Atomic Tangerine: Reconstruction

[sharpeningthebones]

Name: Charley
Story: And The Devil Makes Three
Colors: Atomic Tangerine: Reconstruction
Supplies: Eraser
Word Count: 351
Rating: PG
Warnings: None
Notes: Initially written for clare_dragonfly who prompted me on what Molly and Annabelle were doing for New Years.



The new year rises up, tears through the old like a child being born.

Molly watches it, her eyes glazed over and her body tired. Her wings are out, wrapped tight around her and she rocked back and forth just a little.

She hums to herself, a little tune she made up to keep out the cold in hr mind. It doesn't do a very good job but she doesn't care. It's something, it keeps the darkness at bay. It keeps her from thinking.

She should do something to celebrate, should get up and dance and be with the others but she's not. Despite all her trying, despite clawing her way out of the hole she's she always tumbles down again, always falls back into the blackness of her terrors.

She's free, she knows she’s free but it's so hard to believe that. Once someone has that kind of power over you, it's hard to believe you'll ever be free of it.

Vincent comes over t her, a glass of wine in one had. He smiles and she tries to smile back but it's hard. The force it takes to do it makes her tired all over gain.

"Come outside with us," he urges gently, reaching out a hand. "It's almost midnight."

Annabelle, who had been silent until that point, agrees, taking his hand.

Molly swallows hard, not sure how she feels about this. She wanted to stay in, stay away from people, but it didn't really feel like she has a choice in what she does.

And she's used to that, used to going along with what's expected of her.

So she goes with Vincent, settles on the roof with him and Jim and Percival and John. They look up to the sky, the stars shining down on them, and watch the new year dawn.

And she's not any better, and she’s not out of the dark, but Molly looks around her, looks at the people who saved her life, and she can't help but think that maybe coming out was a step forward, a step she needed to take.

Comments

[clare_dragonfly]

YAY

Oh, this is wonderful and hopeful and great! She's free! And her friends are there for her and they'll help her D:

[sharpeningthebones]

Yeeeeese. It makes me very, very happy to have her post-return. I did so much work with heer while she was with Him last year that I really want ot try and do a bit more that's hopeful and proving that she can survive and push onward.

[clare_dragonfly]

I love that you did--it's very hopeful for the New Year!

[kay_brooke]

This is sweet! I love the support Molly has, and their acceptance of her as well as her acceptance that having them in her life is a good thing.

[sharpeningthebones]

It made me happy to write it. Molly and Annabelle went through so much, I felt like they deserved something good.

[shipwreck_light]

Oh gosh, that was sweet. But, more of a 75% cacao sweet than a supermarket store checkout chocolate of dubiousness sweet. No teeth were harmed and the year rolled over and life might not have been perfect, but the moment definitely was.

[sharpeningthebones]

Thank you. I really do love Molly and Annabelle and it's been awesome getting to travel with them through their hardships and watching the grow.

[bookblather]

Oh, Molly and Annabelle. I just want to hug them forever, and I love the first and last lines of this, the knowledge that it isn't better yet but maybe, with tiny baby steps, it will be someday. Shreds of hope, but hope all the same. Lovely.

[sharpeningthebones]

And I think they will take your hugs. All of your hugs.

I like that I wrote this for the first of the year simply because I think I need the reminder that this is how life works sometimes. You take small steps and you eventually end up with a better life than the one you had, even if it's not the one you thought you would hae way back when.

[dark_kana]

Oh, hope. She's free, and there is hope!
I like this. ^^

[sharpeningthebones]

Yes! I wanted to show that they get free and are happyish because happiness is achievable.