Sorry for the wait. My new Beta, ShadowElrondsell, was editing my last two chapters.
A sneakpeek of the next chapter for anyone who gets all hidden references first, or the person who got the most.
"Nuh uh! Pie is the most delicious thing on Earth. CAKE WILL NEVER AS GOOD AS MY PRECIOUS PIE!" Fish declared with a thrust of his hand.
Rosie simmered inside me and then barked out, "Oh yeah? Well, cake is at every gathering, social or otherwise, whereas your "precious pie" is only present at Thanksgiving!"
I blinked, regained control of my mouth and decided to be the peackmaker. "Guys, I don't really see how any of this is important," I said.
"SHUT UP!" they both yelled, one in my ear, the other in my head. Take a wild guess which one was which.
I sighed and was starting to tune out the argument when something shifted behind me. Fish, Rosie and I all went silent, eyes wide. Well, I guess Rosie's eyes would be, if, you know, she didn't have to use mine.
Ben's voice broke that silence. "Emily, who's that with you?"
I turned and looked at him. He was rubbing his eyes childishly. "No one's with me Ben," I whispered as Fish shifted slightly to let me move to the driver's seat. Unfortunately there wasn't any place for him to go without Ben noticing so I had to sit on his lap as he continued to drive. "Why would you think there was?"
"I heard voices." Ben's face was scrunched up.
"No voices, Ben," I said, glaring at Fish for his loudness. "No voices."
Ben yawned. "Where are we?"
My eyes widened and I looked at Fish. He whispered our location quickly in my ear. "Closing in on the border of Canada," I mumbled back.
"Oh." Ben turned around and in the split second I yelled, "Monster!", ramming on the brakes while Fish threw open the door and ran off, turning into a fuzzy oversized dog and disappearing out of view. Ben tumbled on to Nico whose body snapped up in defense thus ramming one arm into Jessica's rib who woke up and kicked Alice who I guessed she assumed was the attacker. Alice woke up and then started a bitch brawl between the two.
Ben, though, remembered my cry and jumped back up, deflating whatever air Nico had in his lungs. "Monster," he said. "Where?"
I pretended to squint through the windsheild. "Oh, sorry guys. Just a bird." Then I continued driving so they couldn't attack me. Because you don't attack the driver unless you want to get into a car crash. And car crashes would not be efficent in our quest because it would delay us a lot.
After a while everyone was out and stretching their legs. I watched Jessica argue with Nico about letting me drive. I ignored them, chewing on my lips as Alice brushed my hair. Her reasoning? Everyone should go into battle gorgeous so they die pretty. I wondered how much she hated me for pulling her into this. After she was done and everybody had loaded themselves back into the van, we continued driving.
Half an hour later we made it to the border patrol. Ben had some drug ready to knock the patrol man out but I shook my head and told Alice to keep driving. A pack of dogs ran in front of the van and we passed the mangled body of the dead patrol man. I closed my eyes and sunk deep into my seat. Rosie hummed songs inside my head to keep me calm. They were either songs I had heard before or ones she had grown up hearing. If we lived I promised to show Nico those songs.
Alice kept driving before Ben reminded everyone that Marcus had included him as one of the "in the know" people.
"Stop," he whispered, slipping out of the car seconds before the engine was even off.
I followed him and everyone else readied themselves to follow me. Ben wrapped his arm around his waist and sighed before trudging along in the thin snow. I slung an arm around him and we walked together in silent harmony. Even Rosie was quiet, something about her brimming with insecurity. A tree moved and then another, hushed voices egding us deeper and deeper into a nearby pack of woods. We slipped in easily and I looked around, contemplating how many bad sitcoms Dr. Howard had seen to put his bad guy hideout in the middle of a forest. It's amazing how easily I can be put off track.
I pulled my arm off of Ben and moved forward, farther and farther from the group, a familiar patch of blue fur standing out among the bushes and ferns and trees. I chased it as it darted down, Rosie swearing in my head that her brother was picture of stupidity. I agreed with her as my strength began to give out. A runner I may be but I don't do snow.
I panted, catching hold of a tree branch, eyes wide and searching. Fish appeared at my side, lifting me into his arms. He rolled his eyes at my patheticness.
"I don't do snow," I said patting his arm, as he moved down, working up speed to quick jog. "When's the honeymoon?"
"I'm gay, baby doll. Plus, I don't do incest," he replied. He peeked over his shoulder, Nico moving into view.
I winced. "Is he allowed now or that still a no-no?"
He shrugged and moved to the left, using me to swat down leafy crap. "Guess we'll see." He set me down in the clearing, right in front of a large-ass cave. "Save me if I get killed by lightning, will ya?"
I nodded. "Got it."
He grinned and then ran off, waving. I understood what he was going to do as I watched him disappear. I sat for a moment, marvelling in the scenery and the silent flutter of bird's wings and the quiet ruffle of leaves. Nico was the first to come. He stepped into the clearing but he never saw me. He stood and then stumbled forward, gasping a few times and then he grabbed his head and moaned. Marcus had said that he had said he'd been here before. He stumbled around some more, clutching his head in pain as he moaned and groaned. Was this a sign of his memories coming back?
Then I noticed his hair was changing a little as Nico's moaning lessened. Turning a vibrant shade of red from the bottom up. It kept changing until Nico screamed, "STOP!" Then it disappeared and Nico's pain increased again.
"What happened?" I whispered as he fell to his knees, nearing the point of screaming.
"Nico's soul, the other part that's like me, is trying to take over. I think he's trying to ease the pain off of Nico but Nico's stubborn. Always has been," Rosie muttered, sounding bitter at the end. "Nico can't see that he wants to protect Nico. I think I'm the only selfish one." She gave a laugh that was meant to be quiet but echoed in my head loudly. "I agreed so I could see my brother and Nico again."
