Players:
Summary: Sophie and Hosea talk about the trials of their past.
Log Title: Scars
Rating: PG
Xavier Mansion - Ramsey Dormitories Lobby
The lobby of Ramsey Dormitories has two elevators at one end of the wall along with the entrance to a cafeteria. On the wall are three pictures that say 'In memory of'. One is of Douglas Ramsey, another of John Proudstar and the last one is of Jean Grey. There are several couches and tables down here for students to relax. Large windows in the front and sides allow for a lot of light in the room.
Scene
Monday morning, bright and early. Classes won't start for a little while yet, and most of the students are trying to wake up still. Not so with Hosea Ikbuku, though. The African is up bright and early. He has a banana in his hand as he exits the stairs, preferring them to the elevator. In his other hand, a worn leatherbound…well, collection of pages, really. One could only call it a book in the loosest of sense. The release to the door is hit by his knuckles, and it swings open.
As the door openes to let Hosea out, they reveal a young woman standing on the walkway just outside. Sophie DeCosta has her back to the door; in her right hand she holds her cane, idle for the moment, and in her other a book clutched close to her belly. She stands with her head leaning back, golden locks of hair spilling down over her back and the plain white dress that she wears, matching her blindfold. In the trees about the grounds a chorus of birds are singing, and the blind girl is listening to their collective song.
The tall Nigerian grins widely as he spots Sophie. "Good morning Miss Sophie!" he announces in a loud and cheery voice. "I do not often see othah people up on Monday dis early. How are you?" He trots briskly down the steps, and comes to a stop direcly in front of the blindfolded girl. Hosea's garb is rather simple, a school issued T-shirt, and a pair of jeans that have seen better days. Unfortunately, his own voice doesn't mesh well with the chorus of nature, but it's no doubt that his location is rather easy to pinpoint.
The blind girl's breath catches at the first sound of Hosea's voice, before a smile graces her lips. She tilts her head back down demurely, and clasps her hands around book and cane over her abdomen. "Senor Hosea," she replies in a soft, cheerful tone of voice. "It is good to hear you again. I am afraid I only know the position of the sun by feeling its warmth. I don't usually get up for another half an hour, but I heard the birds this morning and wanted to come outside before class. We have different birgs in Spain, you see." She tilts her head to one side, as she faces up once more. "Where are you going so early, if you do not mind my asking?"
Hosea grins, holding up his Bible, the ragged thing that it is. "I am going to study God's Word," he tells her. "Every morning, before anything else happens, I make it a practice to read what God has written down for his people so dat I may live well according to it during da day." He suddenly realizes that he's holding up his Bible to show it to a girl who can't see it. "What book is it dat you have with you?" he asks.
Sophie holds up her book, displaying it in Hosea's general direction. "The Once and Future King," she replies. "I am reading it for one of my courses; I am almost finished." She runs her fingers over a series of bumps on the cover. "I left Spain in haste, and could not bring any books with me. I spoke to the Mother Superior last night on the phone, though, and she'll be sending a couple of my books — and my Bible." She blushes softly, as she hugs the book she's carrying back against herself. "I haven't been able to find a Bible in braille here yet. I am anxious to have mine back."
"Oh, you are without a Bible?" Hosea says. "Dat is a terrible thing!" He looks down at his Bible. She can't well read this one. "I would let you borrow mine, but I do not know dat it would help you. Hah! But I can read to you, yes? Den you can heah da Word!" The Nigerian is beside himself already with the prospect. "Would you like to come and see da chapel? We could read it togetha, and see what is to be learned!" He pauses. "Well, I guess you can not see it, but you can come and visit it da same, yes?" he suggests.
Sophie giggles softly, and shakes her head, "No, your Bible would not do me much good, I'm afraid. Except perhaps for banishing El Vampiro, if he should come to bite my neck as in the movies, si?" She flashes her teeth as she grins. "You do not need to worry about suggesting that I should see something, Senor Hosea. It is a figure of speech; I know what you mean. Though you are correct; I would certainly like to see it. But if you will take me, I will settle for a visit."
Hosea grins. "Hah, da vampiro? Dat is a strange thing to come to bite your neck, like a leopard, maybe? he responds. Apparently he isn't very privvy to vampire legends. "We will walk, so dat you can learn da way, so if you need to go by yourself, you may be able to do so." The large hand reaches out to touch Sophie's, but he lets her take it herself, so that he doesn't cause her to drop the book and her cane in the process. "Do you have a favorite book of da Word to read?" he asks.
