--- (nightmare)

[absinthe_eyed]

This nightmare is a chaotic roar, a confused jumble of moments that may or may not have happened. The world is fractured like a broken funhouse mirror and, in each distorted shard, a story plays out. Sounds and sights and emotions overlap. It’s overwhelming. If, however, the mind can focus on one of the multiple and simultaneous shards of

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[cry_reaper]

She has no context for anything she's seen, only the recognition that this was Justin and based on nightmares she's had in the past, she can imagine his life has been a traumatic one.

Her own dreaming mind simply takes this as normal. So she wanders up and sits with him, giving him some space, but enjoying the view with him nonetheless.

"I like the ocean."

[absinthe_eyed]

He doesn't have to look over his shoulder to know it's Mara, even though he doesn't know her all that well. "It's beautiful, in a strange way. To think about the vastness of it... that can make you feel lost. Insignificant." Justin glances at her briefly as if to ascertain that, yes, someone else is indeed here and he's not just talking to himself. "It's the Pacific. Have you seen it before?"

[cry_reaper]

"No, just the Atlantic."

She looks out for a moment, then back at him. "Did you live here?"

[absinthe_eyed]

Justin nods. Her question almost gets a smile.

"No. This was a vacant property that Richard's family owned... we came here to get away from home." One has to wonder why, however. The building doesn't look particularly habitable or structurally sound. "I thought about stepping off of this balcony a thousand times."

The ocean below, visible through some of the larger holes in the wood floor, becomes louder. It's a gentle roar rather than a threatening one... beckoning, almost.

[cry_reaper]

"I can understand the impulse."

Her own legs dangle over the edge, part of her realizes that this isn't exactly real, or she'd be more concerned.

"Who are you Justin? What was that I saw?"

[absinthe_eyed]

He's glad someone does. Richard never understood the appeal of sitting on the edge of the old building, a single movement away from falling to the distant, rocky shoreline. If Mara looks down, she'll see where the waves crash into the land. The building is on a cliff and affords a beautiful, if precarious, view.

Justin looks at Mara blankly. He's vaguely aware that he's dreaming right now, but he has no idea what Mara has seen. "What was it that you saw?"

[cry_reaper]

She motions downward, a bit reluctant to speak, but... what else was there?

"A cell of some sort, a body on those rocks. Everything else was fuzzy."

[absinthe_eyed]

"Oh." For a long moment, it seems as if Justin isn't going to say anything else on the subject. He does eventually add, "That was Richard. On the rocks. He was my..." Another pause. It's difficult to say what Richard was, really. "He was a co-conspirator. He didn't have to wait in jail for his execution."

[cry_reaper]

She glosses over the body on the rocks for the moment, "You were in prison? What for?"

How does someone who had been in prison end up on the City's police force? And not only that, in a position of authority?

[absinthe_eyed]

He stares at Mara as if she just grew a second head. Justin forgets that what he has done isn't common knowledge. Frankly, it's easier to forget than to explain. Hesitantly, he replies, "I murdered a woman. Richard and I did... for a philosophy. To be free and do something meaningful. I had these ideas..." Justin trails off and watches the ocean. "Idiotic ideas. I've paid for them. Three times, I've paid for what I did... but I don't know if I believe in redemption."

The house creaks and groans dangerously. Justin ignores it, fixing Mara with a sad, desperate look. "Do you hate me now?"

[cry_reaper]

"I don't... I don't know what to think."

It is an honest statement, said without an ounce of shock, just... uncertainty. Confusion.

"You've always been polite, kind even to me. And Shiloh. You're a police officer here."

[absinthe_eyed]

"I wanted to make up for what I did," he replies quietly. "I researched criminology extensively... forensic techniques, profiling, procedure. I thought I could use that knowledge to earn a second chance."

The building lurches towards the ocean, forcing Justin to grab the railing for support. It settles.

"I'm not a bad person. I don't want to be."

[cry_reaper]

She lets out a little scream as the building lurches, scooting back onto the porch until she's almost back inside.

"Then don't be."

[absinthe_eyed]

Justin doesn't move, but he doesn't blame Mara for abandoning the balcony. If he didn't know that there was no danger of falling--not yet--he would likely follow her example.

"I don't know if I can help it. Maybe some people are born evil."

[cry_reaper]

"I don't believe that."

She calms a little as the house seems to settle and she inches a little closer to him again. "I believe we can be forced into things we'd rather not do, I think people can be broken, mad, and not know the consequences of their actions. But those who do bad and know it - they make that choice. It is a choice."

[absinthe_eyed]

He nods slowly. The house is quiet now, drowned out by the ocean. "So I made a choice to do evil." Justin doesn't seem comforted by this. "That makes me more of a monster than the Master. At least he was insane."

Which doesn't mean that Justin doesn't hold something of a grudge against him where that dinner party is concerned. It only justifies self-loathing.