Zombie - Umbrella Academy

6. Tattoo's and Running

Around 17 years ago Aida got her first tattoo. The buzzing of the needle was a sound she'd never forget. The way it rang through the silence of the hall uninterrupted, save for sniffles and whimpers from her comrades who shared the same fate.

You may be wondering, how someone with natural healing abilities can get tattooed when it requires a wound. Young Eddie wondered this too at the time. But it didnt stop dear Reginald from trying. After all, he needed to bind the children together somehow.

Her feet dangled over the chair which sat next to Five, Luther and Ben, all line. Her brow was furrowed in focus. An angry red mark on the inside of her wrist was slowly calming. The arm lay on her skirt clad lap, so that she could look down upon the healing process. The arms fist was clenched, she was trying her best to stop it healing.

It was Diego's turn currently. Allison and Klaus were off to the side recovering from theirs. Eddie was the first to go, but it healed almost immediately. She got in trouble. After that she went after Klaus. It took longer to heal but was gone before Allison's even started. After Allison, she went again and really focused, tried her best not to heal it. It stuck around for longer, but eventually was nothing nothing more than a red mark.

Aida couldn't say how many times she had to get the tattoo before it stuck. All she knew was that she was alone at night, everyone else was done and free, but she had to keep going. And then wether due to sheer will or exhaustion of her power, the tattoo stayed for longer then 20 minutes.

She was sent to bed and to her relief in the morning it was still there. It always seemed more faded than the rest, but it was there.

Now, 17 years later, Eddie has a few more tattoo's which were slightly easier to obtain. These marks of black ink and scar tissue on her body are more vulnerable to other injury, but thats part of the appeal in her eyes.

The same arm which was clenched in concentration on her lap all those years ago, now lay relaxed in front of a grown Aida's face which sunk against the kitchen couch. A face which was awoken by the chatting of the fellow umbrella tattoo bearers.

"Well he hated children too but he had plently of us." Klaus half laughed as he hugged a guitar at the head of the kitchen table.

"We ain't his children." Eddie croaked, half asleep and monotone while rubbing her eyes. Her ponytail had loosened in her sleep and now allowed stray locs to escape to the sides of her puffy face.

The chatter continued, familiar yet unrecognisable. She remembered these people as children, running about, chatting away, while she ignored them similarly. Now they were grown, they chatted still but it was strange how different it had become. They didn't joke, they belittled, and the once attemptedly playful atmosphere was replaced with this hostile, defensive one.

The chatter continued.

Five had gone for coffee. Diego came and went, he didnt even say goodbye before he was followed out of the house by Klaus. But thats what she deserved. Aida was sitting up, legs spread, with her head down in her hands, just about awake. She looked up at them as they left, though vacant once again, the look was motivated by a desire to follow along.

She turned her gaze to Allison, as if to say something, but didnt follow through. Alli noticed this and breifly looked like she too longed to spark up some sort of conversation. But no words were spoken and Eddi was left alone in the kitchen.

It was dark outside now and it suddenly dawned on her that she had nowhere to go. She hadn't planned on falling asleep here, she hadn't planned on staying for longer than a day, in a town she hadn't been to in 13 years, with no money and nowhere else to stay.