miss-betty-ross-blog

[miss-betty-ross-blog]

Hello? Anyone? Help!

[There was nothing except their voices echoing back to them, and Betty felt panic closing in. Her hand flew to her chest, clutching helplessly at the spot over her racing heart, her breathing coming a little too fast and shallow. Oh, they had been so stupid to come out here, and they were lost, oh god oh god..]

W-what do we do? Gwen- [Before she could finish there was a rumbling, snarling noise, and something was moving in the dimness just behind the tree line.] We - we can't stay here...

...

[Gwen looked around the clearing. There was nothing completely out of the ordinary there as far as she could tell, but who was to say that whatever was out there wasn’t on its way to join them.]

Do you think there could be anyone else out here? [She finally turned her attention to Betty. More concerned that thing would come back if they made too much noise. Seeing signs of panic in Betty’s eyes,she released a sigh.] I guess we could try… Hello!? is there anyone out here!? [She shouted, looking around and waiting for a response.]

[miss-betty-ross-blog]

[Betty moved to grab Gwen's arm to stop her, but not quickly enough. She looked horribly exposed out in the clearing. A shiver ran up Betty's spine, and she couldn't help but feel that they were being watched. Taking a shaky breath she hurried out into the clearing to Gwen.]

I - I hope so! We've got to try and get back Gwen, we have to. We could - try calling for help? [She didn't like the way Gwen looked around the clearing, eyeing the cabin. Betty was trying not to at it. It was just too ominous.]

...

[This was not the direction they were supposed to be heading in  to Gwen’s dismay. Releasing a sigh, she wandered further into the clearing and looked back at Betty and then up at the sky to see that the sun was beginning to set.]

Do you think we still have time before the sun sets to find our way back? [She asked before looking around again. As much as she didn’t want to be stuck out here all night in some, as far as she could tell, abandoned cabin - it might be safer than trying to find their way back tonight in the dark with whatever was out there.]

[miss-betty-ross-blog]

There has to be a more logical explanation than a conspiracy theory about the staff.

I... yes. I... I went into the woods, with Gwen. We saw and heard - things. And even around here, there's been voices, glimpses of people who don't seem to be there.

If I knew why the staff did what they did, I would likely be a staff member and not a patient, don’t you think?  I don’t know if this is the truth but I’m not about to go about believing we’re living out a Paranormal Activity movie.

… What exactly have you heard ma’am? Or, well you said you’ve seen thing?

[miss-betty-ross-blog]

What- what do you mean? Th-they were working. My meds were working! I was- was sleeping better, I wasn't having attacks. Why would they give us different medication?

That's - that's ridiculous. There's no reason for them to do that. [But why are you seeing and hearing things? Something isn't right. Maybe you're just crazier than you thought...]

[He eyes her with uncertainty as she confirms that she too has heard voices. Erik wasn’t superstitious. Anything but, really.] Perhaps anti-anxiety hasn’t been what they’ve given you. I don’t mean to speak conspiracies but…

  Things don’t just go bump in the night, my dear. [He rubbed his face with a hard hand and glanced around them.] I have yet to see things and here’s to hoping it stays that way. It could be very likely staff members find it amusing to try to drive the mad.., not saying I am, of course, further insane. 

[miss-betty-ross-blog]

[Betty followed Gwen into the clearing and then froze. This wasn't right! They should be back, they'd been walking long enough. The cabin looked abandoned, its wood rotting and the ground around it overgrown with weeds. It was clear that no one had been here for a long time. A chill breeze stirred the trees and sent a shiver of dread down Betty's spine.]

This - this isn't right, Gwen. We must have taken a wrong turn. We need to - find another way. The sun will be down soon. [The idea of being stuck out in these woods overnight was too frightening to even contemplate.]

...

[Gwen continuously looked back to make sure that Betty as behind her. She could see the panic in her eyes and the last thing she wanted to do was to get too far ahead, leaving Betty behind. Telling herself to keep calm for the both of them as someone had to, she let out a sigh of relief at the light up ahead]

That means we’re almost back. [She said hopefully, slowing her pace. Thankful that there no longer seemed to be a sign of whatever had been back there, she stepped out into the clearing to find that it wasn’t the asylum they’d made it to, but a small cabin.]

[miss-betty-ross-blog]

[Betty watched him carefully, her expression suddenly full of sympathy. She couldn't imagine how awful that must feel, to know that everybody wanted you to just... stop existing.]

