OOC: First Dream
"You can't." It was said in a jeering, sing-song voice, and the boy smirked at him. He shook his head, rubbing the tears from his eyes with chubby fists. "I can," he protested, and the children laughed. "You can't," the voice insisted. He shook his head violently, refusing the thought. He didn't know what it was he could do, but he knew that it was important. He needed to be able to do this if he wanted- if he wanted-
"You can't." Soft and disappointed this time. He caught the impression of eyes staring at him, and his heart turned over in his chest. His cheeks burned with humiliation. "I can," he insisted, quietly, and the faceless man shook his head no. He scrunched his eyes up again and concentrated, striving with his entire being for something- "You can't," the man repeated, and the boy’s hands dropped.
"You can't." Cold and emotionless, it was delivered from above with an uncaring sneer. He dragged himself to his feet, ignoring the pain burning in every muscle. "I can." He launched himself at the sneer. He could. He'd show him, he could-
He landed face-first in the mud, a sandaled foot digging into his back. "You can't," the cold voice insisted, and as a feminine voice chimed in agreement, the boy tried to not believe.
"You can't." The voice was quiet, cautionary, and his eyes squeezed together. Fingertips probed at his spine, sending flashes of pain with every touch, then the hand was gone. He shook his head, trying to not believe in that voice, but for the first time, he knew it was true. He couldn't. They were right, all of them were right-
The voices crowded together, layering one over the other, but they didn't blend- each stayed unique, distinct. They steadily grew louder, and he clutched his head with the hand that still worked, a low, pained whine escaping his lips. Youcan'tyoucan'tyoucan't- They were right. They'd always been right. He couldn't- he shouldn't- there was something wrong with him, he couldn't-
A large, warm, steady hand fell on his shoulder. When he looked up, all he could see was a confident smile. "You can," the man said firmly. He leaned in, as if imparting a great secret, and his breath was soft against the boy’s ear. “The lotus blooms twice.”
Eyes wide, the boy nodded, and the voices finally stopped.
"You can't." Soft and disappointed this time. He caught the impression of eyes staring at him, and his heart turned over in his chest. His cheeks burned with humiliation. "I can," he insisted, quietly, and the faceless man shook his head no. He scrunched his eyes up again and concentrated, striving with his entire being for something- "You can't," the man repeated, and the boy’s hands dropped.
"You can't." Cold and emotionless, it was delivered from above with an uncaring sneer. He dragged himself to his feet, ignoring the pain burning in every muscle. "I can." He launched himself at the sneer. He could. He'd show him, he could-
He landed face-first in the mud, a sandaled foot digging into his back. "You can't," the cold voice insisted, and as a feminine voice chimed in agreement, the boy tried to not believe.
"You can't." The voice was quiet, cautionary, and his eyes squeezed together. Fingertips probed at his spine, sending flashes of pain with every touch, then the hand was gone. He shook his head, trying to not believe in that voice, but for the first time, he knew it was true. He couldn't. They were right, all of them were right-
The voices crowded together, layering one over the other, but they didn't blend- each stayed unique, distinct. They steadily grew louder, and he clutched his head with the hand that still worked, a low, pained whine escaping his lips. Youcan'tyoucan'tyoucan't- They were right. They'd always been right. He couldn't- he shouldn't- there was something wrong with him, he couldn't-
A large, warm, steady hand fell on his shoulder. When he looked up, all he could see was a confident smile. "You can," the man said firmly. He leaned in, as if imparting a great secret, and his breath was soft against the boy’s ear. “The lotus blooms twice.”
Eyes wide, the boy nodded, and the voices finally stopped.