"That's okay." I stood up and walked to Nico. "Just help me."
"Deal."
And she did. Just because we're around everybody else doesn't mean I don't talk to her. Between the fight at the gas station and arriving at the border, I had found out a lot about her. She was the daughter of Apollo despite being Fish's twin. She was the eldest because Apollo had "mated" as Fish put it, with her mother first. Rosie told me if her mother hadn't had Fish, she would've had both Apollo's and Poseidon's blood in her. Apparently gods don't give a crap if another got there first. They want a kid so they're getting a kid.
Rosie had grown up hating Fish for running away, believing that he had when it turned out their mother dumped him in river because she didn't want him. Which was why Fish hated his birth name and his mother. Because she left him to die, knowing fully well his father was the god of the ocean, not rivers.
Fish told me he didn't die because he could breathe underwater and some nymphs took care of him. That he was the cutest thing they had ever seen and they were his surrogate parents. They fed him, clothed him, loved him. Then one day a black man came and dumped him into the hands of Dr. Howard. After he met the man again (he couldn't tell me who the guy was) he learnt that the nymphs were intending to use him as a human sacrifice to the god of rivers, thinking, from stories they had heard from mortals who had walked along their edge, that it would appease him and stop the flow of pollution killing and sickening their water. The man revealed he had given Fish to Dr. Howard as an exchange for something else. He couldn't tell me what.
I used my ability to get inside the mind and Rosie matched her own healing powers to ease Nico's pain. It stopped seconds before Ben, Jessica and my Alice appeared. Nico knew best to stay quiet but he gave me an odd look as I turned back to face the cave. Nico popped up. Jessica pointed at it.
"It's in there?" She didn't look to pleased with having to go inside a cave.
Ben and I nodded. "Yes." Fish would be so proud of our twin like harmony. Rosie snorted at the thought.
Alice wrapped her arms around herself. "I hate caves. I hate caves," she grumbled.
I rolled my eyes and grabbed her hand to comfort her. "Don't worry. It's not a cave."
Alice and Jessica both sent me a "How in the name of our mama's pink eyeshadow and purple tights do you know that?"
"I just do," i muttered.
"She's right. It's not a, a, a, a..." Nico drifted off into a silence, grabbing at his head again as he tried to focus.
Then the red came back!
He yelled and screamed and moaned and groaned and did all that other stuff that shows people are in pain. Jessica tried to grab him but he threw her off angrily. Ben grabbed on to him with his left hand, his other trying to grab at Nico's neck,, trying to find a pressure point maybe. It didn't work. Ben landed in a crumpled mess by my feet. Alice was smart and pulled out her sword. She began to run to Nico, sword held high as Rosie muttered that Nico should give in and being stubborn was stupid in this current matter. It was this moment Fish decided to appear.
"NICO!" he yelled, running from the woods in what appeared his underwear. He was also running in zig-zags to avoid whatever lightning were planning to strike him, I guess. Alice stopped charging towards Nico and turned to face this odd blue haired boy in his underwear.
I looked at the sunny sky, no sign of danger. "I don't think any lightning's gonna hit you." Then I looked down, back the boy in his underwear. "Question: why are you in your underwear?"
"SILENCE, WOMAN!" he yelled, pointing a finger at me.
"Well, I have to be because you certainly aren't a man." I crossed my arms, realized something and swore. "Stop it!"
"He was asking for it!"
"STOP USING MY MOUTH!"
"Sorry," Rosie mumbled in my head.
Myr friends - and Jessica - looked at me weirdly. I ignored them and shrugged nonchantly to show my assurance it was fine should Rosie never do it again. Looking back down, I noticed Fish - why was he in his underwear? - shaking Nico back and forth by his shirt collar, yelling, "WAKE UP, MAN!"
Nico stopped groaning for a moment. It was at this point Ben stepped forward, grabbed Fish by his hair and threw him violently away. Like he was trash. I heard an odd squeaking sound, like a rusty door hinge needing oil. Ben ignore the squeaking noise to walk to Fish who was backing up, laughing nervously.
"Hey Babe!" he tried, enthusiastically.
I thought back to our first meeting when he had said, "I wasn't like Ben-Ben." And then I wondered how Ben would come to know this place if Dr. Howard hadn't done anything to him, like he had done to me. So I brilliantly came to a conclusion that you all probably came to chapters ago.
"You're the brown-haired boy whose face I couldn't see!" I yelled, pointing my finger accusingly at his retreating - and stalking - back. "And you're Fish's boyfriend!"
He turned his blonde head and nodded. "Duh."
Then he turned back to Fish who looked ready to run. He crossed his arms, that squeaking sound coming back as he did, and batted his eyes as he spoke sweetly. A deathly sweet tone. "So, sweetheart, how come you didn't tell me you were out and about?"
"I was going to. Obviously. I mean, why, why, why wouldn't I tell my boyfriend who loves me very, very much and would never hurt a hair on my head in any rage or anger he feels against me that I was here and not dead like he guessed?" Fish spluttered.
"I'm wondering that too."
Then Ben tackled Fish and repeatedly smashed him wherever he could hit. Ten minutes later and he was done, dropping a tired fist on Fish's stomach as he straddled him across the waist. I saw his shoulders shake and just as Fish was rising to comfort him, he pushed him back down with a sob and whimper, burying his head in the crook of Fish's neck. Fish murmured apologies as Ben just rode out his crying. He was happy, I realized. Happy he could have what he missed most back.
"When I heard Emily talking to you, I thought, 'Gods, I'm dreaming.' But I didn't want it to be so I asked and I hoped she was gonna say that a cute, blue-haired, knucklehead was in the driver's seat because you never let anyone else drive, and then she said no one and I got sad. Why didn't you say something? Why didn't you tell me?" he whimpered, still buried within the tight grasp of Fish's arms.
