Recruitment
(It just occurred to me that some of this might be considered triggering, I dunno. I kinda got a little emotionally involved in some parts. So fair warning and it's kinda wordy so feel free to skip over some of it.)
....
Zoey gritted her teeth.
Everything had become so clear and yet she felt ice water being thrown on her back. She was so numb but still felt a burning rage in the pit of her stomach.
She squeezed Angela and silently cursed the author.
Oooh! I'm so scared.
With a mind clear of fog she decided her next step then and there.
" Hey, Zo. You're kinda crushing me."
" Shhh. It's almost over. "
" Mmph!"
Angela let out a slight groan as her spine began to fracture.
The hug went on for quite a while with Angela slightly wriggling about before Zoey released her.
Angela was acting a bit 'extra ' when she was able to take a deep inhale.
" *GAH* What are you a bear?!"
" Hey, at least you're not sobbing like a banshee anymore!"
" *Sniffle* Well, not all of us can bounce right back when their best friend almost kicks the bucket. Then wakes up looking like... this."
Angela sniffled and wiped her eyes while also thanking the world for the existence of waterproof mascara.
Zoey was confused at her last remark.
" Looking like what?"
Angela smiled sheepishly and scratched the back of her neck.
" Ange?"
Zoey narrowed her eyes.
Angela sighed exasperatedly then took out a compact mirror from a pocket in her dress.
" *Gasp* Pocket dress!"
Zoey gasped.
" Yup, and for the record, I did suggest that it would be bad. "
Angela flicked open the little mirror and handed it to Zoey.
Zoey took one look and once Angela saw Zoey grit her teeth. She instinctively covered her ears.
" AUTHOR YOU BITCH!"
She was right to do so.
Ha!
...
A few minutes passed before Zoey was able to ease the pressure inside her chest.
And Angela was happy to remove her hands from her ears.
" Hey, I mean... it's not THAT bad. If you look from far, far, FAR away."
Angela chimed.
Zoey glared at her and then back at the tiny pocket mirror.
Zoey's hair now had green at the roots and tiny green streaks in her locks.
Her eyes had a light sprinkle of green specks which contrasted with the natural color of pink.
But what really peeved Zoey was the condition of her body.
The slight amount of fat that layered on her body was gone and she now was fairly thin.
" No! My jiggly luscious goodness! Oh, the humanity!"
Angela watched Zoey's semantics for a while before Zoey finally popped up with her teary-eyes pointed at Angela.
" Angie?"
" Oh, are you done?"
" Angie!?"
" Ugh! Okay, what!? Just stop calling me that! Stop calling me LIKE that! And get that look out your eyes. Ugh! I feel like I'm being hustled by a freaking Disney princess!"
" Is it possible to get all the weight I lost back?"
" Well, I was going to try my best to give you a physical, but you were too busy... being you."
" Well, what are you waiting for! Slice me up doc!"
Zoey hopped up from her bed.
" Relax, it's just an examination. Now sit down!"
...
" Now, I'm soft too!? Author, I'm gonna slit your throat on your sleep!"
Oh, no a fictional character threatened my life. Help me! Help me!
Zoey cussed when it turned out that all the progress she'd made in getting stronger was all a loss.
She found this out when Angela was attempted to draw blood and it resulted in a fountain display.
Angela finished her examination in around thirty minutes.
She wrote some things, tested some things, yadda yadda.
Finally, ready to wrap things up.
Angela sat Zoey down.
Zoey was basically doing backflips off the wall at this point.
And explained.
" Well, you're body is adapting to the changes well. The serum has been successfully absorbed.
And your body is kicking into overdrive!
I can't think of any other way to say this but it's basically torching the fat on your body for excess energy.
And it may be a bit hard to gain some weight since any food is basically just being tossed into a furnace. But it's not impossible.
But you're going to be... And I mean REALLY going to be.
Much more hungrier.
You're gonna eat A LOT!
And you'll need to or you'll be constantly passing out.
You'll also need to keep yourself really physically fit.
So make sure you get at least an hour of exercise.
Also, because you're physically lacking you can't absorb any gemstones and whatever. So you'll have to gain some muscle.
But once you get up to code I'll drive you straight to Chernobyl.
Along with that, you'll be susceptible to certain drugs, aphrodisiacs, maybe poisons. But like with food, your body will destroy it.
And... that's pretty much it."
Angela finished her explanation with a shrug.
Zoey threw her head back and groaned.
