Nightmares [OPEN]

[kennedyk]

 She hasn't been seen in three days. Wait, four? No, it's been five days. The last person to see Kennedy was Iris during their girls' night in Kennedy's apartment. Her shop has been closed ever since, and she hasn't been seen outside of her apartment. 

It happened the day after Iris left. She thinks? Her vision blurred, heart racing as she felt the overwhelming drowning sensation of a premonition. A storm, vague like trying to remember a distant dream days after it happens. She tried to paint the scene, but couldn't remember details for the life of her and trying to produce what played in her mind onto a canvas frustrated Kennedy to a point where she tossed her brush and paints onto the floor. Even more frustrating than trying to paint the vision was cleaning her own damn mess. She cursed herself for losing her temper so easily and before she could completely wipe up the vibrant red from the wood floors, paint seeping between the cracks, her mind was attacked by an onslaught of visions.

Storms, murder, death, police, water, love, loss, the sounds of a life torn apart.

This continues for days.

It's confusing. Overwhelming. Locations range from seaside to plains to snow covered cities. Every time a vision fades, Kennedy is left weak, but driven to paint. It's a compulsion she can't break away from. She scratches messages and crumbling buildings into a notebook. Her walls are now covered in canvases--some streaks of violent colours everywhere, others with full scenes, dark and haunting. The visions repeat in a cycle and she can't sleep. She's long lost track of time, barely eating and sleeping. When she does sleep, the visions become worse, playing into her imagination and morph into truly horrifying nightmares that wake her up screaming and shivering. They've infected her mind. 

She finally passes out from hunger and sleep deprivation at 3pm Saturday afternoon and wakes up at seven Sunday morning. Perched gingerly at the edge of her bed like she's afraid to move or she'll shatter like glass, Kennedy takes several deep calming breaths and waits for the next wave of visions to strike. After thirty minutes of freedom, she ventures to get out of bed. This leads to washing her face, changing clothes, brushing her hair, and stepping out of her apartment--all movements that are automatic, her body taking control to care for itself while Kennedy's mind runs a-mile-a-minute, paranoid and anxious.

Next thing she knows, she's in front of Quill. There's a coffee in her hands, though she doesn't remember ordering it. She wipes her cheek and she's surprised to feel tears. When did she start crying? And before she can put the breaks on her emotions, she's sobbing on the sidewalk. A girl sobbing uncontrollably on a sidewalk with her coffee. 

Comments

[kennedyk]

"My brain sucks. A lot." Kennedy takes the napkins and wipes her face. She manages to turn the waterworks off now that someone's existence has her distracted and she takes the water bottle, splashing a bit on her hands to quickly wash her face. The cold water feels good on her hot cheeks and she thanks the girl.

"I hate crying. Stupid emotions make you puffy and red and leave you with a God-awful headache."

[callmeemily]

Raleigh's brows furrow when Kennedy talks about her brain, and she wonders if that means she's sick, or what - but she nods at the sentiment. "It's the worst. You feel all gritty and gross and rung out." She nods at the bottle. 'You should drink it - it'll help with the headache. I'm Emily, by the way." It's the first time she does it - outright lies about who she is, and she doesn't even realise she's done it.

"C'mon, do you want to come sit down? I'll get you a cup of coffee or something." She's still got the twenty from Cosette - she hasn't been able to bring herself to use it, but for this? This is a really good example of paying it forward.

[kennedyk]

"Exactly." She sips the water slowly. "Hi Emily, sorry to meet like this. I'm Kennedy," she gives her a half smile.

"Oh I have on--" she lifts the coffee and makes a face. "But I don't take mine with extra tears and sadness so...a coffee would be wonderful and also you're an angel." Kennedy plops herself tiredly at one of Quill's outdoor tables and realizes she doesn't even have her purse on her. How the hell did she even get out of her apartment like this?

[callmeemily]

She totally hadn't even noticed that she had a coffee already, and she blinked in surprise - but she nods to the coffee shop. "Believe me, I've met people under worse situations." She flashes what she hopes is an encouraging smile. "Coffee. Like, as froofy and whatever as you like it, because sometimes you just should go for it."

She puts her bag on the chair across from her, snagging her wallet. "What would you like? You just sit right there."

After Kennedy tells her, she comes back with two cups of coffee in a carrier, and a cookie the size of her hand on a plate, settling them down before she takes a seat and hands Kennedy her new one. "You should eat something, too." When in doubt? Feed them.

