whatup babes, i was sick for a long time and didn't have the energy to write, but i'm back and feeling healthier!


oOo

Sitting in the darkened, candle-lit room, Felix was confused as to why they needed so many witnesses or even why the farmer's daughter was being added to their squad; was it because she and Glenn were a thing? It just didn't feel right to keep letting more and more people in on Diana's whole creepy thing – even though he'd almost spilled the beans to T-Dog earlier that day. Some might take it the wrong way, and they didn't need a repetition of the infamous history of Salem.

He and his sisters sat on their new bed, Maggie and Glenn sitting beside them in a semi-circle, and Daryl had taken up to standing, leaning against the wall with arms crossed, his skepticism over Maggie's presence open and transparent on his face.

Maggie herself seemed confused; green eyes taking in each face with a question in her mind that hadn't slipped past her lips yet. Glenn looked equal parts eager and terrified. Daryl and Felix's sisters were the only actual ones to have already witnessed what they were about to attempt since he'd been in and out of consciousness from his fever back then. Well, what Diana was about to attempt, the rest was just there along for the ride.

Felix himself had only heard from Alice what a disturbingly cool experience Minerva's possession had been, and he couldn't wait to see it. I mean, zombies were one thing, their origin could be biological or whatever, but what was happening to his sister and this mystery woman was another thing entirely. Theirs was the story that video games were made about.

Great, now he couldn't stop imagining that concept; it'd probably be an FPS, open world, survival horror game. It sounded awesome when simplified and desensitized like that. Damn, he missed gaming.

"I don't mean to sound rude and ungrateful, but why am I here?" Maggie asked above the quiet whispers of planning. "And what's happening exactly?"

"Yeah, why is she here?" Daryl asked snidely with a narrow of his eyes at the stranger and then frowning inquisitively at Diana.

The latter shrugged one shoulder while adjusting her crisscrossed legs. "We might need allies."

Daryl was unconvinced. "For what? It ain't gonna be her to stand between us and her people if it comes down to anything."

Diana pouted in that way she did when things weren't going her way and she was figuring out how to turn it around. Felix knew his sister too well. In the end, she simply shrugged loosely again and said, "I trust her. Besides, it's my secret to tell."

"What are you guys doing here? And why would I need to defend you?" Maggie was growing upset, even more when her questions went ignored.

"But you don't trust Rick? Dale, T-Dog? Diana, you barely know this woman."

"This woman has two perfectly functioning ears and wants to know what the hell is going here!"

Felix sighed deeply, irritated by the overlapping voices. Glenn was pulling Maggie by the arm so she'd sit again, but she shook off his hand and only sat reluctantly when Alice promised an explanation once the two lovebirds finished their spat.

Right on cue, Diana countered Daryl with passion, "I trusted you back then too, and I barely knew you! You're saying that was wrong?"

"Yes," Daryl spat out, and even Felix winced at that, also feeling second-hand embarrassment on Diana's part that their quarrel had an audience.

An uneasy silence fell over them. The hurt on his sister's face was badly disguised, he could already see the shine of tears in her eyes, but the regret was evident on Daryl's. Felix couldn't help but wish there was a hole he could hide himself in.

"We'll discuss that another time, you and I," Diana's voice was ice, Felix didn't hear that often. "Maggie stays, that's that on that. So, let's continue."

"I'd rather leave if my presence is causin' tension," Maggie spoke up. "And as I've stressed before, I have no idea what's going on."

"It's a séance," Alice responded wittily. Felix had to agree that it wasn't all that off. He shot her a 'not bad' look, which she answered with a roll of her eyes and a sigh of exasperation that Felix could really get behind.

"A séance?" Maggie questioned with a frown directed at Diana. "You can't be serious."

Diana blinked nervously. "It's not- it's not really that, we're not necessarily contacting the dead, she's very much alive."

"But we are contacting someone?" Her tone of voice was one of disbelief and stepping over the line of annoyance. "Is this a joke?"

"It's really not," Glenn said in Diana's defense. "It's gonna sound kinda crazy… okay, maybe really crazy, but you gotta keep an open mind, alright?" He waited for Maggie's hesitant nod before continuing, "Long story short, we believe Diana and this other woman she has sort of a telepathic connection with received magical weapons, possibly from deities from ancient mythology, and we're tryna figure out the why and how and… well, basically everything."

Maggie took it in silence, the gears turning in her mind. Then, she took in their faces, serious as a grave, probably thinking she was being pranked. In the end, she tilted her head at Diana, who nodded solemnly. Maggie exhaled and frowned at her idle hands, trying to comprehend it. Felix could relate. "You're telling me fairy tales. I need the long version of that story."