"I wasn't allowed," Fish replied. Then his eyes widened and he finally noticed something. "Why the hell is your hair yellow?"
"I dyed it."
"Why? Why in the name of all that is horny would you do that?"
"First of all, sweetheart, it's holy, not horny, and second, you always said you loved my hair and I didn't want to remember you if I couldn't have you so I dyed it blonde, not yellow, to forget you but it didn't really work and when I finally admitted that to myself I met Charles and he liked blondes and you were there so I figured I'd do it to keep you."
"Oh." Silence. Then, "That makes perfect sense." More silence.
Ben smiled warmly and then his smiled darkened and he became the bad-ass Ben I knew and sometimes feared. "Do something like that again and you die." He smiled happily again, pushed himself off of Fish, whose face resembled a horror movie character's right before their death, full of fear and terror, and skipped over to us.
"I had weird friends," Nico decided, having become sane right after Fish was thrown by Ben.
"Yeah," I agreed. "You really did."
After an hour of introductions, planning, snowball fights and chasing Ben to stop him from murdering Fish we were ready to go. Please don't ask. I'm still not sure what the hell happened in that hour. And I was one of the people present!
I swung my sword up and stepped into place behind Ben and Fish (who finally put some clothes on), Nico behind, sort of, next to me. Fish was up front because he was the one with the smelling ability and the automatic reflexes besides me (a happy gift we both got from Dr. Howard). Ben was behind him because he could remember the layout of their previous time here, a time they refused to share with us, Ben because it scarred him and Fish because he wasn't allowed. I was next because I, well, I have automatic reflexes so they made me stay closer to the front despite my protests I should be in the back to scope out for monsters.
Alice said no because I might run away. Fish said no because he wanted to keep an eye on me - and his sister but that part wasn't mentioned in the hour of insanity I can't remember so he didn't say it. Jessica said yes because she wanted me to be eaten. She had no problem expressing this hope in words which makes me worry for my life should I come back from this quest. Nico said no because he wanted to talk with me. Ben said no because... well Ben couldn't really give a reason. Everyone else took all the good ones.
Anyway, after me was Nico because he could see through the dark better than the rest of us - except Fish because, you know, Fish is part dog and dogs can see in the dark. Or is it cats? Or is it both? I can never really remember. Nico was also after me just in case I did run away, he woud be able to attack it with his awesome sword and fighting skills.
After him Alice and Jessica were paired to stand next to each other, a feat both didn't seem to be able to do. But since Alice didn't want me in the back - and I think she feared for my safety against Jessica - she reluctantly agreed and then we were in the cave and heading toward certain death. I love myself and my mind which hates me since it always makes me think about the bad things. We're in a conflicted relationship right now. Don't ask.
Rosie contented me with songs she knew. I was happy she'd been listening to the ones from the present. Calming down helped when I had something familiar around or in my head. Nico tried to keep small talk up with me to ease my clear and present discomfort.
Our first try at small talk:
Nico: So (awkward pause) weather's nice.
Me: (looks around) We're in a cave.
Small Talk Try 2:
Nico: (twists sword around) So read anything new lately?
Me: (unfazed) No.
Small Talk Try 3:
Nico: (looks at me) So what's up?
Me: (looks at him) Stalactites.
Small Talk Try 4:
Nico: So you've got someone in your head too, huh? (taps head while speaking)
Me: (nods) Uh, yeah.
And that's about as far as we went. We both really, really suck at small talk. I barely get anything out and he asks such mundane questions. We both looked away from each other after our fourth fail. Besides, Fish kept up enough conversation for all five of us. He kept babbling on and on and on to Ben about where he'd been, what he'd been doing. Apparently Hades likes to play Go Fish. I didn't ask anything but eyed the blue-haired boy suspiciously, wondering about any possible brain damage he might've had as a child. Nico had said what he remembered was that Fish was exuberant.
Suddenly something dropped from the ceiling. Automatic reflexes kicked and without a thought my sword went up and cut through the substance quickly. Next thing I knew Fish's tan hands were covering my eyes and Jessica screamed, voice muffled by someone's or her own hands.
"Don't look. If you're anything like my sister, I'm not letting you look." Nico's hands helped dragged me from around the waist away a little before Fish let go.
"What happened?" I mumbled, frowning.
Fish shifted uneasily and pointed to my sword. It was decorated in bright red blood. I squeaked and recoiled back, dropping the weapon in the process. I had killed something? Then I realized what Fish meant as Rosie panicked in my head. I had killed a person, a someone. I whirled around to vomit into a corner, not caring if someone heard us. A cool hand rubbed my back. I puked some more, Nico's hand holding up my hair as his other patted my back soothingly.
"You good now?" Alice asked, voice worried.
I nodded, wiping my mouth. "Good," Rosie and I agreed. Though my agreement was heard by everyone else.
Ben handed me my sword, a grimace of apology. I tried not to look at the blood as I patted his head in thanks. His face soured. I stood up and thumped my chest, Tarzan style.
"Puking is for the weak." Alice raised her eyebrows. I thrust my fist into the air. "I," I began, "am weak!" And with that I marched off, having no exact clue of my destination. But, let's be honest, when do I ever?
We split up as we came across two tunnels. Fish said both would end up in the same place, the entrance to Dr. Howard's "EVIL LAIR!" DUN DUN DUN! According to Fish it was best if we split up. Less chance of all us getting captured. Nico agreed and the rest of us reluctantly went along with it. Nico, Ben and Jessica took the tunnel with less light, Ben pulling a lightbulb out of his backpack. Bet you forgot we had those, huh? Well, it's not Leo's magic tool belt that I should know nothing about but it works!
Ben also pulled some wire and hollow metal tube out his bag and in less then a minute he had constucted a makeshift torch. Don't ask me how. Child of Hephaestus are just cool like that.
