forum Out in Space (classic lit and sci fi!) (CLOSED, stalkers welcome)

Started August 14, 2020 by @ElderGod-Icefire

tune

“Same here,” Mina responded to Lo. “I’ll just tell you if I don’t want to talk about it.”
She took note of Alek’s skittishness, licking her fingers. Then she turned to Eden, putting her hands on her lap and tilting her head at the reluctance of their voice as they said her name. Jonathan leaned forward beside her.
She smiled a bit. “So you want a story, do you? I met him about six, seven years ago? I think was at the…”
“The Red Spot,” Jonathan offered.
“Right, right. Our favorite library. I was supposed to find a book for my college class, but I got distracted and ended up looking at an encyclopedia for ancient civilizations that existed on the mother planet way back when.” She chuckled, pushing up her glasses.
“I was just looking for a novel that might catch my eye,” Jonathan shrugged. “But I also found myself looking at encyclopedias.”
“No,” Mina turned to him, a knowing grin on her face. “You were just passing by, then you came back to look over my shoulder like a nosy dog.”
He feigned offense. “How dare you. I was keeping to myself!”
“Uh, huh. Sure.” She laughed, making him laugh with her.
Calming down, she continued. “Anyway, he asked me about the encyclopedia, we got to talking, found out we went to the same university, and the rest is history.”
“I’m still surprised that you kept my attention for that long,” Jonathan muttered.
She snorted. “Still? Still?” She playfully nudged his shoulder.

Eden smiled a little. They were glad that two people could be so happy, enjoy life together and be so… whole. Even if they themself couldn't, it was a little cathartic to see that happiness was still possible in such a dark world.

"That is lovely. I'm glad you're so happy together," they said, "in a world so dark and cruel as this one."

They remember all the pain they put into the world. The meeting with Victor, at world's end. The reconciliation, if that is what it may be called. The memories were too painful, so they pushed them away for another time, a look of the briefest anguish crossing their face.

Alek tipped his head slightly. He could have had that with Ophelia. And he had, for a while. And then Ophelia had… He closed his eyes, shaking his head very slightly. No, he would not think if it. Would not think of how Ophelia had leapt into the water, how it had embraced her in its depths and drowned her. He swallowed faintly. Maybe he could have had that with Horatio; there had been attraction between them for years. But he had fled. Things had changed too much for that.

Mina looked at Eden intently. “Well, we have to be, don’t we? A world like this might as well drive me insane if I’m not.” A small sigh. “Right, my turn. If you don’t mind my asking, how exactly were you involved with the Clay Man’s… people?” She tilted her head slightly.

"This… will be a long story. Have you ever read a certain book called The Modern Prometheus? It details a story of man and monster, of what makes us human. That is, more or less, mine and Victor's story, with a few details changed to protect our identities. Such as the deaths of us both."

"It all started with my… well, not a birth, a creation. The breath of life that I received. Victor… he created me, he stole from morgues and graveyards and sewed me together, into the miserable thing that I am now."

"He abandoned me, and knowing nothing, not even speech, I ran off into the night. It was terrifying, the very first moments of my existence were so overwhelming I couldn't help but weep. Exhausted from hunger, I dug through trash and filth to find even the tiniest scraps of sustenance. I fed myself on unwanted food and drank from drain pipes. It was a miserable existence."

"I was attacked routinely by the lowest of the city, those who hurt others for fun and exploited for nothing but entertainment. I was shunned by those who feared me, feared my horrible visage and brutish form. I learned language, but this did not help my plight. Eventually, I joined up with a group of these lower ones. All they talked about was the homme d'argile, the Man of Clay, what this person had paid them to do, day in and day out. They were the closest thing to kindness I had experienced in my time."

Eden sighed, looking back almost…. fondly on those memories. "I left of course, after they'd expected me to kill. The Clay Man ordered me to be shot, but they missed and hit just my shoulder instead of blowing my brains out."

"Victor abandoned me, and his abandonment did not go unnoticed. By me, or others who knew of my plight. He abandoned me, left me to die in a world that only wanted to harm me, and in return I destroyed his life. Now all we have is each other." Eden summarized. "You can hate me, if you want."

The crease between Lo's brow seemed to deepen as Eden talked. She understood, somewhat, the effect appearances had in people, the reactions it brought out. Eden had, unfortunately, received the worse end of it, being treated as a monster for looking like the notion people had of one. The opposite of Lo. She leaned forward, placing her elbows on her knees with a frown.

"Why would we hate you?" Maybe it was strange, to not be that concerned. Outwardly, she didn't show any concern at all, though she briefly entertained the notion of Eden being a spy. All that would mean, really, was that she would watch what she said until she knew for certain. Besides, Eden seemed genuine, and sweet. A lifetime of being betrayed and manipulated bred a certain ability to read people, and Lo saw no trace of a double agent in Eden.

"Your past exists. That's all there really is to say." She said, shrugging a shoulder and sitting back, placing her hands beside her on the counter. "We all do bad things, and usually, it's because we feel we have to. You were looking for kindness, for a reprieve from the hate the world holds. Personally, I can't really blame you for that. It makes sense. Besides, you chose to leave yourself, when it mattered most. Doesn't that say enough?"

"I'm a murderer." they whispered, looking down at their hands. "I murdered a child, and a mother, a sister and a lover. And then I nearly murdered Victor himself, for the pain he caused me." tears streamed down their mismatched face from eyes that seemed almost too dry to cry, eyes that now went bloodshot. "I-I truly am sorry for reacting this way." they said, voice low and soft, cracking a little as it always did.

((lo: murder happens ykno?))

Lo slipped off of the counter, approaching Eden and offering her hands, palm up and with gentle movements. "Do I have to again tell you we all do bad things? Tell me, do you feel guilty? Do you regret those actions, honestly? When it comes down to it, that's what matters. You know you can't erase it, but you still wish you could." She found herself wishing, time and time again, that somewhere a button existed to set back time. To let her stop her mother, to stay at home instead of leaving with her stepdad. A button that would let her go back to pull the trigger just a second faster, t save the lives she wished she could. "And, hey. You don't really have much to apologize for, dear. It isn't a pretty fact, so it doesn't deserve a pretty reaction."

(Pfft-)

"The… I suppose you are correct." Eden said. They found themself relaxing, feeling strangely relieved at having been able to share. It was good… until the memories flooded back in.

"Victor, please, I know Justine is innocent. She must be!"

"Foul demon! Fiend!"

"I would rip your throat out with my bare hands, were I not a merciful man."

"Please don't hurt me!"

They stood, on ice and snow, staring at the ship. Victor exited, and Eden sneaked over to meet the man. He was in a wheelchair, considerably weakened, but still with that burning fire in his eyes. "You. I was wondering when you'd find me."

"I'm sorry."

"I will never forgive you."

Eden sat there, out of focus, out of time. They shook their head, coming back to reality and realizing how awkward this must be for everyone.

Mina’s eyes widened, her eyebrows knitted together. “I- I see. I… I don’t hate you, Eden. It’s just…” Gentle giant, huh? How wrong she was. She was definitely not expecting that.
She let Lo talk. She seemed to handle it better.

Sherlock stared at Eden for a long moment. "Well." They finally said slowly. "You are…quite a person, then." They tipped their head a little. "I would love more details about your creation, if you would oblige my curiosity?" They stepped closer, eyes flickering over Eden curiously.

Alek's eyebrows drew together a little as he heard the tale of death and destruction that Eden had created. "Well. It isn't as if you're the only one here that's killed." He said slowly. "Nor the only one who's killed those that they shouldn't have, or regret killing."