Z

Chapter Seven

Zoie yawned as she sat up. She extended her arms and glanced around. Rather than seeing her standard environmental factors, she was welcomed with wonderful blossoms, tall grass, and birds chirping. For the first time in what seemed like forever, Zoie felt like her old self. She didn't want to kill, she didn't need to battle the desire to contain her powers, she didn't hear any voices in her mind, she didn't see her sisters, and she didn't hear any music.

Zoie strolled around the enormous garden as she attempted her hardest to sort out where she was. The spot was enormous and lovely. There were a lot of sculptures encompassing the yard with seats and a long walkway that lead towards the unbelievable structure that appear to be the size of a royal residence.

“Excuse me?” Someone called out causing Zoie to freeze in her steps. Slowly, she turned around to see that a woman stood a few feet away from her. The obscure lady was perfect. She had long dark hair that streamed down her back, her freckles sat all over her face delightfully as she stared at Zoie with her earthy colored eyes loaded up with anticipation.

“Who are you?” She asked. 

Zoie couldn’t bring herself to say anything. She was confused as to where she was and who the woman was but the beautiful scenery had managed to take her breath and words away. As Zoie continued to stare at the woman in silence, the woman sighed heavily. 

“You’re going to get into serious trouble being here!” She called out. “I swear if this is someone playing a joke on me.” 

“This isn’t a joke.” Zoie replied. “I don’t think?” 

The woman’s mouth parted slightly as she stared at Zoie in confusion. She held her hand out and pointed while shaking her head. Zoie raised a brow but said nothing. 

“You remind me of someone.” She replied. 

“Who are you?” Zoie asked. 

The woman scoffed. “I should be asking you the same thing.” 

“Well?” Zoie asked. 

The woman sighed. “My name is Carter.” 

When the lady presented herself, Zoie's memory from the prior night returned. She remembered arguing with her sisters and going into her room. After getting herself together, she snatched one of the books that were in her mom's case and perused it until she dozed off.

Out of nowhere, Zoie wheezed for air as she opened her eyes for the subsequent time. She sat up and glanced around to see that she was back in her room and everything was by and large how she left it. Befuddled, Zoie peered down to see the book from the earlier evening laying on the cushion close to her.

“What the hell was that?” She whispered to herself. 

“Zoie!” Simone’s loud voice shouted from the living room. “Wake the hell up!”

Yanking the covers from her body, Zoie yanked the door to her room open and raged towards the living room while holding the book. She strolled in to see Kira and Simone sitting on the love seats. Tossing the book onto the table, Zoie pointed at it.

"The most peculiar thing happened to me and it had something to do with that damn book!" She shouted. Intrigued, Kira sat up and snatched the book. She gazed at it in disarray before sitting it back down onto the table.

“It’s just a normal fictional book.” She replied.

"There's a character in that book and I could've sworn that I just met her!" Zoie murmured.

“You had a dream.” Kira stated.

Zoie rubbed her face in frustration as Simone nodded her head in agreement to Kira’s statement. The voices in Zoie's mind yelled numerous things to her, making her crush her eyes shut out of resentment.

“Shut the f**k up!” Zoie screamed resulting into Kira and Simone jump in fear. “Just shut the f**k up and stay out of my head!” 

“What the hell?” Simone muttered. 

“What are your powers?” Zoie asked Kira. 

“What?” Kira asked in confusion.

“Keep me occupied! What the f**k are your powers?” 

“I have telekinetic and telepathic abilities. I can create force fields but that’s about it!” Kira responded. 

“That’s dope.” Simone mumbled. 

“What’s going on with you now?” Kira asked Zoie completely ignoring Simone. The inclination to murder was gradually returning and Kira knew it. Attempting to keep Zoie quiet and her psyche cleared, Kira stood up and talked.

“What are you able to do? What are your powers?” She asked. Zoie stared at her sister with tears in her eyes as she shook her head. Trying to remain as calm as possible, she took heavy breaths and gave a clear answer. 

“I have telekinesis as my power as well. I’ve been hearing these voices in my head but I don’t have a clue where they’re coming from. I know how to control people’s minds and bodies as if they’re my puppets.” Zoie replied. 

“Okay, we can figure out how to help you manage those.” Kira softly said as she held her hand out to try and calm Zoie down.

Simone stared at Zoie as a look of worry came across her face. Since arriving, she had noticed that Zoie wasn’t herself. She looked like her younger sister but her eyes and body language said otherwise. For the first time since arriving, the woman standing in front of her looked like her sister. Zoie’s eyes weren’t black nor were they filled with hatred. Instead, behind the tears, they displayed something that creeped Simone out - they held torment and urgency. 

“I cannot stop!” Zoie cried. “I have to kill, I need to kill!”

“You don’t, Z!” Kira clarified. 

Zoie gestured. "I do. It's been a couple of hours since my last kill and I miss it. I miss it so much, Kira."

“Z?” Simone called as she stepped forward. “I know I’ve been joking around about everything lately but you have to listen to me. You do not have to do this. We’re a dysfunctional family and I know you’re upset at me. Hell, we’re all upset at each other. It’s been 3 years since we last spoke and you’ve been going through a lot but I’m here. We are both here for you! You do not have to harm anyone!”

Zoie gazed at Simone as Simone made sluggish strides towards her. She kept on looking as Simone gradually positioned her hand onto Zoie's shoulder. Zoie's substantial breathing gradually halted as she loosened up, making Kira discharge an alleviated murmur. As Simone grinned delicately at her sister, Zoie's eyes darkened once more.

"Simone." Kira cautioned. Before Simone could take another action, Zoie had her hand folded over Simone's throat making her pant. 

