Zoe sat up in bed, not really knowing what had woke her up. She looked down
at Mackerel, pacing furiously on Psymon's side of the bed. Where was he
anyway? He had said he was going to talk with Brodi for a bit, but, she
glanced at the clock, that had be nearly six hours ago. Something was
wrong. She didn't know how she knew it, but all of a sudden the air felt
very heavy. It was almost as if a sickly sweet smell hung there so thick it
was almost visible. She pulled on one of Psymon's shirts, greatful that his
scent seemed to chase the odd phantom smell away, then got on his old beat-
up robe. She didn't know why she suddenly had the urge to emerse herself in
all that was Psymon. She sat on the bed and looked at Sparky, who fluttered
about agitatedly on his perch. She'd never seen the bird so upset before.
She got up and reached out to pet him, nearly having her fingers snapped
off. She backed up from the crow and quickly darted around him out into the
kitchen area. Even the snake seemed restless this evening. Something very
strange was going on, and it put such a feeling of unease into Zoe it
chilled her to her soul.
She left the winnebago, not bothering to lock the door behind her and ran across the small encampment to the bus Brodi shared with Eddie. After several moments of pounding furiously, the door finally opened and Eddie stuck his head out.
"What you want, sistah?" Eddie mumbled sleepily. "You know what time it is?"
"Where's Brodi?" Zoe asked.
"Asleep, like you ought to be," Eddie said, starting to shut the door. Zoe pushed it open, knocking the skinny man back, and stormed down to Brodi's room. After kicking the door open, she pounced on Brodi, shaking him furiously.
"Ah! What in Zen hell?" Brodi shouted, finally grasping Zoe's hands and holding her back.
"Where's Psymon?" Zoe asked, struggling to smack Brodi some more. "Where is he?"
"What is the problem? Ow! Calm down, Zoe," Brodi yelled, pulling her into a tight hug and holding her fast. Zoe squirmed against him, then finally gave up, lapsing into sobs against the man's chest. Brodi stroked her hair. "Zoe, what's happened?"
"I don't know. I woke up and the animals were going crazy. Psymon's not in the winnebago. I don't know where he is," Zoe cried. "He was suppose to be with you. Where is he, Brodi?"
"I haven't a clue. I left him sitting at the bottom of the course," he answered calmly. "He knows about you and Hiro, Zoe."
"You told him?" Zoe asked, looking up at Brodi. He just nodded. "How could you?"
"I thought you had already told him. I didn't know he wanted my advice on how to handle your pregnancy," Brodi answered, letting Zoe sit up.
"Whoa, you're prenant, Zoe? Congrats," Eddie said from the door way. Both Zoe and Brodi looked at him. "What I can share in the good news? Ow, if looks could kill....alright, alright, I'm going."
"He didn't take it well about me and Hiro, did he?" Zoe asked after Eddie had shut the door. Brodi shook his head.
"Why didn't you tell me you'd slept with Hiro?" he asked softly.
"Because I was ashamed that I hadn't been as strong as Psymon in resisting temptation," Zoe answered, looking down, new tears flooding her eyes and spilling down her cheeks. "How did he find out about that, anyway?"
"Well, Hiro told Marisol. I think you can figure out the rest," Brodi said, reaching up to wipe away Zoe's tears. "The thing now is, if Psymon didn't come home, where is he?"
"I don't know, that's why I came here. I just couldn't stay in the winnebago. The animals were acting too weird and it was like the air was just....thick," Zoe said, sniffling. She looked up at Brodi's concerned eyes. "I think something really bad has happened."
"Yeah, we'd better get the others to help up look for him," Brodi answered, getting up. He helped Zoe up and the two walked back up front. "I'll get Eddie back out of bed and you start rounding the others up. I'll go tell the officials that something's happned."
"Okay," Zoe said, wiping her eyes and cheeks. She walked back out into the cold and made her way across to the bus Elise now shared with Kaori, trying not to look at the winnebago, and began pounding on the door. Soon a very sleepy Japanese girl answered.
"Zoe, it is early," she murmured.
"I'm sorry, Kaori, but I need you and Elise to get dressed and come outside," Zoe said, cluthing Psymom's battered robe tighter about her body.
"Why? What's wrong? Come in, Zoe, get warm," the girl said, moving out of the way. Zoe stepped inside, shivering. Elise had gotten up and walked into the front now, as well.
"What's going on?" Elise asked. "Please don't tell me you're having complications with the baby."
