Split

Redemption

I was in the middle of the first peaceful sleep I'd had in a long time when I was woken by Hedwig shaking my shoulder. I squinted at him in the gloomy room and saw that he was grinning from ear to ear, "Casey, you'll never guess what."

"What's up?"

"Barry said that I can help him, he said that I can help keep the bad people from hurting anyone else and that I'm important to the group. And everyone is being really nice to me, etcetera."

"That's really great, Hedwig."

"Yeah, they said before that I made silly mistakes and I couldn't be trusted, but now they want me to join them. They said that I matter."

"Of course you matter, you all do."

His cheery expression dropped a fraction, "Barry said Miss Patricia doesn't matter."

"What do you think?"

"Miss Patricia was kind to me... she said that I was important before they did but... she's done bad things. She... she told me to tell you that she's sorry."

"She's sorry?"

"Yeah. She said that she just wanted to show everyone what the beast could do and to make the world a better place. She didn't want you to get hurt."

I almost snorted, remembering all the threats and sarcastic comments, "I'm not so sure she's telling the truth."

"Uh huh, she is, she said so. She can tell you," his face scrunched up-ignoring my protests-and soon Patricia was gazing sadly back at me.

"Hello my dear," she hardly had any tone to her soft voice.

"You have some nerve, if Barry finds out that you're here he'll-"

"He'll what? He's already banned me from the light, what more could he do? Don't be a whiny brat."

"I'm not, but you shouldn't be out here."

She sighed, sitting next to me and making me shuffle away, "I know what you think of me... what everyone... thinks of me... but I thought that I could make a difference. Do you know how many people laugh at us? At our way of living? Or how difficult it's been watching others walk around with their perfect lives, being given everything they want and never having to lift a finger? After all Kevin went through, everything that caused this... and there's still no justice. There's nothing I can do now, and the beast has been forgotten along with me."

"I would have more sympathy for you if you hadn't of killed those girls."

"It was the only way. The beast made his wishes clear in return for us to move forward. It would be a better world if people would take individuals with disorders such as this seriously."

"Maybe so, but you've been banned for a reason. You were pushed away before and you haven't redeemed yourself with what you've done. There's no wonder they don't trust you."

"Dennis and Hedwig have been accepted, even if it's in minor ways."

"They showed that they aren't bad people."

"How? They were helping me, they caused this too," she was becoming impatient, frustrated that she was the one being singled out.

"But they saw the wrong in what they were doing and realised they should stop. You don't have that capacity, you can't be trusted out here like the rest of them-"

"I get lonely too!" She snapped, her face suddenly desperately frantic before she blinked it away.

"Well you should have thought about that before you did something like this."

"Please," she said calmly, the soft tone returning to her voice, "please don't make me go back."

"I think that this is out of my control," I said flatly and she looked away.

"I can't stand it. Even when I had Hedwig and Dennis I was alone, they never understood me. A child and a pervert, those were my only friends-if I could call them that. Do you understand what that's like?"

"Maybe I'll try and understand if you don't call my partner a pervert," I said bluntly and a small smile lifted the corners of her mouth.

"Partner now, is it? My my, he has been busy... and so have you... you completely ruined the beast's plans and managed to grab Dennis while doing so. I admit I underestimated you."

"I don't know whether to take that as a compliment or not."

"Yes... well I think Barry is onto me. I suppose I won't be seeing you again in a long time," she smiled sadly but didn't make eye contact with me, "I am sorry for the pain I caused you. I truly am. And I hope you'll find some way to forgive me."

"Even if I do forgive you, that won't make Barry change his mind."

"No. No it won't."

"I don't know what you want from me."

"My dear, you can't do anything for me now. Unfortunately that ship has sailed and I only have myself to blame. Just don't forget about me."

"It'll be pretty hard to forget about you..." I said sarcastically and she cleared her throat.

"yes, yes, Barry. Don't worry, I'm going."
She closed her eyes and breathed out lightly, letting Barry take the light.

"What do you think you're doing?" He snapped at me.

"I wasn't doing anything, Hedwig came to talk to me and let her come through, it wasn't my fault."

"That kid... well what was she talking about?"

"She wanted me to forgive her."

"Pfft, that's rich..." Barry scoffed, "she thinks that she can just click her fingers and we'll all be happy families again?"

"I don't think she was expecting that."

"Don't feel sorry for her, she brought this on herself and now she's feeling sorry for herself. I would be too if I'd done what she'd done. It's best to just give her time to lick her wounds in private while we all try and get over this."

"Will she ever be allowed the light?"

"Don't tell me you're sticking up for her?"

"No I just... she really did sound sorry."

"Yeah, well that's Patricia. I'll be back later, help yourself to dinner."
He flashed me a quick smile before leaving the building and letting the conversation with Patricia drain from my system.