[Kamala draws back enough to look at Allison. Regardless of if Allison lets go or not, Kamala will at least hold onto her wrist. She needs physical touch to ground her right now. Even with the touch, she's frantic.] I talked to this guy who wanted my creepy doll. He said it belonged to his dead daughter so of course, I gave it back to him. He was riding Irenia by the way.
[She thinks that could be important someday.] In return, he got undead people to get food for us. He started telling me about how the undead people were a natural part of life. We were cruel to keep destroying them. We were forcing them to wander around as souls in pain. I'll be honest: it really got to me. I kept thinking what if I'm like the people who ruined the lives of my grandparents and their parents? My grandmother used to be Indian until she wasn't.
[She sucks in an unsteady breath.] Long story short? The Merchant is spying on us. He knew I wasn't just talking to any dad. I was talking to a man named Matthias. He's apparently responsible for a lot of horrible things. Like so many, Allison. The stories keep coming in on the network. I'm seriously so stupid for letting this happen to me again.
[Her voice cracks, a few angry tears fall. She quickly composes herself to finish. ] By the time I got off the phone with him, I knew Matthias was playing me. Even if all the stuff he said about his daughter was real, he is out there hurting a lot of people.
[She shakes her head in disbelief.] Allison, I hugged this guy! I was trying to make him feel better about his daughter! Someone told me he kidnapped someone else's kid! It sounds like he kind of doomed his world so yeah. I was stupid. Now the Merchant apparently wants me to play Black Widow. I said no because I'm not letting you and Five get murdered when that blows up in my face because I suck at lying and he can't exactly kill my family, can he? That's what people like him do when you make them mad. They kill whoever you love most. I don't want you guys to die because I can't stop talking to people who do horrible things!
[Kamala finally stops. Her gaze drops to her feet as she continues to angrily wipe at her face with one hand.]
no subject
[She thinks that could be important someday.] In return, he got undead people to get food for us. He started telling me about how the undead people were a natural part of life. We were cruel to keep destroying them. We were forcing them to wander around as souls in pain. I'll be honest: it really got to me. I kept thinking what if I'm like the people who ruined the lives of my grandparents and their parents? My grandmother used to be Indian until she wasn't.
[She sucks in an unsteady breath.] Long story short? The Merchant is spying on us. He knew I wasn't just talking to any dad. I was talking to a man named Matthias. He's apparently responsible for a lot of horrible things. Like so many, Allison. The stories keep coming in on the network. I'm seriously so stupid for letting this happen to me again.
[Her voice cracks, a few angry tears fall. She quickly composes herself to finish. ] By the time I got off the phone with him, I knew Matthias was playing me. Even if all the stuff he said about his daughter was real, he is out there hurting a lot of people.
[She shakes her head in disbelief.] Allison, I hugged this guy! I was trying to make him feel better about his daughter! Someone told me he kidnapped someone else's kid! It sounds like he kind of doomed his world so yeah. I was stupid. Now the Merchant apparently wants me to play Black Widow. I said no because I'm not letting you and Five get murdered when that blows up in my face because I suck at lying and he can't exactly kill my family, can he? That's what people like him do when you make them mad. They kill whoever you love most. I don't want you guys to die because I can't stop talking to people who do horrible things!
[Kamala finally stops. Her gaze drops to her feet as she continues to angrily wipe at her face with one hand.]