Across Dimensions

5~ chaos, ghosts and Hydra

Will snapped his fingers and the flour disappeared, leaving Cass and Gideon in pyjamas on the floor, laughing.

He helped the two to their feet, and turned to Cass. "Did you take the medication?"

Cass checked her watch. 7:45. Too late. She had missed two. There was no way for it to work that day. "NONONONO."

She became aware of faded figures hovering around the room.

"Sis, what's wrong?" Gideon asked, causing everyone to wonder at what point Gideon gained emotions.

"Nothing I'm fine. A horrible mistake. It's ok don't worry. I'm a danger. You're a freak. STOP." She shook herself slightly and stood up.

"What's going on?"

"I didn't take my medication." She offered no further explanation, and grabbed a slice of bread to make toast.

"Put your hand in the toaster. No that's crazy. I know, do it. No. Try."

Shaking, she pushes her hand into it.

Gideon and Will pulled her away. "Sis WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU?!"

"I just forgot to take my pills. It's fine. Tell him. No. Yes. No. I command you. I am in control."

She shook more with each letter, before falling to the floor, bones rattling.

"What's going on?"

People began to crowd around her, trying to help

"You're nothing. I'm stronger than you. Freak. No. Loser. No. Parasite. No. YOU'RE A BURDEN ON YOUR FRIENDS."

The ghost continued, seeing it had struck a nerve

"YOU THINK THEY CARE? DO YOU THINK THEY WANT A MONSTER LIKE YOU? YOU CANT EVEN REMEMBER TO TAKE MEDICINE. YOU NEED US. WE ARE THE ONLY THING THAT MAKES YOU HAVE WORTH."

Tears streamed down Cass' face as words she hated came from her mouth.

Until it got to the point she believed it

Cass got so agitated she couldn't take it anymore. Fighting against her body with every step, she ran off towards the woods.

"Got to escape. Run. Safety. Treehouse. It should be right....."

She came up to a normal tree. "...here"

You should climb it. You love climbing.

"I do, but why do you care what I like?" She tried to argue, but she was already climbing. Within seconds she was at the top.

Now jump.

So this was the plan. They still wanted her dead. She began to lurch towards and away from the edge, like a rag doll being fought over by two children. Until ...

Perfect. Spread your body now. Fall and aim for the rocks.

She descended rapidly, body angled so she'd land fatally. A small red octopus on a neighbouring tree jumped at her.

Calm down. Scream for help and curl up in a ball. Reduce the amount of damage.

The voice reminded her of the person she had loved a long time ago; her twin brother Cody. So she listened. "HELP ME I'M FALLING!"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"HELP ME I'M FALLING!"

Will and Gideon ran through the forest, looking for Cass when they heard. Will looked up and saw a figure, curled in in a ball, quickly approaching the ground. He snapped his fingers reflexively, and Cass froze.

"Sorry, Dragonsoul. I know you don't like stasis, but it's just until I can get you home." He said, lowering her carefully to the normal height for floating. He spotted the octopus and read its mind. "Thank you. You saved her."

Gideon looked at him. "What's going on?! Cass just jumped off of a tree and now you're talking to an octopus. What's going on here?! Is she ok?!"

They arrived at camp. "Cass you need to tell him. He deserves an honest answer." Will unfroze her and Gideon looked at her expectantly.

"Ok, brother. Here's the truth. I see ghosts. They all want me dead, they can take over my mind and it's really hard to control my body when they're in control. The pills make it so I can't hear them and so they can't take control. The octopus can somehow help me ignore them. I don't entirely know." Cass waited for the typical "you're crazy," but didn't get it.

"Ok, I'll remind you next time. Movie marathon?" He asked.

They watched Ironman 1, and then Will got some information from the octopus.

"His name is Hydra, he's a land octopus, but mainly uses landipus. He wants to stay with Cass, because he kinda soul-paired or something, so you have a mental connection of some sort. I don't know. His mind's pretty vague. But the general gist is that you now have a pet landipus."

"Cool."