"Are you sure she is the one?"
"Yes father, I assure you."
"How do you know?"
"I can see it in her eyes. They are as grey as your sky."
"Very well then. You may fuse, but my dear daughter be careful. If she is as valuable as you say she is, we have to keep her alive as long as possible."
These voices have been talking to each other in my head for some time now. I don't really know how long. It seems like I have forgotten the definition of time.
The last thing I remember is everything going completely blank. Well that has worn of I guess. Slowly the white light had faded to black. Now all I heard was these voices. Of a man and a woman who is apparently his daughter.
"She's starting to wake up."
Finally, another voice.
"Careful, careful." Says a second voice.
"Is she ok?"
Now that last voice is one I recognize. Cristy. Thank god she's here. Wherever here may be...
I try to open my eyes. Slowly, as if they didn't react at first, I open them. Only to close them again almost immediately, blinded by the bright hospital lights.
Ok...let's try that again. Again I open my eyes. This time prepared for the bright light. Even though I have to blink a few times, I'm able to keep my eyes open.
"Oh my god, Skyler you're awake." Cristy says, standing at the side of the bed I'm laying in.
"Yeah." I respond.
"How long was I out?"
"A day or so."
I nod. My head is starting to ache. A doctor appears next to Cristy.
"Mss. Sawyer is gonna have to stay until tomorrow afternoon. We are going to run some more tests." The doctor says to Cristy.
Cristy nods and the doctor leaves again.
"What did he mean 'more tests'? What happened?" I ask with a hoarse voice.
"Yeah, so I heard a loud bang. I went to see where that sound came from and all I saw was you, laying unconscious on the floor with a frying pan in your hand..." She explains.
"I should ask you what happend."
"The last thing I remember was a white light, but that's it." I say truthfully.
A nurse enters.
"I'm sorry to interrupt Mss. but visting hours are almost over."
Cristy nods and the nurse leaves.
"Cris what time is it?" I ask.
"6:55pm." She responds.
I nod. I only just woke up and she needs to leave already, just my luck.
"I'll be back tomorrow ok?"
Again I nod.
"Take care Sky."
Cristy gives me a hug and with that she leaves the room. Now what?
"How about we get to know each other?"
I look around, but I don't see anyone. I seem to recognize the voice, but where from? It seems to come out of my own mouth.
"Oh, don't bother dear. I'm not someone you can see." The voice speaks again.
I stay quiet, completely dumbstruck. How is this person talking through my mouth? And why is my head aching so much?
"What's the matter? Cat caught your tongue?"
"H-how are you talking through me?"
"I am you, but at the same time I'm not."
"What? How-... No, nevermind. I don't even want to know. Whoever you are, however you speak to me, you're not real. You are just something made up in my mind after hitting the floor!" I yell at the voice.
"I assure you young mortal, I am real. And even if I wanted to, I couldn't leave. Not anymore. We're stuck with each other. Whether you like it or not." The voice of the person raised.
The headache gets worse as the voice raises.
"I didn't ask for you to randomly pop up in my head and just talk through my mouth!"
"Don't taunt me foolish girl. Or all you'll be feeling is pain."
A wave of pain hits me as I was turning and twisting my own body in unthinkable shapes. The more I fought against it, the more it hurt.
"I control your body as much as you do. So I suggest you cooperate."
The person made me pick up the glass at my bedside table and throw it to the ground. Without wanting it I picked up a chard and put it to my own skin.
"How about a reminder that I also know where all your veins run. Also the important ones."
I dropped the shard.
"I wouldn't do it though. We still need you. Alive. But I can still cause you a lot of pain. Without killing you."
"No please. I've seen and felt enough." I say, heavily breathing.
The headache eases to a small throb and my muscles relax again.
"If we're stuck with each other then why not start by telling me who you are and why you are my head. And how you got there as a matter of fact."
My rapid breathing stopped when the voice took over.
"Very well. The name is Athena. Pallas Athena or Athena Parthenos. Or Athena Promachos."
"Yeah yeah, I get the point. Your name is Athena, let's move on."
After mumbling something about ungrateful mortals she continues.
"I have to give it to you young one. You're very bold. Reacting like that after what I just put you through."
"Like you said, you won't kill me. I think I'll manage."
An image of a woman rolling her eyes appears in front of me.
"I am the Ancient Greek goddess of wisdom and battle strategy. As you, hopefully, know."
"I remember some of it I guess."
A sigh sounds in my head.
"My my, where has the world gone to. Anyways, us gods come to the earth every once and awhile and fuse with mortals."
"Wow wow wow, hold on...fuse with mortals?"
"Correct."
"Why?"
"To keep existing and to make sure the human race keeps our knowledge and skills alive. That way some people keep believing in us. And as long as there is one that believes in us we keep existing."
"What if people stop believing?"
"Then we fade away." Is all Athena says.
"And why did you pick me again?"
"You're eyes dear."
"What about them?"
"They are as grey as Zeus' sky."
"So? They're just grey. I'm sure there are multiple people on this earth with grey eyes."
"True, but eyes show you what's inside. They show things an expression or action hides. I saw in yours you have a strong mind and strong will. Which is needed if you have a god or goddess inside your head."
Suddenly it clicked. I knew where I knew Athena's voice from.
"You talked to me earlier didn't you?" I ask.
"No, I have not."
"But I heard you, earlier. You we're talking to someone you called father...so I suppose that must be Zeus."
"How much did you hear?"
She says it in a way as if it wasn't meant for my ears.
"Just something about me being the one and being valuable."
Athena stays quiet.
"You should get some rest."
And with that our conversation ended.
"Athena?"
I didn't really know if she could hear me, but if she could she sure was ignoring me. So I tried again.
"Athena?"
Still nothing. Maybe she was right. Maybe I should get some rest.