" Ugh! That sounds like so much work! But I guess it could be worse."
" Way to think of the glass half full." Angela chided.
" Okay, now that you're not dying. What's next?"
Zoey looked at her them tilted her head.
" That depends, can you stall Alex from forcing me back home by giving him a bunch of doctor excuses?"
" Yeah, it's unethical, but yeah."
" Great! Because I need to play a little game called recruitment!"
Zoey presses her lips together into this cute smirk.
" I also need some time to grow some horns and surround myself with fire."
" What?"
" Oh, Angie! You can't be the Devil without horns or flames don't you know?"
" *Sigh* You are so fucking weird. "
" Thank you!"
" Well, where do we actually start?"
" Well,"
Zoey hopped onto her feet.
" Let's start with a nice chart shall we?"
....
(Two Days Later; 4:45 pm; At A Large Psychiatric Hospital)
Emily Song (Fake boobie Yandere in a REALLY early chapter)
Sat on her bed.
Fiddling with a bracelet she made in arts and crafts.
Once she was admitted a few days ago.
Though it already felt like months.
She had given up.
She screamed like your typical lunatic, banged her head, threatened others, blood flew everywhere. Spit. Tears.
That was, until, she realized.
Her life was nothing.
No one could say otherwise.
Her only purpose was to be with Rory.
Be like Rory.
Support Rory.
Act like Rory.
Be for Rory.
Do for Rory!
She honestly couldn't remember her childhood or her adolescence.
The only thing she remembered, was her parents telling her to be a good girl. Good girls listen, good girls do as they're told, good girls are good girls.
That's what Emily was to Rory.
His good girl.
She was just this plain thing.
Just this blank piece of paper with a few words jotted down.
Nothing more, nothing less.
She only realized this, because for once in her life her brain didn't revolve around this one thing and she was forced to be alone with her thoughts.
Especially when she was medicated.
It only took a few hours.
A few hours to realize what her life was like.
What she had done to others to herself.
And only a few minutes to shut down.
She had no ambitions.
She had no use.
She didn't want to go back to school.
No particular reason why, she just didn't have it in her.
She just imagined waking up every day, getting a dead-end, part-time job, living in a small apartment.
Until she went into the ground.
She didn't go searching through the dregs of her shattered psyche to find her childhood or any ambitions that were held with said childhood.
She didn't go looking for any inspiration in art, books, or music.
No.
She just sat in her room fiddling with her bracelet or drawing a picture.
But, even though she was left this empty shell she would rather be back to this measly piece of paper with only a few letters scribbled on it.
Because anything, ANYTHING, was better than having such black hole thoughts.
Pretending you're someone with a personality is better than realizing you were never really a person at all.
" Miss Song,"
Emily looked up to see a nurse staring kindly at her.
But looked back down to keep playing with her piece of beaded jewelry.
" Oh, that's a bracelet you made in craft time right? It's so pretty."
Emily didn't respond.
" Hey, Emily, can I call you Emily?"
Emily shrugged.
" Emily, you have some visitors. Would you like to see them? You don't have to if you don't want to."
Emily only gave her silence.
" Emily, it's okay if you don't want to see them."
It seemed that it was just going to be another bout of silence, until Emily got up and put on some slippers.
The nurse quickly got up and guided Emily to the visitor's hall.
When she got there, the nurse pointed to the table where her 'guests' sat.
That's when she spotted a person with black hair and a person wearing a hoodie.
She shuffled to the table and sat down on the cold bench.
Emily just stared at the people before her waiting for one of them to speak.
" What? No hello?"
Recognizing the voice, Emily looked up to see a familiar pair of pink eyes.
" Zoey Chang. Doctor Wu."
" Righty-a! Righty-o!"
" Why are we here?"
Angela cringed at the sight of Emily.
But what was more unsettling was the hollowness she exuded.
" Shh!"
Zoey shushed Angela.
" Well, Emily, how ya been?"
Emily quietly fiddled with her bracelet in view of the two.
" Zoey-"
Zoey cut Angela off with a tone so icy.
" You feel empty, with no purpose, no motivation, no anything. Everything is the same to you. Nothing builds any interest. "
Emily looked up from her wrist and stared eerily at Zoey.
" Your life revolved around being this one thing. You never had a personality, no identity.
What you thought was your identity wrapped around this one flimsy thing. Not just Rory.
But just this broad, but bendy little stick that had no grooves, no leaves, no definition."