Fish, Alice and I took the tunnel with the most light since we didn't have Nico to see for us or Ben to build and keep working a light source.
Originally, I was meant to be part of Nico's group instead of Ben. Then Alice pointed out that the lack of light could mean that the tunnel had been sealed off and was actually a dead end. Then everyone looked at me, realized my intentions and switched me with Ben. Jessica grumbled that I was a lousy leader and everyone agreed reluctantly. Damn, I'm so predictable. And it wasn't like I was going to run away. I was just going to see if I could delay my inevitable push into fighting and thus consequently dying in battle while my friends run away and wait for the impending doom of the world.
...
Wow, I think a lot about death. Maybe I should sign up for therapy if I get out alive. Heh. Who am I kidding? I'D SIGN UP FOR THERAPY ANYWAY! Pfft. Why wouldn't I? I saw a grown boy turn into a dog, I found out my dad is a Greek god, I have another person living inside my head, I see monsters, my subsitute grandfather is a demigod that ordered an ex-friend to be killed and I'm on a quest for the death of an evil doctor that's been messing with the bloodwork and genetic structure of child deimgods who lives in a cliche cave with an underground, child slave labour workshop as his evil lair and hideout (Fish can talk about important things... sometimes) Not to mention my other mental health issues we will not talk about.
Anyway...
My arm was gripped hard by Alice who groaned as we descended into the cave. Fish was carrying a thick stick (ryhming, I'm such a dweeb) and I had taken some matches from my bag and into my pocket just in case.
"Caves are bad. Caves are bad," she repeated, pulling me closer to her. Effective for her safety and my not being able to run away.
"You sound like a satyr," Fish and I pointed out.
She sent both of us a dirty look. "At least I know what's wrong with me," she snapped back, regret filling her eyes as she realized what she said.
I shut my mouth and turned my head away from her. The walls had childish stick figures drawn on them in paint and marker. A spider jumped on to my arm. I brushed it off and walked faster, tugging my arm out and away from Alice's grip. Rosie muttered something I didn't pay attention to.
"Emily!" Alice yelled. "I didn't mean that!" She started running
I made it Fish before she could catch up to my previous position. Fish turned to look at me, amused. "She didn't mean it."
I sniffed. "How do you know that?" I whispered back as I ignored Alice's pleading.
Fish changed the subject. "Have you ever seen a Roman and a Greek demigod fight together, as one unit, one power?"
"No."
"Yes, you have actually." He grabbed Alice's arm and pulled her next to him after she shrieked. A spider had jumped on her and a rat had run between her legs.
"And who would that be?" I crossed my arms and raised my eyebrows defiantly.
Fish grinned at me. "You. And me. And anybody else like us." He waved in front of him vaguely. "You see, Em-Em-"
"Don't call me that."
He ignored me and continued. "-we are created to be a Roman and Greek warrior as a single power. Of course, we're not born that way so we have side effects." He sent me a pitying look. "Some of us become animals, like me, and others have common defects, like you." I glared at him for calling me a common defect. He ignored it but sifted a bit to the side, a little afraid of what I could do to him in such a small space. "Since we're both Greek and Roman, we get along with both and we aggravate both sides equally." He patted Alice's shoulder. "Which is why Allie here snapped at you like that."
Softly, I murmured, "Oh." Then I held out my hand and arm for Alice to attach to again. When she did I looked back to Fish. "So how come I was carted off to the Greek camp? Wouldn't there be a debate of where I was supposed to go?"
He shook his head. "Hypnos is your dad and he's Greek so naturally you'd go to Camp Half-Blood." He shook his head again. "We fight like both but we aren't both." He looked at me curiously. "Get it?"
"Sort of," I mumbled, stepping forward.
Then I fell through the floor.
I fell and fell and fell until I finally hit the bottom. The way down was a blur of infinite darkness. I couldn't see anything or hear the shouts of my friends. Only endless black and a deep rushing sound of wind around me. I tumbled through the air, desperately reaching out and trying to grab on to anything, despite Rosie's cries of staying still.
I hit my head hard on the ground. I reached behind my head. Blood was dripping out. I closed my eyes and let Rosie take over. The pain still throbbed in the back of my head but when I touch it the blood wasn't falling out anymore. I nibbled on a bit of ambrosia. It barely helped. I winced standing up. Then I noticed it. Silence. Pure and absolute silence.
Automatically I reached for my hearing aids and felt them, cracked and broken, parts missing and shattered in the darkness. Crap. I couldn't see or hear anything. I was Helen freaking Keller without the insanity. But I felt myself breaking. Angry I threw them off and to the ground.
Rosie's words appeared in my head, like subtitles but in Greek. It was how I thought when I couldn't hear. My thoughts didn't echo inside me like a studium. They appeared as words. I don't know how many other deaf people think like this. I asked another kid at my old school, the one before all of this happened. They couldn't explain it. Maybe it was because Rosie lived inside my head and this was how we were going to communicate anyway and the gods thought, 'Let's make it less awkward for the child and start her off early.'
'If you can't, I can't so don't bother asking me to hear for you,' were the words, her name and a colon written right before like a script. Bitterly was added just after the colon in brackets. I chuckled to myself.
'Got it, ma'am,' was my reply.
Blindly I patted the walls around me and tested each step for placing all my weight on it, trying to make sure I didn't fall through another layer of weak ground. Well, I can tell you I sort of know how Shane feels now. AND IT'S EXTREMELY ANNOYING! I am so happy I am deaf and not blind. I'd never live. I'd probably get hit by a bus. Maybe a train.
'Stop your damn negativity, retard,' Rosie said snippily.
I snorted. 'Yes. Call the person whose body you're in a retard.'
'I didn't need the permission but thanks anyway!' Rosie is a master at sarcasism.
