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"Ab-about me?!" Alysa stuttered in disbelief.
Rodney continued to hold his gaze on Al as she turned to Jared in confusion.
"Wha-what are they saying ..." Alysa began, turning to Rodney.
When she was met with silence she rephrased her question.
"What are people saying about me Rodney?" She asked, steeling herself for the most likely unpleasant response.
"People are noticing the differences around town since you arrived." Rodney said with no emotion in his voice. Alysa could hardly believe this was the same person she had been joking with a few hours earlier.
~*~
No.
~*~
"There have been rumors." He said as Jared shifted his gaze to a small corner of the room.
~*~
It's too soon.
~*~
"About the changes in the weather -" Rodney kept talking but his words grew more and more muffled by the ringing Alysa now heard.
~*~
This can't be -
~*~
" - and the stale wind." He hadn't registered that Alysa was no longer hearing him.
~*~
happening.
~*~
Her thoughts thrashed in her head telling her to run, to get out while she could.
~*~
Not now.
~*~
"Alysa?" Rodney was now standing much closer to her.
"Did you hear anything I just said?" He said concern, growing prominent in his eyes.
"N-no. I'm sorry I -" Alysa shook away the shouts in her head, or at least tried to, and looked for Jared - but he was no longer there.
~*~
Where is he?
~*~
"We need to get you out Al -" He said, placing his hands on her shoulders to ground her in reality.
~*~
I can't leave him.
~*~
"No. I'm not - I can't - " Alysa said, shaking out of his grasp and falling against a table, as tears began to well in her eyes.
Rodney approached her again calmly saying, "Alysa this is for the best - "
~*~
It's for the best. A voice from her past - a voice she couldn't quite place.
Did it belong to someone she loved?
If you stayed with me. ~ Benjamin
Someone she trusted.
You need to leave. ~ His father.
Those she respected.
You're a danger to the coven. ~ The Elders
People she needed.
You're no longer welcome. ~ Her family.
Everyone she once knew?
It's for the best. ~ The coven.
~*~
"ALYSA!" Rodney shouted, shaking her.
"We need to go now!" He said, attempting to pull her up, but she merely retreated to a corner of the room.
"Shit - Al. We gotta -" Rodney was interrupted by an angry shout from the main store.
-_-_-_-
"Where is she?"
-_-_-_-
"Al - I've gotta ..." Rodney said looking down at the catatonic state Alysa was in.
-_-_-_-
"The witch!"
-_-_-_-
"I'll be back I promise." He said, moving towards the partition.
~*~
I'll be back. ~ Not again ...
A concerned caregiver.
Don't worry. ~ Her grandmother.
An abusive parent.
No one will find you. ~ His father.
A manipulative flame.
You only need me. ~ Ben
A worried relative.
Don't try to leave. ~ Her father.
A lost sibling.
I'll be back. ~ Her brother.
~*~
Then she heard muffled voices, similar to the voices one hears while submerged under water.
She could register the voices belonging to Rodney and Jared, but not what was said.
~*~
Conflict. There's conflict.
~*~
Alysa raised her head and saw Jared glaring at her with a heated passion, she stifled the tears she hadn't realized were falling.
"You told me you knew something. You called it a vision." He said.
~*~
Cold. Why is he so cold?
~*~
She felt herself nodding.
~*~
What is going on?
~*~
"It was something to do with the town wasn't it. Our home?" Jared said plainly. Turning to Rodney behind him for backing.
~*~
Guilt. Why is there guilt - is Rodney guilty?
No.
Not more conflict.
~*~
Alysa shut her eyes as she sensed a wave of anger pouring into the room.
"You know something. What do you know?!" Someone said. No. Someone shouted.
~*~
Jared.
~*~
"Stop!" She felt herself yell, matching the tension she felt inside herself and now the room.
"He didn't do anything wrong, Jared. I did." She said, reaching out to him.
Jared whipped around with such force he nearly knocked Alysa off her feet.
~*~
How do I say this?
~*~
"Jared. I ... I should've told you days ago." Alysa began.
"Well? Say it already!" Jared glared down at Al.
~*~
Deep breaths, Al. Deep breaths.
~*~
"This town - it's all doomed to burn down to ashes and I don't know how to stop it."
Jared gripped Al by her shirt and shoved her against a wall.
"This was your plan all along?! To get close, close enough to care, and then destroy us all?" He said, tightening his grip as Alysa froze in shock beneath him.
"N-no." She tried to refute but Jared was blinded by the rage of his past.
"DON'T LIE!" He screamed before Rodney tore him away, stepping in between him and Al.
"Jared stop." Rodney said, pushing Jared back.
"NO! That lying -" Jared fought trying to push past Rodney.
"This isn't about her -" Rodney said calmly, re-centering Jared's focus on him.
"How is this not about her?" Jared said in a lower volume, but just as infuriated.
"It's about your parents. What Daryl said -" Rodney began.
"No. It's -" Jared shook his head falling back into one of the lounge chairs for support.
"Look around you - look at her!" Rodney said exasperated, gesturing about the room and to Al; who was frozen in shock and fear still pressed almost flat against the wall.
"This isn't about some stupid prophecy -" Rodney said approaching his friend.
"She waited 'cause she was trying to protect you-" Rodney reasoned as Jared looked up into Alysa's eyes. The pair fearful of each other and themselves.
"To protect us -" Rodney said, guiding Alysa over, so they all sat in a triangle.
"So don't do a 180 and flip like this man, it isn't her fault." Rodney scolded.
"Al- I -" Jared tried but couldn't find the words to express an apology for his actions and assumptions.
"Jar - It's ok-" She began.
"No. It's not bloody okay. I took my past out on you and that wasn't fair." He shook his head.
"We all have our own demons dear." She smiled softly.
"Heh - Daryl the Demon, has a certain ring to it no?" Rodney joked.
The three broke into laughter -
And for a moment ...
They weren't troubled or broken.
They weren't hurt or spiteful.
They weren't burdened or strange.
They were three people.
They were human.
They were unique.
But all moments . . .
Have to end.
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