"Baby?" Kaori asked. "Zoe, I did not know you and Psymon were going to be parents. Omedeto!" Kaori chirped.
"Kaori, Psymon probably isn't the father," Elise said softly. Zoe glared at her.
"You don't know that. Besides, this isn't the reason I came here," she said. "I need your help, both of you. Psymon hasn't come home and neither Brodi, nor I know where he is."
"Did you check Marisol's bus?" Elise asked.
"He can't stand her and you know it. I think something really bad happened," Zoe said. Elise hugged her.
"I'm sorry, Zoe. We'll help you look for him, won't we Kaori?" she said softly.
"Hai," Kaori answered. Zoe thanked them and went on back outside after telling them the last place Brodi had seen Psymon. She walked across to Mac and Moby's bus and got them up. After a quick explaination, she hurried over to JP and Luther's bus. Again, she explained the situation and got them to agree to help. Finally, and reluctantly, she plodded over to the bus Marisol and Seeiah shared. She knocked on the door till Marisol answered.
"What do you want, girl?" the Latin woman asked bitterly.
"I need your help, you and Seeiah both," Zoe said quickly.
"Look elsewhere, we are not interested," Marsiol snapped, starting to shut the door. Zoe stepped up and shoved hard, not only opening the door, but knocking Marisol on her rear.
"You'd better get interested," Zoe hissed, leaning close and grabbing a handful of blonde hair. she jerked hard, getting a yelp of pain from Marisol. "You get up and you get dressed and get your sorry ass outside. For once in your pathetic life, do something other than make trouble."
"Zoe, what's going on?" Seeiah asked, coming out of her room. She managed to pulled Zoe off Marisol and held her. Marisol stood up and looked at her, sneering.
"I'll have you out of the league for that, bitch," she said, giving Zoe a quick punch to the stomach. Zoe moved, trying not to let the blow connect, but it still glanced her hip. She pulled free of Seeiah's grip and pounced on Marisol.
"Listen, you idiot, and try to get it through your thick skull," Zoe shouted. "Psymon didn't come home. No one knows where he is. I think he's out there by the course, but something's wrong. So get your silicone- impanted ass up, and help me find him." She got up, jerking Marisol to her feet, then shoved her towards the bedrooms.
"You really think he's hurt?" Seeiah asked from behind Zoe. The punky boarder just nodded at her, then looked back at Marisol.
"And if you ever try to harm my child again, I'll kill you," she yelled, wrapping her arms around her belly.
"Child?" Marisol laughed. "Then Hiro told the truth after all about you two. Tell me, does Psymon know it's not his?"
"No, but then, it might be his afterall. Please, Marisol, I know you hate me, but you care about Psy, in your own twisted way," Zoe said softly. "For his sake, please help me find him."
"Fine, I suppose I owe you this little favor," the Latin woman said. Zoe just nodded and walked back outside. She saw Brodi and the officials coming towards her and ran up to meet them.
"They're gonna close the course off till we find him, Zoe," Brodi said softly. "Come on, I'll show you where I was talking with him." Zoe just nodded, letting the surfer lead her down the trail to the bottom of the course. They looked around, seeing Psymon's tracks all over the winner's circle area. Zoe noted something dark in the snow and wondered over. She gasped at the blood and looked up at the lighting rig, seeing blood all over it, then looked around and spotted the trail.
"Brodi, over here," she called. Brodi walked over and shined the beam of his flashlight down on the blood.
"Well, that can't be good," he commented, then shined the light around, finding Psymon's trail of footprints and blood. "Looks like he went this way. You're right, Zoe, it looks like he's hurt. I don't get it, he was fine when I left him."
"Maybe he didn't get far," Mac said, looking up the course. Zoe and Brodi began following the trail Psymon had left, the other boarders and officials following behind them. The trail only went about two-thirds up, then stopped at a spectators stand. Kaori had pointed out the blood smeared on the side of the stand. The search party fanned out, knowing Psymon was close by. They called his name, searching under ever pile of snow and in every nook and cranny. Zoe shined her flashlight down at the course, waving the beam back and forth over the ice till it shined on something red.
"Oh, no," she breathed, then began looking around for a way to climb down. "Brodi, help me, I think I found him."
Brodi rushed over and began helping her make her way down to the course's bottom. The two walked over to the still form as the other's watched. Not a breath escaped any of them as Zoe and Brodi knealt next to Psymon. Zoe laid a hand on his chest, tears welling up in her eyes, and felt a faint beating under his sternum. Zoe started crying harder, this time with joy and relief, and laid her head down on Psymon's chest. She could feel his ragged breaths. Wrapping her arms around him, she clung to his still body till the paramedics came. Brodi pulled her back so the men could work. All of the other boarders stood around as Psymon was laid on the stretcher, then raised up into the care-flight helicopter above. Zoe just buried her face against Brodi's chest, letting him comfort her.
