>> "That's bullsh*t…That's complete, idiotic, narrow-minded, disgusting bullsh*t."

Agnes was shocked by the words that flew from the guidance counselors mouth. Never in her life had she ever heard someone talk like that. And to be truthful…it was very refreshing. For months Agnes knew how wrong her parents were in their treatment of her. She knew that it was not right, and apparently their actions appalled this woman as well. In a way that was a source of relief for the young woman. To know that she was not the only one who saw how wrong they were really helped.

>> "There is nothing wrong with you, Agnes…Being a mutant is part of nature. It is part of who you are. You might feel like it does not make sense, or that it is disturbing, and uncomfortable; but it really is just natural. Definitely not evil, or demonic, and absolutely nothing Biblical. You will have to deal with it, but it is really not that bad."

“I-I know…I know that now…” she whispered in reply.

When she first ran out into the streets she did buy into her parents preaching. She thought she was possessed, that she was a monster. After all, who really wants to watch a young woman run around covered with insects and spew them from her mouth? It was a disturbing sight, to say the least, and unfortunately it reminded her too much of the Biblical stories that her mother used to tell her every day.

Growing up, she bought into the tales. She really believed that an apocalypse was on the way and that she and her family were going to be one of the righteous ones saved. That was why she was always her parents little angel. She listened to them, she respected them, she bought into their beliefs that all mutants were simply monsters, innocent people possessed by demonic forces.

Then…on the day she joined their ranks, she learned that she was indeed no different than any of other human. It was her parents who would not budge. It was them who deemed it right to strap down a young, seventeen year old and attempt to burn the demon out with “holy fire”.

The thoughts made her shake all the more as she wrung her hands nervously, exhausted from so much crying and so many memories. This was apparently visible to the counselor who got up and fetched her a glass of water. With thanks she took the water from her and sighed thoughtfully…

>> "Drink. Look, Agnes. You are a smart, strong girl. You got out of there, and no one can blame you for that. And I promise that they won't ever get to hurt you again. Okay?"

One sip, and the cool water felt good as it flowed down her throat. She shook her head as he finally turned her red, sore eyes onto the woman.

“You can’t promise that.” she said resolutely. “They’re looking for me.” she paused to take another sip of water. “I was out in the city a few weeks back. I was just wandering, minding my own business, when I saw a street sermon. A sermon my parents were giving…there were photos, signs calling me a monster…” another shake of the head and she took a shuddering breath, “They won’t rest until they find me…to finish what they were trying to do.”

>>“You can’t promise that. They’re looking for me. I was out in the city a few weeks back. I was just wandering, minding my own business, when I saw a street sermon. A sermon my parents were giving…there were photos, signs calling me a monster… They won’t rest until they find me…to finish what they were trying to do.”

Gemma sighed as she looked at Agnes. The story was just getting more and more awful. What were those people thinking?...

"Yes, I can" she said "I can promise it, and I do. You belong here now, Agnes, so I am responsible for you just as much as for all the other students in the Mansion. And it is my job not to let them ever hurt you again. Do you hear me?" she asked quietly, but with the usual determination in her voice "They cannot get in here; you are safe till we take care of the rest."

She was not sure what the 'rest' was going to be, but she sure knew she had to do something.

>> "Yes, I can…I can promise it, and I do. You belong here now, Agnes, so I am responsible for you just as much as for all the other students in the Mansion. And it is my job not to let them ever hurt you again. Do you hear me? … They cannot get in here; you are safe till we take care of the rest."

There was conviction in that voice. It was a tone that she had heard many times before from her own parents. They were extreme zealots and that whole heartedly believed every last word that dripped from their mouths, no matter how close-minded or foolish it may seem. And though she was hearing that tone again, she knew it was different. It was different in that she actually wanted to believe the words that the woman was saying. She wanted to accept that she could feel safe here, that she could enjoy a normal life…as impossible as it seemed. That she never had to think about what her parents ever did again…

But that would never happen. As much as Agnes wanted to believe this woman, the terror still seized her chest whenever she thought about them. It was because she knew that no matter what, until they were dead, she would never be fully free of them.

She turned her sad, red eyes upon the guidance counselor and took another long sip of her water.