Bru - Hulk... are you Hulk, at the moment? [She was fairly sure, judging by the glitter in his eyes and the wariness in his posture, but it was a little hard to tell since he spoke in third person.] Of course that makes you angry. Anybody would be angry, if they thought everybody wanted them gone. And of course you don't want to go! I mean... this must be so hard, for Bruce. I know I'd be very frightened if I was suddenly sharing my body with somebody else. But - but you're still human too. Um... you say no one understands. I'd like to understand, i- if you want to talk about it, that is.

He just… gets so angry, Betty. They want him gone, but he doesn’t want to go away. They don’t understand.

[Hulk’s main purpose for development was to protect Bruce. On some level he knew that, but he was also perfectly sentient. He didn’t want to disappear, no matter how bad his life had been.]

[miss-betty-ross-blog]

[When Betty met his eyes she couldn't help but tense. She'd wondered, a couple of times in the last few minutes, but now she was almost certain. When she spoke, her voice was hesitant.]

Hulk?

[She made an effort to relax, to stay calm. If this was Hulk, he'd been talking to her fairly normally. He'd shown some understanding of his actions. He hadn't acted dangerously at all.]

I think people can learn to change their ways, if they want to, and if they're shown how. Writing someone off as a monster... that won't help, not at all. I don't think anyone is beyond learning and changing and being good, no matter what it is they've done. If you treat someone like they're - like they're an inhuman monster, then they will be. 

[Hulk listened to her story uncertainly, not sure how to take it. He let himself take in what she said, pulling knowledge from Bruce’s memories. From his studying, from his words. Hulk hadn’t learned too much by himself, but he could remember what Bruce knew. It just took a moment for him to formulate it all. He took a seat with her, still tensed.] But he was still a monster. Frankenstein’s monster. He did things, Betty. They were bad things. He murdered people.

Hulk’s done things too, Betty.  [His eyes met hers for a moment, and they clearly weren’t Bruce’s. They remembered the things he had done. Things that had been done to him. People he’d killed. People he’d hurt.]

[miss-betty-ross-blog]

[Bruce looked edgy, and a little sad. Betty bit her lip. She didn't want to upset him. She was clearly not thinking straight, still a little upset herself at the pointless, painful destruction of her flowers. She hesitated for a moment and then sat down on the grass, drawing her knees to her chest, hoping Bruce would follow suit.]

I'm sorry. We - we don't have to talk about this. I don't want to upset you or anything. But I - I don't blame you, Bruce. Or Hulk. It's hard to explain, but... [she took a slightly shaky breath, looking down at the rose-strewn grass.] Have you ever read "Frankenstein"? The creature in that, he's... everyone thinks he's a monster, and treats him like one, so he becomes hurt and angry, and he becomes destructive. But when you read it, you can't hate him, you can't think of him as a monster. He's not reacting in the best way, but you can completely understand why he is acting that way. He's been driven to it, through no fault of his own... [She plucked at the grass uncertainly, suddenly unable to look Bruce in the eye] I don't know Hulk. I don't know a lot of things about you, I'm being presumptuous. I just... I wouldn't feel right, calling someone a monster without knowing why they are the way they are. And from things Hulk said, the way he looked... I don't think he's bad. And I can't blame him.

[Hulk’s face fell, just a little. He didn’t understand. Why would she be protecting him, especially from what he assumed she thought were Bruce’s words. What had he ever done to deserve her protection? He had hurt her. That’s it. Why would the fact that he looked hurt change that? And how would she know how he felt? His hands were itching, anger trying to blind him. Wasn’t this what the medication had been for? Why wasn’t it working? He took a deep breath, closing his eyes. He could do this. They could… could…]

[What was he trying to do? What could he do? What did Bruce do when he was upset? Stupid question, Bruce went away when he was upset. What had Bruce done before? Before what? Hulk had always been there. What had other people done when they were upset? Words? Talk? Did they talk? Would that help?] What’s the definition of a monster, Betty? [He seemed on edge.]

[miss-betty-ross-blog]

[For a moment, Betty wanted to agree. She remembered how frightened she'd been, remembered the strength of Hulk's hands, remembered the bruises decorating her torso that were only just beginning to fade. But she also remembered the pain in Hulk's eyes, remembered Hulk doesn't have friends.]

He isn't a monster. He did hurt me, yes, but... it's so hard to explain. He looked angry, but he looked scared and - and hurt. Like he was lashing out because he didn't know what else to do. I... I don't think he did it for no reason. Something must have happened to make him think that was the only way he could react to someone. It's not his fault either.