I had an extra pair of hearing aids in my backpack. But Alice had that. She had mine, hers and Fish's - which was actually Charles's one, the one he left behind when he ran off to plan our deaths - backpacks on her person so that meant all I had were matches, my sword and some packaged ambrosia I put in my pocket just in case I couldn't reach my bacpack. It was then I realized how screwed I was.
My hands patted the ground and the walls searching for something I could light on fire. I grabbed on to something solid and cheered. Mentally of course. Then as I tried to pick it up I realized that the thing I was gripping was taller. Up and up my hands went before I touch the something Marcus refers to as "a hand." Very slowly I dropped my hand back to the ground and used it to push myself up.
"One moment," I said to the thing in front of me. I tried yelling it but I'm not to sure if I did.
Fumbling I pulled out a match and lit it. Turning back around I came face-to-chest with a tall boy. A tall familiar boy. A tall familiar backstabbing boy.
Charles.
I cleared my throat noisely. And then weakly pointed to my ears, showing him my uncovered ears. He grinned wickedly. Then, slowly, very, very slowly, he leaned over and blew out my match.
I couldn't move fast enough. His hand shoved my neck roughly against the wall. I felt my previous head wound reopen and start to free blood out. I choked and as Rosie tried to seep her healing powers of awesomeness into me I wouldn't let it. It's not that I didn't want to because, belive me, I did. I really, really did. But I was in panic and struggling to pull Charles's hands away from my neck. So having her trying to take control of my hands to do who knows what freaked me out and I slammed her back behind the wall, severing our connection until the time I would reopen it agian. But I was too scared and too panicky to realize what I done.
My brain moved as fast as it could, losing precious oxygen and beginning to fail, to think of something, anything I knew about Charles. A weakness. Anything. I tried to remember my conversations with Ben.
Then it all came back with a force I somehow managed a ragged gasp.
"And you were there so I figured I'd do it to keep you," he had said. I didn't understand what he meant at the time but now I understood it.
Fish was a part of Charles.
Somehow he had been put into Charles even though Charles had been alive way before Fish was born.
My eyes darkened and I tried to speak as loudly as I could feel I was. My nails dug into Charles's skin. "I am-" His eyes widened and he tightened his grip, snarling lowly. "-your sister," I choked out with the last bit of oxygen I had.
His finger loosened and his eyes flashed brighter. Seriously. They flashed. I took this moment to inhale as much as I could and swung my leg up, ramming him right in his baby making parts. Charles's form crumbled to the ground and I took off, praying I hadn't fallen into a cage or a box or something. The direction I was running in seemed endless. I had my sword swinging in front of me, eyes peering through the darkness, trying to see the impossible. Stupid darkness. It just has to make me believe I'm running in circles.
A snarl ripped through the air in fron of me. I swore. Aw fuck. Tackled down by a large dog, I hit my head again. Rosie broke through the wall just in time to take over and scream, "STOP IT!" I couldn't hear her scream it of course. But, you know, I felt my throat go raw and her words were written it my head too.
The dog's body ripped itself away from me.
'It's okay,' Rosie said. 'I've got it.'
And then a light glow appeared. It took me a few minutes to realize the light was coming from my sword. Rosie pulled it up and pointed it to Charles who was human now and seemed to be in conflict with himself. Boys are so stubborn.
My sword kept glowing until it had turned into a bow and arrow. Oh yeah, daughter of Apollo. Bows were suited best for her. She pulled back the string, golden and glowing bright yellow light, and let it go. It shot straight. Straight, straight, straight and then.
Boom. It hit him in the arm. Charles screamed out in pain as a yellow fire shot up and over his arm, spreading like wildfire out to his chest. His cries lessened, eyes softer, mouth falling slack, and he just looked at me as my legs started running away from him. I peeked behind me just to see him as he stared at me, no longer screaming. The fire was still spreading. And the way he looked at me made me feel weird. Like I had betrayed a friend. But I hadn't. She did. And she didn't betray a friend. She bretayed a brother, a sibling. And I knew, even without the experience, that that could kill a person, shatter their hearts into million pieces.
I looked away as Rosie's tears welled up behind my eyes like a weak dam holding back overflowing water, threatening to spill at any moment, to collaspe, to snap, to spill.
To break.
A single tear escaped from behind my eye and the rest of the tears were sniffed away, tucked away for later purposes.
I peered around the corner. For the last hour, I've been on edge, peeking around corners and praying that wouldn't I get caught. So far so good right?
It didn't help that I couldn't hear either. Hah. This will probably be the one time I'll ever want to hear because if I live I am not going on any other quest. The world can fail and perish. I will sit in my house, cabin, whatever and read a book. I am never, ever, ever, ever, ever going on another quest. Ever.
The world can go screw itself.
I slid out of the corner and tiptoed down a different hall. A sharp woodsy scent filled my nose and I pressed my back up sharply against a wall. I held my breath and prayed that my great-grandfather, Erebus, would allow me to blend in with the shadows. It didn't work because when I next opened my eyes and looked both ways I saw a dark figure come stomping down towards me.
So I slashed my sword outwards as it neared and sliced off the being's leg. It crumpled to the ground and I kicked it in the face, watching in sick amusement as it collasped. The woodsy scent was stronger, a little bit of metal mixed in with it. Blood. It was scary how easily I was beginning to change as I dove deeper and deeper into Dr. Howard's lair but every step of the way Rosie cheered me on and repeated that I was fine, everything was fine and we'd all get out alive.
I didn't believe one word. Not one.
Regardless I charged on through, slicing down teenager after teenager, human after human. The thing was none of them changed into anything or fought back which made me worry that maybe I wasn't killing the enemy but people who had managed to escape confinement and were trying to get out. But I had no other choice than to shove those thoughts to the back of my mind and summon the part of me that was a ruthless, cold-blooded killer. The part Dr. Howard had created. The part I was afraid of.