[kennedyk]

"I'm sure there's worse meetings, I just like to keep up my stone-cold exterior," she smiles to show she's joking. "I'll have a caramel macchiato, please."

Food? Oh God, she realizes she can't even remember the last time she's eaten, probably why she feels so fragile. She takes the drink, warming her hands and the smell of it is automatically calming. "Seriously, thank you."

[callmeemily]

"Don't worry. We've all been there." Raleigh smiles, and when she brings it back it's got extra caramel drizzle on top because... sometimes, it's the caffiene and sugar that helps.

"It's not a problem. Just pay it forward if you can, okay?" She takes a sip of her own coffee. "I've only started to get to know people around here - do you live in the Cove?" She doesn't really know anybody, and it's an advantage in times like this when she's not going to push about what's wrong, but she doesn't feel right leaving her alone.

[kennedyk]

She sips the drink and feels instantly better. Kennedy and coffee, her ultimate OTP. She breaks a piece off the cookie and chews it happily. It's a reminder that she should probably find Iris though, the poor girl probably went frantic looking for her. "Pay it forward, got it."

"Been about a month I think? Guess I'm still new around here."

[callmeemily]

"That's about how long I've not been being a hermit," Even though it's actually a little less time, maybe? She's not sure. Still, she smiles. "I work at Seaside Bakery. I don't really know much of anybody." That's not as true anymore, but she hasn't actually realised that's how things are. It takes time, for your perception of yourself to square up with reality.

"But I'm glad we met, even if it's not under the best circumstances." She smiles encouragingly, and she drinks more of her coffee - she actually needed it, without realising it. She's tired, and the pick-me-up will help a hell of a lot. "Is there anything I can do to help?" She's tentative as she asks, just in case she just doesn't want to talk about it at all.

[kennedyk]

"Yeah? I haven't been there yet. I own the little art shop at the Boardwalk, Keke's Art-ifacts. Cheesy name, I know, but I'm not creative with that stuff."

"I don't think so?" She takes another drink. "Unless you know how to control premonitions?" she raises her eyebrows hopefully. This Siren Cove place is chock-full of magically-inclined experts and maybe Emily knows thangs.

[callmeemily]

"You own your own store?" Raleigh leans her chin in her hand as she looks at her. "Isn't that like... really hard?" Because she's thought about it. She's thought about it, because her boss sucks, and she knows she's underpaid, but she figures that there's got to be a lot more expenses she doesn't know about, and that it's really hard to own your own business.

That's what she's sort of been raised to think, anyhow. And then her brows shot up, and she shook her head slightly. "No... no, sorry, I'm just- I'm not.... with the magic stuff." She doesn't want to say she's normal, because here it seems like she's anything but. She's just a person, as far as she knows - no magic powers, no turning into a cat, no premonitions. "I mostly just make pastry, sorry." She frowns, because she really did want to help, but.... well. It seems like it just isn't in the cards.

[kennedyk]

"I do. And yeah, it's hard, but not bad. I built up a client base before opening a store so that helps. And being in control of your own layouts, displays, schedules, and charging system makes it worth it." Thankfully the shop's rent isn't expensive and the paintings she sells outside of town keep her bills paid.

"Oh, damn. I kind of figured everyone here is automatically magical or something." After all, outside of her family, she hadn't run into anyone else with magical abilities, and here she'd ran into more than she could keep track of.

[callmeemily]

"Oh, wow," the mere thought of trying to handle all that makes Raleigh just sort of overwhelmed because she doesn't even know what part of that is. Kennedy'd just rattled it off like it was second nature.

Raleigh wrinkles her nose when Kennedy says everyone's automatically magical - it's a weird thing, but honestly? Besides herself, she's starting to think the same thing. "Yeah, as far as I know, I'm normal. Super normal, even." She flashes a smile because that's what you do, you try and be nice and normal and friendly, even if you sort of feel like you just never got your Hogwarts letter while everyone else is arguing about Leviosa vs. Leviosa.

[kennedyk]

"Oh it's really not all that bad," she stresses, seeing how Emily looks.

"No prob. I thought I was normal until I was 15 then BOOM. All hell breaks loose. I'd take normalcy right about now," she admits, taking a long sip of her coffee.

[callmeemily]

Raleigh's brows furrow. "Does that like... happen often?" She's wondering now - wondering if that's why she'd been put here. If somebody knew something she didn't, and she secretly had magic powers. "Like, you're normal, and then you end up with... premonitions, you said? Or like, whatever... magic things."

She looks more... concerned, than excited about the prospect. "That must have been really freaking weird. Is your family... with the powers and everything?"

