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Disclaimer: Everyone recognized
is Marvel's. None recognized, mine.
Synopsis: A relative learns that interfering in someone's
life for her own good can hurt more than help.
Archiving/Feedback: Archive all you want, just ask
me first please. Feedback is loved, except for flames.
It's Tuesday today. Ah pick up the piece of chalk and scrape
a line beside the one I scraped on Monday on the concrete
wall. By Friday Ah'll put a slash across it. That'll make
it fifty-five days and five years since Ah came here.
Everythin' looks familiar, and feels comfortable. A field
of sweet grass, sky full o' stars and a gentle breeze, and
a pretty little house that Ah sleep in. It's always night
here. The only thing marrin' the landscape is the ugly, fifteen-foot
concrete wall that I count mah days here on.
It's rather boring here at times, but Ah can say it's bettah
than being dead--or out there. Ah did a lot o' stupid things
then, even after mah sis or Rogue, as she calls herself, came
to stay, permanently. At least she visits me from time to
time. She takes care o' me, she loves me. Always has, though
Ah don't deserve it.
Ah remember the day that happened, the day Ah touched her--Ah
don't like to think about it.
Ah feel her presence before she arrives and Ah turn to greet
her. We hug and go to the house, where Ah've baked some chocolate
chip cookies, her favorite. She smiles and we chat of various
things …mostly o' what she's been doin' since Ah don't
have much o' a life here.
She talks about that Cajun again. She knows Ah don't approve
o' that swamprat. Ah know he'll hurt her bad someday, but
Ah don't say anythin'. She knows what Ah'm thinkin' anyway.
She gits angry and we fight.
She leaves. Ah sit down an' cry. Ah know she'll be back soon,
to apologize, but Ah hate it. We nevah used tah fight, unless
it was together 'gainst somethin', like that Danvers girl
Ah was stupid enough to absorb. Luckily sis took over 'fore
Ah could do worse. It's that Cajun's fault.
She won't be happy with that scum. Ah know he'll betray her
and those X-Men she's so chummy with. After all, Ah saw his
mem'ries when sis kissed him. Ah can't believe she did that-it's
like somethin' Ah'd do, somethin' reckless. Ah wonder if she
remembers anythin' she saw. Ah doubt it, but just in case,
Ah locked up those horrible images in a box--with the help
o' mah powers--where she'll nevah find them.
Ah feel sleepy and get ready fo' bed. Before Ah go to sleep
Ah look at the sky o' stars. It ain't just a plain ol' sky,
it's sorta -- well, Ah guess you could call it mah window
to the outside world. It's like Ah'm seein' through sis's
eyes. She's fightin' some battles 'gainst some baddies. The
Cajun's right beside her. Ah'm so tempted to make her swing
her fist 'gainst his head--it's mah body after all; Ah'm just
lettin' her use it. But Ah don't--she loves him an' it would
hurt her so bad if Ah harmed him.
Ah go to sleep praying he'll die.
When Ah wake up Ah look at the sky. Sis's in--a cave? Trapped--with
him an' some other little blonde girl an' a monster. She's
looks familiar. From what Ah see, the Cajun knows her. Then
Ah realize that mah powers're negated. Oh God--this means
trouble.
The box of mem'ries breaks open. There's nothin' Ah can do
to stop it--all those mem'ries breakin' free to torment sis.
Ah run after them and try to stop them but somethin' horrible
an' familiar distracts me.
A figure in a dark cloak appears before me.
It's Death. Silent and still--he reaches fo' me with a pale
hand. He's visited me before -- he started comin' after Ah
absorbed sis into me--but she's always protected me, kept
him away. Ah scream fo' help an' run. He follows. Ah wish
foah sis to come an' protect me but she's got her own problems.
Ah run an' run--not realizing what's goin' on with mah sis.
But eventually Death disappears. Ah've escaped again.
I look up at the sky. Some guy in a fancy red suit in puttin'
the Cajun on trail and sis is kissin' him! Ah cry out but
Ah can't stop the mem'ries floodin' her head. Ah know she'll
find out the truth--it'll break her heart. Ah gotta do somethin'
so Ah reach and take over. Ah feel mah body--it's been so
long. Sis's screamin' at me--tellin' me to let her handle
it, but Ah don't listen. With a few cold words Ah leave that
heart-breaker behind in the snow.
Days pass. Ah don't let sis take over fo' a while, 'cause
Ah know she'll go back to look fo' him. Ah wait 'till Ah'm
sure she's calmed down a bit, then Ah let her take over again.
Ah apologize, tell her it's fo' her own good. She doesn't
reply. I look at the sky and see her cryin'. Ah realize that
she still loves the creep.
Breaks my heart to find out Ah'm the one doin' the hurtin'.
Ah withdraw into the little house. Ah stay there and Ah don't
come out. Ah don't even look at the sky. She doesn't visit-well;
she comes once and calls mah name. Ah don't answer 'cause
Ah know she's still angry with me. She leaves and Ah don't
see her again.
Death's been comin' around. He just stands for hours in his
long black coat outside the house. He don't chase me no more.
Ah wonder why but Ah don't ask. Ah guess Ah should feel frightened,
like Ah used to. But Ah'm not.
It surprised me at first that sis didn't come to chase him
away. Then Ah realize Ah always had to scream fo' help 'fore
she'd come runnin'. Ah'm tempted to call -- but Ah don't.
Ah'm so afraid she won't answer.
The silence drives me crazy. Sis don't come by no more and
you really can't expect Death to hold a good conversation
with you, can you?
Ah can't take it no more--sis not comin' by--and me feelin'
like a wicked stepsister--Ah just go out the house one day
and stomp up to Death, waitin' for me like a groom at the
end o' the aisle. Ah scream at him, askin' what he wants.
The answer he gives chills me.
He wants sis. Mah sweet little sis who always took care o'
me even though Ah'm older. Who always protected me, always
loved me, with no questions asked; just like that Cajun, Ah
now realize; even when Ah did such terrible things to her,
like suckin' out the life o' her and draggin' her into me.
She's long overdue, he says. Her body's long dead--and the
one she's usin' has an owner who's still alive. Me.
Ah ask why he chased me instead o' her, then. He don't answer-just
looks at me. He says he'll finally get her, soon, very soon.
Not on mah life, he won't.
Ah take a look at the house, the field o' grass-and, finally,
the starry sky. Sis is talkin' to the Cajun. I shift through
a bit o' his mem'ries still dancin' around--and Ah finally
realize, that maybe, just maybe the swamprat really loves
sis. That's all Ah can count on.
Ah tell him Ah'll go in her place. He accepts--and offers
his cold, pale hand. Ah whisper good-bye to sis.
I take his hand--and the stars disappear...
Rogue suddenly turned away from Remy, tears running down
her cheeks. Not understanding, but knowing when quiet support
was needed he held her throughout the night, while she mourned
the passing of her beloved sister.
-Finis-
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