It was quite cold on the sidewalk where young Ben Mason lay. The concrete dug into his cut on his head. The entire Espheni army watched from a distance, protecting their king in secret. Ben knew better then to let himself bleed out. The effects of the new harness left him able to heal any wound in seconds. But he couldn't do that, it'd give him away. His scaly face began to pick off, he was inching closer to looking human.
Meanwhile, Anne stood in front of Charleston, prepared to make her speech. She had yet to release the news of a potentially alive Mason family to the public.
"Hello, and thank you for coming." She announced to the people. "As you may already know, we lost the Mason family some time ago." She held back tears. "Today I have amazing news. Due to Cochise, a good friend of Tom," Cochise waved. "We have assembled three pills to revive the dead." There was an uproar. People wanted their loved ones back, not the Masons. "Please, listen!" The crowd quieted. "Tom Mason was an amazing political leader, and will guide Ms. Peralta in governing us. Without his sons, he won't cooperate." The three coffins were brought out. Anne looked Tom's body in the eye, and fed him the pill. Next, Maggie gave Hal the pill. Finally, Alexis gave her big brother Matt his pill. Each person slowly woke up, Tom first, then Hal, and Matt last.
"What the-"
"Wait a sec-"
"I'm alive?"
Hugs and kisses were exchanged. Hal was whisked off for patrol, Tom went to talk to Weaver, and Matt ran off with his friends.
Feet hitting the pavement was the only sound that was heard between Maggie and Hal. Maggie had barely talked since Hal died.
"We got Ben back." She finally blurted. Hal looked at her, confused. "But he ran off. The doctors said he..." She couldn't say it.
"He what?" Hal asked, concerned for his brother.
"He has schizophrenia." Maggie admitted, striking fear into her boyfriend. "Hal, I'm so sorry-"
"Look!" Hal spotted Ben's body, and rushed to it. He cradled his brother in his arms. Maggie was astonished, but skeptical. Rumor said Ben left to join the skitters. Could it all be a trap?
Ben felt familiar arms envelop him, and hold him tight.
Stupid humans, you're above love.
The sad part was that the voice was right. Ben was above love. There was no one to love, or so he thought.
"Ben!" That simple word changed everything. That was Matt; Ben had a family again. But he couldn't let an empire crumble because his family is back. The humans are almost extinct, Ben could be a literal king of the world. He discussed the pros and cons while he patiently waited to regain consciousness. He felt his body be laid on a hospital bed, probably in the infirmary.
"I just found him laying like that on the side if the road." He heard Hal confess. There was a silence. "How am I supposed to tell a little kid his brother hears voices that aren't there?" Hal's voice was wobbly and weak. He'd started to cry.
"Hal, it'll be okay." The comforting voice of his father entered the room. There was more crying, and probably a few hugs.
Humans focus too much on emotional distress. You're above that. You don't feel emotion except for anger. It's all you feel, isn't it? Oh, and power. Extreme power that racks your body at night and keeps you awake. You crave pain, though. From yourself, from others. Any pain you can get you eat up. And it tastes quite good, doesn't it?
Ben opened his eyes, with a racking headache. These usually follow long rants like those from the voices.
From the second Ben opened his eyes, Tom noticed the lifelessness in them. In fact, it seemed as if his whole body had been drained. His face was still and pale, his eyes didn't crackle like they used to. Ben's body was cold, even dark. There was nothing left of his boy.
Anne was amazed. Ben healed completely as soon as his eyes opened. It was scary.
"I'm better now." Ben said, tracing his fingers over where his wound was. The coldness tingled his fingers and spread like wildfire through his body. "My shot is at least." Ben knew his schiznopernia would most likely never go away, but he had to believe it would. Anne nodded.
"I guess you're free to go..." Anne was skeptical, and rightfully so. She'd just witnessed a boy on the verge of death make a complete comeback in a matter of seconds. Ben happily hopped off the bed and set out to find Deni.
"Deni?" He knocked lightly on her door. Ben wasn't excited, he actually dreaded meeting his old friend. Deni denied Ben when he needed her. When evilness was taking over his brain, Deni sat back and watched. She was one of the reasons Ben left the Second Mass.
"Ben!" The young girl gasped and flung her arms around her friend. She didn't want to hear, see, or touch Ben, but her mother convinced her. When she heard about his schiznopernia, though, all bets were off. Deni should've been there, that stayed in her mind. Guilt washed over her, pain and sadness, too. Deni was ready to reunite with Ben, but he had other plans. You're not named King of the Espheni for giving in when a girl runs to you.
"Hi." Ben tried to stay quiet, in an attempt to be the meek person he used to be.
"C'mon, let'a catch up." Deni made her way to her bed and sat down. "What was it like? Outside Charleston? Seeing the world in a whole new way?" Deni had many questions, but the question of why he left never left her mind.
"Let's take a walk instead." Ben didn't wait for an answer, a bad habit he'd developed in his rule. Deni followed, confused. Ben slowly led her to the woods, distracting her with small talk. When they were deep in the woods, where there was no where to run and no one to hear even the loudest scream, Ben screeched out the word 'Attack!' in Espheni. Hundreds of skitters ambushed Deni, leaving her confused and defenseless.
"Ben, why?" The once friend of Ben was now dangling in the air, restricted by a net.
"Because you love me." Ben loved Deni, Deni used to love Ben. But now he was convinced he would make it work.
"You can't force love."
