Fanfiction: Heroes: His Burden
Title: His Burden
Rating: PG-13
Pairings or Characters: The Haitian
Prompt: “Dreams” for heroes_contest
Word Count: 452
Summary: The Haitian dreams of memories he never lived.
The Haitian dreams of memories he never lived.
In one he’s a little blonde girl begging for her daddy. She’s strapped to a bed, and sparking full of electricity. She’s scared and hurt, and her eyes fill with tears as her father commands them to pump her up with more adrenaline. Her father is the one who orders him to interfere. The Haitian places a hand over her head and whispers his apologies as he sucks up her memory. It’s not the first time he’s done this to her, and he knows it won’t be the last either. The little girl doesn’t remember her pain or confusion but he does.
In another he’s the wife of a man with too many secrets. She’s begun to suspect, once again, that her husband might be more than just a paper salesman. She’s overheard bits of one too many conversations, and they don’t add up. She’s become demanding, she wants answers, explanations. Her husband is convinced she’ll be put in more danger if she ever figures out the truth. The Haitian has a sinking suspicion that there’s more going on, that his friend is scared of how his wife might react if she knew the truth, but he doesn’t call him on it. He just covers the woman’s forehead, and wipes away her confusion. She doesn’t remember her questions, but he does.
Yet another involves a young boy in high school. He’s always been an outcast, but he’s recently reconnected with an old friend. She can do incredible things, the sort of things he’s only read in comic books. She can jump off of building and shove her cracked ribs into place. He’s pretty sure she’s the most amazing person he’s ever met. He’s the only one she’s shared his secret with. It makes him feel special. Like he’s not the only freak. The Haitian feels bad taking away his memories. After all, he genuinely cares for the cheerleader, and vice versa. The world needed more friends like that. But he’s already breaking the rules by allowing his friend’s daughter to keep hers. So someone has to pay the price. Her friend is that someone.
Night after night, he’s plagued with dreams of lives he’s never lived. Memories that aren’t his. But he never complains. After all, he stole these from the people they truly belong to. The least he can do is remember what they can’t. Cherish what they’ve forgotten, mourn what they are better off not remembering.
It is his burden, and he will bear it for the rest of his days. Penance for the pain his power causes people. The evils he has caused against God and humanity.
He will endure it.
Rating: PG-13
Pairings or Characters: The Haitian
Prompt: “Dreams” for heroes_contest
Word Count: 452
Summary: The Haitian dreams of memories he never lived.
The Haitian dreams of memories he never lived.
In one he’s a little blonde girl begging for her daddy. She’s strapped to a bed, and sparking full of electricity. She’s scared and hurt, and her eyes fill with tears as her father commands them to pump her up with more adrenaline. Her father is the one who orders him to interfere. The Haitian places a hand over her head and whispers his apologies as he sucks up her memory. It’s not the first time he’s done this to her, and he knows it won’t be the last either. The little girl doesn’t remember her pain or confusion but he does.
In another he’s the wife of a man with too many secrets. She’s begun to suspect, once again, that her husband might be more than just a paper salesman. She’s overheard bits of one too many conversations, and they don’t add up. She’s become demanding, she wants answers, explanations. Her husband is convinced she’ll be put in more danger if she ever figures out the truth. The Haitian has a sinking suspicion that there’s more going on, that his friend is scared of how his wife might react if she knew the truth, but he doesn’t call him on it. He just covers the woman’s forehead, and wipes away her confusion. She doesn’t remember her questions, but he does.
Yet another involves a young boy in high school. He’s always been an outcast, but he’s recently reconnected with an old friend. She can do incredible things, the sort of things he’s only read in comic books. She can jump off of building and shove her cracked ribs into place. He’s pretty sure she’s the most amazing person he’s ever met. He’s the only one she’s shared his secret with. It makes him feel special. Like he’s not the only freak. The Haitian feels bad taking away his memories. After all, he genuinely cares for the cheerleader, and vice versa. The world needed more friends like that. But he’s already breaking the rules by allowing his friend’s daughter to keep hers. So someone has to pay the price. Her friend is that someone.
Night after night, he’s plagued with dreams of lives he’s never lived. Memories that aren’t his. But he never complains. After all, he stole these from the people they truly belong to. The least he can do is remember what they can’t. Cherish what they’ve forgotten, mourn what they are better off not remembering.
It is his burden, and he will bear it for the rest of his days. Penance for the pain his power causes people. The evils he has caused against God and humanity.
He will endure it.