[His eyes moved to her again. It was always his fault. Whose fault else would it be? Was she trying to lie to him? Why would she do that? She seemed so nice. It was easy to fall into the third person.] Why isn’t it Hulk’s fault? He’s the one that hurt you, isn’t he? No one made him do it. He just did it. [Hulk was contradicting his earlier statements, not realizing it.]

[And then he repeated something he had been told almost every time he’d come out. Something Bruce had grown to think, that Hulk had begun to believe.] He’s a monster, Betty.

[miss-betty-ross-blog]

[Something tightened in Bruce's face, and a cold trickle of fear ran down Betty's spine. The expression looked remarkably similar to the one he'd worn before he'd turned on her and lashed out. But that hadn't been Bruce - that had been Hulk. This couldn't be Hulk, though. He was talking to her - Hulk wouldn't do that. Would he?]

I don't know what's - what's happened to you, before you came here, but I know it wasn't good. Whatever - whoever - made you angry... that's whose fault it is. We can't always help how we deal with things. It's not your fault, or... or Hulk's. [She tensed when she said that, fearing she'd overstepped.]

[He looked back down at the flowers again. Oo, he was getting angry again. He knew that one. Of course it wasn’t Bruce’s fault. Nothing was everBruce’s fault. Everything was Hulk’s fault.] Then who’s fault is it?

[miss-betty-ross-blog]

[Betty dashed a hand over her eyes and frowned a little.] Maybe you're right. It just seems so sad.

[It suddenly occurred to her that he could be talking about Hulk - he came out when Bruce was angry, wasn't that what he'd said?] Bruce, it... it's not your fault, that you get angry. You know that, right?

[He seemed a little uncomfortable with the topic.] No, sometimes people just… get angry. Do things they regret.

[Hulk paused, looking at her for a moment. Jennifer. Those undergraduate students. Ross. Betty. He felt funny, like a dull pain in his chest. Bruce. Had Bruce ever felt like that? Probably. He couldn’t seem to recall the emotion in him either though. His eyes moved to the roses and then back to her.] …even to pretty things, sometimes.

[miss-betty-ross-blog]

Angry? [Betty blanched a little. She hated people being angry or upset. And if someone was angry, why would they rip up her flowers?]

Do you think... someone might be angry with me? Have I done something? I must have.

[Oh, dear. She was upset. He could see it in her eyes. Hulk frowned, looking at the roses. And she thought he was Bruce. Right. Know what? He was actually kind of nervous. What was he supposed to do? What did Bruce do?]

Maybe they were angry,

[miss-betty-ross-blog]

[Betty looked up, holding some of the destroyed roses, her eyes a little bright, but she couldn't help a small smile.]

Bruce! H-hey. Um... how are you?

[She looked down at the ruined roses with a sigh]. They were coming along so beautifully. Why would anyone do this?

[Hulk seemed to pause before he turned to look at her. The man remembered her.] That’s… awful. I don’t know.

[miss-betty-ross-blog]

Someone's pulled up all my roses! Who would do that!?

[miss-betty-ross-blog]

Y-yes,. Voices. Oh, thank goodness it isn't just me! I'm.. I'm sure I saw somebody too, but she wasn't a patient here.

I hope it's the medication. Perhaps we should mention it to - to Dr Hill? I mean... [she laughed a little hysterically] My anti-anxiety medication really shouldn't be making me see and hear things like this.

No.., no I’m certain I know what you mean. 

Almost like.., voices. I’m certain its the medication. It must be.

[miss-betty-ross-blog]

It's not even all the room changes... things just seem different.

God, I sound so paranoid. I'm sorry.

So I’m not the only one who’s noticed.

[miss-betty-ross-blog]

[Betty hurried after Gwen, flinching every time one of them snapped a twig or made too much noise. She could barely think past the panic in her head, and every shadow seemed to lie in wait for them. They seemed to keep moving for ages.]

The... the trees should have thinned by now... Look - there's light up ahead.

[She started forward, convinced the light must be the end of the wood.]

...

[Capable of swallowing her fears it was easy when you were apathetic about most things she tried to let that transfer over and onto this situation. Theoretically. Still looking back as if it might go away or Betty might take the lead, her eyes widened hearing the growl.] I think it’s definitely time to get out of here.

[Nodding, she soon took of, walking quickly soon turning into a jog.] To the left. Right. [She kept her pace up with Betty’s trying her best to ignore any further rustlings.]