Emily stopped fidgeting with her strung of beads and stared continuously at Zoey.
" You're so empty that you just live to die.
So empty that you'd rather be filled with just another broad, no definition, stick! Than to be so empty."
Emily's eyes were trembling slightly and she was showing more emotion than she had in days.
" Let me ask, have you ever thought about Rory?"
Emily flinched.
" You know, he got out right? Mishandling of evidence. So the case was thrown out.
But it's probably for the best. The place he was going to doesn't really care about his type. They were probably ready to high-five him.
But thanks to gambling debts and a few people who were close to the people he assaulted.
He was beaten. Then he was sold to a rich man to pay off his debts.
That may sound good but, are you okay with that?
Rory is yours.
No matter how much you shake it off that's true, right?"
Emily made this little grunt through the nose and just stared down at the table.
" Well, how about I cut to the chase since time is almost up?"
Emily stared back up at Zoey, face pale, and trembling more visibly.
" How about I give you back some of that direly needed purpose of yours?
All you gotta do, "
Zoey's eyes brightened scarily, with the newfound green her eyes bore into Emily's face and her teeth gleamed as they revealed themselves into a malignant grin.
" Is make a deal with the devil."
(A Few Minutes Later)
Angela and Zoey strolled down a hallway.
" I don't get why you keep referring to yourself as the devil."
" It's an inside joke between me and let's say, a frenemy?"
" Okay, but what I also don't get is why you decided to recruit her? Of all people, why her?
And what was up with you going all Hannibal in there?"
".....
.
.
Ange, do you know what Emily is?"
" A fucking psycho!?"
" That could be a grossly exaggerated term but I guess it's not wrong.
But what Emily is, is a simple one-dimensional character with only one purpose.
In other words, in this case, a very overused word, cannon fodder."
" Yeah, that's pretty obvious. Her only purpose was to be seen as an antagonist and make you look good along with Dr. Shit."
" Yes, but she also paved the way for our friendship."
Angela gave a small smile in return for Zoey's big grin.
" And as with all cannon fodder. Once she's used up, she's never seen again.
Tossed away like yesterday's trash.
But, what you don't know, is that once she's used up. She doesn't keep on being an antagonist.
With no real past, no real future, no real state of mind other than what she's designed to be. She just shuts down.
After all, she's a character with little to no effort put into her. Once she realizes that and her purpose is achieved she just reverts into this uninteresting blob.
She's still human so she can still feel emotions somewhat.
But that emptiness, that feeling of vacancy is so damming, that one would rather plug it up, even if temporarily rather than deal with it permanently.
That's what I just offered to Emily. "
" Wow, that's deep!"
" Pfft!"
Zoey let out a chuckle at Angela's words and soon they both found themselves outside with the sun beginning to set in the horizon.
" Okay, so who's next?"
Angela asked to which Zoey just smiled.
...
(On The Rooftop Of A Faraway Building; 6:00 pm)
Marvin stood on the ledge of the roof looking down.
He had been drinking.
But he still felt sober.
He was exhausted.
No, amount of sleep could help him.
Slowly, his foot slid off the ledge.
It was a slow side to side motion.
He was going to die.
No, he was just going to end the pain.
" Rose, I hope you're happy,"
He fell forward only to be grabbed by the back of his shirt and pulled back. He fell onto his bottom and keeled over in singeing pain.
" Ugh! My back!"
" Well, that's what you get for trying to steal my kill."
Immediately hearing Zoey's voice, he sat up and looked up at her.
" What happened to your eyes?"
He immediately gasped.
" You have no authority to ask me any questions. And you have no authority to kill yourself.
Your life belongs to me. So it's my choice on what to do with it.
And damn it was hard tracking you down! Keep your phone on!"
Marvin gulped.
" What do you need?"
" Okay, I don't feel like explaining anything to you so, deep breaths!"
" What? Mmph!"
Zoey abruptly shoved a cloth into Marvin's face and Marvin instantly fell unconscious.
Zoey then lifted him onto her shoulder only to grunt and drop him back onto the ground.
" Ugh! Oh yeah, I'm weak. Well, I guess he won't get too brain-damaged with me dragging him down the stairs."
She grabbed Marvin by the leg and began to walk.
(At A Hospital; 7:00pm )
Vickie Smalls (prostitute beaten up by Stone) was now sitting up with her face healing slowly.
She closed her eyes and breathed deeply trying to forget about her agony.
