Words: 768

There was no difference anywhere. Not any sort of difference that mattered on the outside. Go to classes like every other day. Jack came back to the dorm, held the doors for some other freshmen going in and out. They were a small group, four strong wearing too-big boots over too-tight leggings. None of them were Olympians, but at least they seemed comfortable and confident. There was the scent of Body Shop soaps, smiles and laughter. For as much as other people seemed to pay better attention to the news about weird happenings and terrorists, there was nothing at all about what had just happened.

It was like the massive horror of human rights violations- all the blood, broken and starved bodies and the terror in those who'd been brought out of that 'Fun'house- had never happened. It didn't exist. Everyone was so wrapped up in their little pursuits of 'normal' and 'easy' lives that none of it even existed. No one seemed to even pursue greater information about it, other than what the media sometimes went on about. It made no sense at all that so many people could have gone missing, many so young, and there was no more than a blink and moving on.They are all so indifferent. Everyone has grown indifferent to these missing persons and attacks. What else explains it? As long as it isn't them, it doesn't matter. How anyone has trust in the media after the proof of the 1890s...I guess it's just because its easy. It's always what is easy. Why won't anyone fight for these people? With them, by their side? I guess by mine, too.

It was hard to even identify as a part of it. Jack didn't really know any of them that had been there. But knowing or not, the sound of that girl's screams echoed through every quiet hour lately. It didn't matter if Jack was asleep or awake. It didn't matter if there was music on. Bowstrings twanged, Pisces shrieked, blood oozed out of split skin beneath fuschia marks. That girl had said her name was 'Ida'. It was probably as much a name as 'Sandrine' was. And so we're all damn heroes with our code names. But we don't get AU's and resurrected after comic book deaths. Those poor bastards all had to go to hospitals or something. That guy had a sword. I've got a bunch of bandaids over my stomach, but that shot could have made my internals my externals. What am I supposed to do with that?

What are any of us supposed to do with that? Who does that? Who carried around a sword and tries to kill people because they say 'No, really, torturing people is really not okay?' Why does no one take this stuff to the police? It has to have been tried. It has to. How long has this all been happening?
Am I going to keep in this? I mean...what's even the point, other than doing the job of the police who seem to be markedly doing a hell of a lot of nothing in looking for missing persons. Or saying them from creepo terror-cell tactics. Man, who DOES that. Who tortures people and thinks that is okay? How is that okay? I can't even.

Someone took the door and looked at Jack gently with clear question in their eyes. The freshman ducked head in apology, realising that standing there holding a door open with no one passing qualified as completely weird. A quick retreat was in order into the lobby, up the stairs and to the dorm room that was all new plaster and white paint. All evidence erased of that thing that had killed people- those other students that had been in comas in their rooms had died in the hospital without ever waking up. Jack threw jacket onto the bed and stared at the walls, the windows, the door. White washing it isn't going to make it go away. Not for anyone. It. What is it though? It isn't amorphous, nor is it just that one monster or that one man with swords. It isn't just the three, with the man with the arrows. There were so many people out there. Maybe I could find someone and ask them about all this. Someone has to have the answers. Or some sort of answers. And the only way I'm going to find any of them is going out every night I can until I find them.

"Man, its gonna get so cold. Jacket, you are coming with."