But what else are you supposed to do when you don't who is good and who is bad? So I had no choice. And the whole time Rosie cheered while I sunk deeper and deeper into the place I didn't want to go to.
I brought my sword down on to the person's chest and turned around as I ran off. To be honest, I think it's a heck of a lot easier to kill someone when they're older and when hearing their cries of pain is an option. Sometimes silence is better. But of course, you can't know that until you've gone through it. I ducked through another door and ran down another hallway. I passed through windows of kids as young as three and as old as fifteen lay in cots with liquids flowing into their veins, people hovering over them as they scribbled things down on a note pad. I resisted the urge to ram my body into those rooms and beat the living crap out of those assholes for letting themselves get involved in human experimentation. Illegal, deadly human experimentation.
But I didn't. I continued running, the white lab coat I was wearing flowing out behind me. No one bothered to spare me a second glance because I was wearing it. As I passed through another corridor, darting by people uninterested in me and slashing down a few who noticed that I wasn't part of their world, a deep salty scent hit my nose. I stumbled backwards. It was powerful. And just really sudden.
'FISH! SAVE ME FROM THIS MONSTER WHOSE BODY I HAVE TO LIVE IN! BROTHER, PLEASE!' Rosie's thoughts read, my feet moving of their own accord.
'I so feel the love.' I enjoyed the fact that annoyed was written as well.
Fish's eyes widened as we barreled down the hallway, Rosie forcing my arms to open as she yelled for safety away from me inside my head. Then I noticed five guards behind them. Two were gripping Alice's arms and the other two were gripping Fish's. I froze. The leftover guard started to move forward so I started walking backwards. We both quickened our paces until she was running full speed towards me and I had turned around and was sprinting away. I rounded a corner into a hallway I hadn't been through and stumbled into a large white room.
Nico was chained to a chair, a laser in front of him pointing to his crotch. Ben was being suspended over a pit of fire and Jessica was being held by a creepy guy with blonde hair who was groping one of her breasts. I stepped back and saw Dr. Howard smirking at me. He looked the same as he did when we first met. I blinked and then surveyed the room again coming to one conclusion. My doctor watched way to many movies.
"You watch way too many movies," I concluded.
He stared at me and then started to laugh. I stared at my doctor with an odd look as he did the whole I'm-an-evil-guy-mwahahahah laugh. Then a sharp pain slammed into my head and I passed out.
A booming noise woke me up. I jolted up and screamed. My throat burned and I pushed myself back against whatever I was restrained against. I relaxed, my head drooping as I inhaled harshly, trying to get rid of the linger pain. I looked to my hands and my feet. My hands were bound to a pole pressing along the length of my shoulder, stretching out from my sides. My feet were bound too, tightly shoved together. Overall I'd look like a cross. I blinked and then laughed quietly to myself. I was on a cross. I was being crucified. Now I know how Jesus felt.
I looked in front of me. Our bags had been thrown in a pile. They were all open. I tried twitching my ear. It was hard because of the substance wrapped around it. Figures. I looked around me. Of course I'd be forced to hear the screams of my friends as they were put to death in the most clichéd of ways. Fish had a target drawn on his naked chest and his hands, waist and feet were tied to a Styrofoam wall. He kept flinching every time someone came past the gun and ammo laying a few feet away. Alice was in a box. It had little holes on it so she could breathe. She was suspended above a pit of water filled with stingrays and cookie cutter sharks.
So Nico was going to be severed in half by a laser, Ben was going to be burned, Jessica raped then killed, Fish for target practice and Alice stung and torn into itty-bitty pieces.
I wanted puke.
"What do you think, Emily?" a voice asked. "Won't it be fun to watch them suffer?"
A chill slivered down my spine. Dr. Howard was a few feet away from Alice. He ran his finger over the box she was in. He held out his arms, bumping the box slightly. I winced as Alice moved a little to balance herself. So far nothing happened.
"Will you join my cause?" A sinister smile darkened his face. "Or will your pretty princess be the first to die?"
'Don't do or say anything. Let me,' Rosie insisted.
I wanted to protest but something about the way she spoke made me feel she could. Plus, I'd most likely agree to join Dr. Howard to stop Alice, my best friend, from being murdered in front of my eyes.
'Okay,' I thought. 'Deal.'
'Great.'
And for the first time I finally found where Rosie stayed while I was in control. I felt a rush and then warms hands pushed me back and image of smiling girl with blonde hair guiding me. She looked so much like my Alice I couldn't help but take a little gasp. Then the image disappeared and I was alone in an empty room. It was black and white, like you see in those really old photos. I was the only thing in colour. I was in a kitchen but there was no food, no water. I could turn on the stove but no flames appeared. Just the warmth and the sound of crackling fire.
The rest of the house was empty except for little things like an dusty doll on the center of the floor of one room and an empty fish bowl in the basement. I wondered why there would be a fish bowl in a basement. It's not like the basement could be anyone's bedroom. It was small, covering about 25 square feet of space. A bed would barely fit and leave any space for the rest.
The bathroom was dusty too but it had the most of out all the rooms. A tub was in the corner and a mirror hung above the sink. The toilet was next to it and a cupboard was across from it. The biggest room was the most empty one. Nothing was in it. Nothing. The living room was across from the kitchen as I descended the stairs and crossed the hallway into it. It had a single couch and a small dining table on it. On the table of was a picture of a little girl and her mother. I made out in the background, a few feet away from the girl, a scowling boy. I flipped over the picture.
Mom (right), Alice (left), Daniel (in the back)
Daniel had been scratched out and someone had written something above it but that had been scratched out too and Daniel was scribbled in angry scrawl above that. I traced the scratches and the room filled with colour. I dropped the picture, stepping back.
