Avalon's outfits:
Station / McCall House -
School / Hospital -
Chapter Eighteen
ð Required Reading ð
"Chimeras." Stilinski said as he put a red "X" over a picture of Tracy. Stiles, Avalon and Malia all stood behind Stilinski in the station. "Two dead Chimeras-" Stiles said and Avalon nodded and sighed, "And eight new ones... Which I might be one." She said, glancing at Malia for a moment who glanced at her as well.
"So, that's ten in all." Stiles said and Stilinski sighed, "I'm thinking maybe eleven." He said as he put up a picture of Donovan making Stiles look down slightly. "Our station tech guys confirmed something for me... They said both the holding cell lock and cameras could have malfunctioned because of something electromagnetic." He said, turning to them before grabbing the book that was on the desk, "You said that, uh, these guys-"
"Dread Doctors-"
"Are we really calling them that?" Stilinski asked and Avalon nodded and shrugged, "Its who they are." She said as she leaned against his desk. "But anyways. They broke Donovan out." Avalon said and Stilinski sighed, "It's how they got into Eichen, isn't it?" He asked.
"Donovan's a Chimera." Malia said as she walked over to the picture, "Yeah, but... Is he a failure like Lucas and Tracy?" Stilinski asked and Avalon sighed. "If he is, he's probably dead." Avalon said and Malia went to x him out but Stilinski grabbed her hand and shook his head, "Not until I've seen a body." He said and Avalon shrugged slightly. "That might be a problem. If he is a failure like Lucas and Tracy was, they most likely have already killed him. And if he is dead then whoever is taking the bodies probably already took his." She said.
Stilinski sighed softly before looking over at Stiles who had turned his back to them, "You're uncharacteristically quiet." He said making Stiles turn around to see them all staring at him. "Yeah... Sorry, I'm, uh... I'm just trying to think about it. Uh... These are all teenagers, right? So, now shouldn't we be trying to figure out why these teenagers? If the Dread Doctors, if they went through all that- burying them, killing them, breaking one of them out of jail."
"They couldn't have been chosen at random." Stilinski said and Avalon nodded, "They had to have something in common. If I am actually a Chimera, I can't think of what I'd have in common with Tracy, Lucas or Donovan. But what ever it it, it's something that made us right for this experiment." She said.
"Something that made them special."
ð
"My mom's book club usually has more wine." Lydia said as they all sat around the coffee table in the McCall household, looking at all the prints of the book. "Well, they also probably didn't read books that cause violent hallucinations..." Stiles said, "That's why Malia's here." Scott said.
"So none of us go running into traffic?" Kira asked and Avalon nodded and shrugged slightly, "Or worse." She said and Malia nodded. "Like what happened to Judy." She said making everyone look at her confused, "Chapter fourteen."
"Maybe I should have my mother read it. She might remember a girl with a tail leaping off the ceiling and attacking everyone." Lydia said as she picked up the book and Avalon shrugged, "Yeah, if it works." She said and Lydia sighed softly. "It has to." Lydia said making them look at her confused, "What does that mean?"
"I think I saw them during my surgery. When I look at the cover of the book, it's almost like..." Lydia said before trailing off slightly, "A memory trying to surface." Theo said making them all look at him while Lydia nodded. "Yeah."
"Isn't that what Valack wanted when he wrote it?" Kira asked and they all nodded, "If they did something to me, I want to know what it is." Lydia said.
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Avalon sighed softly as she turned another page. She was sitting in the dining room with Stiles and Malia with her feet up on the table and the book in her lap. "What did you do to your shoulder?" Malia asked making Avalon glance up to see Stiles lightly rubbing his shoulder.
"What are you talking about?" Stiles asked and Malia raised her eyebrows, "I can smell the blood. What happened?" Malia said and Stiles just sighed. "Jeep died on me again. I went to check the engine, the hood fell on it." Stiles said making Malia and Avalon glance at each other, obviously not believing him but not pushing it.
Malia went back to pouring coffee while Stiles and Avalon went back to reading. "Wait, so... How much-How much do you remember, anyway? With the accident? Did it play like a movie in your head, or was it like being completely in it again?" Stiles asked and Malia pursed her lips for a moment, "In it."
