Amidst the Crash of Worlds

She flinched from his touch like he had delivered her a blow. As much as a part of her might crave the feeling of curling up against another, her body was too accustomed to ridicule and hurt to think any touch could be friendly. Especially when delivered by a man that had just threatened her.

She shuddered when he took in a few deep breaths, as through liking what his sensors were telling him. He must love the smell of fear and misery. Sera knew she hadn’t managed to put on the brave front she wanted. Defeat tasted metallic and cold on her tongue. She was just a deer in the moonlight. Not brave, frozen. She hated herself, her weakness, her cowardice. There was something so confident and sure about Sitka’s posture and words. He was like a man that owned the world, and knew it.

He asked again why she was lingering, but she still didn’t have an answer for him. She knew the logical, smart thing to do would be to turn tail and run. To let in to her inner cowardice, and know she would never be brave or strong enough to change who she was. Nothing would ever change, she would never stop flinching at the touch of another, or showing the white of her eyes when someone's smile turned just a little too predatory.

“Teach me.” she whispered. The words out before she even knew what she was asking. “Teach me to be brave, like you are.”


"Speech"