They were going to ask Connie what she meant when suddenly they heard screams from the hospital staff.
The gems quickly went to the source of the screams; they saw several black monsters and corrupted gems but surprisingly they seemed to ignore the hospital staff and the patients to directly attack the gems, who then fought back.
Some monsters went through them to attack Steven, the Maheswarans, Greg Lars and Peridot everyone ran immediately to the other direction, when it seemed that they lost they hide in one of the consulting rooms.
- WHY THEY ARE ONLY ATTACKING US? _ Lars asked
- Probably they already recognized us as a threat and we are their number one priority _ Peridot replied
They heard the monsters roaring and banging on the door; Steven, Greg, Lars and Doug seeing this blocked the door with everything they found and hold the door the best they could. Meanwhile Dr. Maheswaran was supporting Connie who seemed to have trouble fighting this thing.
- HOW DID THEY FOUND US SO QUICKLY? _ Greg exclaimed
That clicked on Peridot: the visions Connie had, how she knew where Lars was; it’s a hive mind; She could see through their eyes, that means that it worked the other way around.
- WE HAVE TO PUT HER TO SLEEP!
- WHAAAT?! _ Dr. Maheswaran replied
- IF SHE KNOWS WHERE WE ARE THOSE THINGS KNOW WHERE WE ARE.
- But she fought that thing, she is in control again _Steven argued
- IT DOESN’T MATTER IF SHE IS IN CONTROL OR NOT, THEY STILL CAN SEE WHAT SHE IS SEEING!
Dr. Maheswaran was about to protest again when Connie snapped, it didn’t sound like her at all.
- SHE IS LYING! … SHE IS LYING!! … SHE IS LYING!!! …
- Connie, calm down.
But she kept yelling the same sentence over and over. Maybe Peridot was right, but Dr. Maheswaran had to make sure, so she put her hands on Connie’s shoulders to look at her in the eye as she said firmly.
- CONNIE, LOOK AT ME…
Connie stopped yelling and stared at her confused, Dr. Maheswaran continued.
- Do you know who I am?
- What?
- DO… YOU… KNOW…WHO… I … AM? _ She repeated emphasizing each word.
- You are….
Connie was quiet for at least ten seconds as she looked around as someone who does not know an answer, she finally responded.
- You are …YOU ARE MOM!.
She took to much time to answer though, it wasn’t clear for her if it was Connie talking or that this thing was trying to fool them. But she had to make a choice.
- Doug… hold her down
Doug followed dubious his wife’s orders, although Connie struggled and she was too strong for a girl of her age so Greg helped him. Meanwhile Priyanka was looking for some sedatives, as she worked there, it didn’t take long.
- NOOO! LET ME GO…LET ME GO!_ Connie yelled.
- I’M SORRY _ Dr. Maheswaran said while injecting his daughter with the sedative
It just a few seconds for Connie was asleep on her dad’s arms. Seen that Steven and Lars were having trouble containing the monsters Doug and Greg returned to help them while Dr. Maheswaran was holding her daughter on her arms. Steven saw a way to escape.
- Wait…we can go out through the open window.
- We are on a second floor Steven_ Lars replied
- I can use my floating powers. I can carry all of us.
- At the same time? _Greg asked
- I was able to keep a boat floating… JUST TRUST ME, OK
- It sounds good enough for me _ Peridot replied
Everyone released the door and went out the window, Steven created a bubble to carry them all and carefully took them the floor. They were surprised to see Alexandrite fighting, they must have taken the battle outside so they could fuse without destroying the building, Lion was fighting too.
- GUYS WE HAVE TO GET OUT OF HERE!
Alexandrite decided to listen Steven's, if they continued fighting here they will cause some collateral damage, especially if she used her fire breath to close of the hospital; so she decided to defuse. After that Lars and Lion made each one a portal, half of them went with Lion and the other went with Lars.
________________________________________
They all went to the Maheswaran's house they feared if they went to the temple the monsters will be waiting them there.
- So… yesterday when we set those things on fire, we hurt Connie too?_ Pearl said with guilt on her voice.
- Well, times coincide and recent events made me confirm that this is more than mind control, this is what you would call a hive mind. _Peridot replied
- Hive mind?_Amethyst asked
- A collective consciousness, like a superorganism, all of it’s army share a same mind.
- It’s army…_ Doug said quietly but loud enough for everyone to hear
- What? _ Greg asked
- IT’S ARMY _Doug repeated
Doug seemed to figured out something, he went to the bookshelf and took a book in the cover was written Dungeons and Dragons
- I knew all of this sounded familiar but I didn’t remember why, until now.
He put the open book on the table, on the page he was a creature with a human body and an octopus head.
- The Mind flayer…
- What is that? _Peridot gave him a strange look
- It’s a monster for a unknown dimension, it slaves other races by taking over their brains by using its highly developed psionic powers…
- Doug… I don’t want to me rude but… that’s a kids game _Dr. Maheswaran replied
- With all due respect, it’s a manual … and it’s not for kids…
- Soooo… you are saying that the one who is behind this… is a guy with a weird head? _Peridot interrupted while she was reading the book
- Eh?.. Not exactly… It’s just a analogy…… MY POINT IS… Like the Mind flayer, there must be ONE creature controlling everything… IT’S THE “BRAIN”. Instead of attacking it’s army we must attack it.
- OK, so this Mind flammer thing…_Pearl said as she got close to the book to give a look.
- FLAYER… Mind flayer_ Doug corrected her
- OK, so if this THING is like a brain that’s controlling everything… If we stop it…?_ Pearl continued
- We stop everything it controls… Well theoretically _Doug replied
Priyanka was actually surprised, in fact what her husband said seemed to make sense, maybe in this book was the solution to all this mess.
- So how do we beat this thing? We shoot it with “fireball” or something? _Priyanka asked as she took the book
- No…no fireball. You see… you summon an undead army…because… because zombies… you know… they don’t have brains… and…and the Mind flayer…it…it likes brains…
Doug stammered as he felt his wife’s gaze grew more and more annoyed as he continued talking.
- It’s just a game, dear _ Doug said laughing nervously
Dr. Maheswaran just closed the book and threw it back to the table without saying anything.
- Even if Mr. Maheswaran is right, we still don’t know where this thing is _Garnet said
- SHE DOES _Steven pointed out
When all looked at him, he was gazing toward Connie who was sleeping in the living room.
- If someone knows were this thing is, is Connie; she is connected to it. She is still there, I KNOW IT.
- But if we woke her up those things will track us _Peridot pointed out
- What if she doesn’t know where she is? _ Pearl responded
Following Pearl’s idea they decided to use the garage, covered the walls and windows with newspaper and cloth; They placed a wooden pole and a chair and tied Connie in these; making sure that the door was behind her. They turned on some lamps they had, hoped to be able to disorient her with the bright light.
The gems, Lars and Greg were waiting on the kitchen. They thought that her parents and Steven where the ones who could snap her out of it, Peridot went with them to supervise. They were all ready, they were going to wake her up…
To continue the story read my Stranger Things SU comic.
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