The Next Generation

Chapter 22 - Zara

This, was odd. I waved my hand in front of Kas's face. She didn't even blink. I looked around at the others other than Sammy, Charlie, and Riley, everyone's face was slack and glossy eyed. I heard stories about this stuff. They told us about these creatures multiple times back at camp. But...what were they?

I made eye contact with Sammy. He winked at me, showing me he wasn't possessed by...the eidolons! That's what they were! All my conscious friends and I backed away from them slowly. I gulped. Everyone thinks I'm good at fighting because of battle practice at camp, when honestly, I can't even think straight when we are really fighting monsters. I have panic attacks. I try to focus on my breathing, but my hands start to shake and my heart rate goes up. To stop the shaking of my body, I clench my fists, and grind my teeth, glancing back and forth between the eidolons and Charlie, Riley, and Sammy. Charlie, who always has her knife strapped to her leg, had taken it out, but didn't point it at any of our possessed friends. I knew she couldn't kill them, she knew she couldn't kill them. They were still our friends on the outside, just on the inside, they were taken over.

I was unarmed along with Sammy and Riley. I put my hands out in a boxing position, and they both mirror me. The eidolons grinned at us creepily. All our possessed friends looked like zombies without their hands in front of them.

Without even saying a word to each other, Ethan and Kas grasp hands. What?

Ethan looks at me with pity and says in a voice that is not his own, "Oh Zara, if only you really liked me the way I liked you." He squeezed Kas's hand tighter, and Kas smiled at him, with dreamy eyes.

"Wha-what do you mean?" I ask him, my voice shaky. What happened to him? Wasn't he just kissing me a few hours ago? What is this?

He smiled down at Kas before answering, "You never tried to love me. No matter what I tried. Then, I found someone who does care." I wipe the sweat off my face with my knuckles.

"Whatever you're doing, it's a lie!" I yelled at him.

He starts laughing, and all the other possessed demi-gods join in with him. I glanced over at Sammy who looked just as confused as I felt. "Oh, Kas didn't tell you?" I tilt my head in confusion at Kas. She kept on smiling like this is the happiest day of her life. Then, she snaches her beanie from her head, and throws it off. Her hair bounces off her shoulders and falls down her back like a luscious waterfall of waves. It looked so unnatural and perfect that I paused a second. This is not the Kas I know."Well, we made out on the roof. I think that's all you need to know."

I felt my heart drop. Tears leapt into my eyes. Kas smiles sinisterly at me again and then throws herself at Ethan. He grabs her by the waist and she holds onto the back of his neck. For a few seconds they look at each other before Ethan holds his mouth to hers and they kiss. Ethan pushes closer to her, kissing harder like they are never going to part. He holds his open hand to her cheek and brushes her hair behind her ears. All I felt like doing was just laying down on the ground and letting the sun shrivel me up. That is what they want me to do. We needed a plan before I had to think about that kiss any longer. I glanced back at the kissers, they were still holding on to each other, slowly trying to break me.

I scream and cover my eyes, hunching over to blocking the sight of them. I felt hands grip my shoulders and yank me back. I groan, trying to elbow my way away from the hands.

"Zara," Charlie whispered in my ear, "It's me." I could hear the pain in her voice. Those were her brothers after all. My tense muscles relax and Charlie turns me around to face her. Sammy and Riley join us in a huddle, Riley has her back to us though, keeping watch over the eidolons.

"Okay," Charlie squeaked, "Sammy, you have battle strategy, right, being a legacy of Mars and all..."

"Yes," he answered quickly. The poor guy had a crush on Kas the first day they met. I bet he feels the same way I do know. To tell him it's okay, I slide my small hand into his big one, and give him a small smile. I give his arm a tug so he comes over to my side of the huddle. His hand squeezes me a thank you. He cleared his throat before he said any more, "I think, um," He scrunches up his face at us, the same face I make when I'm thinking, "Charlie you can still freeze stuff in this heat right?" She nodded. "Then, I think I know what might just work!" I raise an eyebrow before shaking my head up and down.