"And we would love to tell you," Alice said, the impatience slipping through the cracks, "Look, we know this is some surreal shit we're going on about, but you haven't even seen anything yet, and we oughta get on with this. There's time to explain after we're done."

Alice had never been the most patient person, and the way she and Diana had come to Felix gushing about having new clues and needing to clear them up told him that his sister was on the verge of cussing Maggie out for delaying events.

Diana leaned over Glenn and laid a hand on Maggie's knee. "Maggie, I'm trusting you with something serious. Believe me, we're as in the dark as you. I need you to trust me too."

Felix almost shook his head at his sister's words. Trust Diana to be so trusting. He stood with Daryl on this matter, but he didn't want to contradict his sister so publicly, especially after that scene with Daryl – he knew the toll it would take on her confidence.

Maggie nodded assuredly. "Okay. Okay, I trust you."

With a loud clap of her hands, Alice brought the attention back to the group. "A'right, so are we gonna do this thing or what?"

Felix's heart began pounding with anticipation. After that initial shock from the bow had worn off, they'd gotten used to the impossible weapon, never really questioning it, because there had never been a way to obtain answers – until Minerva, the next piece in the puzzle.

He felt like he was witnessing history firsthand. He could almost see their documented chronicles being studied in an idealistic far-off future. He couldn't even begin to imagine how his sister felt.

If only mom and dad were there beside them.

His hand slithered into Diana's, who in turn linked hers with Glenn as if gathering strength. "How does it work?" he asked.

Diana tugged on his hand and raised both to his lips to shush him. "I need quiet."

Daryl shrugged one shoulder and asked, "Then why we here?"

"I don't wanna be alone," Diana countered, "and someone's gotta explain to Minerva why I called her if she comes through."

"That's a big if." Felix raised an eyebrow.

"Okay, for real now, quiet down, people." Hands still linked, Diana closed her eyes and straightened her spine. She began inhaling and exhaling deeply, in through the nose and out the mouth, as if meditating.

Felix almost expected the candles' flames to start flickering, for a door to slam or a book to fall off a shelf.

"Is it working?" Glenn asked quietly, peeking at Diana's tense expression.

With a sigh, his sister deflated and shook her head, looking at them with disappointment clear on her face. "I wouldn't know if I was even remotely close to it. She did it last time, I had no idea what the hell was going on."

"Keep tryin'," Daryl encouraged.

The appeal for forgiveness was evident in his voice, but Diana was adamant on not letting it go if the quick glance Daryl's way said anything. She simply closed her eyes again, huffing in frustration.

A good minute of silence followed, with glances and shrugs exchanged. Felix was dying to let out a bloodcurdling scream and scare the hell out of everybody but refrained himself with some difficulty.

Alice was nudging his side, prompting him to ask Diana if she felt any progress when the door was opened with a sudden twist, earning a gasp or two.

Hershel's hand was attached to the door handle, and his downturned eyes held confusion and suspicion as he inspected their motley crew. His gaze stopped at his daughter. "Maggie? What are y'all doing here?" His question was answered with loaded silence.

Felix felt Diana's hand slowly slip from his grasp. At that moment, Alice began twitching and spazzing, mumbling random Portuguese and German words as if they were the chanting of a possessed woman, grabbing everyone's attention. "Rise, my witch sisters of old," she rasped while rolling her eyes back, so only the sclera was visible.

Being closest to her, Felix rolled his eyes at her theatrics and slapped her hard on the thigh, causing his sister to break character and complain at the stinging pain. He even had to weather a slap on the back in return.

"You need anythin', old man?" Daryl was straight to the point; no bullshit.

"From you? Perhaps some respect," Hershel said, stepping into the room without breaking eye contact with the younger man.

Daryl's response was quick, "Once you've earned it, yeah, you'll get it."

Felix exchanger a look with Alice, trying to contain their twin smirk. Damn, that dude was badass.

Hershel cleared his throat and moved on seamlessly, nodding at Diana. "I'd like to speak to Diana in private. There are matters to discuss."

Every eye turned to Diana at that; what matters could she possibly have to discuss with Greene? Felix frowned at his sister's facial expression. He'd never seen that smile on her, and the twinkle in her eyes was unfamiliar. Even her posture and the way her hands folded on her lap. It all made his skin crawl.

Expectation hung in the air as if the invisible shift was palpable to everyone present. Felix knew it even before blood began trickling down Diana's nostrils or the strange voice came out of her mouth.

"Sorry to disappoint, folks, but Diana's not home right now."


pls babes, do mama a favor and leave a comment so i can find even more motivation to write, and i also promise i will never call myself mama ever again