“ THEY’RE ILLUSIONS, not tricks and they are harmless. They’re not even really here, you could walk through them and they would dissipate. ”
“ yeah, yeah, yeah… heard it all before, lady. Ever’body swears magic is fine an’ dandy til ya create a new universe or release some kin’a monster on earth & i gotta fix the mess ! ”
“ Reed, ah … ”His words are caught in his throat, eyes avoiding his counterpart’s. there’s a soft groan following an inaudible statement, words trailing off rigid lips. He pauses, trying to find the right words to ease his friend’s worries ; comfort him, make him feel better ( don’t let him see you dying inside. ) Colossal fingertips run along the ridges sewn into stone flesh. his restless hands search for the remaining fragments of his shattered humanity ; nothing left. “ don’t you go an’ start worrin’ about me
— ah’m fine. trust me. ”
his dilapidated appearance was the result of his own hatred and refusal to accept his own limitations. love was something he could no longer have. hope was something he could no longer possess. normality was now only a distant memory in a lifetime of pain and loneliness. ben grimm was no more; he died the day the thing was born. this thing… this monster was all that remained.
“ ugh !damn this rock skin an’ this world ! all’ese guys back at Yancy kept’n challengin’ me to a fight. placin’ bets on who could take me on. ah said i wasn’t fighting no-one… but a man’s gotta do what a man’s got’ta do. right ? ”
