RoĂsin O Connor
As panic took hold of RoĂsinâs body she could feel all her muscles lock with tension, her stomach revisiting that nauseous feeling from this morning, her vision blurry with hot tears, her lungs burning with the desire for more than the shallow breaths she was taking, her ears could only hear the distant shouts of others, a few loud bangs and her heart beating furiously in her chest. For a moment she felt as if her ribs would shatter and break. She was vaguely aware of a man stepping in front of her but she could not make out his face nor the words he said, her eyes were focused on the 9 ft tall creature only a few feet away from her. It screamed, she tried to scream but nothing would come out of her mouth. She could almost imagine how she looked, as people around moved quickly and decidedly as merely a frightened woman. Hunched over, paler than usual, with a white knuckle grip on her phone RoĂsin had heard of the fight or flight response before, in fact she spoke about it often when she described her heroes and their stories and had always thought that she would be a fighter-considering how many arguments she got into. But never did she expect that she would freeze.
The shattering of the creature broke the spell over her in the same why the monster broke into a hundred shining black pieces. RoĂsin was overcome with gratefulness that it was gone and fell to her knees and slowing she began to get her senses and emotions other than fear back. Though what also washed over her was shame and guilt that she had done little but be a screaming girl in the background. She cursed herself, having always loudly condemned female characters in stories that did nothing while a man saved them. And a mystery man to top it off, her eyes flickered to Dorian while she rubbed away her tears who was inspecting the onyx shards and her heart began to beat a little faster for her would be rescuer, it didnât matter in that moment that the strangely clothed man had probable been trying to save himself, he had saved her by proxy. And RoĂsin was grateful. Reaching out with her right hand she grabbed one of the glittering pieces and stuffed it in her bag- no doubt when she calmed and told a story about this later sheâd want some evidence it actually happened. She then became aware of a cramp in her left hand, where she still clung onto her phone. Needing some comfort of home RoĂsin dialled the number of her mother, not really caring what time it was back in Ireland.
âDia duit mo ghrĂĄâ [Hello my love] her mother answered into the receiver.
RoĂsin almost started to cry once more, with relief she felt completely safe while listening to her mothers voice.
âDia duit mo chroĂâ [Hello my heart] she replied. âNĂ bheidh tĂș buille faoi thuairim cad a tharla sa lĂĄ atĂĄ inniu. A ollphĂ©ist agus fear...â [Youâll never guess what happened today. There was a monster and a man...].
Upon saying the words monster and man RoĂsinâs eyes looked at the pile of jewels and at Dorian who looked...bright? She trailed off from her mother as she squinted at the warrior man, it wasnât he who bright but a brightness coming towards them, the ground beneath her started to quake as adrenaline and fear revisited her as quickly as they had come before.
âBuĂochas le Dia! Uimh! NĂl, nĂl mĂ© ag iarraidh go bĂĄs.â [Oh my god! No! No, no I donât want to die] she almost whispered into the speaker of the phone. It seemed like even if she ran it would do no good. She watched helplessly as she saw others collide with the dome of light. It would be her next. âIs breĂĄ liom tĂșâ [I love you]. That was the last thing RoĂsin said to her mother and as she could hear her mother screaming her name the light came upon her in a rush and she was swept up in a hale of wind and then. Silence.
If death felt like this, this disconnection, this nothingness yet she could still feel her body but almost as if it was far away. Almost like the place between awake and sleeping when you know you are in a dream. It wasnât so bad. It wasnât so bad to be dead. After what seemed like an eternity and also seconds RoĂsin became aware of other around her. As she lay still on the floor she leaned to see a blonde girl already walking towards a very inviting path. RoĂsin wanted to follow this woman, her own body was light and calm, no longer filled with anxiety and last nightâs bad decisions. As she got to her feet she heard a thud, her phone clamored to the ground. And as clear as day see could see the words âMĂĄthair [mother] Disconnected."
Cold tears slid down RoĂsin's cheeks as she reached for the phone and stared at the screen. Her mind was telling her to walk away, to move towards the light but she found herself trying to call her mother back only to hear the long, lonely beeps of a connection not being able to get through. Her face scrunched up as she tried again, and again, silently sobbing a little harder with each failed attempt. "I...I can't get through ah, I, I can't get in touch with my mother" she said quietly, defeatedly, hoping that this was a dream.