A blue-haired boy was hovered over something on the table. He had a pencil in one hand. Grinning he put the picture back on the stand and ran off before I could see his face. But I already had a feeling of who it was. I looked at the picture. The boy had scribbled out the first Daniel and wrote in messy, barely literate scrawl FISH. A tall woman stepped in. Fish's mom, I guessed. She lifted the picure up and stroked the girl's face. Then she put the picture down and began to walk away. But she noticed the pencil lead that had rubbed off on her fingers. Her eyes widened and she grabbed the picture and angrily checked the back.
Snarling she dropped the picture and yelled, "DANIEL!"
I followed her as she stormed to the basement. Fish was curled on a sleeping bag, flipping through a picture book. A goldfish was in the bowl swimming back and forth. Fish looked to his mother, saw her angry eyes and fear invaded his own. He scrambled up to his feet looking like he was ready to run but before he could she slapped him hard across the face. He choked down a yell and fell back to the floor. His mother went in for another smack and knocked over his fish bowl. Water spilled to the floor, the goldfish flopping on the dry wood as it had been flown farther than the water. Fish's eyes widened and he went to go get it. His mother noticed and stepped on the fish, a squishing noise releasing from under her feet. Fish froze and then fear was pushed out, replaced by anger and hatred. He lunged.
I scrambled back up the stairs to the ground floor. I didn't want to see what would happen to either of them. A sobbing noise woke me up from my panic. The little blonde girl that was in the picture was curled up against a wall next to the doorway to the outside. Her hands were dug into her head and her head was lowered. She choked out a muffled sob as a strangled scream, male, could be heard from below. Her knees inched closer to her. The door slammed opene then shut, a young boy dressed in black stepping in quickly. He looked around wildly and started towards the basement door as Fish let out another yelp of pain.
The girl grabbed his ankle. "Don't," she whispered. "He hates being saved."
The boy looked at the girl incredulously. "Rosie," murmured, dropping to her height. He brushed her bangs away from her eyes. "I was looking for you actually."
"You're such a liar, Nico," Rosie laughed, sniffling and releasing another sob. She threw her arms around his neck. "Make them stop."
Nico pulled her up. "I wasn't lying and I can't." Her legs wrapped around his waist and he grunted as he adjusted to the extra weight. "But I can make you stop crying."
Then he took her out the door and away from her family. As the door closed shut I heard her whisper, "Thank you."
Then the colour was gone, the screaming had stopped and the door I looked at had vanished, leaving behind a black wall, no impression a door had ever been there. I looked at the picture on the ground and put it back on the stand. I went back to the basement and touch the empty fish bowl. Once again colour returned to the dusty house and the empty fish bowl disappeared, my fingers hovering alone in the air. I looked around me and headed upstairs. Nico was standing in front of Fish. A tall blonde haired boy was next to him. Fish was smiling.
"What'd you get me? What'd you get me?" he squealed.
Nico presented him with the fish bowl, the lonely goldfish swimming in it boredly. Then it noticed that a son of Poseidon was in the room and practically forced itself against the walls of its confinement to get a closer look. Nico grinned. "Like?"
Fish snatched the bowl from his hands and lifted the bowl into the air like Rafiki holding Simba in the Lion King. "I SHALL CALL HIM DAVE AND HE WILL BE MINE AND HE WILL BE MY DAVE!"
The blonde boy pushed up his glasses and frowned. "Dave? Why not give it a smarter name?"" Nico looked like he was trying not to laugh. The blonde boy mockingly tapped his chin thoughtfully. "What about Peter?"
Fish blinked. "But your name's Peter."
"So?"
"So it's not a smart name."
Peter's gray eyes darkened. Fish gulped. "So you're saying the son of Athena is a moron." He stalked to Fish. Fish clutched his bowl closer to him and let out a squeak.
"I didn't say that."
"Well you must've have been thinking it because I'm the son the Athena and my name is Peter." The boy reached for Fish who was looking around for escape. "And you said Peter isn't a smart name."
"IDIDN'TMEANITLIKETHAT!" Fish shrieked before dodging the other boy's punch. He lovingly placed Dave in Nico's arm and then ran around the living room as Peter chased him, making violent threats for calling him a stupid idiotic moron. Peter apparently takes thing way out of proportion.
A girl with white hair hopped on to Nico's back. The boy remained emotionless. I wondered if anything surprised him.
"What's going on?" the girl asked, blowing a blue bubble of gum above Nico's head.
It popped but Nico didn't even blink. "Peter is trying to kill Fish for calling him a moron."
The girl sighed, "Petey, he probably didn't mean it." She paused. "Or say that either, silly." She raised her arms out. "Come pick me up."
Peter stopped chasing Fish who tripped over his own feet and fell on his face as soon as the girl opened her mouth. He nodded mutely and pulled her from off of Nico's back. She wrapped her legs around his waist and snuggled into his chest. She gave him a short peck to the cheek. Fish moaned and reached up. Nico gave him back Dave.
"Hello, Davie. My name's Fish. I will be your master now."
The goldfish glued itself to the fish bowl's walls and I swear its puny little eyes grew wider as Fish drew his face closer to the bowl to admire his fish. Hey, a fish for a Fish. Hah. Funny.
Rosie stepped out of the kitchen, dusting what seemed to be flour from her hands. "Fish," she began, looking up. "I've finished the cake if you want to-" She stopped as she surveyed the room. "What are you guys doing here?" Her eyes narrowed upon seeing Nico. "What are you doing here?"
Nico opened his mouth, probably to let out a snarky reply, judging by the way they glared at each other but the white haired girl beat him to it. "I'm here because I sensed Peter was going to do something bad. Peter's here for the party. Fish is here because it's his birthday and Ben-" she pointed to the quiet brown haired boy I do not recall ever seeing. "-is here because Fish is his boyfriend and as I said it's Fish birthday." She patted Nico's head. "Nico's here for the party too. And he wanted to give Fish his birthday present fish."