Psymon moaned softly, opening his eyes, then wincing at the sharp pain as light flooded his vision. He groaned softly, feeling a sharp pain in his hand as he raised his arm. He looked down at the IV in the back of his hand, then up at the white ceiling overhead. Another hospital? Or was this hell and he was back in the hospital after his electrocution? He heard the door open and looked over, seeing a man and woman standing there. The woman walked toward him.
"Mama?" Psymon asked softly, his voice raspy. The woman strokes his forehead as his vision began to clear. The buzzing in his ears started to become recognizable as voices. "Mama, answer me, please."
"Shh, Psymon," the woman's voice soothed. "It's okay." Psymon reached out for her, but the man pushed his hand down.
"Easy there, grasshopper," then man said in Brodi's voice, although Psymon only saw his father's face. He tried to fight with the man, but was easily subdued. "Take it easy, Psymon."
"He's going to be okay, isn't he?" the woman asked. Psymon looked at her. Funny, he didn't remember his mother having bright red hair. He tried to get up but both the man and woman kept him down. "Don't, Psymon, you're not ready to move around yet."
Psymon whimpered softly, settling back on the bed. He ached all over. The last thing he remembered was seeing the stars over head. He'd fallen off a cliff...again. He hadn't landed on powerlines this time, but ice. The Alaska course. He remembered now. He opened his eyes, not really remembering he'd closed them and looked at the two figures sitting on his bed. He felt the woman take his hand again.
"Mama?" he called softly. The woman squeezed his hand gently. His vision began to clear more. It must've been som knock on the head to have him this out of it. He closed his eyes and swallowed, wincing at his sore throat. He opened his eyes and looked up at Zoe and Brodi. "Brodi? Zoe?"
"Hey," Zoe said softly, smiling at him.
"Where am I?" he asked. Brodi helped him sit up and handed him a glass of water. Psymon took a long sip, almost choking. Brodi took the glass back.
"Easy, friend," he said. "Do you remember what happened?"
"Yeah, you left and I started walking back, then I heard the voices. I tried to make them be quiet, but they put chains around me, so I tried to cut them off. I fell off the cliff after that. The last thing I saw was the stars overhead," Psymon replied. He looked up at them. "How long have I been out?"
"About a month," Zoe said. "The doctor's thought you were gonna die."
"Been there, done that," Psymon chuckled. He looked at Zoe, seeing the concern in her eyes. Man, she was beautiful, even when she looked like she was going to cry. He held out his free arm. "Come here, love."
Zoe threw herself down against him, snuggling against his chest as he put his arm around her. He felt her sobbing softly, and sighed, stroking her hair. He tried to shift his weight, but his legs didn't seem to want to work. He looked down at the casts on his legs and groaned.
"Psy, your legs are still healing. You should get some rest," Brodi said. "We'll come back a little later."
"Not a chance, Zen master," Psymon said. "I've done enough resting. Now I want to spend time with my family." He reached out at took Brodi's hand in his left hand, keeping his right arm around Zoe. "My real family was a nightmare, so I think I'll just say you guys are my family now, eh?"
"Many a wise man has made his own family," Brodi replied, smiling. He sat back down on the bed. "You talked a lot while you were in the coma, Psymon. Some of it wasn't all that nice. A lot of it was about your family, mostly your father. When you're ready, you think you might want to talk about it?"
"Maybe one day, but not right now," Psymon answered, relaxing back on the pillows, holding Zoe close. He looked down at her, her belly wasn't really hiding her secret anymore. He stroked her tummy gently. "Zoe, I've been thinking. I don't care who the father is, I'll help you raise it no matter what."
"Well, glad to hear you say that, because I know who the father is," Zoe said.
"Really? Who?" Psymon asked, but before Zoe could answer, the officials burst in with the other boarders, all ten of them. Wait...ten? Psymon took a quick head count. Elise, Eddie, Kaori, Mac, Moby, Luther, JP, Seeiah, Marisol....and who the hell was that guy?
"Psymon, maybe this is a bad time, but you might like to meet the new boarder," one of the officials said. The young man behind him just grinned, taking of his sunglasses. Psymon blinked at the pale blue eyes. They were so cold. The official clapped the young man on the shoulder, getting a low growl from him. "Psymon, I think you'll get along just fine with Raven."
