Where Do You See Yourself (Pika)

Kiara decided to change the subject to the positive, rather than continue to talk about the negative. Kane was glad for that, but there wasn't really much that could be said to make the negative feel better. She suggested that they could start a new life somewhere else, under a new name, Kane nodded You mean like Witness protection? She also went on to talk about how good travel is, but Kane knew fine well what that meant. Travel means leaving everything behind. It wasn't as great as she was making it sound. But it was still what he needed to do. He sighed Yeah, I have to do it, for them.

She wished he sounded more positive and less defeatist. It would give her the illusion of progress. Kiara wanted to spout off the easy lines. About how it would all be okay and how every day was a gift. But an innate part of her didn't believe in glossing over the truth. Hollow clichés didn't really help anybody. Yet knowing that didn't teach her the words to use instead.

She tried her best to guess, "Maybe you could venture south. Belize is South. I come from there. We have many crippled. It is a sad thing to watch those who die a spiritual death, yet there are just as many who evolve with their disability." Her father had tended to many. There was only so much medical help available back home. People tried to fill the deficiency with spiritualism, "Dad calls it being handicapable. It is a fitting principle in this case, I think. You spent so long focusing on the power of your legs. Do you think you may have neglected the might of the rest of your body?"

This could take longer than she thought. Kiara now remembered the snack machines down in the lobby. Surely someone would lend her a coin, "I'm going to get something to eat from downstairs. Would you like anything?"

Kiara suggested that he goes south, also saying that the place she came from, Belize, is south. She said that there are many crippled there. Kane sighed, he guessed he'd have to get used to having 'crippled' refer to him and people like him. She then went on to talk about how he could make the rest of his body better, despite the lack of his legs. Kane doubted that, since his legs were the only part of his body that were actually superhuman. But maybe he could give it a go. She then broke the tension by saying she was going to get something to eat Nah, I'm fine. They give me plenty to eat. Not good food, but it keeps me full.

Kiara gave a nod and squeezed out a kindly smile. She left her staff propped against his bed but kept her mask on. She considered sleeping here tonight but then wondered who in the hospital she was suppose to ask about that. Californians could be very rude when it came to where you slept. She had one fallen asleep on a park bench only to have an officer of the law wake her up and move her on. The nerve.

It was the slow hour and the hallways weren't half as busy as they were before. Kiara scratched her head and tried to recall the route back downstairs. Suddenly she registered something out the corner of her eye. There was something stood next to Kane's doorway. It wasn't moving. Kiara froze. It was a manifestation invisible to everyone but her. Her breathing slowed.

"First the diary. Now here. Are you following me?"

The manifestation did not respond. Instead it grew darker, more hooded. Kiara did not dare turn around.

"He is stronger than you. You couldn't take him."

She realised she sounded more pleading than cocksure. Something primal had chilled her to her very marrow. A sweat droplet ran down her cheek and her knees had started knocking. Kiara did not scare easily. She only took affright to things worthy of the sensation. She realised what a fool she had been coming here.

"If you don't leave... I'll make you leave. I am stronger now. I have magic. I can-"

The apparition was suddenly looming over her shoulder. Kiara swallowed her tongue. She was not the thwarter of the unknown now. She was back to being a little girl again, thrashed at the hands of this terrible fiend. It spoke to her.

Spoiler:

"Sorry are you okay?"

A passing nurse had broken her trance. Kiara felt faint but she forced herself to tell the person she was well. The manifestation had disappeared. Vanished - for now. But she knew it had set its eyes upon a new target. In its quest to get even with her, it had zeroed in on Kane's grief. No. Never again.

Kiara dashed back into the ward room; much flustered. She was evidently rattled and slammed the door in her distracted state. This was her fault. She had led it here. Her attachment had made it care. She looked at Kane mutely and then back at the door. No words could describe how desperate she was for a solution just then. The desperation that drove her to utter those fateful words.

"K-Kicker! Do you want to walk again?"

Kane sighed and leaned back as she left to go get some snacks, waiting for her to get back. But then, it turned out his wait would not be long, as she reappeared sooner than expected, seeming very obviously scared W-what's wro- he was then cut off by her asking if he wanted to walk again. Kane had been doing a lot of thinking, but there was no hesitation before he uttered his response Why the f*** was that not the first f****** thing you said!?! Why did you make me go through that s*** about moving on!?! He was very shocked, so he wasn't exactly thinking of the kids.

