Dead Lines

13: That Would Be Helpful

Unedited. <- Seriously, people. It's unedited. My little man is distracted by lunch and The Lorax. Only reason this chapter got posted today. Enjoy!

Chapter Thirteen

I could still hear everything that was going on around me but I wasn’t there.

Not really.

Feeling like I was moving at the speed of light, the darkness took me to a familiar place. One I hadn’t been to since Hades asked me where Persephone was. The platform before me was blank as were the panels on the wall were different factors of the vision were to be played out.

It was cool here, neither hot nor cold. Just…cool.

This was a place only I could access, the main control room if you would of my particular. The only way outsiders could get in here was if I let them but whoever was in my head had managed to gain access somehow. And drag me along with them.

One of the panels came to life, startling me out of my pondering.

There was a strange sort of disconnect from my mind to my body. Nothing I did here affected what I did there.

The panel showed the library at the Schola and what was going on around me as I stood frozen. Andrzej jumped down from his perch and landed on the table with a thud. His face was completely controlled but if you looked in his eyes, you could see the worry and a little bit of panic.

The Gods had stepped away in surprise when he landed but were starting to crowd back to the table while I still stood gripping the edge. My fingers were making a slight dent in the wood, something I never thought I would be able to do. I had more strength now as a demigod than I ever imagined myself having. Problem was I didn’t feel very strong at the moment or the feel of the wood caving in my palms.

I felt trapped in my own head.

Andrzej looked completely frantic as he came to a sliding stop in front of me. The book I’d been staring at went toppling off the table along with some of the maps. Paper tore and the slam of the books on the floor almost sounded like a heartbeat. But unlike a real heart, the pounding stopped in the library and my own heart continued its rapid cadence in my chest.

“Lycaon…”

“Something’s going on.”

“Of course something is going on,” Ares said in a tone that clearly said he was annoyed. “She’s an Oracle. She’s having a vision. Give her a few minutes and she’ll come out of it. Get off the table.”

Andrzej shook his head and his hands cupped my face. “This isn’t a normal vision. Those I can stop. This…this is something else. Someone or something is doing this to her.”

The sound cut out and even though I could see everyone’s lips moving, I couldn’t hear them. The mysterious presence wanted to deprive me of sound as well it seemed.

“Andrzej?” I walked over and stood before the panel. “Andrzej!” I had no idea what would happen if I touched it but…I was clueless as to what was going on in the first place. Very carefully, and with loads of hesitation, I reached out and touched the panel carefully. It was like touching the glass on a door. It was cold and unyielding. “ANDRZEJ!”

Both of my hands came up as panic started to consume me. All my Abernathy cool was sucked out of me right then, leaving me feeling lost and afraid. I was literally trapped in my head and I didn’t know why or by whom. I placed both of my hands on the panel but still nothing happened.

Andrzej was looking me straight on, the image coming through like an actor looking straight into the lens. His lips were moving and the look in his eyes told me he was definitely frustrated.