IN THE DARK
XII. XavierI can hear them all, their minds whispering in the dark like ghosts.
They should all be asleep, and some of them are, but some lie awake, thinking of the past or the future—never the present. Too painful.
Rogue, desperate to touch, pleasures herself in secret, and imagines a lover's face.
Kurt dreams of a childhood friend who never saw how different he was.
Scott thinks of Jean, Kitty thinks of Kurt, Jean . . . Jean is full of other people's pain, and wishes it would go away. I know how she feels. It's not easy to know the secrets that other people keep. Sometimes this gift does seem like a curse, but all gifts come with a price, and some prices are higher than others.
In the dark, things come out that we would never admit to in daylight. It's only in the dark that Ororo will admit to how desperately lonely she is. We isolate ourselves from the rest of humanity, to protect ourselves (or them), then ache for a human touch.
Even now, Evan is puzzling over his aunt's activity, wondering how he could have missed the signs. Daylight hides many things; it's not his fault.
In the distance, I can hear Logan returning from town. I know where he's been, and with whom. I can't say that I approve, but he is an adult, and anything he does on his own time is his own business.
His secrets are so deeply buried even darkness can't reveal them. I've known him for years, and even I don't really know him. I wonder if anyone does, or ever will.
Our secrets are all that keep us alive in a hostile world. If anyone found out about us . . . well, it wouldn't be good. For us or them. These children aren't ready yet, but I can only protect them for so long. My greatest fear is that someone will find out and try to hurt them, over something they can't control. The walls are thick here, and the lights are always on, because dangerous things can happen . . . in the dark.
THE END
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