Psymon looked at the young man. Something about him didn't sit right. It was almost as if he was hiding something in plain sight, something bad. He held Zoe closer to him, he grip tightening on Brodi's hand. He desperately needed his new family close now. Psymon was fearless, nothing scared him...nothing except that endless black of death and the angry hand of his father. However, this new boarder's smile held something predatory...something dangerous, and Psymon didn't like it.
End...?
She left the winnebago, not bothering to lock the door behind her and ran across the small encampment to the bus Brodi shared with Eddie. After several moments of pounding furiously, the door finally opened and Eddie stuck his head out.
"What you want, sistah?" Eddie mumbled sleepily. "You know what time it is?"
"Where's Brodi?" Zoe asked.
"Asleep, like you ought to be," Eddie said, starting to shut the door. Zoe pushed it open, knocking the skinny man back, and stormed down to Brodi's room. After kicking the door open, she pounced on Brodi, shaking him furiously.
"Ah! What in Zen hell?" Brodi shouted, finally grasping Zoe's hands and holding her back.
"Where's Psymon?" Zoe asked, struggling to smack Brodi some more. "Where is he?"
"What is the problem? Ow! Calm down, Zoe," Brodi yelled, pulling her into a tight hug and holding her fast. Zoe squirmed against him, then finally gave up, lapsing into sobs against the man's chest. Brodi stroked her hair. "Zoe, what's happened?"
"I don't know. I woke up and the animals were going crazy. Psymon's not in the winnebago. I don't know where he is," Zoe cried. "He was suppose to be with you. Where is he, Brodi?"
"I haven't a clue. I left him sitting at the bottom of the course," he answered calmly. "He knows about you and Hiro, Zoe."
"You told him?" Zoe asked, looking up at Brodi. He just nodded. "How could you?"
"I thought you had already told him. I didn't know he wanted my advice on how to handle your pregnancy," Brodi answered, letting Zoe sit up.
"Whoa, you're prenant, Zoe? Congrats," Eddie said from the door way. Both Zoe and Brodi looked at him. "What I can share in the good news? Ow, if looks could kill....alright, alright, I'm going."
"He didn't take it well about me and Hiro, did he?" Zoe asked after Eddie had shut the door. Brodi shook his head.
"Why didn't you tell me you'd slept with Hiro?" he asked softly.
"Because I was ashamed that I hadn't been as strong as Psymon in resisting temptation," Zoe answered, looking down, new tears flooding her eyes and spilling down her cheeks. "How did he find out about that, anyway?"
"Well, Hiro told Marisol. I think you can figure out the rest," Brodi said, reaching up to wipe away Zoe's tears. "The thing now is, if Psymon didn't come home, where is he?"
"I don't know, that's why I came here. I just couldn't stay in the winnebago. The animals were acting too weird and it was like the air was just....thick," Zoe said, sniffling. She looked up at Brodi's concerned eyes. "I think something really bad has happened."
"Yeah, we'd better get the others to help up look for him," Brodi answered, getting up. He helped Zoe up and the two walked back up front. "I'll get Eddie back out of bed and you start rounding the others up. I'll go tell the officials that something's happned."
"Okay," Zoe said, wiping her eyes and cheeks. She walked back out into the cold and made her way across to the bus Elise now shared with Kaori, trying not to look at the winnebago, and began pounding on the door. Soon a very sleepy Japanese girl answered.
"Zoe, it is early," she murmured.
"I'm sorry, Kaori, but I need you and Elise to get dressed and come outside," Zoe said, cluthing Psymom's battered robe tighter about her body.
"Why? What's wrong? Come in, Zoe, get warm," the girl said, moving out of the way. Zoe stepped inside, shivering. Elise had gotten up and walked into the front now, as well.
"What's going on?" Elise asked. "Please don't tell me you're having complications with the baby."
"Baby?" Kaori asked. "Zoe, I did not know you and Psymon were going to be parents. Omedeto!" Kaori chirped.
"Kaori, Psymon probably isn't the father," Elise said softly. Zoe glared at her.
"You don't know that. Besides, this isn't the reason I came here," she said. "I need your help, both of you. Psymon hasn't come home and neither Brodi, nor I know where he is."
"Did you check Marisol's bus?" Elise asked.
"He can't stand her and you know it. I think something really bad happened," Zoe said. Elise hugged her.