" Vickie Smalls,"
Vickie opened her eyes startled and looked to the left.
What should've been a strange woman was eerily familiar to Vickie.
Then, when it registered in her brain.
The glowing eyes.
The massive height.
The cocky tone and sweet scent.
Vickie rasped, " It's you, you saved me from that guy. "
" Yup. "
" Are you gonna offer me anything?"
" What makes you say that?"
" What else would you be here for? To check on me? You're chill but you're not a saint, you should look in a mirror. Nice, definitely isn't in your vocabulary."
" Well, aren't you the big-brained beauty? You're right I am here to offer you something."
" You gonna tell me what it is?"
" Do you even care?"
" Nah. Anything's better than living like this."
" You're kinda like me, I like it!"
" Narcissist."
" Mmm. Maybe."
" So you gonna tell me what you want?"
" Well, you see, the thing is, I'm assembling a team.
Not necessarily a good team, or a bad team.
But a team that offers you a new chance at life AND I fix your face for FREE!"
" I'm listening."
Zoey grew another big smirk and spilled a torrent of information on Vickie.
When she was done, she finished up with, " You can have some time to think about it."
" I don't need it. I accept!"
Zoey smirked.
" Good girl."
With that, it would take a few hours for the hospital staff to realize that Vickie's hospital bed was empty.
....
(In A Highrise Apartment 8:00 pm)
Mona sat on a bed in a large white t-shirt.
Mona cried hysterically while Cecilia rubbed her back in an attempt to comfort her.
" Wh-what, what are we *hic* going to *hic* do!? *UWAAA*"
Cecilia hugged her tightly and brought Mona to her chest.
" Mo, it's okay! It's gonna be okay!"
" You can't know that Cece! *Sniffle*"
Mona choked out a rebuttal but Cecilia just smiled at her.
" I can, and I do! I will not stop! I promise you that I won't let anything bad happen to you."
Cecilia gave a gentle kiss to Mona's head and reached down to gently stroke her belly.
" It's okay, I'll protect you. Now calm down, think of the baby."
Mona sniffled once again and clutched Cecilia's clothes like a small child awoken by a nightmare.
" Cece, I don't know what I'd do without you. You're my best friend. "
Cecilia bit her lip and gripped the sheets.
" Yeah, 'friends."
Cecilia felt her heart drop, only for it to come back up with the feeling of a knife being driven through it.
" But, once the baby is born. He'll take me back and he'll put an end to the rumors surrounding us."
Cecilia felt shock vibrate throughout her body then anger swell up.
" What!? Mo, no! He dumped you! He called you horrible things! He left you for that skank! He got you knocked up then accused you of cheating!
Why do you want to go back to him?! He's horrible!"
Mona pushed herself away from Cecilia and glared at her.
" And I told you I don't need you to be angry for me! I can forgive him! I've already forgiven him!
It's all that slut's fault! Not his, she tricked him!"
" Mona! It takes two to cheat! And if you forgive him for all of that then he won't respect you at all!
And he didn't respect you before so who knows how he'll treat you now!
Why do you want to go back to him!?"
" BECAUSE MY BABY NEEDS A FATHER!"
Mona suddenly screamed.
" AND YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO BE MY FRIEND! YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO SUPPORT ME! WHY CAN'T YOU JUST BE THERE FOR ME!? WHY CAN'T YOU HELP GET MY RELATIONSHIP BACK TOGETHER!? WHY DO YOU TRY TO KEEP RUINING MY LIFE!?
*ARGH*"
Mona clutched her stomach after crying out in pain.
" Okay, okay! I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'll support you!
I'll hold you! I'll help get back together with him. Just... just come here."
Mona now had tears that were surging down her face and she just stared at Cecilia who had her arms open.
But ultimately she crawled back over to the blonde woman and gently nestled against her chest.
Cecilia wrapped her arms around the sniffling pregnant woman.
Resting her chin on top of Mona's head, Cecilia quietly whispered comforting words to the distraught Mona.
...
Mona had cried herself to sleep. Leaving her eyes swollen the red.
Cecilia sat next to her on the bed caressing her hair.
But soon her hand had drifted down to Mona's face. She gently caressed her swollen eyelids.
" Why do you cry over him?"
Her hand gently drifted down and stroked Mona's lips.
" You should only think of me."
Cecilia stared endlessly at the beautiful red lips.
" I would take care of you and the baby."
Cecilia started to lean down, with her lips coming close to Mona's.
