In the Dark

Never tell

After Ezra completed my tour of the ship, Hera found us and told me I ought to go rest. I was having such a good time with Ezra, I really didn't want to, but I knew she was right. Ezra walked me back to the room, but more quietly this time.

As we reached the room, I began to walk in, but Ezra grabbed my arm. I turned back around, and saw a anxious look on his face. "Bria, about earlier..."

I remembered the way he had finished my thought, how he had known immediately what I was feeling. Like you're drowning. That's exactly what I had felt and clearly he had experienced it before. But when he said as much, Kanan had seemed just as surprised as me. Something told me Ezra didn't want him to know.

"It's okay, I won't mention it again. I-" I started but he cut me off.

"No, that's not what I'm asking. The opposite actually."

I was confused. "You want to talk to about it? Honestly, I don't know what it even is."

Ezra was wringing his hands nervously as he spoke, "I'll explain later, I just can't talk to Kanan about it and I know we just met but I-" It was my turn to interrupt this time.

"I am going to be honest, I don't really know what's going on. Like, at all. But I would sure love someone to talk to." I smiled at him, trying to lighten his mood. Thankfully, he smiled back. "Now, if you don't mind, I'm going to sleep like there's no tomorrow." I turned around and walked into the small bedroom, and heard Ezra chuckle while he closed the door for me.

My much needed nap was stopped before it even started however, as that voice came back into my mind, yet again.

"Now that we're alone, let me teach you what you will need to know."

"What is going on? Who said that? Who are you?" I asked aloud. I looked around the room, thinking maybe someone was in here with me. Though, it still sounded like it was only in my head, I know it couldn't be because that's impossible... right?

"Stop with the questions. All you need to know is I'm here to help you reach your full potential."

"Is this another side effect of the force? Or am I just going crazy?" I sat on the bed, and rested my head in my hands. Hera was right, I really do need sleep.

I checked to make sure my ring is still on my finger, turned off the light and got into the tiny, yet comfortable, bed. Surely, everything would be normal when I woke up.

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"Finally some peace and quiet. Now I may take a deeper look into your mind."

Instead of leaving me, the voice's range seemed to grow in my mind, stretching further and further. It seeped into my memories, I could feel it searching for something. Suddenly, I felt a sharp pull as it found what it was looking for. The memory began to take shape in front of me, the more detail that grew the more searing the pain was.

I could see me, outside the girls home, back on Corellia. I must've been no older than 8 or 9, the girls around me near the same age or a little older. We were planting mirages, the Empire had ordered that all buildings have them on the outside, so it would "remind us of Coruscant". We had already finished our schooling and chores for the day, so they had us begin to prepare the soil.

As usual, we got distracted and were playing hide and seek. Another girl and I, I couldn't recall her name, but she was a few years older than me, ran past the fence lining the girls home. One moment we were holding hands, running together, and the next she was kicking and screaming as someone from the street grabbed her, ripping her hand from mine.

I screamed at the top of my lungs, and tried to run towards her, only to be pulled back suddenly, a hand covering my mouth. I fought back, as much as my 8 year old body could, kicking and scratching, but the man was easily overpowering me. I could see my friend doing the same a few feet away from me, as the men dragged us farther and farther from our home. I knew it was a memory, but I could still feel all of the anxiety and terror I was feeling that day.

Then the memory became distorted, the colors bleeding into one another, and I couldn't see what was happening.

Ah, I see. I was wondering why you were so shocked after the docking bay. You have suppressed your memories. Or simply forgotten them. Either way, that is an easy fix.

The memory began to slide back into focus, everything falling into place again. I once again saw the girl next to me, trying to fight her way to freedom, and failing. Instead of feeling the anxiety from earlier, I felt again the pulling at my core, and my senses heightening. I stopped struggling, surprising my attacker. I reached out with my hand, like I did at the docking bay, and I watched as the man holding my friend was forced backwards, releasing the young girl, and slammed his head on the road beneath us. The girl stopped screaming but the frightened look on her face never left, and I felt the man's grip on my hair loosen. I turned my lifted arm towards his direction violently and heard him fall to the ground. I turned around and found that he was unconscious, like the other man.

I turned back to look at the girl, the terror slowly returning. Suddenly she grabbed my shoulders and pulled me into a hug. Still in shock, I didn't hug back. I just stood still, trying to process what had just happened. When she pulled away, she spoke to me in a shaky voice.

"Never tell anyone what just happened. Do you understand me, Bria? Never tell anyone."

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Hey guys! It's been awhile, but it's summer time so I'm free basically 24/7 so look forward to more posts and new books! My Peter Parker one is on it's way soon, but I'm gonna wait until I have at least half of the book done before I post it I think.

Anyways, have a great day and happy reading!!

--K