Decay - The Matter Maelstrom

Fourteen || Choice

The morning sun streams through the windows of the X-Mansion, casting soft, golden light across the room. It's a peaceful day, the kind that would normally bring comfort and a sense of home. But today, that light feels like a spotlight, revealing every flaw, every crack in the facade I've been trying to hold together.

I sit on the edge of my bed, staring out at the sprawling lawn beyond the window. The mansion is quiet, the usual morning bustle subdued, as if the whole place is holding its breath, waiting for something to happen. Maybe they're all just giving me space after everything that's happened. After what I almost did.

I run my fingers through my hair, my thoughts drifting back to that moment—standing over Charles, my hands around his throat, his eyes wide with shock and fear as I squeezed, unable to stop myself. I shake my head, trying to force the memory away, but it lingers, like a stain I can't wash out.

You should have been stronger, a voice inside me whispers.

You should have stopped him.

I let out a long breath, rubbing my temples as if I could physically massage the guilt out of my mind. It doesn't work, of course. It never does. The truth is, no matter how many times Charles, Alex, or Raven tells me it wasn't my fault, that Echo was controlling me, I can't let it go. Because I know, deep down, that I wasn't strong enough. And that weakness nearly cost Charles his life.

I've been thinking about it for days now, turning the idea over and over in my mind like a rough stone in my hand, trying to find a way to smooth out the edges. I've never been one to run from a fight, but this... this feels different. More personal. More dangerous. And the thought of staying here, surrounded by people I could hurt again—it's suffocating.

I can't let Echo do that to me again. I can't let him use me as a weapon against the people I care about. Against the people I love.

But what other choice do I have? If I stay, Echo will come for me again. And next time, I might not be able to fight him off. Next time, I might actually kill Charles.

The thought of that, of Charles lying lifeless because of me, is more than I can bear. The decision I've been avoiding crystallizes in my mind, solidifying with a cold, hard certainty.

I have to leave.

I'll find Echo myself. End this nightmare before it can get worse. Before I can do any more harm.

But as soon as I think it, doubt creeps in. Leaving the X-Mansion means leaving everything behind — the only family I've ever known, the only home I've ever had. It means leaving Charles, and the connection we've built, the trust he's placed in me despite everything.

Charles.

I can't help but feel like I'm betraying him, abandoning him when he might need me the most. But what if staying means betraying myself? Betraying the person I want to be, the person I need to be to stop Echo?

I stand up, pacing the room, my emotions in turmoil. The decision is tearing me apart. Every step I take, every turn I make, brings me back to the same question: Can I really do this? Can I really leave him behind?

There's a soft knock on the door, pulling me out of my thoughts. I stop, heart pounding, as Charles' voice comes through the door, calm and steady as always.

"Darling? May I come in?"

I hesitate for a moment before answering, my voice barely above a whisper. "Yes, Charles."

The door opens, and Charles wheels himself into the room, his presence a calming force against the storm inside me. He closes the door behind him, and for a moment, we just look at each other, the silence thick with unspoken words.