" Moni...
I lo- "
*Bzzt bzzt* *Bzzt bzzt*
Cecilia let out a gasp. Her phone buzzing carried her out of her trance.
When she realized what she was doing, she backed away with her hand covering her mouth.
" What was I doing? "
She got off the bed and ran her hand through her hair. Her heart nearly exploding.
She looked over at the phone sitting on the dresser which still buzzed and took her time walking over to answer it.
#Cecila: Hello?#
#Zoey: You trying to ignore me, Cece?#
#Cecilia: *Gasp* Zoey! No, no, no! I wasn't trying to ignore you I promise!#
#Zoey: Next time pick up on the first ring.#
#Cecilia: Yes.#
#Zoey: Ready to make good on your
promise?#
#Cecilia: Yes. You won't involve Mona right?#
#Zoey: I am a woman of my word. I'm gonna text you an address meet me there okay?#
#Cecilia: Yes, right away.#
Beep-
Zoey hung up the phone and Cecilia sighed as she looked at the address that was texted to her.
Her soul seemed to be nonexistent as the phone screen reflected on her pupils.
She shut off the phone and hurriedly picked out some warm clothes.
She slipped on her trench coat and as she looked at the elevator door she couldn't help but look back to Mona.
She grabbed a blanket and draped it over the sleeping woman.
She looked at her peaceful sleeping expression and felt her self control steadily diminish.
So she limited herself to just laying a small kiss on her temple.
And whispering in her ear, " Everything I do, I do for you, okay Moni?"
That's when Cecilia stood up and walked to the elevator.
(On A Random Rooftop; 8:20)
Zoey sat cross-legged on a roof drainage system.
She sputtered her lips and leaned into her palm.
She was so bored.
Until she heard the clack of heels on the ground and she looked down to see Cecilia wandering around the rooftop.
" Hey! You made it!"
Cecilia jumped and looked up to see Zoey kicking her legs cheekily.
" I'll be right down!"
Zoey was going to showboat and jump down and land like a boss!
But right now she'd break both her knees trying so she had to climb down the safe way.
And so she did, and once she hit the ground she opened her mouth to Cecilia.
" I love rooftops! The mystery, the mystique, the lack of an audience! Perfect for murder and showdowns! Ugh! I watch too many superhero movies!"
Cecilia almost had a panic attack when murder was brought up. But she held her chin and kept her voice clear.
" You weren't at school for the last few days, are you alright?"
" Do you care?"
Cecilia didn't answer.
" As I thought."
Zoey walked past her and blew some fog into the air.
" I've been having a few, 'medical issues'. So I'll be out for a few months.
But the reason I called you is because.
I'm starting... let's call it a business venture. You're gonna be one of the first employee's sugar.
You're gonna train your ass off, you're gonna do what you're told, and if you do a good job. I'll pay how I look, handsome, yet beautiful, fucking androgynous!"
Zoey was ready to go over the logistics.
" You feel proud of yourself?"
Zoey shut her mouth and turned around looking at a glaring Cecilia.
" You threaten a pregnant woman! You threaten me! You treat me like a dog! You-, you-, you're just like Rose!"
Cecilia struck a cord in Zoey.
Her cheeky smile was wiped clean and her face was made freezing atmosphere shiver.
" You-!"
Cecilia wanted to continue but was cut off.
" Shut up."
" I-"
" Shut the fuck up right now."
Zoey didn't raise her voice.
But it had the sternness of an old, bitter, grandfather.
" The fact that you're making this argument, shows that you're just a taller, hornier, version of your typical bully.
And I think I should set you straight.
First, off.
Who the hell do you think you are? When you tortured me, my friends, and my family, for years."
" It wasn't my fault, it was-"
" Let me guess you're gonna say it was Rose?
So that day in sixth grade, where she got food poisoning on the first day of that field trip and was basically sleeping for the whole six days; and where you and Mona locked me in the bathroom; put worms in my food, and made me sprain my ankle before ditching me in the woods.
That was Rose?
That day, in seventh grade, where Rose was planning that school dance for almost the whole day so no one had seen her, and you Mona knocked out one of my back teeth in the bathroom.
That was Rose?
Oh, how about that night in eighth grade, where Rose spent the whole time clinging to that guy and hardly said a word to you guys; and you pantsed my brother and threw punch all over the dress my mom spent three days making
That was Rose too?"
Cecilia swallowed.
