"Please... come back! Please!"

Kijani was locked in a nightmare. She was naked, the scar across her torso raw and red. Bright, blindingly white spotlights shone down on her from above, illuminating every flaw, every weakness, every bit of ugliness in her. Shadows pointed and laughed at her, hurling insults that stung like barbs. In the background were people she knew. Her parents. Her grandmother. Anthony. Connor.

She reached out for them, with tears streaming down her face. The salt in her tears burned her skin, which seemed to be burning from the inside out- but she couldn't stop crying. "Mother, Father!" She hadn't called them that since she was eight. "Please! Please, help me..."

They turned their backs on her. The word rung through the air, in her head, all around. 

[i]Useless.[/i]

They were gone, fading into the shadows, adding to the laughter and jeers.

Kijani's head whipped around, desperate. "Grandmother? Please, help me."

Waller shook her head and turned her back, walking away. 

[i]Weak.[/i]

Kijani flinched, her hand still outstretched, fingers desperately reaching.

Her gaze turned to Anthony, and her yellow eyes met his, which were pure silver. 

"Anthony, my... friend, please..."

Anthony stared down at her, and he laughed. He laughed, his gaze scornful and demeaning as he stuck his hands in his pockets and walked away.

[i]Worthless.[/i]

Distraught and nearly hyperventilating, she turned to Connor. He was the only one left that she recognized. 

"Connor, please... help me. I... I know I've never asked, I know I push you away... but.. I love you, and I wish I had the... the strength to admit how much I really do... need you..."

Her words seemed to fall on deaf ears. Connor simply shook his head, and turned his back as well, fading into the dark. 

[i]Unwanted.[/i]

There was no one left for her. No one would help her, no one cared. She was invisible, she was nothing, she might as well not exist! 

With nothing left but despair, she started to scream, and scream, and scream-

Kijani jerked awake as a sharp pain jolted her head, and a loud thud echoed in her vicinity. "Agh-" Her throat was raw, and her head was stinging. She reached up to touch it, and nearly got shocked. The metal inhibitor that had circled her forehead had snapped in two, and was hanging from her head, still live and sparking. With a faint swear, she tugged the pieces away and tossed them across the room. 

The bookcase in her room had tipped over completely, scattering books and papers all over the floor. The noise of that had likely woken her up. Kijani wiped her face, which was wet with tears, and she got up, going to her small bathroom to try and clean up. Once she was sure she could speak without her voice trembling, she called Connor.

The phone rang and rang. When it was picked up, she knew her voice sounded panicked, but she couldn't relax. "Connor, it's me. Ah... could you... come over when you have some time?"