Rio's mind
Agatha opened her eyes in a void. She made her way to the silhouettes in the distance. As she got closer, she recognized Rio in her true form.
“Rio?”
She didn’t hear her. That must be her past self, Agatha thought. A soul flickered into her view.
So that’s how Rio sees souls. I didn’t think it’d be so small.
Then, she realized why it was so small.
The face of the soul faded into her view, making her cover her mouth at the child’s face. She couldn’t have been over 7, but she was crying more than anyone Agatha had ever seen.
“¡Eres malvado! ¡Todo esto es culpa tuya!” the child screamed. Though Agatha didn’t know what it meant exactly, she could guess.
Agatha swallowed, trying to process it. “Oh, god.” Agatha could tell that the girl was crying and screaming, begging Rio not to take her.
“She was just a kid.”
Agatha turned around to find her Rio watching her past self, tears streaming down her face, her humanoid form flickering on and off, her breathing unsteady.
Agatha ran to her and hugged her, putting Rio’s head against her chest and stroking her hair. “Shh, it’s okay. It’s okay.”
“I shouldn’t— I shouldn’t have collected her. Then he wouldn’t have killed her.”
“It’s not your fault. None of it is.” Agatha gulped.
Rio sniffled. “Todo es culpa mía.”
Agatha continued to stroke Rio’s hair. “This isn’t on you.”
“Yes, it is.”
“No, it’s not. You were just doing your job.”
“But it hurt them.”
“It’s still not your fault.”
Agatha just let Rio cry into her chest.
–
“¡Todo es culpa mía!” Rio screamed, shooting up from the bed and covering her ears.
“It’s okay! You’re safe, everything’s okay!” Agatha put her hand on Rio’s shoulder, helping her lay back down. “It was just a dream. You’re okay.”
“That wasn’t a dream.” Rio buried her face in her hands. “It was a nightmare.”
Agatha couldn’t help but think that her entering her mind may have ended Rio’s dreams, replacing them with nightmares. A knot formed in her throat.
“Do you wanna talk about—“
Rio immediately shook her head no. Agatha nodded quietly, letting Rio put her head on her lap. A cyclamen made its way up Rio’s ear, and Agatha went to pick it.
Rio slapped her hand. “Don’t touch that.”
“Why not?”
“Because,” Rio picked it off and made it disappear. “This is a cyclamen. They’re poisonous.”
“Why would you grow a poisonous flower?”
“I didn’t do it on purpose!” Rio snapped, making Agatha flinch. She softened her gaze, backing down. “I’m sorry. It’s not your fault, I shouldn’t have snapped at you.”
“It’s okay.” Agatha continued stroking her hair.
Rio sighed. “You saw, didn’t you?”
Agatha nodded. “It’s fine if you wanna talk—“
“No.”
“Okay.”
They sat in silence for a minute.
“Maybe later,” Agatha suggested. “Whenever you’re ready.”
Rio snuggled closer to Agatha. “Thanks for not pushing.”
Agatha forced a smile. “Of course, my love.”