“Thank you, I know that you really mean what you are saying,” she said with a nod. “But so long as either them, or I, are still alive, I will never be safe. They will always be searching for me…I’m there last mistake.”

All this was said with an extremely solemn look on her face and tone in her voice. She believed every word that she was saying to be true…that’s because it was. Her parents were fanatics and she knew that when they got a thought in their heads, they would never let it go. The same goes for her. They were in the process of ridding the world of one of the most terrifying “demonic presences” mankind would ever know…the Horseman Pestilence. They had been waiting for this their whole lives, to save mankind through this one exorcism. So long as she still have her mutant powers and still breathed, she would never be free of them.

“I’m sorry,” she finally said a little cold and unfeelingly. “I don’t mean to be throwing myself a pity-party. But they’re out there,” she said as she nodded to the window. “It maybe not be today or tomorrow but they’ll find a way to get to me. I can’t stay cooped up in here like a prisoner the rest of my life, no matter how good I might have it here. And when I go out, that’ll be the day they find me.”

She sighed, sadly, as if she had read that all this would be happening in some crystal ball or something. As if she knew that it was inevitable that she would find herself in their path once more, and again would be forced to undergo the extreme lengths of exorcism she had to endure the last time. It was just a matter of when.

“Ms. Taylor,” she muttered. “Please…don’t get involved with this. Once they catch wind of where I am…Once…” she sighed and calmed herself down to speak more clearly. “N-No matter how safe you think I am…they’ll find a way. They always find a way to get what they want.”

>>“Ms. Taylor. Please…don’t get involved with this. Once they catch wind of where I am…Once… N-No matter how safe you think I am…they’ll find a way. They always find a way to get what they want.”

"I understand what you are saying" Gemma nodded. She really did. She had to deal with abused children more often than she had to, and the reaction Agnes was showing was very common among them: they did not want help, or others to get involved in their misery. Gemma could understand that.

"But I can't not get involved. It is not just because I want you to be safe. I also have to keep everyone else safe, and while there are people out there preaching that mutants are evil, this world will get worse every day. So, I will just have to go and see what I can do about it."

She smiled a bit at the girl.

"Get some rest now, Agnes. I am really, really glad you talked to me about this. You are very brave." she smiled, and she meant every word she said "All I am asking is that you stay inside the Mansion and give me some time to see what I can do, okay? I promise I won't get into trouble."

>> "But I can't not get involved. It is not just because I want you to be safe. I also have to keep everyone else safe, and while there are people out there preaching that mutants are evil, this world will get worse every day. So, I will just have to go and see what I can do about it."

Agnes said nothing as she listened to the woman preach about how she had to get involved, no matter wait. Immediately all the hop and color drained from her face as she turned away, her eyes hard and growing red and moist with tears. She wished that this woman would have just agreed with her, to have said nothing and just decided to stay out of the whole business. The problem was that she was just like any other social worker, guidance counselor, teacher, etc. They were people who did nothing by try to get involved, especially when they person they were helping really did not want them to.

In the end, Agnes knew it was futile to ask that of the woman. After all, it was her job to care but she had to try. It was too late to try and convince her that the incident did not bother her all that much after all. Look at that outburst she had just finished going through. There was no mistaking the pain and anguish that was still nestled deep in her heart.

Still, that did not mean she wanted Ms. Taylor to go out there and attempt to do…well…whatever it was she was planning to do. If her parents…had any inkling where she was…

Agnes visibly shuddered at the thought.

>> "Get some rest now, Agnes. I am really, really glad you talked to me about this. You are very brave…All I am asking is that you stay inside the Mansion and give me some time to see what I can do, okay? I promise I won't get into trouble."

Agnes sat there, searching the guidance counselor’s face for the longest time. She seemed as if she were peering deep into her, trying to see if she were really the genuine article or not.
“Fine. Th-Thank you…” Was all she said in reply, but there was no sense of attitude or irritation behind it. Instead Agnes was speaking low and quietly. She stood, assumed that the woman knew the way out and sat at the edge of the bed, attempting to get ready to take a nap. She was starting to feel tired now. She guessed that that much crying could tire anyone out.