The blindgirl shifts her book to a small satchel slung on her back, before she reaches out with her no free left hand to seek your arm. Once her hand rests on your bicep, she flicks her can about herself, and nods once. "I am ready," she murmurs. "I will try to memorize the way as we walk." She nods her head slowly. "El Vampiro is… well, there are many legends, and the story tellers make more all the time, of creatures that look like people, but are burned by the sun, banished by the Holy Cross, and who suck the blood from people in the night. Usually attractive young girls, in the movies." She shrugs her shoulderes dismissively, before grinning once again. "And my favorite book is Genesis."
"Hah, vedy good, we can study Genesis den, yes?" Hosea answers. "Dat is a strange legend, da vampiro, it does sound like dey must be quite evil." Hosea begins to lead Sophie, walking toward the gardens. The sound of the water at the Japanese Garden can be heard before long, and they start passing over the wooden bridge. "I do not know what I would say my favorite book is," Hosea says. "Silly dat I ask you if I do not know myself, yes?" He chuckles. "I may have to say First Petah. It is a good book about suffering, and has taught me much about what God's people should expect in life, so dat we are not taken by surprise." The African's large bicep has some irregularities to it, now that it's warm enough for short sleeves, the scars on his arms can be easily felt by the touch. Here particularly, it feels like a burn scar, running for just a few inches from his bicep to his elbow.
"Yes, they are quite evil… but they are also not real; they are only story time villains, si? So not to worry." She shrugs her shoulders lightly, just as she tilts her ears to the sounds of the Japanese Garden. "Water… A garden? Stream? I must remember that it is there." She pauses, and shifts her hand up a couple of inches on Hosea's arm. "You seem to have suffered yourself, Hosea," she murmurs. "I… I can feel your scars; you were burned?" She tilts her head up to face towards Hosea, while her cane continues to sweep the ground before her. "It was not bad, I hope? May I ask what happened?"
"Yes, da Garden is vedy pretty. Da flowers will bloom soon I think," he comments. "Dey already have buds on many of da trees." Hosea arches his brow at the question about his scar. "Hmm, da scar dere?" Hosea asks. "Umm…" he ponders as they walk, and the sounds of the birds in the trees grow closer. "Let me try to remembah, I believe dat one was from a powdah burn. A man came around a corner, and I had to raise my arm up and block his gun. He fired, it and da powdah burned my arm." He doesn't seem too worked up about the story. "My life in Nigeria was filled with suffering, yes. It was not pleasant, but it is still good, yes? God has taught me much by it. You cannot see, but der are many scars on my body. Before I was a Christian, I was a soldier in da army of a vedy wicked man in Africa." He gives a shrug, which can be registered through the movement of his arm.
Sophie's hand follows Hosea's arm as he shrugs, and she bows her head at his words. "I am sorry you had to endure such a thing," she replies. "I have heard of it before, but never met someone who has been through it first hand. Still; you survived, and your found God, si? So perhaps it was not all in vain?" The blind girl smiles pleasantly. As she walks, her cane nudges against a rock and she flicks it out of her way, sending it skittering across the ground. "I would like to go to the garden when it is in bloom… but be warned, if you take me; I will want to touch all the flowers and know what color they are." She laughs, throwing her head back for a moment, until her mirthe settles. "I… I suppose since I asked of you a personal question, I should tell you in return. I have a scar as well… just one. But I hide it beneath my blindfold."
Hosea smiles patiently. "I did not find God," he comments, "God found me, yes? Dat is what I have learned, God does not bring suffering to our lives without cause. It is to teach us. Sometimes it is to teach others through us. Hah! God does nothing in vain, does he? Think of how great da suffering was dat Jesus endured for us. I did not enjoy da time I spent, but I now see what good my Saviouh has brought through it." The path is rugged, and it doesn't seem to be traveled all that commonly. "I would be happy to show you all da flowers. I am sure dey will be vedy pretty. Why do you hide your scar?" he asks. "I must think it is how you became blind, yes?"
Her hand grips Hosea's arm a little more tightly, as Sophie is guided across the rougher terrain. She slows down her walking a little to compensate, as her cane keeps encountering rocks; some of which she can move, and others that she must simply step over or around. "It is," she admits. "I… there was a fire, and I was the last to get out. I tripped, and fell; the floor gave out beneath me, and I…" She pauses, and swallows noisily. "I was not burned, but an exposed nail cut across my face. Both my eyes took infection and were ruined. It was… well, it was very painful. Both for body and soul." She casts her gaze downwards, and a heated blush covers her cheeks. "I hide it because I am ashamed of… of how I imagine it makes me look, I suppose. And besides, it is a good way to make it clear to others that I am blind, and what they should expect."
