Chaotic Good | the umbrella academy

FIFTEEN

CHAPTER FIFTEEN
' DO YOU FIND
IT FUNNY ? '

Eddie sat alone on a bench, the snow poured from the sky, smothering the ground and her as she stared at it with no emotion caressing her face. The small white specks littered her hair and the dark coloured coat that covered her shoulders. Her eyes flickered to the coffin that stood solemnly, freshly placed, her hands clasped in her trouser-covered lap as she blinked a few times.

A figure lowered into the seat beside her, and her eyes remained on the ground, arresting no emotion within them. They readjusted themselves, and her eyes flickered up.

Klaus gave her a smile. 'He doesn't blame you, you know,' he commented.

'I don't think it matters whether he does or doesn't. Nothing changes the turn of events,' Eddie replied monotonously.

'I think it's quite liberating, really.' Eddie let out a hum as she sighed, turning to face him as she kicked up her feet, crossing them under her. 'Your captivating a-patheticness-ness-ness.'

Eddie squinted. 'That's not how you pronounce it, or the right word form.'

He waved a hand. 'Doesn't matter. They're all there, crying their eyes out and look at you. Staring longingly at the ground.'

'Are you drunk, Klaus?'

'Oh no, I'm high!'

Eddie let a sharp piece of air leave her nose. 'They all look the same when you've consumed them.' Her eyes fell on the scenery. 'It's easier out here. I don't have to act. Don't have to force myself to cry. Force the guilt.'

'Do you want to cry?' he asked, his eyes softening as she moved her head to face him.

'Something is telling me I should because he's my brother. But, I know I did the best thing in that situation. He was in pain. He had no hope.' She looked away again.

The door of the house was thrown open, and Eddie let out a sigh, closing her eyes. She lifted her hand and began to massage her head as the footsteps stormed toward her. She blinked at the ground instead of looking at them.

'The best thing in that situation?' Allison questioned loudly, her voice wavering. 'You don't even have any ounce of guilt, do you?'

Eddie rolled her shoulders as her eyes flickered up eventually. 'It's ignorant to comment on concepts you fail to understand,' she replied calmly.

'Is this a joke?' she questioned after a moment.

'Do you find it funny?' she replied, getting to her feet as she tilted her head. Allison took a step back as they looked into each other's eyes. 'You don't know the full picture, Allie, so don't come barging in on things you could never understand. You don't know what it's like for either of us. So it would be lovely, for once, to not hear your insanely-irritating, high-pitched, whiny voice. This isn't something you can rumour into working for you, because, for the first time in your life, you've now realized you're completely useless.' She glared at her with a blind fury behind her eyes. 'So why don't you go back to trying to make his death about you, and leave me out of it.' Allison was breathing heavily as she stared at Eddie with wide eyes. Even Klaus' mouth parted as his eyes flickered between the two girls. Eddie gave a sarcastic smile as she went to move away. 'Have a nice day, dear sister.'

'I heard a rumour-' Eddie froze, her eyes glazing over -'that you feel guilty, that you think you killed him out of pure spite! I heard a rumour that you think that you're a monster, that you blame yourself so much that you despise everything about you!'

Eddie's eyes cleared for a moment as she swayed. Silence filled the courtyard as tension rose between them. Everything remained as it was, Eddie's eyes flickering to the side as she changed in no way.

'I heard a rumour,' Allison spoke up once more, her voice composed. 'That every emotion you feel is dialled up to the point where it physically hurts.'

The sky went dark, the garden went a deathly quiet and everything began to freeze. Eddie was still as the snow around her feet began to melt, the grass turning yellow. The door blasted open as the remaining Umbrella Academy burst into the garden.

'Number Eight!' Hargreeves roared, but no sound left his mouth. She seemed not to notice him as she stared blankly at a wall. A strike of lightning struck the ground near her, the wind picking up. A form near Klaus began to pulsate, becoming more and more visible.

'Eddie!' Allison cried. 'I heard a rumour that you forgot!' she shouted desperately. 'I heard a rumour-'

A tear cascaded down Eddie's face as she swayed for a moment before collapsing in a heap. As if nothing had happened, the sky brightened, the snow began to fall, and the birds began to sing their songs once more.

They all caught their breath as they stared at Eddie, who lay motionless on the ground.