"Was it just the crash? Nothing else." Stiles asked and Malia was quiet for a moment before shaking her head, "Nothing." She said. Malia and Avalon glanced at each other for a moment but Avalon didn't say anything making Malia smile softly.
A few hours later everyone but Theo has fallen asleep while reading the novel; Lydia dozing while sitting back in the armchair. Stiles seated on the floor with his head resting on a pillow placed on Malia's legs as Malia lays scrunched up in the fetal position on the couch, her hood up over her face while while her head laid on Avalon's lap. And Scott sits sprawled next to her on the other end of the couch.
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Avalon sat next to Lydia in AP Bio not really paying any attention to Ms. Finch as she sketched. "So, while introducing the African Cane Toad sounded like a good way to deal with Australia's infestation of the grey-backed beetle." Ms. Finch explained and Lydia lightly tapped Avalon's arm making her look up.
Lydia gestured to Sydney who sat in front of them messing with her hair. Lydia pulled out her phone and texted "Chimera?" to Theo which he replied back with, "Look at her hair". Both girls looked back up and noticed Sydney pull out a chunk of hair.
"Unfortunately, the toad also decided to eat everything else in sight. And, everything that tried to eat the toad- from crocodiles to household pet- quickly died from the poison they secreted. A perfect example of an invasive species. One hundred and two toads introduced in 1935 became 1.5 billion by 2010. Once an invasive species is introduced, everything changes." Ms. Finch explained and suddenly Sydney stood up and put a drop form into the basket.
"Wise decision, Sydney." Ms. Finch said and then Sydney ran out. Avalon and Lydia instantly jumped up and went to go after her but Ms. Finch stopped them. "Girls, you know it's for the best." She said Avalon rolled her eyes, "How professional." Avalon said before her and Lydia ran out of the class.
They went to Natalie's office to see Sydney sitting at the desk cry making them slowly open the door. "I was just looking for your mom. I mean, Mrs. Martin." Sydney said and Lydia and Avalon glanced at each other before walking in. "You okay?" Avalon asked as they walked up to Sydney.
"Does this look okay?" Sydney asked as she held up a clump of hair, "How long has it been happening?" Lydia asked. "Three years..." Sydney said making Avalon's eyes widen, "Years?" She asked and Sydney nodded. "It's stress. I've tried everything- medication, acupuncture, hypnosis..."
"Have you tried not taking the hardest classes in school?" Lydia asked and Sydney chuckled making them smile at her. "Let me see it. Maybe I can help cover it up." Lydia said and Sydney nodded before moving her hair away to show a bald spot behind her ear.
Lydia stared at it before suddenly gasping and falling back, "Lydia!" Avalon said running over to her. "What happened to her? Is she okay?" Sydney asked as Avalon moved Lydia to lean against the wall. "Uh... yeah, yeah. She's fine, she probably just fainted." Avalon lied quickly.
She pulled her phone out, texting Scott before turning to Sydney, "Hey, can you go find her mom?" She asked and Sydney nodded and ran out. A minute later Scott and Theo ran in and Scott crouched down next to Avalon, "It's happening her now too, isn't it?" Scott asked and Avalon nodded.
A few seconds later Lydia started to walk up, "You okay?" Avalon asked and Lydia nodded slightly. "I'm okay... I'm fine." Lydia said and Theo crouched down, "You remembered something." He said and she nodded.
"Not about the Dread Doctors. Nothing about them or the surgery." Lydia said and Avalon nodded slightly as they helped her off the floor. "What was it?" She asked. "My grandmother... At Eichen House." Lydia said. "Lydia!" Natalie yelled before running into the office with Sydney following, "Lydia? Oh, my God! What happened? Are you all right?" Natalie asked running over to Lydia. "Mom, I'm fine. It was nothing." Lydia said, "Was it a blackout? Did you faint?"
"Yeah... Yeah, I fainted. Mom, I'm fine. I promise."
ð
Avalon sat in the art room alone as she sketched when Malia walked in making Avalon glance up. "Hey." Avalon said, "Can I ask you something?" Malia asked as she walked over and Avalon pulled out a stood from under the table she sat by. "Go for it." She said as Malia sat down, "Why haven't you said anything?" Malia asked making Avalon glance at her as she went back to sketching.
