Retreat

Despite the pain, he turned, and forced a smile on his face. "I'm sorry for this, please try to understand" he pleads with the stationary figure next to him. Though her face remains blank, her eyebrows give an involuntary twitch. Seeing this, the man gathers his courage and continues.

"You can't just hide yourself away from the world like this. You have friends who miss you, who are worried beyond belief". Though his voice remained steady, she could see the sweat forming on his forehead. Smiling slightly, she turns to face him.

"I can and will hide myself. Everywhere I go I leave a trail of destruction. It's much better to leave me now, while you still can. Before i consume everything that you love". Though the words hurt, she knows they need to be said. It was the same every time. There was to be no happiness for her in this life. She braced herself for the outburst that was undoubtedly coming, fingering her knife for comfort.

Suddenly, the man burst out laughing. It was a bittersweet sound, with little mirth in it. Shocked, she turned to face him. After all that had happened, this was the last thing she expected.

The man was holding his stomach, laughing, while tears streamed down his face. She studied him for a bit, trying to find out what it meant. Eventually, visibly composing himself, the man readied to speak again.

"So your telling me this is all to protect me?" he asks, disbelief in his voice. Once more there was a silence, and they studied each other, before she nodded. At this, seriousness entered his voice, and he commandingly asked "So what about your friends? The people who have done so much with and for you?"

Anger entered her eyes, the first sign of emotion she had shown during the meeting. Gathering it as a shepherd does a cloak, she spits back "What have they done for me? Go on, name one thing that was done without a repayment needed, one unconditional favor! No-one does anything for nothing". Feeling suddenly tired and spent of energy, she retreats back into her head, no longer paying the man any attention, despite all his pleadings. They just don't understand. Never had, and never could.

Dark thoughts swelled around in her head that night, until she noticed that the man had gone, given up like always. She sighed with relief. It was better this way. Not easier, but better.