[h1][img]http://i1383.photobucket.com/albums/ah281/Q-C0ntinuum/Ryver%20et%20Rhine%20Dear%20Karma_zpsbdu2hcau.jpg?t=1445046604[/img] Ryver et Rhine (Dear Karma)[/h1]
[h2]Callie Wright[/h2]
"Monsters… ha ha… monsters … I … Father forgive me… I have sinned. Never no more..."

Each subsequent word showed the extent of the mental trauma experienced by the poor man. He was babbling mess and hardly a threat anymore. Cal can’t help but dread thinking how long he'd take to recover – maybe a year or even a decade. She closed her eyes and blinked away her own tears. This whole thing was really too much. Why didn’t they leave when she suggested it? Why?

The sharp slap caused her to recoil. Her tear filled eyes stared dumbly as Vida backed away from her. More tears begin to flow down her cheeks. She pressed her own trembling hands against her lips and whimpered. However, the mix of self-pity, hurt, horror and shock ebbed away when she saw the other woman’s wide-eyed unwavering gaze. It reminded her of a hurt and frightened puppy. Callie chided herself and remained where she was. Clearly, Vida needed some space. Probably to get over the shock of everything. Gods! Cal, you are so selfish at times.

“Monster… mo-monsters all of them…”

"D-did I touch y-you?" asked Vida.

“Touch … monsters … they hide under your bed… they will kill. Kill us! Father, Lord Jesus …” JC rambled as he crabbed away. The whites of his eyes showing clearly as he began stuttering. His mouth worked in such a frenzy that spittle was dribbling down his chin.

“No… you didn’t…” Cal replied as she bit back her sob. She wiped her tears away with the back of her hand as she got to her feet. The air hostess was about to embrace Vida to reassure the trembling woman when the now depraved man shrieked.

“DON’T TOUCH HER!”

Cal pulled back and glared at him. “I don’t see why not. She’s scared and probably hurt. And stop calling her a monster… just stop. STOP!”

Her shrill shriek caused the man to cower. She crossed her arms across her chest. Really, calling Vida a monster was wrong and hurtful. Yes, the girl might have had an episode or something, but it (well to Cal at least) wasn’t Vida’s fault. When you marginalize someone like that, you only make things worse. Hesitantly, she reached out to Vida again and wrapped her arms tentatively around the other woman. “Don’t listen to him Vida. Just don’t. You’re none of you. You’re just you.”

She tried to make eye contact with some of the rest – wincing briefly when she saw Ester was bleeding – until she finally managed to get someone’s attention. Well, possibly two of them, she wasn’t quite sure. The only gentleman in their group and a girl with big, kind eyes. “Guys, can we get out of here?”

Something nagged at the back of her mind. They – the other three – looked like something was terribly wrong. She wasn’t quite sure what. Searching again, she realized they were two persons short. She blinked. Oh crap? They didn’t? Try as she might, Cal couldn’t convince herself that Sam and Christian were safe. After all, she certainly didn’t remember seeing them before running after this bunch in the alley. “H-hey? Are the other two okay? I mean. They didn’t come with us…?”