Chapter 6 - Questions and a Lack of Sleep

Pondering about true happiness was what usually got Eclipse into his depressed state. There was no posotive side to his life... or at least, to HIM. He usually layed upon his bed at a late hour, staring up at the ceiling.

Was it luck that brought him to a family that really cared about him, and reunite Eclipse with his father, Shadow?...

No... this wasn't luck... this was God spitting in his eye...

True, Eclipse was able to find what others called "happiness"... but at the same time, was blighted with a demon who wished nothing more then full control over Eclipse's body. When that happened, the monster tried it's hardest to get rid of anything, or anyone who may bring Eclipse back. This meant those Eclipse loved. How could the hedgebat ever deal with the fact that he was the one who would eventually kill them all? Screw the fact that he could not remember anything once Condemned was done... the sight of blood on his hands was punishment enough...

Another question that came to the surface of Eclipse's mind...

Why was Rosette so attached to him?

How could anyone live around Eclipse without fear of being ripped to shreds? How could anyone live with such a freak... such a monster?

Was he really that pathetic?

In his life, everything always ended up going wrong. Never once did he ever get a break. Most of this was because of his own angry outbursts... but... those weren't always there... Perhaps it was due to Eclipse's time on the streets? Yes... being kicked at so many times can do things to an anthro...

It didn't matter how rough-edged Eclipse was though... Rosette always seemed to like him...

No.

He was pathetic.

He wasn't even himself anymore.

True, the hybrid WAS still in the form of himself but... no... Eclipse knew that over these few years he had gone OUT OF HIS MIND from Condemned. Really. He just wasn't sane anymore.

It wasn't an Insane Asylum type of insane. His personality had been changed from a sad young individual, to this psycho who could snap any minute if you say the wrong thing. Yes. He must be mentally ill. Condemned was MAKING him this way. The demon, all night long, would whisper dark commands into the 17-year-old's head.

"Your friends are slowing you down... especially the tigress..."

"Tonight, Eclipse... tonight you need to end their lives"

"Do it... I can feel your will breaking under my crushing power... resistance is futile..."

"Now"

"Kill them now!"

"kill them!"

"KILL THEM!"

"KILL THEM!!!!"

Eclipse shut his eyes and tried to make te voices go away... Condemned was more then a burden to mind... the nightmares that came from his sleep, however, were far worse... In one, he would lose control of Condemned, and barbarically slaughter Rosette - all while remembering his actions completely.

Another was Eclipse in his Condemned form, being burned at the stake while mobians, faces hidden in the shadows, would call him a monster, a freak, and a murderer...

This was the reason Eclipse pondered over these questions as he lay in bed. He was afraid - no - downright TERRIFIED of falling asleep. It was EVERY NIGHT that these nightmares appeared. It was EVERY NIGHT that Eclipse would have to suffer from some horror, as the nighmares showed the hedgebat how terriblle he really was.

And so the only solution was not sleeping.

Eclipse's eyelids were getting terribly heavy from staying awake so long. No! He could not go to sleep! He wouldn't!

He couldn't...

Eclipse checked his clock. It was one-in-the-morning.

Six more hours.

He yawned, and rubbed one of his eyes. So close! He couldn't fall asleep now!

Five more hours.

"Stay awake..."

"Stay awake..."

"Stay awake..."

"Stay............................"... Eclipse was gone. He had failed to remain awake, and had finally drifted off against his own wishes.


It was eight-in-the-morning when Eclipse awakened. Rosette was staring at him with a worried expression.

"Another nightmare?" She asked him when she realized he had fully aroused from his sleep. Rosette explained to Eclipse that he'd been screaming again, and, since his room was next to hers, it had woken her up.
"I-i'm sorry", Eclipse apoligized to the tigress, embarrassed by his own behaviour... he'd have to try not falling asleep next time...
"You don't have to be sorry..." Rosette's voice broke the moment of silence. She actually looked a little tired herself...

"What's wrong?" Eclipse asked her, worried by her lack of energy this morning. Rosette gave him a weak smile, and an answer in response.

"I know that those nightmares are worse then just 'forgetting to wear clothes to school'..."

"clothes?" Eclipse wondered.

"Well... when I heard you screaming, I came into your room, and stayed up all night, trying to comfort you..." Rosette admitted, her face going red. "I mean... I know you don't need my pity... I know you hate being pitied... I just -"

"Thank you." Eclipse interrupted her, flashing her one of his very rare smiles, which made Rosette blush even deeper.

"Are you serious?" Rosette asked. He nodded.

"I actually think you made the nightmare a bit better... er... a bit." He then yawned, causing Rosette to yawn. "God... Maybe trying to stay awake all night isn't such a great idea..." Eclipse said, giving an awkward grin. Rosette laughed.

"don't worry, you're not alone... I'm also beat..." She started to say, but then realized she was talking to no one. Eclipse had fallen back asleep while sitting up. He was slouched over in a position that looked quite uncomfortable. Rosette smiled, and layed the hedgebat back down on the bed. There, she curled up next to him, and fell asleep.

As Eclipse slept beside Rosette, there was one thing that day that was definatally note-worthy; Eclipse, so long as he stayed by Rosette never had a nightmare.

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