#bergen_county

A brutish killer rises out of the darker thoughts... humanoid rather htan human, hateful... it looks at Sam then at May "She didn't want you once she couldn't MILK you... Now I'm going to kill her. Just like YOU imagined, may"

"You certainly will not" Says a soap bubble fairy "That's just .. oh so rude!"

Sylvi stands and grabs her spear from where she left it in a corner of the room. But then, the fairy appears!

May is listening, holding Sam's hand "Dagmar. I'm so sorry.. .I resented you leaving me. I can't help imagine"

"I... can't fix what I did, May."

"See, she wants you back, to milik you, like a cow. Broken and bleating" The monster says

"I wish I could take it back, but I can't undo it."

"She loves you, and she's hurting, may." The bubble fairy says

Dagmar squeezes May's hand, careful as always not to crush.

"I was so sure you were going to find all these cool new friends, and realize... I dunno... that I wasn't worth the effort."

"She's not , she's a selfish bitch" The monstress sneers "I'm going to cut her arm off"

"It's true, May. She's been a mess, worried she wasn't good enough to help you."

"And I'm not, I know."

"She's scared, May. And THIS creature" A huff from bubble fairy to the monstress "IS rude, uncouth, and unfair. "

"Shut up, you," Sylvi says, getting between the nightmare and Dagmar, but not attacking yet.

"You didn't even try to help me. And you could have I.." May looks at her, "you're special."

"No, WE"RE SPecial... " The monstres says "They're parasites!"

"Ouch. Hurtful" Lucia mutters

Softly. "I could have helped, if I'd read the letters. I failed you very badly."

"Can I gut the monster thing?" Lupe asks

"I let that redcap get to you. I left you out to dry."

Sylvi gives Dagmar a concerned look, then shakes her head at Lupe. "Not yet."

"I should have protected you, and I didn't, and that's a betrayal I can't undo."

The monster seems to be getting stronger.. bigger.

Even May looks confused by that

"And you don't have to forgive me, okay? Because I don't deserve that."

"But... you're special, May. You always have been."

"And I can't just sit and watch as you try to carve off all the parts that make you you because you're afraid."

The bubble fairy seems to shirnk a bit, then says "So much ..negativity"

"Um...does clapping help with bubble fairies?" Sylvi asks it.

"See..." the monsterress chortles "Let me kill her, then we'll be done. "

"I'm not out to... milk you, or whatever shit. But you aren't happy, and I want to help... help make that possible? Numb isn't happy, either. Numb is a bad place."

AT THOSE words... the monster frowns, and the bubble fairy lights up a bit

"Numb is definitely not good," Sylvi agrees, still guarding Dagmar's back.

The bubble fairy says "positivity" To Sylvi since she asked about clapping

"Numb is what happens when you hurt so bad that you don't know how to feel good anymore." Weary certainty of experience.

Lucia watches this unfold

"Hang in there," Sylvi says to the bubble fairy. "It's gonna turn around. You're going to be okay. You're going to be amazing."

"It.. I'm afraid I hurt people, Sam. Your people"

That from May

"Nightmares are scary. But what about everything else?"

The bubble fairy seems to be gaining brightness, and bubblieness!

"Even things that are dark and scary don't have to be bad. It's... it's about the story, ain't it?"

"Good stories can go to dark places, but the end doesn't have to be bad."

Sylvi nods. "Sometimes the good story needs a little bad so the good shines brighter."

"I hurt some people though. Dayana made me write better...but I unleashed monsters.. monsters like her" A glance over "A changeling died. My creation killed him... I.. I killed him"

"Would having friends like you and Lupe have meant as much if it was easy for me to make friends? For you?"

The monstress says "We were GOOD at it, the killing. But then you took the pills" The monstress sneers

She sucks her breath in over her teeth.

"You are not a monster, May."