Dinner was unusually tense. Ty sat in silence, barely acknowledging anyone. His jaw was set, his gaze fixed on his plate. The weight of Kendrick's words from earlier still hung over the table like a dark cloud—bringing up the past, the dead. No one dared to address it directly, but the unease was thick. Even after dinner, the tension lingered until Collins decided to break it. He approached Ty, determined to clear the air.
"Look, I wasn't trying to upset you," Collins started.
Ty crossed his arms. "Then why bring it up?"
Collins sighed. "I was trying to understand, Ty. Just like you were trying to get me to understand you."
A brief silence stretched between them before Ty exhaled sharply, rubbing the back of his neck. Slowly, they worked through the misunderstanding, both trying—though stubbornly—to see the other's perspective. By the time they were done, the tension had eased, and the house returned to its usual calm.
Ty's phone rang early the next day, vibrating relentlessly against his nightstand. Groggily, he reached for it, mumbling, "Kelvin, it's too early to call me…" But when he finally answered, Kelvin's voice held urgency. "Bro, there's a creepy lady outside. Wanted to check with you before letting her in."
Ty sighed. "I'm coming."
When he got downstairs, an elderly woman sat patiently, a glass of water in hand. As soon as she saw him, she greeted, "Good morning, sir."
Ty eyed her for a moment. "Mmmhmm."
"I'm Maya," she added.
Recognition flashed in his eyes. "Oh, right. You know why you're here?"
She nodded. "Yes."
"Good. We're heading upstairs. The girl's probably still asleep," he said, already moving. Kelvin hesitated before asking, "Uh… can I tag along?" Ty ignored him.
They climbed the stairs and knocked several times on the door. No response. Zoey was in a deep sleep. After a final, hesitant pause, Ty pushed the door open. The sight made him freeze. Zoey was lying bare, facedown on the bed, her body partially covered by a pillow. Ty barely had a second to react before he spun on his heel, slamming the door shut.
Kelvin, who had barely gotten a glimpse, groaned. "Man, you didn't even give me a chance—"
"Shut up, Kelvin," Ty muttered, already walking away.
After freshening up, Ty took longer than expected in his room, unaware that someone was waiting for him. Collins eventually knocked.
"Any pressure?" Ty asked.
"No. Someone's here to see you."
"Fine. I'll be there in a minute."
When Ty finally came downstairs, the man waiting for him stood immediately, extending a hand. Ty didn't take it.
The man cleared his throat. "When do you intend to start?"
"Whenever she's ready. Today or tomorrow," the man answered.
Ty simply nodded. "Jordan, discuss the cost with him and update me." Without another word, he turned and headed back upstairs to check on Zoey.
Inside her room, Maya sat watching television, soft music playing in the background. Ty studied her. "Is it stressful?"
Maya smiled slightly. "A little. But the TV and music help."
His eyes drifted to Zoey. "Where are her leaf clothes?"
"In the cupboard," Maya said.
Ty frowned. "What? Why?"
Maya chuckled. "She wouldn't let me take them out of the room. So, I cleaned them and put them away."
Ty's lips pressed into a thin line before he refocused on Zoey. He wanted to check something.
"Lusi," he called softly. Zoey's eyelashes fluttered, but she didn't react. He tried again, louder this time. "Zoey Lusi!"
This time, her eyes snapped open, locking onto his for a brief moment before shifting back to the television. A smirk played on Ty's lips. She's recovering. Satisfied, he left the room.
The moment Ty stepped out, Kelvin was already waiting.
"Bro, you were so mean," he laughed. "You didn't even shake his hand. Why?"
Ty ignored him and called for a meeting.
Inside the lab, everyone gathered—except Carlton, who was glued to his phone. Even when Ty called him, he didn't look up.
Adrien nudged him. "Bro, put the phone away. We're starting."
"Wait a minuteeee—"
Before he could finish, his phone was snatched and smashed against the wall.
