JC opened his mouth and examined his teeth in the bathroom mirror. After making sure the door was shut and locked, he began a thorough examination of the insides of his mouth.
I can't believe this! I have fangs, FANGS for crying out loud! It was there before his very eyes. Nothing else had changed in there, but his top canine teeth were noticeably longer and sharper than any other human JC had ever met.
It had been a long day yesterday. The guys treated him like he was fragile, able to break at any wrong touch. There were worried about him, he understood that, but he didn't like being treated like a baby. Lance had also been eyeing him curiously all day yesterday as if trying to figure something out. JC meant to talk to him about it but he just hadn't felt up to it.
After a few hours, he couldn't take it anymore so he excused himself and had gone to bed early. He had planned on contemplating the previous night's events when he awoke but now there seemed to be even more stuff to take into consideration.
Joey said that when they went to bed, I was dead. There had been no pulse. Justin couldn't find any life force inside of me. How in the world did I make it back? He thought he knew the answer to that one... Kara. She was there. She sent me back. She said something about not being finished, something about being chosen. He could barely remember any of the conversation now.
What has been happening to me? Every since Kara died I've been going on these roller coaster of changes and emotions. The changes were now beginning to worry him. His suspicious nature was causing him to think about those things that hadn't occurred to him earlier.
The night Emeral attacked Kara and I, I woke up the next day feeling stronger, faster, more agile. I'm also now super-sensitive to light. I thought maybe it was just a side effect of what had happened to me.... but looking at his new-grown fangs he was no longer sure that that was all it was. On a hunch, he growled at the mirror and then jumped back in astonishment.
I looked just like a...like a... "Saurian," he said to himself softly.
No, I can't, I can't be. He looked over at the bathroom window at the sunshine pouring in brightly over the tiled bathroom floor.
He stood there for a long time, debating with himself, scared to take that step forward not only because of what might happen, but also because then it would be true and he didn't want for it to be true.
How am I going to face them at all? It's not like I can hide the fangs when I talk!
JC walked down the staircase reluctantly, wondering to himself how he was going to explain this to the guys. As he walked into the den, several voices popped into his head. Everyone was talking at once and JC could barely understand any of it. He sat down on the couch and held his head in his hands. His head was swimming in a sea of thoughts and none of them were his own. He picked out a distinctive voice... Chris. He tried to pinpoint in on just that voice alone, tried to focus in on what was going on.
I wish Justin would stop picking on me for the other day....
I wonder if there are any new Playstation 2 games out this month?
Food! Did Joey make any breakfast this morning? Probably not, the slacker.
None of it made any sense. Chris just kept going asking pointless and seemingly unrelated questions. Chris was known to talk a lot but that was a bit much, even for him. Besides, he didn't see him anywhere.
He walked around the corner and spotted him raiding the refrigerator.
What is it that these people are eating, for crying out loud! Where's the junk food?
JC's eyes opened in shock. He had heard Chris' thought loud and clear but his mouth hadn't moved. Before Chris could look up, he exited the kitchen and went back to the couch. This time he honed in on Calista's voice.
I wonder if the other have forgotten about me.. Wildwing and Duke shouldn't have! They sent me here for crying out loud.
I wonder if Nosedive's been in my stuff again. He'd better not or he's got another thing coming once I get my hands on him!
JC decided to move on to Justin's voice.
When is this all going to end? I just want to go home. I miss my parents and brothers. Chris is great and all but I miss home.
I can't believe I didn't feel any life in JC the other night. I don't understand how he can still be alive.
Dang it, Chris, stop leaving your boxers in the bathroom! Ugh! Is that boy ever going to start cleaning up after himself. Sometimes he acts younger than me!
JC broke his connection with Justin and then focused on pushing all the thoughts out of his head. The enormous swarm of thoughts and images made his head feel like a balloon being filled with way too much air. He had to find a way to control it without just listening to one of them. He did not feel right invading their privacy that way.
Just when he had gotten the hang of it, Lance walked into the room. A ton of emotions swept over JC and he had to sit down.
"JC? Are you alright?"
He gripped his head tighter as all this sadness and guilt washed over him. Lance's thoughts hit like an avalanche. Oh no! Not again! Please not again, we just got him back.
Then it hit him and he was able to clear his mind. He looked up at Lance in shock. He was feeling Lance's emotions!! He could feel the concern and terror for JC's own safety. He could sense what Lance was sensing.
Lance, can you hear this?
Lance's eyes opened wide and he stepped backwards.
You can can't you? You can hear me talking to you even though I haven't said a word.
Lance nodded, his eyes still as wide as saucers. "What's going on?"
JC stood up. "I don't know. I haven't figured it all out yet but I do know that I can hear people's thoughts. And you, I can feel what you're feeling and I can talk to you without saying anything."
"You can hear my thoughts?" Lance looked perturbed at the notion.
"Well, I can't anymore because I just figured out how to block them out. But if I wanted to, yes I can."
Lance didn't know what to say. His friend, who his ex-fiancée killed the night before last, was not only alive but was now reading thoughts and talking to him without speaking. It was too much to take in at once.
"Lance, I think there are some other things I need to tell you to. Can we go talk in your office?"
Lance nodded nervously.