Participants:
| Scene Title | Through a Door Chain |
|---|---|
| Synopsis | Anna comes to see Savannah and they have a conversation through a door chain. |
| Date | December 10, 2010 |
Dorchester Towers: Abbot and Savannah's Apartment
Early afternoon, well after lunch. Savannah Burton is getting an… unusual visitor. Knocking on the door of her apartment is a certain Anna Mary James. The very same Anna Mary James who tried to set a booksigning of Savannah on fire. This can't possibly be good news, can it?
Well, on the upside, Anna isn't having any backpacks with her, and her clothes aren't bulky enough to be able to hide anything truly dangerous in them. The worst thing that could be there..? It's a knife, and well… that means keeping distance is all that's needed to be safe.
Savannah was making tea. Or rather, she was just pouring it when she hears the knock at the door. Blast! She wasn't expecting company. However, the last time unexpected company came over, she had an interesting conversation, so she approaches the door with reserved curiosity. Unlocking it, she opens it with the chain still on, allowing a small enough distance to see who's on the other side. And the person on the other side surprises her.
"Well, uh, this is unexpected." Understatement, Savannah, understatement.
"I understand if you don't wish to see me…" Anna starts, offering an uncertain smile to the author, "But I felt I had to do this in person." A brief pause before she continues what she has to say to Savannah, "I, well…" She gulps, "I would like to apologize for my behavior at your book signing a while ago…" Another smile is offered, still as uncertain as the previous one.
"I shouldn't have done what I did. And I'm sorry for it… can you forgive me..?" The teen's question sounds genuine, if a tad nervous.
While there's a tiny smile on Savannah's features, it's still behind the chain-locked door. There's a certain amount of trust required to get inside, and Anna hasn't earned that right yet. The blond author nods slowly. "I can forgive you, yes. You were angry, hurt, and I can understand lashing out. I did quite a bit of lashing when I was a teenager, so I'd be a hypocrite if I didn't at least forgive you."
A sigh of relief comes from Anna, and her smile becomes less uncertain, "Thanks." Is the first word Anna manages to get out after an awkward pause, unsure of quite what to do next… the teen falls back on a tactic she's used before… showing her registration card to Savannah, complete with the word 'Evolved', though her ability and tier are as of yet listed as her being unmanifested.
"I… think part of why I did what I did is that I didn't want to accept what I was… so… I demonized it, which made denying it easier…" Anna explains, her smile turning uncertain again, "I hope you can understand that…"
"People fear what they don't understand. That's exactly why I write these books. I try to make people understand, so they aren't afraid. So they know what it's like. So we don't have to have so much mindless fighting. I try to show people where that will lead them too. I think a lot of people have already seen, thanks to the 8th, how bad things can get." Savannah leans against the wall, peering towards Anna. "I take it you're feeling a lot better about your status, now?"
"A.. little." Anna says, meekly, looking down at her feet, she gulps once before she continues, "Some.. recent events made me rethink the way I viewed things, and the conclusion was … well, was that I did a lot of things I … shouldn't have done." Looking back up, the teen forces a smile. "I can't say I'm happy being the same as the guy who killed my parents, but there's no point in denying it any longer."
Savannah laughs a little, glancing back to Anna. "I wouldn't say you're the same as that man, now, would you? Have you blown up a good chunk of a city and killed thousands of people?" She looks level at the younger girl. "If you aren't the same as that man, you have to prove it. You don't strike me as the crazed bomb-blowing up type. Misguided a little, maybe, but I think you're on the right track. You want to be on the right track. You wouldn't have come to see me if you didn't feel guilty, which means you've got a conscience. And a conscience means you can't just blow up a bunch of people and not feel something. Am I right?"
"I haven't." Anna has to admit, sighing to herself. "But… that's not what I meant." She smiles weakly, "There's the potential for danger in my blood, and… I'm afraid of what I will be able to do." A pause before she continues, "But I guess you have a point about the conscience part… yeah." And her smile reappears, still a little nervous, but mostly genuine.
"Don't be afraid. There are plenty of people who can help. That's what the Suresh Center is for. As soon as you figure it out… you can head there. There's some good people. Talk to Dr. Brennan." Savannah says.
That idea seems to make Anna uncomfortable again… quite a bit so. "Nnnoot a good idea." She says after an awkward pause. "Y'see… I am pretty sure I've been reported missing… and I have no intention to be found." Whups, "Dr. Brennan knows who I am… and I am pretty sure he'd bring me to the police…"
Savannah's eyebrows raise. "That's… a very bad idea. Do you know what martial law means? The military can shoot you, no questions asked, if they decide because you're a fugitive. You're lucky you're registered, for one, but you could find someone who's just as biased against Evolved and… that's it, game over. You need to go back."
Anna places a finger in front of her mouth before turning around to run off again, apparently she's not going to follow Savannah's suggestion, and does not feel like clarifying why she isn't following that suggestion. With that chain still on the door, Anna is probably gone before Savannah can even start following the teenaged fugitive.
Savannah opens her mouth to protest, but the teenager's already off down the hall. The author sighs, pushing herself off the wall as she shuts the chained door. "Poor kid," she murmurs, sympathetically, before she heads back to her tea.