"What did you say?" I asked Zha'thik, my mind still reeling from the word "compatible."
"Ah, nothing important," Zha'thik replied, its voice smooth. "I'm just curious about humans in general."
"Curious?" I repeated, intrigued despite myself. "About what?"
"Your species is... fascinating," Zha'thik said. "I'd like to know more. Tell me, Gillian, what is the purpose of this 'music' you humans create?"
"Music?" I thought for a moment. "It's a way to express emotions, tell stories... it's just something we enjoy."
Zha'thik's questions continued, probing into various aspects of human life. I answered some, but others felt too personal or complex to explain. As the conversation went on, I started to feel a bit like a specimen under a microscope.
As I lay in bed, I couldn't shake off the feeling that Zha'thik's curiosity was more than just casual interest. I remembered the word "compatible" and wondered if it was related to Zha'thik's goals. The idea that I might be some kind of experiment or test subject felt weird, but I shrugged it off. Maybe I was just being paranoid.
Despite my reservations, I drifted off to sleep, Zha'thik's presence still lurking in the back of my mind.
The next day, I woke up feeling a bit more cautious around Zha'thik's influence. But for now, I pushed those thoughts aside and focused on getting ready for the day.
I got ready for school, pushing thoughts of Zha'thik and the core's influence to the back of my mind. As I headed out the door, my mom reminded me to grab my lunch and backpack. The morning routine felt normal, a welcome respite from the strange occurrences of the past few days.
At school, I met up with my friends Austin and Greg by our lockers. "Hey, man, how's it going?" Austin asked, eyeing me with concern. "You were MIA over the weekend. Everything okay?"
I shrugged, trying to play it cool. "Yeah, I'm good. Just busy with stuff."
Greg raised an eyebrow. "Stuff? What kind of stuff?"
I hesitated, unsure how much to share. "Just... you know, personal stuff."
The bell rang, signaling the start of our first class. We headed to our respective classrooms, and I settled into my seat, trying to focus on the day ahead.
In history class, Mrs. Johnson lectured about the American Revolution. I took notes, trying to absorb the information. But my mind kept wandering back to Zha'thik and the core. What did it mean to be "compatible"? And what exactly did Zha'thik want from me?
During lunch, I sat with Austin and Greg in the cafeteria. We discussed our plans for the weekend, and I tried to join in, but my mind felt elsewhere.
As the day went on, I participated in class, answered questions, and completed assignments. But beneath the surface, I was aware of Zha'thik's presence, a quiet hum in the background of my mind.
The final bell rang, signaling the end of the school day. I gathered my belongings and headed out with my friends. The sun was setting, casting a warm glow over the school grounds.
"Hey, want to grab a snack with us?" Austin asked, nodding toward the nearby café.
I hesitated, unsure if I should spend more time with friends or head home to process everything.
I decided to join Austin and Greg at the café. We grabbed a table by the window and ordered some snacks. The conversation flowed easily, and we discussed everything from school gossip to our favorite video games.
As we chatted, a minor incident caught my attention. A kid nearby accidentally knocked over his drink, spilling it all over his shirt. My instincts kicked in, and before I knew it, I had jumped up and caught the kid's drink container before it hit the floor. But what happened next was what caught my friends off guard.
Without thinking, I reached out and touched the kid's shirt. To my surprise, the liquid stain began to disappear, as if it was being absorbed back into the container. I stared, shocked by what I had just done.
Austin and Greg's eyes widened in unison. "Dude, what just happened?" Austin asked, his voice laced with concern.
I tried to play it cool, but I knew I had reacted in a way that wasn't humanly possible. "Uh, I don't know... I just... um... reacted fast, I guess?"
Greg's expression turned serious. "Gillian, that's not normal. You... you fixed the spill like it was magic or something."
Austin nodded in agreement. "Yeah, and your eyes... they seemed to... glow for a second."
I felt a chill run down my spine. My friends had noticed something was off, and I wasn't sure how to explain it.
"Guys, I... I don't know what's going on with me," I admitted, trying to downplay the situation. "Maybe I've just been stressed or something."
But deep down, I knew it was more than that. Zha'thik's influence was growing stronger, and I had no idea how to control it.