Robert
Its not hard to see which way Rose has come. The broken trees and the wet, muddy ground could be a clue. But its when I see the trees start to thicken again that I worry I will get lost. I don't worry for long.
A second gunshot rigs through my skull. The 'flash-bang' sound that I know very well.
Its very clear which way it came from, I can only hope there will not be another to follow.
The sound is still rattling around my head when I get to a thicker area of trees. The feeling of death leeks out of the air, the sent shoving itself up my nose.
I continue running along the leaf covered ground. The dirt that surrounds the roots of trees slowly getting thicker from when Rose stopped using her water. The rain persists.
The roots underfoot are becoming harder to see under dirt and leaves, I am forced to slow down.
I begin a weird hoppy-thing, bouncing from toe to toe around the roots. The only problem is I need my eyes downcast as not to fall. I almost run into a small white-clad figure curled on the ground. Rose.
I can't see her face but she is shaking. Curled on the ground with her fists in her hair, covered in mud and leaves. Her white hospital shirt, that she was put in at the labs is muddy and tinged with odd colours. I can't see her face, her hair falls in the way.
I look up at the scene in front of us. Kathrine and Victax are moving in on a boy shaking against the rocky wall of a little cottage.
I look down again and Rose hasn't moved from her position on the ground. I bob down next to her but don't touch her. I think she knows I'm here but she doesn't move, or talk to me, other than the violent shaking racking her body.
I look up again and see Kate and Victax dragging the kicking boy into the garden next to the bodies. Victax grabs both of his arms as Kate stands in front of the boy, kneels to his height, and puts a hand under his jaw. The boy jerks his head and tries to pull away from them both again, Victax quickly lets go of the boy entirely before clamping one arm down on his chest and the other around his forehead. He can't move is head and Kate put her hand back to cup his jaw. She looks him in the eye and then talks to him quietly. The strains against Victax at what she said but can't move more than that. Kate then stands and pushes down hard on the small bump of his jawline below his ear with her index finger.
I know what she is doing, I have seen and done this many times before.
The pressure she is applying will painfully, but effectively, make the victim pass out. Useful, if you get the right point.
Kate gets the right point every time. The boy goes limp and if it hadn't been for Victax's arms he would have fallen to the ground.
Victax hauls the child over his shoulder, swiftly kisses Kate and then they both walk quietly behind the house and no doubt into the trees beyond the fence line.
They leave the two bodies on the front lawn, the blood from their temples being washed away by the ever-worsening weather.
All that takes less than a minute and when I look down again Rose has not moved.
If she heard or knew about what had happened she didn't say it, but it was pretty clear she knew more-or-less her parents were dead.
I crouch down next to her and brush her dark hair away from her face to try read her.
She doesn't try to stop me as I carefully pull back her knotted curtain of hair.
I suck in a breath at the sight of her face.
There is blood everywhere, crusting on her face, her shirt, and its pooled on the ground under her chin.
The still-falling rain has put streaks of a lighter pink through the blood. Her eyes dart this way and that, never staying in one place. She looks at me for a second but it's a vacant look and I don't think she sees me, its more like she sees through me.
She is in shock.
The steps to take are already in the forefront of my mind from the training I was given at thirteen. Having parents who are dead set on finding people with supernatural powers means they are prepared for anything, obviously their kid needs to be prepared also.
Who knew their work would come in handy for a Moon Child?
I begin the step by step process;
Quietly I lean down and say in Rose's ear 'Rose, can you tell me what happened?'
No response.
'Rose, are you hurt? Where did the blood come from? Can you tell me?'
Its pretty obvious, my power has already probed her face and can tell she has a broken nose and a split bottom lip.
I quickly fix her lip and then go to her nose. I'll have to set it later and it will likely be a bit crooked forever, but I have a feeling she won't care.
'Ok Rose, I'm going to roll you onto your back. Is that ok with you?' I ask her quietly.
Again she doesn't answer.
I touch her shoulder and she doesn't flinch, she doesn't stop shaking either.
I grab her knee; which is curled up to her chest. She doesn't respond to that either.
I lean down again and say quietly 'Ok Rose, I'm going to move you in the count of three. If it hurts you just make a noise and I will stop, ok?'
She again doesn't do anything but her eyes are able to stay looking in the direction of my voice. Not quite at me, but better than before.
I count out loud, using the same passive voice I have said everything else in.
'One, Two..' I tighten my grip on her shoulder and knee 'three!'
I pull her slowly towards me so she is lying on her back. She stays curled up but relaxes just slightly.
To get her to calm down though I need her to be uncurled.
I talk to her before I touch her again 'Are you ok Rose? Are you hurt?'
She looks towards me again and I know she herd me. She says noting so I guess she is fine.
I move to her legs and gently hold one ankle, again she doesn't move other than her shivering.
I take that as I'm not going to fight you, keep going. I grasp her other ankle and ready to pull her legs down so she relaxes.
She gasps in pain and kicks me off with her good leg. I move out of range as she continues to thrash and kick.
I let my power probe along her leg and find her ankle is sprained. The ligament has been torn and she is probably in a lot of pain. I look into her eyes, they are focused on me and no longer roving. She is prey assessing her predator. Assessing me, I'm the predator. She is relying on animal instincts and is going to act like an animal until I can bring her back to humanity.
I try talking to her;
'Rose, its me Robert. You remember don't you? Remember who you are, Rose De Agua. You have the power to control water, and me? I can make the pain go away. In your face and your ankle. But I need you to lay straight for me, don't curl up.' I pause 'Please?' it's a question.
Her look softens but the steel is still there. I need to try harder;
'Rose please, remember who you were before. When you lost your feelings in time and you wouldn't talk. Don't go back there. It might feel safe but here is better. We- Elise and I, we need you. Not for your power, no, but for who you are and who you have made us. You, Rose, you have helped- no made me remember the people who are important and the people I need. Did you know Elise is my cousin? Well in case you didn't, she is, and I had lost her. You made me see her, really see her.
'Rose, I need you. And do you remember in your room? What I did? What you loved? Well here it is, and you don't have to love it anymore, you don't have to love me because I might forget. I spoke to Elise the other night when you were in bed and she thinks that I, umm, kissed you because it was meant to be... do you understand? Life needs Water to survive and even without this shit' I gesture to my chest and Luna's mark slightly visible beneath my saturated shirt
'you are the Water that makes my life thrive. But Rose? I love you, a-a-and I don't know what it is but I just need you so I don't forget, so I remember what is important to me and what I should look after. When you come back from where you are now, if you remember this, just know I mean every word.' I take a breath.
I didn't mean to get so deep but it all just came out. I take another breath and finish;
'come back Rose, I need you'
Then I'm done, that is what I need to say and it has been said.
And to my surprise Rose has straighten her legs and is looking at me with a quiet judgement.
So I just let her see me as I am and as I will be.