Aymee Parker B2 - The Cursed Mark

Chapter 49 : Sparks

Hepz's POV

Hepzibah watched her rush off. Fake-Hecate looked angry. Against her? Why would it matter to her if she was relieved her mother died or not?

Hepzibah craned her neck hesitantly. Finally, she grumbled and she stood up. Aymee didn't really seem to understand what she meant. Did she really have to explain herself?

Hepzibah came out of the arena and looked around for her. She barely had time to see her auburn hair disappear behind the door of the Big House. Hepzibah hesitated for a good two minutes. She didn't want to run into the alcoholic god or the oldest old man she'd ever met. Finally, the Giantess made up her mind and went up the hill to enter.

Hepzibah suddenly stopped when she heard her name. It was her indulgence to eavesdrop, and even more so if it concerned her. It was always handy to know what gossips were saying about you. That way you can turn the, to your advantage. Only, in this situation, it was more out of curiosity that she stopped. Maybe even out of embarrassment. Hepzibah leaned back against the wall and leaned slightly to hear better.

"I don't understand," she heard Aymee's voice. "How can she be like that?"

There was a moment of silence before her interlocutor answered. Hepzibah then recognized the voice of the Activities Director.

"You know, Aymee," Chiron spoke softly. "There are people... How can I put it? When things touch them too closely, they push everything away. Friends, emotions, memories... It's too much for them, so they block everything. They protect themselves with indifference, otherwise it's too much."

"... You think Hepzibah is like that?" she asked in a small hoarse voice.

"I'm not in her head... It's a possibility."

Hepzibah walked around the house trying to find a window through which she could see, in vain. She leaned against the wall again, her hands in her pockets. They mumbled other things before she heard the door open. They said one last thing and Hepzibah heard Aymee's footsteps crunching the gravel of the path. When she was far enough, Hepzibah emerged from her semblance of hiding. Chiron was still there, with his back to her, watching Aymee go. Hepzibah clenched her fists.

"Why did you lie to her?"

Chiron turned around. If he was surprised that she was there, he didn't let it show. He smiled enigmatically. Hepzibah growled. She hated when people did that.

"Did I lie?"

"Stop making things up. What are you, millennial? Aren't you old enough to know people?"

Chiron raised an eyebrow. Hepzibah felt her spark of anger turn into a flame. She really didn't like his little know-it-all look.

"I have no emotions! Even as a kid I never cried, not even when I was hurt. I can't cry, it's not in my DNA! She's not wrong when she says I'm a freak."

"Aymee didn't say that," Chiron calmly corrected her.

"Maybe, but she thinks so. Everyone thinks so!"

"And does it affect you?"

"You're dreaming," Hepzibah sighed. "Other than anger, I have no emotions. I can't help it: I'm like that. It's dishonest to pretend otherwise just to satisfy a girl's pink world dream."

Chiron shook his head sadly.

"Aymee doesn't have pink world dreams."

"But of course. In any case, she seems to think she has to save everyone. But she doesn't seem to understand people don't need to be saved."