Kiara was caught short by Kane's anger. She hadn't been thinking of him. Yes she supposed she had been a little abrupt. It happened with her. However she saw it as a bad sign. From what she knew, the Babadook latched onto the despairing. It found individuals having their mid-life crisis and it piloted them onto a path of destruction. Kane hadn't been getting better at all. All her talks had done was hurt him. If the Babadook managed to possess him...

Benighted was shivering with the repercussions, "I'm sorry! But when I walked in you still had everything to lose." She chose not to elaborate.

"There are rituals, Kicker. But for poor destitute souls who are deluded into thinking they could not fall any further. Complete the ritual and you will have your heart's desire. But often-times the price is not worth the reward. You will truly be something to be pitied then." This was the gravest persona she could manage. This was dabbling with the very worst that she had encountered. The absolutes of the sinister Unknown. You can't get rid of the Babadook. You cannot know the Holder of the End.

"They are called the Holders. I still understand precious little about them. There are 538. And they guard items. Terrible things that must never come together. Never. But if you want your leg back, if you want to be a whole person, you must take one of those items from them. That can be your new leg. I have no doubts it will be the other's equal." If Kane had back his leg, then he would have no reason to despair anymore, and the Babadook could not take him.

Kiara said that her reason for holding back on the secret to regaining his leg was that he still had things to lose Wha-? She then elaborated, saying that there are rituals that will allow him to have his hearts desire, but there would be a very grave price. She explained that the people who do the rituals are called Holders and that they guard items that can give Kicker his leg back if he takes it. Kane nodded, showing that he understood Alright, if it can get me my leg back, I will do it.

She expected hesitation. Her estimation of Kane fell right then. Was he that desperate? Maybe she was mistaken and the Babadook had already begun its possession. This may have been a twisted and irrational reaction to the grief inside him. But she would see the Babadook, she told herself, she had to believe it had not started. Backing down was not an option.

"G-Good." Like never before she had to trust in her innate knowledge. That slight sensation in the back of her mind that let her know how the Unknown worked. The Holders were not a force to be trifled with lightly. One misstep and you would be damned, "I must meditate for a while. I must find the right Holder. And the correct ritual." Given that there was not a book on this, it was much harder than it sounded.

"In the meanwhile you need to prepare yourself. There are two forms the ritual could take. One may be of horror. The Holders are capable of torture unlike anything we can comprehend. The other is of deceit. The Holders are tempters and goaders. Their rituals prey on our weakest nature. If you have a flaw, if you have a failing, find a way to counteract it. Or you will likely fail in their presence." That covered a very broad base of things. It was like one of those pop quizzes her brothers told her about. Any topic could come up. Without the ritual you could not know what to expect.

"And one last thing before I go. Unrelated. If you hear three knocks on the door. Any door. Do not answer. Do not open it. Do not invite the person inside. Do not talk to them. I need you to promise me this."

Based on how suddenly Kiara had asked, Kane assumed that this was going to be happening, but then she said she must spend a while meditating so that she can find out the correct way to do it. He nodded to show his understanding. She then said that he had to prepare to either be tortured or have his weakest attributes preyed on, he nodded again I'll be fine, trust me.

Then, on an unrelated note, she warned him not to answer any door if he hears three knocks on it. Somehow Kane doubted it was actually unrelated. It was a weird request, but either way he nodded Alright, sure. Mind telling me why?

Kiara retained her staff and turned for the door. And the day had started out so light. So promising. A baby returned, its whole life prospect regained. Now here was Kane, no both of them, throwing theirs away. The Holders rituals may have typified 'foolhardy questing' but Kiara knew she didn't have a choice. There was a slim chance of pulling out of that intact. There wasn't from the Babadook.

When Kicker asked about it she paused. She could tell him. But what purpose would that serve now? "It is not necessary that you know." She wasn't about to add to the deluge of information that got divulged willy-nilly everyday. She had already unveiled enough knowledge. Added to that, it hurt her to speak of 'him'.

She exited the room, walking without looking back. And behind her, to one side of the door, lay the shadow of the Babadook.

[End]