"I'm sorry, Zoe. We'll help you look for him, won't we Kaori?" she said softly.
"Hai," Kaori answered. Zoe thanked them and went on back outside after telling them the last place Brodi had seen Psymon. She walked across to Mac and Moby's bus and got them up. After a quick explaination, she hurried over to JP and Luther's bus. Again, she explained the situation and got them to agree to help. Finally, and reluctantly, she plodded over to the bus Marisol and Seeiah shared. She knocked on the door till Marisol answered.
"What do you want, girl?" the Latin woman asked bitterly.
"I need your help, you and Seeiah both," Zoe said quickly.
"Look elsewhere, we are not interested," Marsiol snapped, starting to shut the door. Zoe stepped up and shoved hard, not only opening the door, but knocking Marisol on her rear.
"You'd better get interested," Zoe hissed, leaning close and grabbing a handful of blonde hair. she jerked hard, getting a yelp of pain from Marisol. "You get up and you get dressed and get your sorry ass outside. For once in your pathetic life, do something other than make trouble."
"Zoe, what's going on?" Seeiah asked, coming out of her room. She managed to pulled Zoe off Marisol and held her. Marisol stood up and looked at her, sneering.
"I'll have you out of the league for that, bitch," she said, giving Zoe a quick punch to the stomach. Zoe moved, trying not to let the blow connect, but it still glanced her hip. She pulled free of Seeiah's grip and pounced on Marisol.
"Listen, you idiot, and try to get it through your thick skull," Zoe shouted. "Psymon didn't come home. No one knows where he is. I think he's out there by the course, but something's wrong. So get your silicone- impanted ass up, and help me find him." She got up, jerking Marisol to her feet, then shoved her towards the bedrooms.
"You really think he's hurt?" Seeiah asked from behind Zoe. The punky boarder just nodded at her, then looked back at Marisol.
"And if you ever try to harm my child again, I'll kill you," she yelled, wrapping her arms around her belly.
"Child?" Marisol laughed. "Then Hiro told the truth after all about you two. Tell me, does Psymon know it's not his?"
"No, but then, it might be his afterall. Please, Marisol, I know you hate me, but you care about Psy, in your own twisted way," Zoe said softly. "For his sake, please help me find him."
"Fine, I suppose I owe you this little favor," the Latin woman said. Zoe just nodded and walked back outside. She saw Brodi and the officials coming towards her and ran up to meet them.
"They're gonna close the course off till we find him, Zoe," Brodi said softly. "Come on, I'll show you where I was talking with him." Zoe just nodded, letting the surfer lead her down the trail to the bottom of the course. They looked around, seeing Psymon's tracks all over the winner's circle area. Zoe noted something dark in the snow and wondered over. She gasped at the blood and looked up at the lighting rig, seeing blood all over it, then looked around and spotted the trail.
"Brodi, over here," she called. Brodi walked over and shined the beam of his flashlight down on the blood.
"Well, that can't be good," he commented, then shined the light around, finding Psymon's trail of footprints and blood. "Looks like he went this way. You're right, Zoe, it looks like he's hurt. I don't get it, he was fine when I left him."
"Maybe he didn't get far," Mac said, looking up the course. Zoe and Brodi began following the trail Psymon had left, the other boarders and officials following behind them. The trail only went about two-thirds up, then stopped at a spectators stand. Kaori had pointed out the blood smeared on the side of the stand. The search party fanned out, knowing Psymon was close by. They called his name, searching under ever pile of snow and in every nook and cranny. Zoe shined her flashlight down at the course, waving the beam back and forth over the ice till it shined on something red.
"Oh, no," she breathed, then began looking around for a way to climb down. "Brodi, help me, I think I found him."
Brodi rushed over and began helping her make her way down to the course's bottom. The two walked over to the still form as the other's watched. Not a breath escaped any of them as Zoe and Brodi knealt next to Psymon. Zoe laid a hand on his chest, tears welling up in her eyes, and felt a faint beating under his sternum. Zoe started crying harder, this time with joy and relief, and laid her head down on Psymon's chest. She could feel his ragged breaths. Wrapping her arms around him, she clung to his still body till the paramedics came. Brodi pulled her back so the men could work. All of the other boarders stood around as Psymon was laid on the stretcher, then raised up into the care-flight helicopter above. Zoe just buried her face against Brodi's chest, letting him comfort her.
