CHAPTER 10: Nightmares (Mar'i POV)
"Right Mar'i you go in first, we'll be right behind you!" Cyborg commanded.
Swallowing nervously, I obey, reaching the large steel door that separate the land from the water...Pier 41. Powering up my Starbolts I cautiously hover inside. It's dark and quiet, too quiet. My eyes search frantically around my surroundings trying to adjust to the darkness. Slowly I raise my hand, using the green orb as a torch as I scan the area around me. A sudden flash of purple grabs my attention from behind, before I can react, I'm knocked to the ground. A familiar sadistic laugh engulfs the air, echoing around the metal walls.
Blackfire.
Using all the courage I can muster, I call out into the darkness, "Show yourself you coward!" My heart beat increases dramatically as no answer is heard.
Just silence.
I can hear the steady pulsation of my blood passing around my body, and my uneven breathing as I recover from being hit. I inhale deeply, ready to call out again, but I don't have to. She's here.
Appearing from the shadows a single spot light drops upon her, reflecting on her black hair that's almost as dark as her heart. Despite them being sisters, she looks nothing like my mother. People may disagree, they have the same build and complexion, but they are so different. Blackfire's eyes don't comfort you with a soft look like my mother's do. Blackfire's waist long hair doesn't glisten in the light like Starfire's does. And her smile, nothing like my Mom's. Blackfire's smile makes you worry. Her being happy? That means bad things for you.
I ready myself to fight, concentrating on every move she makes as she walks towards me. I just need to wait for her to advance.
She stops walking.
"I really am disappointed in you Mar'i. I thought you were more honourable than that." Blackfire mocked, slowly starting to walk in a circle around me. "It is not like I did not give you a choice though." She continued, stopping in front of me, glancing at her long nails. "I did not expect you to be foolish enough to bring your friends despite my warning. That just ruined all the fun." She explained, fake pouting.
"What are you talking about?" I demand my voice weaker than I wanted it to be.
Ignoring my question, she continued wit her speech. "Tell me Mar'i, how much blood is on your hands?" She questioned still fiddling with her manicured fingernails. "You are so young, and yet responsible for so much pain."
"Stop it!" I warn through gritted teeth, trying to control my temper. "None of this was my fault."
"Ah, but your friends?" She questioned.
"...will not be harmed" I answered for her. "Nobody is going to die tonight because of me. No more blood will be on my hands!"
"Oh really?" She replied smiling. "Look down dearest..." she spoke low.
What game is she playing? I ask myself, but never the less look down. My heart jumps into my mouth as my eyes meet my hands. I scream in terror.
My hands are completely stained in blood.
"Your hands aren't as clean as you thought." She finished smugly.
"What did you do?" I accused, desperately trying to wipe away the blood from my hands onto my clothing.
"Nothing, it was you that chose not to listen to my warning. Remember how it felt when I killed Mommy?" She taunted.
"NO!" I screamed, trying to block out the fear that was quickly taking over my body.
"Cannot remember? Do you need reminding?" she mocked.
What does she mean, 'reminding'? I look down at my hands again as new droplets of blood drip onto my hands...from above me. Part of me knew I shouldn't look up, but I did anyway...and I instantly regretted it.
My mother was nailed to the ceiling, blood dropping from all over her lifeless body. Broken glass was sticking out of her torso, her clothes ripped and shredded. Bones were twisted and broken in unnatural ways...like she had fallen through a window...like in the tower in the future.
"I couldn't stop it, it happened here as well as the future. I told them not to come with me! I told them!" I screamed to myself as her blood continued to drip onto my hands as I stood below her. My gaze fixated on her un-seeing eyes. I felt sick.
"Do you remember now?" Blackfire asked, completely unfazed by the sight above me. "Or do you need more help remembering?"
"No!" I screamed as voices filled my head. Echoes of my mother's screams danced around in my thoughts. I couldn't hear anything else but the screams, the pleads for help as she bled to death on the rocky ground under the tower. Her cries as nobody came to save her.
"Please! Stop!" I shout at Blackfire as her evil laugh mixes with the cries of agony in my head.
Suddenly, my mother's voice becomes five. Five separate screams and yells of pain...each of the titans. I close my eyes, trying to block out the noises engulfing my head. They become louder, spiralling and swirling out of control, getting louder and faster, feeling like my head was going to burst.
Then...silence.
"You cannot protect them Mar'i" Blackfire whispers as my head throbs painfully.
I hear a click, a gunshot, and then everything goes black.
I wake up screaming and gasping for breath. I feel sweaty against the soft covers on my bed. My whole body shakes as I try to position myself into a sitting position. By breathing shallow and in deep bursts as my lungs burned. I look at the clock, 3:58PM. It wasn't real. There's still about 6 hours until midnight. Until I see her.
"Mar'i!" My mom rushes into my room, enveloping me in a hug. She pulls away, wiping my bangs from my eyes and stroking my check comfortingly. "We went out whilst you said you were going for a nap and we came back and thought you were in danger! We heard you scream!" She panicked, looking frantically all over my face to see if I was hurt.
"Oh...I was just...I had a bad dream." I answered my voice hoarse from screaming, and shaking from my nightmare. But it seemed so real.
