way.

Instead of bothering them, I silently moved to one side of the circle, as far away from everyone else as I could get. I focused on the doctor, watching the supernaturals filter in to sit on the other side of the circle, even going so far as to edge their chairs away. They wanted to be as far from me as they could, as I had expected.

"Alright. So we have a new member joining us today. I want to hear how this makes everyone feel." She pushed on, apparently unperturbed by their discomfort.

Silence stretched, until finally I sighed and stood. "I think this was a mistake. I'll just go."

"Why? Too afraid to look us in the eyes, to see what you've done?" A middle aged woman, most likely a shapeshifter if I could read it right, snarled softly, her words freezing me in place.

"No." I whispered, standing in place, forcing myself to do just that. I saw the pain, the anger and the fear reflected back at me. I saw people, forced my brain to acknowledge that these were real, hurting people, not the monsters I had been trained to see my whole life. "I just know I'm not welcome here."

"Everyone is welcome in Knight Corp's circle of forgiveness." A young man with a long scar crossing his face quipped, leaning back against his chair and crossing his arms over his chest. "Haven't you read the pamphlets?"

I blinked, trying to remember what documents I had received. Finally, I shook my head. "No, they never gave me any of those."

"Your people. You monsters... killed innocents. Kidnapped and tortured so many." An old man murmured, his features changing into that reminiscent of a wolf, before turning back human. "My entire family. Children, grandchildren. Wife, brothers... Hunters wiped them all out. Because we weren't human."