Psymon moaned softly, opening his eyes, then wincing at the sharp pain as light flooded his vision. He groaned softly, feeling a sharp pain in his hand as he raised his arm. He looked down at the IV in the back of his hand, then up at the white ceiling overhead. Another hospital? Or was this hell and he was back in the hospital after his electrocution? He heard the door open and looked over, seeing a man and woman standing there. The woman walked toward him.
"Mama?" Psymon asked softly, his voice raspy. The woman strokes his forehead as his vision began to clear. The buzzing in his ears started to become recognizable as voices. "Mama, answer me, please."
"Shh, Psymon," the woman's voice soothed. "It's okay." Psymon reached out for her, but the man pushed his hand down.
"Easy there, grasshopper," then man said in Brodi's voice, although Psymon only saw his father's face. He tried to fight with the man, but was easily subdued. "Take it easy, Psymon."
"He's going to be okay, isn't he?" the woman asked. Psymon looked at her. Funny, he didn't remember his mother having bright red hair. He tried to get up but both the man and woman kept him down. "Don't, Psymon, you're not ready to move around yet."
Psymon whimpered softly, settling back on the bed. He ached all over. The last thing he remembered was seeing the stars over head. He'd fallen off a cliff...again. He hadn't landed on powerlines this time, but ice. The Alaska course. He remembered now. He opened his eyes, not really remembering he'd closed them and looked at the two figures sitting on his bed. He felt the woman take his hand again.
"Mama?" he called softly. The woman squeezed his hand gently. His vision began to clear more. It must've been som knock on the head to have him this out of it. He closed his eyes and swallowed, wincing at his sore throat. He opened his eyes and looked up at Zoe and Brodi. "Brodi? Zoe?"
"Hey," Zoe said softly, smiling at him.
"Where am I?" he asked. Brodi helped him sit up and handed him a glass of water. Psymon took a long sip, almost choking. Brodi took the glass back.
"Easy, friend," he said. "Do you remember what happened?"
"Yeah, you left and I started walking back, then I heard the voices. I tried to make them be quiet, but they put chains around me, so I tried to cut them off. I fell off the cliff after that. The last thing I saw was the stars overhead," Psymon replied. He looked up at them. "How long have I been out?"
"About a month," Zoe said. "The doctor's thought you were gonna die."
"Been there, done that," Psymon chuckled. He looked at Zoe, seeing the concern in her eyes. Man, she was beautiful, even when she looked like she was going to cry. He held out his free arm. "Come here, love."
Zoe threw herself down against him, snuggling against his chest as he put his arm around her. He felt her sobbing softly, and sighed, stroking her hair. He tried to shift his weight, but his legs didn't seem to want to work. He looked down at the casts on his legs and groaned.
"Psy, your legs are still healing. You should get some rest," Brodi said. "We'll come back a little later."
"Not a chance, Zen master," Psymon said. "I've done enough resting. Now I want to spend time with my family." He reached out at took Brodi's hand in his left hand, keeping his right arm around Zoe. "My real family was a nightmare, so I think I'll just say you guys are my family now, eh?"
"Many a wise man has made his own family," Brodi replied, smiling. He sat back down on the bed. "You talked a lot while you were in the coma, Psymon. Some of it wasn't all that nice. A lot of it was about your family, mostly your father. When you're ready, you think you might want to talk about it?"
"Maybe one day, but not right now," Psymon answered, relaxing back on the pillows, holding Zoe close. He looked down at her, her belly wasn't really hiding her secret anymore. He stroked her tummy gently. "Zoe, I've been thinking. I don't care who the father is, I'll help you raise it no matter what."
"Well, glad to hear you say that, because I know who the father is," Zoe said.
"Really? Who?" Psymon asked, but before Zoe could answer, the officials burst in with the other boarders, all ten of them. Wait...ten? Psymon took a quick head count. Elise, Eddie, Kaori, Mac, Moby, Luther, JP, Seeiah, Marisol....and who the hell was that guy?
"Psymon, maybe this is a bad time, but you might like to meet the new boarder," one of the officials said. The young man behind him just grinned, taking of his sunglasses. Psymon blinked at the pale blue eyes. They were so cold. The official clapped the young man on the shoulder, getting a low growl from him. "Psymon, I think you'll get along just fine with Raven."
Psymon looked at the young man. Something about him didn't sit right. It was almost as if he was hiding something in plain sight, something bad. He held Zoe closer to him, he grip tightening on Brodi's hand. He desperately needed his new family close now. Psymon was fearless, nothing scared him...nothing except that endless black of death and the angry hand of his father. However, this new boarder's smile held something predatory...something dangerous, and Psymon didn't like it.
End...?