Project GODS

Project GODS: Plan

            Hermes slipped away after a while, the storm dying down to an angry tapping and soft rumbles. I refused to let myself give in to the urging of my freezing skin and set foot inside the tree house with Peter inside.

            While I thought of this, I realized that Hermes would either be in the tree house, or perhaps he had escaped back into his old hideout. For a split second I longed to join him there, where I knew I would be free of the guilt that waited impatiently at the doorstep of my breaking heart, waiting to batter through and add to the carnage.

            With a heavy sigh, I stretched out and winced as all of the muscles in my body seemed to pop in protest to the action. A gust of wind blew in my face and tears quickly came to respond to it as I clambered down, blinking back the rebellious drops of salty water.

            I stepped lightly onto the roof and put my ear to it, listening intently for any sounds of dissent. All I could hear was heavy breathing with a light overture of snoring, as well as heavy panting that could only be from Lycan. I dared to look through the window and saw Peter lying across Lycan, who was twitching his legs in tune to the dreams that played through his head.

            I bit my lip, and then slid in as silently as I could, making no sound as my feet met the wooden floor and my frozen skin began to thaw in the warmth. I turned my back for a minute and stoked the tiny fire, my hands trembling from the cold and misuse.

            A voice caused me to freeze in my position, my heart dropping to my stomach.

            “I knew you wouldn’t stay away.”

            I turned around and met the accusing eyes of Peter, feeling myself shrink mentally to the level of a cockroach.

            “I…”

            “What? Cat got your tongue? Or should I say wolf?” He scornfully retorted, looking at Lycan with a mixture of amusement and disgust.

            “…No.” I replied with difficulty, feeling a lump in my throat block my words, as if I had swallowed cement.

            “Then what? Don’t you have anything to say to me? An apology, an insult, a tearful confession, an angry rant?” He spat, sitting up and crossing his arms. “Or perhaps even a goodbye? The least you can do is say something, instead of this damned silence.”

            “Peter, what is there to say?” I asked, my voice briefly breaking through the barrier only to crack and be forced back into the depths from whence it came.

            “What is there to say? There is EVERYTHING to say. What is there NOT to say?” He laughed, almost maniacally, and wiped off the sweat that had suddenly appeared on his brow.  

            “I just…”

            “You just what? You ignored me? You led me on? What did you do? Everything? Nothing? Come to think of it, what didn’t you do?”

            “I never led you on,” I said furiously. “I gave no indication that I wanted to be with you, nor that I had any desire to be with anyone at all. I’m not a human, Peter. I don’t think-“

            “You know what Artemis? Thinking is past. I’m done with thinking. I’m a goddamned scientist; I’ve been thinking my entire life. The one time I decide not to think, this shit happens. What can a guy do? I don’t have a chance of survival on my own, so I’m stuck depending on you and your boyfriend for protection. I’m fucked if I stay because I’ll get to watch you two lovebirds go off, while I wait on the sidelines as I have my entire damned life. If I leave I get killed by mutant animals or insane GODS, and you know what? I brought this all on myself. So I’m done. It’s ridiculous to even try to make reasoning of this whole situation, actually. Completely stupid and useless.”