For #LineByLineTime : “Kindness”

“You are not in hell,” the Voice said, for the first time sounding as if emotion was allowed through. It almost sounded kind. “You have spent your time there. You are free now and are here because these people need you. Tell your friends your real story.  They need to know and understand. Then they will tell theirs. Speak now.”

(SKIP)

“So you and Tweety are two different people or, uh, entities?” Harper asked.

“She was desperate for relief from her memories after the attack,” the Great Spirit began. “She prayed, and I offered to block them anytime I needed the use of her mouth to speak so her tribe, and now you, can hear me. She rests while I use her body.”

“Why do you not block her memories permanently? Would not that be kinder?” Minji’s voice was sharp with anger.

“I could erase them, just like I could Luthor’s, or any of the rest of you. But those memories, bad as they are, would make you, and her, different today. Do you want that for yourselves?”

“Hey, leave Tweety alone! I like her just the way she is!” Harper’s voice was still mostly flat, but a little emotion flared in it.

(SKIP)

A sigh gusted out of her and she knelt beside Luthor. She tugged on his shoulder, trying to make him straighten up.  “Come on, get up. Get up, blow your nose again, and let’s go rescue those prisoners. Come on, we haven’t got all day.”

“Don’t let your sympathy make you do anything out of character,” Luthor growled, sniffling, then blowing his nose again.

Harper thumped his back.  “You know you’d be suspicious if she was nice to you, big guy.”  He stood back as Luthor rose to his feet on shaking legs.