With Fear or Without

5- Confession of Insanity

"Okay, there's something I should tell you. A couple things, really..." and she launched into her story, staring at the very beginning with the dream of her locker. She explained how the events more or less came true and that they happened at the same time. Then she told them about last night's dream. Her voice faltered in places, stopping to think about to explain without sounding like a lunatic. It was sort of embarrassing at first, especially because she had chosen to start off by saying she had a dream about a boy. That got a snort from Charlie and some raised eyebrows from Andy, but they didn't interrupt. They listened silently as Cleo stumbled over the words, finally managing to get out how he was real- real and in trouble. Asking for her help. She added the building in, the shackles on his wrists, his warning about whoever- whatever- was supposedly coming after Cleo. She paused. She didn't want to talk about what came next. She didn't want to admit that it had scared her more than anything. She didn't want to admit that just thinking about it made her breathing difficult and that the experience had brought her back to the night she was stuck, young, lonely, afraid, in the middle of roaring winds, unable to hear her own voice...

She ended the story with Cassian vanishing. "When I woke up... I found this." She waved her hand at the note on the table, looking at her friends for the first time since she started speaking. She expected to see... well, she wasn't sure. Pity? Just straight-up confusion? Whatever she expected, the truth surprised her.

Charlie's eyes flitted back and forth, trying to figure the pieces of the puzzle and fit everything together so it made sense. Their fingers drummed against the table rhythmically. Andy's expression was harder to read. Cleo thought she might get some disbelief from her, but there was definitely concern. Not for Cleo's sanity per se, but for her well-being and safety, which Cleo appreciated.

Rowana's was by far the more unsettling reaction. Her face was painted with fear, her eyes wide in shock and lips slightly parted as she stared at Cleo. As soon as Cleo looked at her, Rowana looked away quickly, staring instead at her fingers as she twisted a silver ring on her finger.

"Cleo..." Rowana said gently, forcing the fear off her face, "that must have been really scary, seeing what happened yesterday. Why... why didn't you tell us sooner?" Rowana looked at Cleo again. It was her turn to look away this time.

"I don't know. I was confused. I thought you all might think I was crazy."

"Are you kidding?" Charlie piped up. "Of course this is crazy. But that doesn't mean we don't believe you. I mean, it's too weird not to be true. And that?" They pointed at the Andy was inspecting. "That proves it."

"So," Cleo looked around at them again, relief flooding through her. "You believe me?"

Cleo looked at Andy in particular, who was still reading the note. When she looked at Cleo, the response was more surprising still.

"I don't believe you lied about anything, if that's what you're asking me," Andy said. "But I do think there's an explanation, a logical one that makes sense."

Cleo smiled at that. "I hope so."

"So when are we doing this?"

Cleo's smile faded, replaced by a questioning look. "Doing... what exactly?"

Andy glanced at Charlie and Rowana, silently seeking their backup. "I mean, we have to find out what this Cassian was going on about." She flipped her palms up on the table. "I can't be the only one who's curious."

"Well sure, I for one want to see this guy for myself, but...." Charlie shook their head. "We have no idea what we'd be walking into. Who is this guy? Why's he all chained up in the first place? Is he even the 'good guy'" they curled their fingers in air quotes, "or is there a good reason he's got those shackles on him?"

This logic surprised Cleo. She thought that Charlie would be up for the action, no questions asked. They were always the one trying to drag them to different places and activities, never content with just sitting around or hanging out. They always wanted to be doing something exciting. So, when Charlie was the first to suggest that rushing in might be a bad idea, it was almost enough to convince Cleo not to think about going to this address blindly. Almost. Instead, it made the part of her fighting to know, that needed to know, that much stronger.

"You weren't there, Charlie," Cleo said quietly. "The look on his face, the way he talked about whatever was coming after me..." she trailed off. Next to her, Rowana still looked as if she had seen a ghost and was trying her best to stay calm.

"We have to go. We have to have him to tell you what he was talking about, if nothing else," said Andy, crossing her arm defiantly and staying firm. She locked eyes with Cleo. "I know you need to know. I'm coming with you. As soon as possible."

Cleo nodded.

"What happened to 'I can't sneak out again'?" Charlie demanded.

Andy shrugged. "This is different."

Charlie looked back and forth between them a couple times before sighing. "If you're gonna do it, of course I'm coming." They sat forward and pointed a finger at both of them. "But if this is a trap, or we end up freeing some crazed maniac, I'm not afraid to say I told you so."

"Good to know," Andy chuckled.

Cleo focused on Rowana again, confused and a bit anxious at how she reacted to the story. Rowana didn't seem to be listening to the conversation and was now fingering the pendant on her necklace.

"Rowana?" Cleo asked, hoping to get reassurance that going to this mystery address was a good idea. At least, the better idea.

"Well I'm not about to let you three idiots go without me," Rowana said, shaking the fear off her face and giving them a smirk. "But I do think we should be careful. We can't just walk in, we have no idea what this place is. Seems like a stealth mission to me."

The four of them nodded in agreement.

"Well, now we just need excuses for where we're going tonight," Charlie said. They grinned mischievously. "Who's up for an old fashioned group project we just so happened to procrastinate on?"