Subject Zero: Mirrors (Book 2)

Chapter 27: Liam Smiles (1)

Friday, May 24, 1985
8:15p.m.
Cabin, Bluebell Forest

Third Person's POV
Jesper, Alio, Anne, Alexandria, Rei, Mizuki, Naomi, Tui, Joker, La, and Norman were surrounding Zero as she was still sitting in the chair, with a blindfold on and a walkie talkie set next to her.

"Are you there yet?" asked Naomi. She looked at the others then at Zero when she didn't get a response.

But they hear a glitchy response from Zero on the walkie talkie a moment later: "I'm here."

Inside of Liam's Head

Zero was standing on blue-grey water. The skies were cloudy and grey, and there were large pillars everywhere, most of them were broken in some way. Random objects were on the water, such as buttons, a bloody switchblade, syringes, newspapers, old books, puzzle-boxes, some of Zero's old drawings, etc. — even people were walking around.

Zero flinches when she feels someone run up behind her, so she turns around, only to see a strange woman.

The woman had white buttons for eyes. Her pasty skin was a pink sandstone color, she had droopy ears, and her long, braided hair was an ivory color. She had four arms, three fingers on each hand, sharp teeth, and appeared optimistic. There was a little, brown sprout growing from her right ear. She was wearing a white gown.
Ares.

     "Aww! You are absolutely adorable!" said the woman, Ares. "Do you wish to play with me? Or... Perhaps you want to become one of us?"

Zero stepped back, shaking her head.

Cabin

     "Uh, Zero, who is that?" Anne asked in a puzzled tone.

Zero quietly says, "I don't know..."

Mizuki, looking at Zero, says, "That is Ares. She is the Queen."

Alexandria looked right at her.

Tui nodded her head. "It's true. She was the Princess until Queen Aisling was mysteriously killed."

Norman asks, "Who killed her?"

Joker looked at them and Mizuki looked up at him.

     "Some believe it to be Joker's doing," said La. "I wouldn't think so. She died five years ago, and Joker was only set free four years ago."

Most of them were curious about what she meant by "set free" but didn't bother questioning it, since it was not their main priority.

Inside of Liam's Head

     "Aww, I'm afraid it's too soon for you, young one," says Ares. "Good things come to those who wait, just be patient. I'll look forward to do the day we can play together..." She smiled.

Zero walked faster and turned around, only to bump into someone else. It was the tall man with spider legs growing behind his back. It was Joplin.

He looked down at her. "A mortal? Here? How curious..."

Zero stepped back again, just trying to find someone else.