" You are almost twenty. Sure, I will admit, I'm starting to see that Rose is this manipulative, selfish, woman who doesn't give a damn about anyone but herself.
And sure, I wouldn't put it past her to manipulate you into doing what she wants.
But not once, never once. Did you show any guilt, give an apology to me, my brother, or my mother.
You could have done that, but you didn't.
You're pretty much an adult now. Take some responsibility for your actions.
But instead of admitting guilt, or saying a simple sorry. After finding out what really laid behind Rose's mask, you turn around and tell me that I'm a bad guy too."
Cecelia's eyes look glassy with tears but none had yet to flow.
" Now, I'm not a saint. I know that and I admit to myself and people very close to me.
But you? No. You try to turn it on me so you don't have to face the fact that you are at fault like it or not. "
" No! You don't know what I've been through! What Mona's been through! Rose is horrible!"
" Have you not been listening to a word I've said?
Fun fact, bullies often blame everyone BUT themselves for their behavior.
And to say that I don't know what it's like.
Do you know how many times Rose pinned me in a corner and broke me down into pieces?
Do you know how many times my father would literally spit on me and call me a mistake?
Do you know how many times my grandparents hit me over a glass of spilled milk or word misspelled?
Do you know how many nights I was degraded by a man whom I'm bound to otherwise I risk the lives of everyone I hold dear?
Do you know how many nights I spent with my face in the toilet puking up the food Injust are because I couldn't stand the sight of myself?"
Zoey felt herself drift into the original Zoey's memories, all her pain, all her anger, all of her sadness, that was kept bottled up in her last life came spilling out.
" Do you how many days I had to count the reasons I should get out of bed?
Do you know how many times I had to rub ice cubes on my eyes so no one knew that I was crying?
Do you know how many times I was literally seconds away from committing suicide?
I had a blade right here,"
She pointed to her wrist.
" And right here,"
She pointed to her throat.
" Ready to release me from my pain.
I've had a rope around my throat, and legs quivering while I stood on a chair.
Ready to take away my breath,"
She grasped her throat with her throat.
" I've been on the ledges of roofs like these. Feet scooting forward.
Ready to drop to my demise.
Do you know any of that?
Do you know how much I wanted to leave my pain behind, even at the cost of my family?
No, no you don't.
Because unlike you I never openly said it especially not to excuse my terrible actions.
Another fun fact, that's what a lot of abusive parents say to their kids. Mine included. My dad would say that his dad would put him in the hospital, so when he hit me that it wasn't a big deal.
But I'm gonna make this clear, you honestly do not know what I've been through."
Cecilia now had a single tear flowing down her cheek. She swallowed the grime in her throat and didn't dare to rebut.
" And before you go saying, that I'm a bad person once again. For treating you and Mona like that.
I won't deny it. I'm pretty sure I float back and forth between the good, the bad, and the dirty.
From the hell, you put me through? Hell, a lot of people wouldn't think twice before cheering me to curb stomp your ass.
Not to mention you tried to stab me. It could have ended very badly right then and there.
I didn't have to offer you anything, I don't owe you anything, and I didn't do this to be nice.
I did it for the sake of convenience.
You were right there and I just so happened to be looking for dogs.
I have plenty of people I have already reached out to and people I have yet to reach out to.
I don't need you.
I'm perfectly capable of achieving my goals without you.
I never really intended on leaking those pictures either.
I just thought that you'd want to grab onto a ladder to climb out of the hole Rose was about to dig and bury you in. "
Cecilia stared at Zoey with red eyes and shortness of breath.
" Don't look at me. You have nothing to say, so don't look at me."
Cecilia looked at her shoes.
" Here. "
Zoey tossed a box over to Cecilia that slid on the ground and collided with Cecilia's heels.
" I'm gonna text you another address. You be there at 5:00 am sharp or don't come at all.
You come late, I give a punishment for every minute past the time I specified.
And before you complain about that thing in the box, most of your friends are gonna wear one just like that."
Once she said her peace, Zoey walked down found the ladder she used to gain access to said building.
She didn't feel like using any stairs.
[Miss Zoey, are you alright?]
It felt like forever since Zoey felt like she heard Sky's voice.
So she admittedly lost her grip on the ladder.
" Yeah."
To be honest, ever since her encounter with the author.
She had been avoiding him a bit. At least until she could be absolutely sure that he couldn't be manipulated against her, or was dangerous to her, or who knows what else.
Until then, Sky would make a limited appearance.
