Unseen Damage Of Trauma
I woke up to Tonya shaking me, while saying something. My eyes snap open, and I realize that I am drenched in sweat. Remembering last night's dream, which like the others, was about the memories of Mark, the Hunter I Killed. Just then I can make out what Tonya is saying.
"Thomas, wake up... Satomi wants to see both you and Monica... Are you okay?"
"I'm up. I'm up. I'll be right down... And I'm fine or... I will be."
I say to her as I stand up, and when I see Monica exit the bathroom. I take a shower while thinking more about my dreams. It started with Mark's memory of our torture, but in the month since I have seen what he has done for the past 5 years since he became Hunter jumbled together, and how many Shifters he killed. Most through torture, all while smiling ear to ear.
I have even seen Gerard, the oldest and most dangerous of the Argent family. Last night's dream was their first meeting. The test Gerard gave to Mark and his brother.
(Hunters Memory)
When I open my eyes, I see I'm in a warehouse tied to a chair, with a cloth gag in my mouth. I then hear a groan from beside me. Looking at the source of the sound I can barely see my brother Victor.
"What do you know of the creatures of the Night? The monsters that took your friends from you two."
A recorded voice that is modified to be deeper than it should be said. Getting both Victor and me to look around, as it continued.
"Do you know that those monsters weren't the only ones of their kind? That hundreds of people have had their families and friends killed or turned in front of them? The same way you both did."
Victor begins to struggle and strain against the restraints tying him to the chair. I follow his example, trying my hardest to break free, but then the voice says something that makes both Victor and me stop struggling and stare at each other.
"What would either of you do if the other was turned into a monster like them? What do you think they would do to you?"
Just then all the lights of the warehouse were turned on as an old man walked through the doors with a younger man and woman behind him. When they are in front of us the old man says.
"It would be like a rabid animal, they will have a Primal instinct to kill even if you are family or friends. These monsters won't recognize you when they turn... You either kill them or they kill you."
He nods to the two behind him. They remove our cloth gags. and I say.
"Who the hell are you people? What the fuck is going on?"
Victor picking up where I left off says.
"If you dare touch my brother, I will kill you assholes like we did those damn beasts."
The old man laughs while motioning for both people with him to go back outside. When we are alone with him he says.
"Don't worry, my children and I aren't here to kill you two... I'm here to offer you both a future. You witnessed a side of this world that most never learn about. Or survive the encounter."
I glare at the old man as Victor says.
"Who are you? And what are you offering us?"
(End Of Memory)
"Bang, Bang, Bang."
Hurry up, Thomas... It's been thirty minutes. I'm not waiting for you much longer."
I am ripped from my thoughts as Monica bangs on the door. I feel that the water has already become cold. I quickly finish showering and brush my teeth. As I look into the mirror I see that I have bags under my eyes. I flash my true eyes only to see them flicker away after a minute. Sighing I look at my chest seeing the first and only scar I have ever had. Like lightning marks scaring across my chest. The scars start at the top of my chest, spreading down like the roots of a tree. Stopping right at my Solar Plex, and spreading halfway through my pecks. I shake my head before leaving the bathroom.
When I am walking downstairs, wearing a pair of black jeans and a grey shirt, with a jean jacket the same color as my pants. I see over ten people milling about the house, scanning past them I see Monica standing in front of Satomi's study. She is wearing a pair of faded blue jeans with rips in her thighs and knees, with a white tank top and thin blue flannel.
"Good morning Monica, sorry I took so long... I was lost in thought."
She looks at me for a moment. And I see that, like me, she has bags under her eyes. She looks away as she says.
"It's okay... I get it. With what happened... I keep replaying that night over and over... So I get it."
I glance down and see that her hands are completely fine. As if they were never burnt by the same live wire that I was electrocuted with. I sigh in relief that she doesn't have scars. and confusion about why the scar across my chest is still there. Shaking my head I open my mouth to say something only for Tonya to open the doors to the study, and we both see Satomi sitting behind her desk, reading over something. Tonya guides us in as Satomi looks up at us and then at Tonya saying.
"If you could bring the children in... I think it's time for them all to see each other."
Tonya nods before exiting the room as Monica and I sit in the chairs across the desk of Satomi. For around an hour, we make small talk before she looks deeply into both of our eyes. With her fingers folded over each other, in front of her face and she asks.