[kennedyk]

Kennedy gives a giant shrug. "I have nooo clue. My mom's side is magical, not my dad's. Mom died a few weeks after I was born, so I spent most of my life not knowing about magic or my heritage. Mom's side is definitely with the powers."

[callmeemily]

"Oh, I'm so sorry." She frowns when Kennedy says her mom'd died when she was born - because she can't imagine that, what it's like to grow up without a mother, especially because that was mostly the only thing that she had, growing up.

"How did you find that out? Like, did you talk to them? Their side of the family, I mean."

[kennedyk]

Kennedy waves a hand, honestly not effected by her "tragic" past. "It's fine. You're not really aware when you're that age." She's now playing with her empty cup, peeling back some of the paper.

"I accidentally realized my powers, dad wouldn't tell me anything about my mom or her family, so I tracked down her sister in Texas. I was mad and wanted answers, and I definitely got them from her."

[callmeemily]

Raleigh's brows rose. "Well.... wow. Good for you. Seriously." She paused. "Did you grow up here? Or just like... somehow migrate?" Not somehow, but that was besides the point.

"Sorry - I'm... usually a little bit made of questions, it's a thing. If you have somewhere to go- I mean, don't let me keep you, okay?"

[kennedyk]

"Thanks!" she beams. "Nope. Born here, but dad moved us around a bit. I spent most of my life in Oklahoma. "

Kennedy shakes her head. "I'm made of rambling thoughts and getting them focused into words is training my brain desperately needs, so you're doing the world a favour, actually."

[callmeemily]

"Oh! I'm from Tennessee!" It was ridiculous how happy she was to hear that Kennedy wasn't just born and bred here - it seemed like that only applied to a tiny handful of people.

"That's great - did you decide to be here, or did your dad?" She's asking because she's curious, and she actually smiles much more widely when Kennedy finally says that she's doing the world a favor. "I think you're exaggerating, but I appreciate what you're saying," she admits, shaking her head. "You're just in good company, because my brain does nearly the same."

[kennedyk]

"Yeah? Cool! Southern girls unite," she grins. "Decided. Or...was directed to? I dunno," she shrugs half-heartedly. "I needed to settle somewhere after college, didn't want to live with my aunt or dad again. Had a vision about a place called Siren Cove, found out this is where I was born, so I thought, hell, why not? Good a place as any."

"No, really. The world thanks you," she teases. "At least I won't run you off with my babbling then."

[callmeemily]

"Directed? Like... divinely? Or- I guess. Magic. Whatever." She doesn't really know the difference between the two - obviously one involves god, and one doesn't.... presumably, but she doesn't know if there's a difference between whatever Kennedy gets, and what other people get just because they're devout or whatever.

She goes on to explain, and Raleigh's nodding, because now it sort ofmakes sense. "Well, I kow I'm glad you're here." She'd only just met her, but Raleigh definitely liked her.

"Nah - I guess I'm used to it, since I can't run from myself." She grins, and takes the last sip of her coffee. "Maybe you're here for a reason." She doesn't know, but it's possible.

[kennedyk]

Kennedy gives her another big ol' shrug. "I mean I could've been all 'screw that, visions!' and went somewhere else, so I guess I did decide. But then you get into a whole discussion about fates and free will and bah," she waves a hand, scrunching her nose. "Borringg."

"What I have visions of happens. Always. At least in my experience. I just...usually don't know the whens or whys. So the vision about Siren Cove very well could have been someone else moving there, not me."

She smiles when Emily says she's glad she's here and tilts her head. "Maybe? I think my reason is to freak out the citizens by having paintings of them created before I ever met them," she laughs.

[callmeemily]

"Well, I mean, it's good that if you do decide to go rogue, they don't like.... I don't know. Keep bothering you." She's trying to find the good side in all of it, her mouth lifting some at the corner.

She hesitates, and then - "Is... that why you were upset?" She asks it quietly. "Can I help, somehow? I mean, I know I can't like... change the future or whatever, but... I mean, if you need it." She kind of looks at coffee as the good thing to do, but that's not solving the real problem.

[kennedyk]

"Yeaaahh...I had an 'episode' of sorts with my visions. Just overwhelmed with nothing but bad events, the same ones playing over and over in my head for days. It sucked a lot." She sips her coffee, making a face. "I mean, I paint everything I see. Kinda like an outlet. It's not normally this bad. I was just exhausted and overwhelmed emotionally and bleh I'm on a sidewalk and crying into my coffee."