Prismatic ⇒ Avengers [ 2 ]

Settling Cold

I don't dare to read full sentences of the travesty, but certain phrases do jump out.

Bloodbath-

Father of three-

Killer at large-

Calls for remaining teenagers to answer to-

"It's probably not a good idea to read any of that." When I look up, Killian's head is poked around the door. I blink, pushing my hanging curls from my eyes, and try to assemble my face into some sort of composure.
"How'd you know I'm reading it?"
"Because I was." The door swings open a little wider. "Wanna talk?"

No, I want to die.

"Yeah." I close the laptop, hugging it to my chest as he crosses the carpeted floor, barefoot. He moves slightly awkwardly out of water, as if he's not sure of his footing, his overly large body slightly hunched, as if he's too aware of his own height. He folds his legs under himself, and waits, drumming his fingers on his thigh- it seems I'm not the only one with a tapping tic.

"I should have killed him that day- I could have killed him."

His taunting face haunts me.

"You love me. You can't kill me. You love me."
"I despise you."
"Then end me."

I didn't do it. I didn't do it and I should have, I needed to. Even worse, I let him get away.

"Would you be any better than him, if you did?" Killian reasons in soft silver, shining faintly under the lights of my room.
"Seven people would be alive, if I did. I don't care what I'd be."
"That's a dangerous thing to think." I don't know when everyone became so wise, but apparently this coming of knowledge missed me out. ''Thats how monsters are made."

"I just- I'm scared he was right." I loosen my vice-grip on the laptop. "I'm scared that I wouldn't be able to do it, if the time came. I'm scared that I still care- and what if I ruin it all because of that? What if he hurts more people? What am I supposed to do?"
"Defeat him. Defeat them both. I'll be right there with you."
"You really think I could do that?" I scoff. His eyes are deadly serious.
"I've always thought there's been something of a hero about you." He pauses. "This isn't the only thing bothering you, is it?"

"You want me to make a list?" I joke tiredly. "I-" how to phrase it? "Jo saw something." I can't just say it- but then, what other way is there? The words have been hanging on my tongue for so long, weighing down my mouth every time I ponder telling someone. "She said she saw me die."

I see the shock flicker in his eyes, but to his eternal credit, he doesn't panic. "Did she say when, how, where?"
"No. So basically, it could be anywhere, anytime, any place." My voice trembles. "How am I supposed to live with that hanging over me? The next time I leave the tower, it could be my last day alive."
"I wouldn't be so dramatic- Brynn," Killian scoffs, to my surprise, "there are very few things that could kill you. It couldn't be something as simple as being hit by a car or getting caught up in a mugging- it would have to be something... Well, big."

I hadn't even thought of that. Hurray for indestructibility. Unfortunately, that must mean it'll be something like a bloody nuclear bomb to take me down. It's not a definite that this is going to happen anyway. Stop being so damn morbid.

"She told me something, too."
"Really?" I'm slightly floored by his sudden confession. "What did she say?" Please not a death prediction, please-
"She said she saw me drown New York." Whoa. "A huge tidal wave, or something. I mean, I can't even control all the water in the swimming pool." He sounds genuinely frightened. "Why would I do something like that? Why would I ever do something like that?"