"How are you two doing?"
Before either of us can say anything she continues while holding up her hand.
"I don't want to hear you two lie about how you are feeling. and try to push what happened away. So, I'll ask again how are you two doing?"
Monica and I both slump into the chairs as Monica says softly.
"I keep seeing Flashes of fire before my eyes, and in my dreams. I am surrounded by dark orange and red flames. Sometimes in my dreams, I hear a whisper I can't understand."
She sighs before continuing.
"I know what you guys told me... That I have been possessed by a reborn spirit, a Harbinger of death, a Hellhound. but it terrifies me. Just the thought of fire and... And I'm back in the house as everything burns around me... I don't want this."
She wiped a tear that fell from the corner of her eye.
"It will take more time than a month to truly heal from what happened to you Monica. You didn't just go to Bardo, the point in between life and death, but you were on the opposite side of Bardo. Even without that, and while you don't have the scars from it, you are a burn victim... To have a fear of something so Primal as fire is natural. With time, and if you allow us, we can help you heal."
Satomi said while sliding a box of tissues to Monica. She then looks at me waiting for my answer.
"I... I keep dreaming of the Hunter that I killed, it's not like I am in the moment that I killed him. But like I am him. I have been seeing everything he has done, for the past five years... It's all jumbled together. I have watched through his eyes as he tortured other Shifters, no matter the color of their eyes."
I take a breath before swallowing my saliva and continuing
"That... That's not all. My abilities are weakening. I don't know why, or how but my best sense, which is my sense of smell is barely above a regular human. I can't even keep my eyes glowing longer than a few minutes."
By the end of my speech, my hands are balled into fists as I struggle to keep my breathing calm. Satomi flashes her eyes at me to get me to calm down as she says.
"As far as your dreams, they are from you invading that hunter's mind and not knowing what you are doing. Not only can you kill someone, by using this specific ability of Werewolves, but you can damage your mind by the backlash of the ability. That is why it is a secret ability of an Alpha. If a Beta or Omega uses this ability there is a high chance of damaging themselves."
I take that into account as I think about exactly when I used this ability on him before Satomi says.
"As far as your abilities being weakened all I can say is that we found you with burns on your chest, back, forearms, and feet. You were wrapped in wolfsbane both the common Purple and uncommon Blue strains. And you were hovering between life and death. According to Tonya you were in Bardo. What you saw there is for you to know. Just keep in mind that in Bardo, you can see the past, present, and future."
After a second where Satomi took a drink of tea, she said.
"That alongside the torture you went through, and using an ability that could have seriously damaged your mind, if you weren't strong enough, has weakened your spark... I don't know what it will cause but... If it makes you feel any better, both your mother and sister went through a similar process. They both became more than most werewolves ever become."
After Satomi finished we all sat in silence for a while just letting what she said soak in. Before I can respond to her, the doors open up. We all see Tonya leading two children by the hands. A boy and a girl, both with a haunted look in their eyes. Glancing at them I recognize who they are. They are the children of Two of my Mother's Beta's. The Tallbot-Rohr family. So I whisper.
"Brett Talbot, Lorilee Rohr."
My head snaps towards Satomi as I ask.
"The Tallbot-Rohr family survived the fire? How? Why didn't you tell us?"
Satomi sighed before she said.
"You weren't the only survivors from the fire that we know of... Obviously, there's you two, then there's Brett and Lorilee, saved by their parents before they died... Lastly, there is Peter who was in the intensive care unit with most of his body being severely burned, I have also heard that both Laura and Derek were seen in the hospital checking on Peter, but I don't know where they went after."
I slumped back into the chair again. And run a hand through my hair as I say.
"Good, that's good... At least there are more survivors of the pack... Laura, Peter, and Derek aren't the only other Hales alive... Like I told you a month ago.... When we were trying to escape before Monica and I fell through the floor in the fire I saw Cora make it out."
Satomi looks Saddened for a moment before she hides it as I ask softly.
"Can someone take me to see Peter please?"
"I will take you and Monica to see him, then Alan after that. Because I haven't been able to find where Marin is at."
Satomi said while glancing at Tonya who nodded.
"We still have to figure out what your future will hold before I take you though."
So, we spent the rest of the day discussing what our plans were. From schooling, to finding the rest of the Hales, and finding Marin.
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