Participants:
| Scene Title | More Than Pain |
|---|---|
| Synopsis | Dying hurts more than a broken heart, but a broken heart lasts longer. |
| Date | July 1, 2009 |
Village Renaissance Building, Fourth Floor Safehouse
The floors here on the fourth level of the Village Renaissance Building at 14 East 4th Street are of polished grey marble and the smooth walls are painted a cream color. Four corridors with four apartments each are found here, with stairwells at the front and back and elevators centrally placed in each corridor. The elevators have buttons for the first three floors visible, and control panels requiring both key and keycard to open.
The apartment doors, made from sturdy pine, are operated by keycards only on this floor. Like the second and third floors, they're numbered 401-416.
But that's where the similarity ends. This floor isn't for rental to the general public. It's a place reserved for temporary stays by whomever the person who lives on the top floor chooses to give sanctuary.
It's a safehouse of the Ferrymen, operated by a member of Phoenix, using the cover of musician's eccentricities to explain away the motley crew of folks who might come and go if anyone should ask.
It happened so suddenly.
Far away, from one of the apartments provided by Cat on the fourth floor of her building, a yell rips into the hall. It sounds very much like someone being murdered, ripped apart.
Thrashing on the floor of the apartment, Gillian grabs at her head, tears running down from her eyes, pain radiating from every inch of her body. It lasts so much longer than it should. It hurts more than anything she'd ever felt before. Even electrocution. Even the encounter with Kazimir's ability.
The chain keeps whoever tries to open the door from getting into her right away.
The screaming only stops when she runs out of air.
The tears don't. There's more pain in that moment than the suddenness of dying. She saw everything— kept the connection open so she could learn. So she could see. So she could remember.
So that's what happens when a clone dies.
That's what it feels like to be beheaded.
By the time anyone gets to her, she's curled up into a fetal position, and stays there. And she can't help but wish Brian were there— one person who could truly understand.