With bombs and the devil, and the kids keep comin'

[guardiandevil]

WHO: Matt Murdock & You!
WHERE: NOHoPE
WHEN: December 27th-31st during visiting hours.
WARNINGS: Insanity?
SUMMARY: Matt's been locked up and is awaiting his trial. He's able to take visitors.
FORMAT: Your choice.

[He doesn't actually feel up to taking visitors yet, but who is he to argue with the professionals? He's surrendered, he deserved whatever torture they dished out, including uncomfortable conversations with his former friends. It wasn't like they'd understand anyways. They hadn't been through what he had. They hadn't touched true power, had the ability to to fix the world right in their palms, had such divinity slip away.

If they had, they'd probably be called crazy, too.]

Comments

[guardiandevil]

[He seems satisfied with this and is content to change the subject.]

What have you brought with you?

[psychomancy]

[She's glad for the change. Gemma isn't sure how much she can talk about her "adjustments" without running out of ideas.]

Oh, just a book of poetry that I usually read from for the patients. ["Other" patients is implied. It's still hard for her to think of him being checked into this hospital.]

[guardiandevil]

[That's because he isn't really crazy, Gemma. You know that.]

I see. Are you going to read to me?

[psychomancy]

[She likes to think she does! But craziness is fluid. She knows that very well.]

If you would like me to. [A small smile.] It was partly for show for the clerk out front. I don't think he'd recognize me if I didn't have a book with me.

[guardiandevil]

I think I would like that.

[He forces himself to look pleasant as he speaks.]

[psychomancy]

[She tries not to notice.]

Well, alright then. Any particular poet you prefer? Almost all the classics are in here.

[guardiandevil]

I always liked Byron.

[LOL he's crazy too LOL.]

[psychomancy]

Alright, then.

[She flips around, searching. Oh. There's only one poem by Byron in this book. Guess which one it is. Gemma clears her throat.]

"She Walks in Beauty," by Lord Byron.

She walks in beauty, like the night
Of cloudless climes and starry skies;
And all that's best of dark and bright
Meet in her aspect and her eyes:
Thus mellow'd to that tender light
Which heaven to gaudy day denies.

[guardiandevil]

[He nods approvingly.]

You pick the next one.

[psychomancy]

[To a random page it is, and she begins reading without pretense.]

Because I could not stop for Death,
He kindly stopped for me;
The carriage held but just ourselves
And Immortality.

We slowly drove, he knew no haste,
And I had put away
My labor, and my leisure too,
For his civility.

We passed the school where children played,
Their lessons scarcely done;
We passed the fields of gazing grain,
We passed the setting sun.

We paused before a house that seemed
A swelling of the ground;
The roof was scarcely visible.
The cornice but a mound.

Since then 'tis centuries but each
Feels shorter than the day
I first surmised the horses' heads
Were toward eternity.

[Pause.] By Emily Dickinson.

[guardiandevil]

[He didn't waste too much thought on the poem. It's one he's familiar with and knows well. Instead, he is curious of her thoughts.]

What do you think of it?

[psychomancy]

[This is always a question that catches her off guard. So, of course, she blurts out the first thing that comes to mind:]

It makes Death seem almost kind, paying her attention like that.

[guardiandevil]

[Matt considers this. He's had an intimate relationship with Death himself, though his glimpses of it have always come at the expense of those he loves. He wonders if Elektra, Karen, others felt that same way about it. Were they wooed away from him by this fatal inevitability?]

I suppose for some, Death is a kindness.

[psychomancy]

[Gemma's relationship with Death is a lot closer than she'd like. But then, when your destiny is to literally ferry people from one life to the next, you learn to accept it. Unless you're her. Then you feel more than a bit bitter for a long, long time.]

An end to mortal suffering and all that. [She's had this conversation before.]

[guardiandevil]

Some people seem to crave the afterlife, don't they.

[psychomancy]

And some people fear it above all else.

[Like poor, beautiful Pip.]

[guardiandevil]

If you've lived a good, righteous life, what do you really have you to fear?

[He isn't afraid. Or so he likes to tell himself.]

[psychomancy]

There are always things to fear.

[As much as she hates to admit it.]