"Zoie!" Kira shouted out.

Turning her head to the side, Zoie raised a brow. “Older sister, you walked out the day after mother’s funeral so please don’t try to be the big sister now.”

Without saying another word, Zoie dropped Simone’s body and stormed out of the apartment. As the door slammed shut, all of the power in the apartment building went out. Kira ran towards Simone who continued to gasp for air to breathe. 

“Are you okay?” Kira exclaimed. 

“Get her ass.” Simone wheezed. Shaking her head, Kira stood up and ran out of the condo. As Kira ventured outside, she saw that there was no power from any of the buildings around the area. Luckily, it was daytime but restaurants, hospitals, and a few other places would have a hard time.

People ran as Zoie walked around the streets. Everyone stared at the black eyes and quickly fled from her to the furthest extent that they could. Zoie grinned delicately as she remained in the road encompassed around the structures. 

Kira walked the streets hopelessly searching for Zoie. She noticed that the wind had picked up and groups of people ran into buildings as if they were hiding from something or someone. Without paying attention, Kira ran into a young lady. 

“I’m sorry!” She mumbled as she helped the girl stand on her feet.

"You're going the wrong way!" The young lady shouted. Before Kira could talk, a man snatched the lady's arm and hauled her away. Kira glanced around as vehicles halted in the roads and the drivers ventured out to flee. Understanding that she was near Zoie, Kira kept running. 

Zoie shut her eyes and tuned in to the voices in her mind as they talked a lot stronger and more clearly. Gradually, she held up her hands and lifted them however before she could cause any mischief, Kira ventured forward.

“Zoie!” Kira yelled. Opening her eyes, Zoie stared at her sister. “I warned you that I would take you down myself if you tried harming anyone. Look what you’ve done! You’ve basically revealed your powers to the world!”

“You cannot and will not stop me.” Zoie replied. 

“Try me.” Kira responded. Zoie lifted her hand as a red SUV floated in the air. Kira gazed toward the vehicle as Zoie sent it flying towards her. Rapidly, Kira held her hands out as the SUV halted in mid air. 

“These people may not have car insurance!” Kira exclaimed. Overlooking her, Zoie sent more vehicles towards her as Kira avoided each and every one of them. Holding a hand out towards her mad sister, Zoie froze. Kira grinned as she understood that Zoie could not move. 

“It’s called binding.” Kira revealed. “You will not be able to move. I have had my powers for many years and learned to control them. You are no match for me, Z. Stop this!”

Closing her eyes, Zoie relaxed as Kira stood in the same spot. Smirking, Zoie lifted her hands again as she disappeared causing Kira to gasp. Appearing behind Kira, Zoie held her hand out and squeezed causing Kira to gasp for air. Kira immediately lifted her hand and flicked her wrist sending Zoie flying back. Rather than falling on the ground, Zoie landed on her feet.

Zoie looked ahead as she laid eyes on Phoebe who stood behind Kira. She gasped and looked elsewhere only to see Chris. Kira grunted in pain as she stood in the same spot and concentrated on the mental hallucinations that she placed on her older sister. Simone stepped forward as she had finally arrived at the scene and gasped at the sight of all the damage.

Holding her hand out, Kira pushed Simone back. To shield Simone from venturing forward, Kira lifted her hands and groaned as she made a round obstruction that inundated Zoie, herself, and a couple of individuals who were hiding in the area. 

"Enough Zoie!" Kira yelled.

“I’ll tell you when it is enough.” Zoie replied. As Kira battled her hardest to keep the force field up, Zoie engulfed the entirety of the energy encompassing her. Understanding that Zoie could do significant harm to Kira, Simone panicked. Out of nowhere, she was standing inside the field. Glancing around in disarray, Simone took a look at Kira who started at her in stun. 

As Zoie listened to the voices shout in her head, she knew that she was reaching her breaking point. Zoie shouted out in unadulterated dissatisfaction as a radiant blue light shot from her body hitting everyone within the force field. Hitting the ground brutally, Zoie laid there as she felt herself return back to normal. Simone and Kira ran towards her and helped her to her feet. Kira snatched Zoie's face to investigate her eyes and sighed as she laid eyes onto Zoie's natural mocha colored eyes.

Pulling Zoie into a warm embrace, Kira cried. “You i***t! Do you not realize what you’ve just done? There’s no more hiding from this! You seem like yourself again though and that’s all that matters right now!”

“I’m sorry.” Zoie murmured pitifully. Pulling away from Zoie, Kira turned towards Simone and pulled her into a hug. 

“You’ve finally gotten your powers! Who would’ve known that it would take me being in a life or death situation for them to kick in!” Kira joked. 

Simone rolled her eyes. “Don’t push it.” 

As the 3 sisters stood together, they began to notice that many of the people who were hiding inside of the force field were coming out of hiding. A few of them looked around in confusion, some groaned in pain, but a few were transforming into other people, running with a unimaginable measure of speed, tumbling down, and shouting in dread. 

Simone looked at the people and turned towards her sisters. 

“What’s wrong with them?” She asked.

Kira stepped forward and shook her head. “Maybe I’m wrong but the energy that Zoie released seems to have altered their DNA structure.” 

“What does that mean?” Zoie asked as she stepped forward. 

Slowly, Kira turned around. “It means we are no longer alone. You’ve created superhumans.” 

Without saying whatever else, Zoie glanced around as individuals gave no consideration to her or her sisters. She couldn’t remember much of what she had done nor did she know how she managed to do most of the things that occurred. However, she was relaxed and felt like her old self again. 

As a lady yelling in alarm caught her attention, Mr Sandman played delicately signaling that Zoie’s dark side remained.