"You're worthy of life."
"But they said I was worthless."
"You're alive, now, are you not?"
"Yes... I am."
"My job is to make things un-alive."
"But... you didn't kill me."
"Because you're worthy to keep living. You just need their help to heal." -- Lessons
They wore a pretty plaid dress, at least on first glance. A second glance would reveal that the overlaying lines were in black, red, and yellow. Pax Humanis hazard colours. The other thing that stood out was their nice, clean, white elbow-length gloves. Only close inspection would reveal that these materials were miso-- and hydro-- phobic.
This is Layla. They're a killer working for Pax Humanis. Currently, they're speaking to one of their victim's former 'pets'.
A better word would be 'victims'.
Mees was huddled in hir cage. Naked and terrified and trembling for more than one reason. "I can't leave, I can't," ze whispered. "He's gonna be so mad. He'll hurt me so much..."
"He won't hurt you," cooed Layla. "He can't hurt you. Not any more." They offered their gloved hand. "It's going to be all right."
"You shouldn't help me," the victim warned. "I'm worthless. I'm nothing. I'm not worth helping." Ze panted, but didn't quite get to actually saying that ze should not be alive.
"I'm afraid I'll have to disagree with you on that." Layla dug into their kits and produced a compressed shift. Softened cotton. Once released from its pill form, and then dried, it was long and roomy and would cover a lot of skin. Other acts of mercy and gifts of decency could wait for a later hour.
"He said I'm..." Ze trailed off. "I deserve everything I got. I'm not worth anything more."
"You're alive, are you not?" Layla gently pressed the shift into the victim's hands. Let hir grasp and feel the fabric.
"...'es?"
"My job is to make certain people... Un alive. So if you are alive, you are not among that group."
"Why?" risked the victim.
"You've been treated as a thing. Your former... owner... was the kind of man who treated people like things. That's the kind of person who is not worthy of life." Layla tried a gentle smile, and once again offered their hand. "All you need is time and help to heal."
The victim accepted the assistance out of their cage. Unriddled the putting on of their new shift with a little bit of effort. "I'm scared," the confessed.
Layla's next offering was a snack-sized sachet of Nutri-food soup. Just warm enough to be comforting. "Do you have a name?" they asked. "You can make one if you don't like the one he gave you."
Ze gulped down the soup. Sighed in relief. "I'd... like... to be Mercy."
"That sounds wonderful," said Layla. "Hello, Mercy. I'd like to take you to somewhere safer, if you'd like that."
"I would," Mercy whispered.
[Photo by Luca Laurence on Unsplash]
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