Starfall

Chapter 22 - Rose

He was almost there. She could feel it in the way her bones buzzed, in the way her blood curdled with expectation.

The Isthmus of the Sky belonged to Rose. At least, that's what she told herself. It's what she'd been telling herself for the past century.

There wasn't more she could do now but wait. She'd gotten plenty of gifts ready for Death to receive, and she was tired of all the prep that went into them. So to take a break, she decided Ben could use another visit.

It was getting easier and easier to slip into the caverns of his mind. Every time she visited him, she found that his walls had more holes each time. His barriers were crumbling. It brought Rose such satisfaction to see him succumbing to her power.

When she stretched her consciousness across the endless miles that separated him from her, she smelled him before she saw him. He reeked of . . . something. She didn't even want to pinpoint what that awful smell was. How many times did she have to tell him? That filthy little Elyse was getting in his head.

As she neared his consciousness, though, she smelled something else on his spirit. What was it? This scent was better. She breathed it in, and after a long breath, realized that it was mourning. Grief always tasted so sweet to her, almost like pure sugar.

Sure enough, when she came to his barriers, she saw that his mind looked infected. It was as if he had some sort of plague, one that eats at the thoughts and gnaws at the mind. It was beautiful.

Rose infiltrated his thoughts with ease. It was almost funny how easily he let her in now—before, it was much harder. But she was breaking him, and he didn't even know it.

Unfortunately, he sensed her before she could get a chance to play around. She was planning on tearing some of his thoughts apart in order to get his attention, but he appeared before her without warning.

What do you want, Rose? he snapped, crossing his arms and lowering his brow.

This was not the kind of greeting she was expecting. Of course, she did grant him with a permanent headache with her last visit, but she thought he'd be past that by now.

I see you've come extremely close to retrieving my Isthmus, she said with a smirk.

But before she could say anything more, Ben stepped forward and said with such disrespect, Is Elyse your child?

Rose stepped back in utter shock. Her head tilted and her eyes narrowed. I thought I told you not to speak her filthy name!

She is, isn't she? he tested. She's your daughter.

She scoffed. How dare you make such an accusation—

How could you do such terrible things to her, Rose? He shook his head. He looked disgusted. I can't believe a monster like you could make such a wonderful human being like her.

Now Rose just couldn't take this anymore. You have no idea how cruel she is! she screamed, lunging forward. He backed away and put a good distance between the two of them. She scowled at him. Do not let her get in your head. She is a creature of pure evil, and she was created just to spite me.

Ben looked confused then. He frowned and shook his head once more. What do you mean, created?

She ignored him. I was pregnant with her for seventy years, she hissed. I tried to get rid of her. Tried to kill her while she was inside me. But I couldn't. She just wouldn't die, and it seems that still holds to be true.

What are you saying? Ben was beginning to panic. That doesn't make sense.

His thoughts started swarming her like bees. She shouted out, swatting them away. She cut them down one by one until finally she could breathe again.

And then that . . . that woman came and took her from me. She cast me out and told me never to come near the girl again. Rose clenched her teeth. Elyse is a walking lie. She is not to be trifled with!

Ben just stared at her for a long moment. Even with his walls crumbling in the background, he just stared ahead blankly.

Then his eyes widened and his lips cracked open. You're scared of her, aren't you?

Rose looked back at him incredulously. She didn't notice how her bones suddenly felt weaker. What—how dare you—

She scares you, he said, because she's not yours. She's someone else's.

Don't say that, she snapped, but she was backing away. I'm not scared of her. She's mine! They gave her to me—she's mine!

But Ben had already figured it out. Just like the Isthmus is yours, right?

She stared at him, completely baffled. For seemingly the first time in her entire life, she didn't know what to say. Didn't know what to do.

She decided in that split second that she needed to leave. She couldn't remain in his head any longer. She had to get out of there.

Without delay, she snapped back to her body. She left the caverns of his mind and came gasping into her own.

She leaned over and tried to catch her breath. It felt as though the wind had been knocked out of her, and she was struggling to get it back. In the glow of the Red Rose, she was panicking.

Because Ben was right. Elyse wasn't hers. And the Isthmus of the Sky wasn't hers, either.

The Isthmus belonged to Elyse. It always had.

A/N: dont tell anyone but of all the psychotic-telepathically-transporting-evil-lunatics i've ever written, rose is my fave  ( ͡♥ 3 ͡♥)