"ITS NAME IS DAVE!" FIsh yelled from the floor. Everyone looked at him. "THIS BOWL IS REALLY HEAVY BY THE WAY!"
"Oh." Peter dropped his girlfriend to the ground and went to help Fish up.
The white haired girl hummed. "I'll get the cake!" She grabbed Ben by his collar. "You have to help me ice it and cut it up!"
"But I've already-" Rosie began to protest.
The girl gave her a menacing stare. Rosie went quiet.
Peter dragged Fish to his "bedroom" (you really can't call something that pathetic a bedroom) with one hand, the other holding the heavy fish bowl. "Let me help you put this away, Fish-face."
"Huh? Oh I can do that Pete."
Peter yanked Fish up to his level. "Let. Me. Help. You."
Fish was only capable of nodding and being dragged to his room.
Nico shifted uncomfortably, the glare softening. "Hey," he whispered.
Rosie whispered, "Hey."
They stood in the silence. Nico shrugged his shoulders back. "So-" He paused awkwardly. "-weather's nice."
She looked around. "We're in a house."
He rocked on his heels. "So read anything new lately?"
"I'm dyslexic."
"So what's up?"
"The ceiling."
Nico really sucks at small talk. Really sucks at it. And it's clear he has not gotten better with age. Rosie pointed out his suckiness.
"You suck at small talk."
"I know."
"Don't worry. I do too."
"I know."
She growled. "You fucking ass. How dare you!" She slapped him across the face.
Nico blinked and then looked pissed off. "What," he snarled, "WAS THAT FOR?"
"You act like you know everything about everyone! You know nothing about me!"
"All I said was I know! How does that make me act like I know everything about everyone!"
"Because you do that all the time jerkwad!"
"Dumb bitch"
"Asshole."
"Cunt."
"Dick."
He shoved her up against the wall roughly. "I know I have one sweetheart so I guess thinking about it makes you a whore like your mother."
She slapped him hard. "Don't ever-" she prodded him in the chest. "-talk about my mother again."
Nico stepped back mutely, his hand ghosting up to the red imprint on his cheek. Rosie wiped away the tears spilling from her eyes as she ran up the stair to her room. I looked to the stairwell, leading to the basement.
Fish popped his head out from it. "Nico?"
I looked back to where Nico had been. No one. The door could be heard slamming shut and Fish's shoulders sagged.
Colour disappeared again and the dust settled around Fish's old bedroom. The fish bowl reappeared in front of me and I couldn't help but trace it. He probably didn't get presents often if a fish made him happy. And then his mother killed it just because he didn't like his given name. What kind of woman did that to her own child?
"An evil one," Rosie's voice muttered from behind me. "Now hurry up. You've got things to do and people to save."
"Huh?"
She didn't answer. Instead that rush came back and I saw my friends in front of me staring in horror. I looked at my hands. I wasn't being bound anymore. Then Fish yelled out "BEHIND YOU! BEHIND YOU!"
I whirled around and bought my sword up quickly. It sliced lightly through the skin of a little kid and I withdrew it almost automatically.
"IGNORE IT!" Fish commanded. "IGNORE IT! THAT IS NOT A LITTLE KID! THAT IS A MONSTER!"
"Why Fish," Dr. Howard reprimanded, "that would make you a monster too then."
Fish ignored him. "KILL IT!"
The little kid lunged for me, mouth snarling and revealing sharp teeth. Like a bear. I stepped out of the way and brought the hilt of my sword down on his back. I couldn't. It was just a little kid. How could I kill something so young?
An image of a little boy covered in blood flashed by. He was surrounded by dead bodies. He had blue hair.
'This child will be like Fish if you don't. He will kill people like my brother did,' Rosie murmured. 'Please. Kill him.'
Just as the kid lunged at me again I shoved my sword through his chest. Blood. I resisted the urge to puke. So much blood dripped down my sword and on to my hand. This was the price I had to pay for safety? The child's body squelched as I pulled my sword out, his body falling limp and bloody to the floor.
'They're made to kill.' I could feel her smile. 'But Fish got away and Nico helped him and Ben taught him love and Alexis argued with him and Peter joked with him and I was there to watch him change. He's not a monster. He's... something different. Not completely human but not... completely insane.'
Dr. Howard smirked. "Well she did what you asked, Daniel. Are you happy?"
"I didn't care about that," he replied haughtily. "I just wanted to make sure my master got out without your noticing."
Dr. Howard's eyes widened and he whirled around wildly, a wrinkled hand reaching for me angrily. But before he could grab me a pale, cold hand snatched my arm and pulled me into the shadows. Nico's face was close to mine, close enough for me to lean up and fulfill those thoughts Alice had been having when we were in the van. He pressed a finger to his lips.
"Don't move. Don't talk. I'll get you in a minute," he whispered.
Then he disappeared back into the darkness. I kept still.
'Where he did he put us? Well me but you know what I mean.'
"It's an alcove above one of the experimenting rooms. Some escapees made it and Fish discovered it when he was exploring."
'Speaking of Fish, what did he mean by master?'
"Nico is his master."
'Yeah, that tells me everything.'
"I'll explain later."
'You better. So what did you talk about with evil Dr. Ass?'
"I agreed to be his sacrifice and when he let me go I revealed I wasn't you and laughed in his face before running away and letting you take over."
'Say what?"
"Did I ever tell you my dad gave me my weapon when I young and afraid of the monsters in my closet?"
'You laughed in the face of death in my body?'
"Or the time I thought I dreamt that Fish was wearing a dress but it actually turned out to be real and he didn't have any clean clothes and had to wear mine?"
'What are you talking about!'
"I have no idea."
After that we laid in the alcove in silence.
'So Fish wore a dress once?'
Chapter 8 everyone.
Hope you enjoyed it.
-Happykid44
