Midna-PhobiaValeria Silaov
”Uh,” Was the first thing out of Val’s mouth after Kyle’s outburst, the tall woman just blinking at the man sitting to her right. One moment she was relaxed from the stupendous drink in hand combined with the friendly atmosphere and laughing at Caleb’s hamming while getting ready to ‘back him up’, then this. Slowly she set her drink and phone down on the surface of the table and pressed her palms down as well, as though to show she was harmless. In this moment, Val couldn’t help the surge of concern that swelled in her breast, infusing her limbs with sympathy for the other man. He seemed stressed, and worried, and perhaps even not used to a friendly atmosphere? She couldn’t be sure, she was never that great at reading people.
After all, that almost physical tug behind her ribs couldn’t have been anything more than a desire for company today, right? Yet…
It was Rowan that finally blew Val’s mental excuses out of the water. And to be honest, it made a wash of relief go over her. Staring at the particularly fuzzy large moth that clung to Rowan’s middle finger, it was like something was clicking into place. The knowledge that she truly wasn’t the only one going through this.
Then the moth was out of her view, and the Russian was on her ass on the ground, right hand gripping the table where she tried to catch herself, and left leg still hooked over the seat. For a shocked moment she could only stare up at Caleb, eyes wide and mouth parted as she sought something to say. Yet when her friend offered his hand, she didn’t hesitate to take it and allow him to help pull herself up. It wasn’t as if she was angry at him, just confused, that earlier concern still settled over her like a heavy rain soaked into her clothes. She shifted in her seat, flexing her fingers experimentally around the scrape now torn across her palm.
“Caleb?” Valeria finally questioned, voice soft and worried as said man covered his face. She reached out to touch his shoulder with her fingertips, but it didn’t seem as if he even heard her in this moment. Instead he focused on Rowarn’s hands, and finally to her. Trusting, she allowed Caleb access to her own scraped hand, watching curiously. She sucked in a sharp breath as before her dark eyes the wound just seemed to … fade. The pain receded, and the skin knitted back together, replacing the scrape as though it never happened. Mimicking just a moment before, she flexed her fingers experimentally. It was much easier. Even the low ache in her arms faded.
Her gaze jerked up abruptly, catching the reddening of skin in his biceps. Immediately Val seemed to bristle.
“Do not hurt yourself for me! It was an accident!” Her words were growled, but she couldn’t muster up any true fire in them seeing how upset Caleb was. After all, she had heard of the car fire that had happened. Had seen how remorseful he was in the rare times it came up. She couldn’t have him feeling guilt for this, too. “And you do not have to apologize. There are… strange things happening. To everyone here?”
The athlete took a deep breath, and the muscles along her own bare arms seemed to ripple as she visibly released a tension held deep in her chest.
“Even to me. Did you hear about that man who had a heart attack driving a week ago, at that sharp bend by the water? I was running in the morning, and saw his car go in. There was no one around, so I called 911 but he was sinking. I tried the door but it was already too deep and the … pressure? Would not let me open it. So I, er, grabbed it. The car. And pulled it out.” Here Val paused, and finally gave a sheepish grin to the table. “Even I am not strong enough to lift an entire car like that. Not in the mud and water. But these … glowy arms appeared, four! And it worked! … I sort of, ran, when I heard the sirens coming. I was a little freaked out.”
Val lifted a hand to rub at the back of her neck, still grinning. “If I was clever, I could have just broken the glass on the window. I was not thinking clearly.” Suddenly her hand dropped, and she nudged her chair forward as she leaned over the table eagerly. “But you are all experiencing these things too! Maybe not the same, but we all are, yes? I can keep summoning these arms, and I have been using them when I am alone! They’re, er, a little noticeable so I cannot show you - but you believe me, because these strange things are happening to all of us, right?”