"About?" Avalon asked, "The rest of my memory- the Desert Wolf. Why didn't you tell Scott?" Malia asked and Avalon cocked an eyebrow as she looked at her. "Cause it's not my place to tell anyone. And just because I was there doesnt mean it's any of my business. I also just assumed you didnt want people knowing." Avalon said and Malia stared at her for a moment.
"I don't. Are you gonna ask why?" Malia asked and Avalon shook her head, "Like I said, none of my business." She said making Malia smile softly. "Thanks." Malia said and Avalon nodded and smile at her before looking at her sketch.
All of the sudden her sketch of a mountain scenery flashed back and forth to a sketch of the Dread Doctors. Avalon jumped back slightly, breathing heavily making Malia look at her in alarm. "Avalon?" Malia asked, getting up and grabbing Avalon's arms but Avalon just looked past her like she could see her. Because she couldn't.
Avalon glanced around to see she stood in some old, definitely not up to code, operating theater. Giant tubes of liquid, one with a body in it. She heard a clicking down making her turn around to see herself laying on an operating table with the three Dread Doctors standing around her.
"Her condition improves." One of the Dread Doctors said before lifting up a syringe filled with black blood. Memory Avalon whined when the Dead Doctor stuck the syringe into her neck.
"Avalon?" Malia asked when Avalon snapped out of trance, "I'm a Chimera." Avalon said in a slight whisper. "What?" Malia asked and Avalon shook her head slightly, "I- I saw myself laying on an operating table with the Dread Doctors operating on me... I'm actually a Chimera." Avalon said before it really started to sink in.
"Oh my god. I'm a Chimera." Avalon said as she pulled away from Malia, "What if I'm a failure. I'll die. Oh god, if I die then Liam-" Avalon started to ramble but Malia grabbed her arms making her stop. "Avalon, you're not a failure." Malia said and Avalon sighed, "But I could become one. We dont know what makes them failures." She said and Malia shook her head before gently grabbing Avalon's face.
"I don't think you're a failure." Malia said and Avalon stared at her for a moment. Before either of them could do or say anything Malia's phone when off making her pull it out to see a text from Scott.
"Where's Kira?" Scott asked as Avalon and Malia ran up to them, "Still at the library. Stiles and Lydia are at the hospital." Malia said making Theo look at her confused. "Doing what?" He asked, "Lydia's trying to figure out what happened to her during the surgery." Avalon said.
"How long are they gonna be there?" Scott asked and Malia shrugged, "They said they've just waiting for the power to go back on?" She said before they ran out to the parking lot.
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"You guys try to find Stiles and Lydia. I'm gonna find my mom." Scott said and they nodded before running off, Malia and Avalon went down one hall while Theo went down another. All of the sudden Avalon stopped making Malia stop, "What's wrong?" Malia asked and Azalea tilted her head slightly.
"Do you hear that?" Avalon said and Malia focused her hearing before hearing the sound of a Dread Doctor and Scott gasping for breath. Avalon and Malia glanced at each other and quickly ran down the hall. They ended up running into Melissa and told her what was happening before the three of them ran ro an elevator.
A moment later the elevator opened to see a Dread Doctor holding Scott above the ground by his neck. Malia growled making the Dread Doctor toss Scott to the side. Malia ran at the Dread Doctors while Melissa and Avalon ran past them to grab Scott and pull him into the elevator.
Melissa got down next to Scott and uncapped something, "Wait, what is that?" Scott asked. "A bronchodilator. It'll work." Melissa said before stabbing it into his leg making him groan in pain as he took a deep breath. "Malia, come on!" Avalon yelled as she stood up while Malia swiped at the Dread Doctor's but he caught her wrist before punching her and grabbing her throat, "Malia!" Avalon yelled.
The Dread Doctor lifted it's hand, ready to bring it down on Malia but she quickly pushed him away from her. She ran back towards the elevator as the Dread Doctor quickly walked towards them. The elevator doors closed right as the Dread Doctor lifted its hand up making it hit the doors. The elevator shook for a moment before moving.
"We never should have read that book..."