"Ah," Hosea says. "Well, I do not think dat is a reason to be ashamed, yes?" He lets out a laugh as he considers the rest of the school. "Besides, you have not seen what all of our classmates look like! Some of deir mutant powers make dem look vedy strange! Der used to be a boy dat looked like a hyena! But if it makes you feel bettah, I will not ask you to remove it. Dat is your choice." The trail moves slightly uphill, and soon he stops. "Be careful, da first step is right heah."
Sophie comes to a stop alongside Hosea, at the bottom of the steps. She pauses, and takes her head off her guide's arm. She stands still, and clasps her hands around the top of her cane. The blind girl takes a deep breath, as her hands rise slow and deliberate in front of her body; a soft glow comes into view, coming from a spot beneath her breastbone as her hands pass over. She puts her hands to her blindfold, and after taking a deep breath, pulls it off; her arms drop, and she clasps her hands once more around cane and cloth together. Revealed is a several year old but still angry looking scar, bisecting both eyes; eyes that might once have been deep, sparkling blue but have fone pale and milky. Sophie's blush deepends, and she holds her gaze upwards only for a moment, before tilting her head down and facing away. She stands her ground throughout, even though her muscles tremble visibly, and she uses her cane more for support than guidance.
Hosea remains quite still as Sophie removes her blindfold and reveals her scar. He reaches up a hand to put it on Sophie's shoulder once she turns her head down. "It does not hide your beauty, Miss Sophie," he says gently. "Becauce beauty is found in more den da skin. You have honored me greatly by showing me dis, I can see dat it must be vedy hard for you."
Sophie's breath catches as she feels Hosea's hand on her shoulder; when she face back upwards, her cheeks glisten lightly with moisture. She nods her head slowly, and if she could see she would be focusing on a spot on Hosea's chest; as it is her eyes just point forwards and lack the constant scanning that most people's eyes perform. "Thank you," she whispers. Thank you for making me feel that I could show you… I've never shown anyone else, before, except for doctors." Her hands set to work on the blindfold, tugging the knot loose and untieing it with fingers suddenly gone clumsy. "And… please, just call me Sophie."
Hosea grins widely. "Den you can just call me Hosea, yes?" he answers, his left hand reaching up to use a thumb to brush the girl's tears away. "I do not envy your burden," he says, "But I will gladly help you to bear it." He removes his hand from her face, and places both hands on the knot, his fingers working to help untie it for her. Once it is free, he uses those same large arms to reach for a gentle, but very encompassing hug, given his size. Only if she allows it, though.
The blind girl nods slowly after Hosea brushes away her tears, and lifts one hand to brush back some of her hair, tucking it neatly behind her ears while the Nigerian helps her to untie her blindfold. "Thank you," she whispers. As she's drawn in for a hug, her hands climb upwards to rest on his shoulders, and she turns her head sideways to rest on his cheek. Her muscles settle down and stop quivering so; her eyes close, and she sucks in a deep breath before letting it out in a pleasant, relaxed sigh.
Hosea leans over so that it is easier for the hug. He lets it rest for a moment before releasing her, though his hands still rest on her shoulders. "Dis was a vedy blessed morning, I am happy to spend this time with you. Perhaps it is something dat we can share together often?" he offers, an audible grin in his voice. His hand reaches down to take the blindfold from her, and then places it back across her eyes, making certain that it is snugly fitting. "Is dat too tight?" he asks.
Sophie keeps still as Hosea wraps the blindfold around her face. The cloth is long enough to loop around her head several times. "No, it is not too tight," she murmurs. "It is perfect. Thank you, Hosea… Si, you are right, it has been an excellent morning all around." She smiles softly, and drops her hands to clasp them behind her back as you work, letting her cane dangle by the loop around her wrist. "I am glad that you are here. Your kindness makes it easier to face a world I cannot see."
Hosea smiles, putting his arm out for her to take again. "It is good of you to say," he thanks her. It's nice to be appreciated for once. "Let us make dis morning bettah, den, and read from da holy Word of God. Genesis, yes?" he asks, pulling the scrappy looking Bible from his back pocket. "We can read of Joseph and his many sufferings as God made him into da ruler of Egypt. What great things were in store for him!" And he starts up the steps with the girl, into the chapel.
~ Fin ~
