You're deposited on the leather couch. A familiar sensation. Too familiar for this nightmare reality has become. It's impossible. It's all impossible. You know that, of course you know that, you're rational, you're sane. What you saw wasn't real. What you saw wasn't real because if it was real then everything you know is a lie and that's not rational. You're sane because you're rational and you're rational because you're sane and that's the only way this makes sense. Claws and teeth in your mind, scratching and gnawing at your brain, the inside of your skull, trying to burst free. The hot breath of a predator on the back of your neck as you run in the dark, running and running and running but there's no escape there'll never be a mistake. You're beyond the firelight and you're in their territory now, you're not the predator you're the prey, you're prey running scared you're so scared you just want to see Mum and Dad again is that so wrong? Why can't you just have that? What did you do to deserve this? You're crying like a baby, like the big soft helpless defenceless baby you are, sobbing and bawling for all the good that does when the wolves are circling. You can't breathe, every sip just goes into more sobs. Your shoulders shake out of control, you hug your knees to your chest and rock back and forth. You can't breathe there are claws raking through your lungs you can't breathe there are jaws around your throat fangs scything through the cartilage and sinew and biting down and drinking the hot blood you're going to die you know you're going to die you're going to die and never see your parents again.
What sad little beasts.
"Meghanada?"
The name of thunder.
The voice is soft and small but it reaches your ears. Lakshmi is curled up on the other side of the couch, knees hugged to her chest just like yours. Shivering. Shaking. Peering over her arms for some sign, any sign, of hope.
"... I'm sorry about everything." A hoarse whisper. It's true. She wants to say one true, heartfelt thing to you before you both die.
This is not the end.
"Meghanada." A strong hand on your chin, squeezing tight. Lifting your head. "Look at me." You look.
Your name is an earth-shaking roar.
Cold, pitiless eyes burning scarlet. This close you can see how fake they are. You can see the 'lens' of humanity over the whirring, spinning, manyfaceted optics set in Rob's sockets. You can see the ticking clockwork inside him. He's not human. Maybe he was never human. He's a killing machine and he slaughtered those people like animals. And he's your only hope.
"Your dad is coming," he says. "Listen to me. Your dad is coming. Ms. Jenkins and I got the alert out. All we have to do is hold out and the Convention will be here. You and your sister are going to live, no matter what Ms. Jenkins and I have to give. Do you understand me?"
Your father is a king, wealthy and learned and mighty. He will not surrender his holdings easily. He will come.
You try to squirm away, try to look away from the burning red eyes. Claws scratch at the base of your skull, of your brain. You blink and you're running naked through a forest, cold and frightened, sipping for air as the beasts follow in the dark.
"Do you understand me?"
Do you understand me?
Claws around your throat.
Claim your birthright.
[ ] Lakshmi needs you. She's your sister. You came into this world with her and if you have to leave it, it'll be with her too.
[ ] Rob was your friend. Is your friend. He listened to you. You felt at ease around him. He helped you when you had nobody else left to turn to. That wasn't just a robot. That wasn't programmed.
[ ] Your Dad is coming. Whatever nightmare your life has become, whatever secrets he was keeping from you, he planned for it. He made sure you were safe. And he's coming. You're going to live.
[ ] You refuse to be bullied by these snarling, slavering beasts. Rabid dogs are not to be feared. They are to be put down. This fear is useless, childish. Crush it.
