Who's the real Monster?

~ Hannah

I can't believe that, that bitch talked to me like that. Is 'bitch' the proper insult to use? Oh well I thought with a shrug.

Begrudgingly following their orders I used the radio to contact mom "Mom are you ok?"

"I'm fine honey, are you?"

"Yeah, I'm heading to you" I said while speed walking down the hall. She opened the door before I could get close enough to knock.

She looked at me worriedly. Guess mom could hear it in my voice. She wrapped me in a tight warm hug. Even though it had barely been a day since I gained my freedom I've had to be careful meeting up with mom. I really missed hugging her. I felt like I could cry. Maybe I already was.

Mom pulled away from me to wipe my tears away as I did the same. We had a light chuckle. "What happened? Is it safe to go back into the panic room?" she asked.

With a shrug I replied "I don't know." Mom nodded her head in response. As we entered the room mom asked "Who was that person who talked with Ripley?"

I sighed heavily before replying "That's Z--" Smith whimpered at the mention of their name. Looking his way I told him gently "It's ok, it's ok." He started rocking himself back and forth while looking down at a screen. Taking a peak of what he was watching I saw it was an old TV show.

Mom touched my shoulder to ask "Hannah what's going on?" A sense of worry filled my stomach. I know that tone well, especially when she uses my name. Moving away from Smith I whispered "Their name is Z. They were the recent person brought here. Z was the one who" I looked over to Smith before finishing "got everything started."

Mom nodded her head for me to continue. "From what Z told me they talked with Ripley" I whispered to her. The worried look never leaving her eyes. "Ripley wants all the humans to go back." Watching her frown I knew she didn't want to leave. I definitely didn't want her to go either.

"I mentioned to Z that I want you to stay" I told her earnestly.

"Will they allow that?"

I shrugged before saying "I don't know."

Mom started pacing. Something she only does when under extreme stress. I started to think of what we could do. All the while Smith was lost in his own mind.

~

Opening my eyes to see the others keeping their distance from me while murmuring to each other Nightmare told me They're still afraid of us. I retorted They were always afraid of you, they started fearing me because of you.

Trying to meet everyone's eyes I saw some movement coming my way. Seeing that it was the usual suspects I watched as Ed and Matt got closer. Followed by Eric and Shelly.

Everyone waited to see who would talk first.

Eric broke the silence "Did she accept our demands?"

"Yes."

"How did you make that happen?"

"I threatened to unleash the files they kept on us to the public."

Eric asked a rhetoric question "Josh?"

I answered with a nod "Yup."

"My ears are burning" Josh said from behind me. It took everything in me not to roll my eyes at his response.

"Are we really safe?" Shelly asked.

Looking into her eyes I gave her a small reassuring smile "Yes we are."

A wave of relief washed over her face.

"When will we be expecting the demands?" Ed asked.

Meeting his eyes I answered "In 6 months."

A low murmur spread throughout the crowd. Feeling people behind me I didn't need to turn around to know who they were. Raising my voice I said for all to hear "From now on everyone will call the woman known as Nurse Ratchet 'Emilia'. That is her name and we should show her the same respect we show each other. She is after all like the rest of us." Nearly everyone had something to say on that matter. I added "You don't have to forgive her for what she did to you. I know I won't. That doesn't mean we should turn our back on Emilia. She's been through the same as us, if not worse."

Moving my head slightly to see Alexia and Emilia holding hands the entire time. "This island is going to be our new home. As long as we respect and do no harm to each other we can all start living peacefully" I declared.

Someone asked "How can we trust you?"

I answered sincerely "I only make promises I know I'll keep." Placing my hands on my heart I pledged "I promise not to harm anyone without good reason. I promise to keep everyone here safe and to help wherever and whenever I can."

Someone else asked "Do you trust them?"

Unsure of who that question was directed at I heard Eric and Matt say "They helped free all of us." A familiar voice spoke from behind me added "Z could've killed us all if they wanted to. You should've seen what they did to the guards."

I replied in a tight tone "Thank you Hannah."

Averting my eyes to hers I asked "Have anything else to tell us?" Watching her gulp I tried to keep my smirk from showing. "I actually do have something important to say" Hannah confessed.

Everyone including myself moved our attention to her. She look flustered for a second before saying "I have something important to say." Hannah inhaled deeply before finishing her line of thought "Please hear me out; I would like for my mom to stay here." There was a ripple of chatter as everyone talked at once. I lifted my hand to get their attention before lowering it for everyone to be quiet.

Hannah looked over to me before continuing "My mom has been working for this facility since it was created." A few people gasped at the realization while others stayed stunned. "She wasn't a scientists or guard. My mom actually has a degree in accounting."

A moment of silence passed as all of us weighed our options. Deciding to ask the obvious question "Why should we let her stay?"

Hannah inhales sharply before replying "Full disclosure, my dad is Colonel Armstrong." Another gasp followed by some outraged cries. Giving everyone a moment to collect themselves Hannah said "I hold no familiar ties to my dad. From now on I will only call him by his title. When I came out as 'Hannah' the Colonel didn't accept me, only my mom. Which is why I can't let her go back. She'll be labeled as a traitor. I can't fathom the things they would do to her to find out about this place."

Someone asked "You're trans?"

Hannah corrected "Trans fem, yes."

I lifted a brow to ask "Anyone got a problem with that?"

No one said a word.