Hmph, what an ungrateful child! I'm not that malicious...
Well, not THAT malicious but, you know.
( In A Park; 8:45 pm)
Katherine jogged over to a bench to see Zoey calmly leaning back on it.
" Oh! Zoey!"
It had gotten colder so her words created a puff of smoke in the air.
She sat down next to Zoey with a beaming smile.
The street lamp made the atmosphere dreary but it couldn't compare to the light of that gleaming smile.
Her hair was tied in small pigtails and she wore some new jeans, a plain white shirt, new sneakers, and a new coat.
" After all the money I gave you, I honestly expected a bit more flashy dressing."
Katherine snickered, " Well, I'm not one for big spending, neither is my mom. We just got some good food, a few new clothes, paid off the debts. You know.
And, I like how you didn't even try to hide it was you."
Katherine's earnest gaze made Zoey shudder yet she got the warm feeling inside her chest.
" Hide what?"
Zoey joked making Katherine giggle.
" Hey Zoey, you're a really amazing person!"
" Uh, no not really."
" Wow, an immediate answer."
Katherine slightly chuckled in her response and gently kicked her feet.
She gently bit her lip and was hesitant in asking, " So... what'd you call me here for?"
Katherine felt her hopes soar and her heart pound.
" Katherine, I like you."
Katherine almost exploded then and there.
" As a friend."
She cooled down immediately and turned red with a crippling embarrassment.
" So, I want to warn of you this.
The police are going to frame you for the incident at the club."
" What!?"
" They don't want anyone to know what those guys planned to do to you.
It's, uh, complicated. "
" But, but! There's security footage!"
" They deleted it."
" What!? No! I can't go to jail! I-, I- *wheeze wheeze*"
" Deep breaths."
Zoey patted Katherine's back.
" What am I going to do?"
" That's what I called you for.
Katherine, I will help you regardless if you say yes or no.
But I wanted to offer you, a chance.
A chance to step on others before they step on you.
I know it's kinda cliche but I've run out of material.
Katherine, you're a good egg. So, I wouldn't put it past you if you preferred to let me handle this.
I have other people on my staff who are pretty much scum.
So whatever you decide to do. Know that I'll help you either way, since all of this is my fault."
Katherine was silent and felt her chest constrict.
To choose, or not to choose.
She was afraid. But, she was not going to let her life be interrupted and sit idly by.
She was tired of being looked down upon. Being the weak one.
She looked at Zoey with misty eyes.
" Zoey, I trust you. So, I'll do whatever I need to do!"
" Katherine I need you to understand this. You will just go through hell, you will lose faith in me, you will distrust me, and you will transform from a lovely young woman into a cold-hearted bitch.
Because the way you are now, will not be able to survive for long.
There is no room for needless empathy.
Do you still agree?"
Katherine was clearly aghast.
Zoey made it sound as if it were life or death.
Was it so serious?
But piercing glare she received from Zoey's eyes.
Silently strangled her.
" Your eyes, they're different."
Katherine sighed and leaned forward with her hands clasped together while licking her lips in thought.
" I took some medicine it affected my appearance.
Yeah, let's go with that."
Katherine laughed through her nose.
But her face was still stone cold.
" You said that, I would stop being kind? Less naive?"
Zoey gazed at her.
Katherine sat up with saline flowing down her cheeks.
" You'd actually be doing me a favor."
Zoey extended her hand towards Katherine.
Which Katherine eagerly grabbed with a smile.
" Let's take care of each other."
Katherine chimed.
" I'll try."
Zoey snickered.
(In A Hospital Wing; 9:30)
Zoey stood in front of three gentlemen laid up in hospital beds.
" Hello boys!"
These three men were responsible for the attempted kidnapping of Cody Lu.
They were admitted a few days ago and were expecting to bed dead in a few more.
The Lu family was not one you could so easily offend.
So they were just waiting for their inevitable death.
" Gentlemen! I'll be brief! I'm looking for some guard dogs. And you could either start here and be dragged to the streets where you're shot to death in a gutter.
Or join me and I call off Mr. Lu.
I cannot remember his first name for the life of me!"
The three men glanced at each other.
" Tick-tock boys!"
Five minutes later. The hospital staff walked in, only to see three more empty beds.
After these incidents, police were called and investigations took place.
People disappeared off the face of the earth only sending one text to their loved ones before going dark.
And barely two days passed by before the city was thrown into more upheaval.