Chapter One

After traveling for an ungodly amount of time, I pull into a parking lot of a bar named Merlotte's. I climb out of my car, pulling my jacket close as I make my way across the lot into the bar, silently walking over to a booth in a dark corner, feeling the judgmental stares and thoughts follow me.

Never seen her before…Look at her, going out in public with her hair and clothes looking like that…

I put my head on my arms as I slump over, trying to gain composure and block out the brains around me so I don't break down in front of all these people. I raise my head once I feel a new presence slide into the opposite side of the booth, staring at me intently, yet in a sympathetic way.

"Hi," I say, almost inaudibly.

"Hi," she begins slowly, "I'm Sookie, I haven't seen you around before and I noticed how distraught you look." I heard her think about how "distraught" was the word for today on her word of the day calendar.

"Yeah, I think I just had the second most stressful days in my entire life."

"I know what you mean…" she says, her voice filled with sympathy, as she reaches over to touch my hand to comfort me. We both recoil in surprise our thoughts colliding with each others in our minds.

"You're telepathetic like me…" I say in a hushed voice.

"Telepathetic?"

"Oh, it's what I call it…" I say, as my cheeks flush with embarrassment.

"I like it," she says and gives a nervous, quiet giggle.

Is there anything I can get for you? I hear her think.

Yes, please coffee and some French fries. Thanks. I think and give a nervous smile as she writes it down.

"No problem…What's your name, if you don't mind me asking?"

"Zoey…Zoey Darke."

"Nice to meet you, I'll be right back with your order."

I give her a weak smile and nod as she turns and walks off, turning in my order and going to check on her other tables. Sookie returns a few moments later with my food and coffee and reclaims her seat back on the other side of the bar once the population in the bar dies down.

"What happened?" she says, curiosity and sympathy seeping through her words as I begin eating my fries.

"You probably won't believe me if I tell you."

"Try me."

I take a sip of my coffee and begin, "I was finishing the afternoon shift over at Coco's, a bar I work at, and I realized something was wrong with some of the customers because a lot of them rushed to the bathroom. I read some of there thoughts and then their brains somehow switched off, like they died, so I run to go tell my boss but then the people in the bathroom rush out and start attacking other customers like they are rabid or something, but their brains still aren't sending any thoughts, and then my boss got attacked and I tried to get the attacker off of her but I was too late. Once that happened I freaked, got in my car and drove and drove until I couldn't anymore, and now I'm here."

I feel tears swell up in my eyes and she hands me a napkin "Everything will be ok," she says, trying to calm me down. "Do you need to call anybody?"

Just as she says that I hear the phone in my purse buzz, and I pull it out to see my brother, Ryan, calling, and I answer it. "Hello?"

"Oh, Jesus, Thank God, Zoe! I was so worried!" My brother says and I think to Sookie, It's my brother, Ryan, and she nods and turns to leave the booth, you can stay if you want.

I'll be back in a bit, I need to get my stuff and say bye to Sam, my boss.

I nod and continue talking to Ryan, telling him where I'm at and that I'm physically fine, but emotionally distraught. He tells me that Kaity and Naomi are at his place freaking out about what happened on campus and that he is glad to hear that I'm alright. We talk for a few more minutes and I tell him that I'll call him in the morning and that I'm going to try and find a motel when I hear Sookie think, You can stay with me, I have an extra bed and bathroom. I say bye to my brother and look at Sookie and smile, "There's no way I can put you out like this. Oh and here, I still need to pay." I say handing her 20 dollars, as I finish up my coffee and fries. She takes the money "Really, you won't be putting me out, plus the motels around here are pretty dingy."

I think it over for a moment and nod, "Only if you insist."

"I do," She says as she takes my arm and leads me out of the bar through the employee exit. "You can follow me in your car." We part and I climb into my car and start the engine and follow Sookie to her house.