To Live, Not To Survive

James

-^-

M. Meyer-*

 The figure of Raechel Yeller was smoky, yet real. The hair, the eyes, everything was just as Mathilda remembered, and it would've given her a heart attack if she hadn't been in this situation multiple times before.

 Two years ago, right after escaping HYDRA, Mathilda saw the Guard, looming over her. He was the first Ghost that she had ever seen, and it freaked her out. For a whole week, she began to feel some kind of craving, and the Ghosts arrived one by one. For the next week, she was completely powerless, laying in a small, abandoned shed, filled with the Ghosts of her past, going in and out of consciousness.

At least the cravings had subsided a little in the past two years. But it only subsided, not disappeared.

 The Ghosts didn't come back either, until just a few weeks ago.

 The Ghost of Lawrence Bates was the first one to emerge, a few days after Mathilda had locked herself in the cold unwanted house, staring lifelessly at the dusty ground. She had seen a small movement from the corner of her eye, and immediately stood up to intercept the problem. And there he was, wispy like smoke. So much like the real Larry, except the fact that his eyes were cold and hard.

 And he returned every now and then. A few days later, he had company.

 And another person. Then another.  

 By the end of the week, Mathilda was being surrounded by dozens of Ghosts, the people she had killed, staring at her with hate and disgust. The chatter of their voices would echo in her ears, a mind chilling sound that reminded her of glass pieces clinking together.

 "Where's my mommy?!"

 "You killed us."

 "If it weren't for you, I would be back home with my new born daughter!!"

 "You are a monster."

 "Go to hell, you fucking beast!"

 "I thought you were my friend!"

 "あなたは何をした！？"

 "You killed my mother, my brother, my whole family!!"

 "SHUT UP!!!!!"

 But it never stopped. It never did. The number of figures kept on growing, and they all came back. Sometimes they were covered with blood. One day a man with a squashed flat body limped towards her.

 And they were always accusing her. 

 Which was understandable.

 Mathilda knew that they were fake. That it was the reaction from the drugs that HYDRA had given her. But still, she couldn't help but feel scared of the situation.

 "Hello, Mathilda."

 Raechel sneered, as she walked closer to Mathilda, tossing her chocolate curls with a hand.

 "You having a good time?"

 Mathilda stared at her friend, the woman, Maria Hill, long forgotten.

 "Oh, I bet you are. You must be having so much fun making gigantic massacres around you, hmm?"

 Mathilda stared at Raechel, her hair covering one silver, haunting eye.