Revenge? (RP)

Persephone sighs heavily when she realizes what is happening. She was terrible to Circe, Henry shows up to find a crying girl, and he does the good thing and comforts her. The only villain in this scenario, Persephone knows, is her.

She walks in and says, "It’s my fault. I tried to explain to her about the demonic contract, but she didn’t believe me. So I was going to show her my demon form, but my patron is angry at me right now and has revoked it. So I just stood there like an idiot. I stormed out, just… SO angry at it all. I didn’t even get to the part about telling her what happened this weekend!!"

She looks at Circe and says, "I’m sorry I upset you. But I’m not lying. Henry saw it. But… let’s just forget about it right now; I just don’t want you to be upset, ok?"

Persephone begins to protest, saying, "It's not a delusion, it's..." But she trails off as Henry proceeds to henry all over things. First, he says some weird things about Persephone "putting out" that make her uncomfortable; he sounds like a high school boy caught making out behind the bleachers, not an older, mature man. Second, he refuses to affirm Persephone's claim. It is the second issue that ruins things for her.

Persephone looks at him with disdain and shakes her head, hurt and annoyed. She replies, "You still won't support me in this? If you can't believe me after what you've seen and heard, then maybe you should leave. I don't want your pity; I don't want you to tolerate my crazy claims. I want you to believe me. And I certainly won't be 'putting out' for someone who thinks I've lost my mind. So what will it be, Henry?"

She then turns to Circe and says, "And Emma? Yes. Well, No. I mean, Yes, she knows. But, No, her first book was all made up. Then she got a chance to do some 'real' research and discovered that the supernatural is real. So now she is mixed up with very bad people and is acting self-destructively again. So we're taking a break."

She turns back to Henry and crosses her arms, awaiting his response.

Persephone realizes at that moment that Henry will be neither the stalwart supporter nor fellow conspirator she was hoping for; indeed, he's being particularly oafish tonight, and betraying his significantly higher interest in Emma's well-being over hers. Again. And now Persephone has alienated Circe and made her conclude that her older sister has had some kind of psychotic break, may be a drug addict, or possibly a sex worker. Or maybe just a slut. And Emma? Well, Emma's not an option right now.

Persephone feels very alone and very defeated. She looks up at Henry and Circe. She sees their mouths moving, but can't hear them. The walls of her condo feel like they are closing in on her. She feels like someone is sitting on her chest and her breathing becomes rapid and shallow. She begins to shake, her hands visibly quavering and her teeth starting to chatter. She feels her shoulder and neck tense up tightly. She can't see, really--or she can't seem to focus on anything, at least. She has to get out of there!

In the grips of a full-blown PTSD -fueled panic attack, Persephone looks up at Henry and Circe, her eyes wide and desperate, filling with tears that splash down her cheeks, her lips quivering, her voice stammering. "I... I have to... I have to go..."

And she turns and runs! Adrenaline and cortisol pump through her body and she feels like she could smash right through the door. Instead, though, she slams it open with a bang and bolts down the hall to the elevator. She pushes the button 20, maybe 30 times, but it won't come! It's taking forever!!!

She breaks. She collapses, dropping to her knees, wrapping her arms around herself, as her body is wracked with sobs. Deep, visceral sobs punctuated with a guttural moaning cry, as if her very soul was howling in pain.

Just then, the elevator dings, about to open. Circe runs out the door and sees her sister lying on the ground shuddering. Circe runs to her, calling her name, but Persephone is unresponsive. She seems to be replaying something, seeing some trauma, rather than the present. Circe shakes her, but Persephone only sobs, cries out in pain, and shudders, her body literally wracked with muscle spasms, as if she were being struck -- or stabbed. Circe is terrified. Henry stands behind Circe, absolutely uselessly looking on, uncertain of what to do.