The room went silent.
Ty's voice was sharp. "How long do I have to wait, Carlton? You act like you have nothing in your head but that damn phone. And all of you—" His voice grew harsher. "We have real problems ahead. The leaf girl's life is in danger, and I'm trying to get you to focus—"
Collins stepped in. "Bro, breathe. Calm down."
But Ty's breathing had already turned erratic. His hands clenched and unclenched at his sides. A panic attack.
Carlton rushed upstairs and returned with the necessary medication. Within minutes, Ty's breathing stabilized.
Once he had regained control, he exhaled. "I'll get you a new phone." Then he left.
Kendrick clapped Carlton on the back. "He's never gonna say sorry, you know."
Carlton sighed. "Yeah. But… I probably am addicted to my phone."
Later, with the tension diffused, everyone returned to the lab, and Kelvin shifted the topic. "Let's talk about snakes."
Ty had no objections.
The discussion kicked off with pythons. "They're non-venomous constrictors, found in Africa, Asia, and Australia. They suffocate their prey by coiling around them."
Adrien asked about cobras next.
Ty's eyes gleamed. "Venomous. Found in Africa and Asia. They flare their hoods when threatened, and their venom can kill a human in 45 minutes if untreated."
Anacondas came up next. "One of the heaviest snakes in the world, weighing up to 550 pounds," Ty explained. "They're also constrictors, like pythons."
Collins, uninterested in snakes, suddenly spoke up. "I prefer dolphins."
Ty smirked. "What do you want to know?"
Collins shrugged. "I just know they're aquatic."
Ty nodded. "Dolphins are mammals. They breathe air, give birth to live young, and are incredibly intelligent. They live in pods and communicate using clicks and whistles."
Kendrick then pushed for more. "Tell us about animals in general—their skeletal systems."
Ty broke it down simply. "There's the skeletal system for structure, the muscular system for movement, and the nervous system for control."
Collins, suddenly interested, grinned. "I think I can differentiate two types of fish."
Ty raised an eyebrow. "Go on."
"Bunny fish and catliger fish. Bunny fish have a skeletal system, while catliger fish have cartilage, like sharks."
Ty nodded approvingly. "Exactly. Bunny fish—rabbitfish—have bones, while catliger fish, like sharks and rays, have flexible cartilage."
The group nodded along, the discussion shifting from one topic to another. It was one of the rare moments where knowledge, rather than chaos, filled the room. For once, they weren't just surviving. They were learning. And it felt good.
Ty continued discussing dolphins, explaining how they never fall into a full sleep because they would suffocate. Instead, they sleep with one eye closed and the other open, allowing one half of their brain to rest while the other remains alert.
After finishing his explanation, he glanced around. "Any more questions?" When no one responded, he nodded, concluding the discussion.
Then, with a smirk, he decided to drop an interesting fact. "Male African lions weigh between 150 and 250 kilograms because they lack praise, while female ones weigh between 150 and 180 kilograms for the same reason."
Kelvin raised a brow. "Wait, what?"
Before anyone could press further, he abruptly said, "All ears rabbi."
Jordan frowned. "What's rabbi?"
"Rabbi means teacher," Kelvin explained.
Kendrick, always skeptical, asked, "Where'd you get that from?"
Kelvin leaned back. "The Bible."
This piqued Adrian's curiosity. "You actually read the Bible? Which book?"
"Only Isaiah," Kelvin admitted.
"Who's Isaiah?" Adrian asked.
Kelvin shrugged. "A prophet."
Before the conversation could drift further, Ty cleared his throat, bringing them back on track. The group redirected their focus to a more pressing discussion—Zoey.
Kelvin, still fascinated by the mystery surrounding her, voiced his thoughts. "Do you think she might have monkey DNA in her blood?"
Ty shook his head. "That's impossible."
As the conversation circled back to their scientific work, Kendrick walked in, carrying a set of items from a soil examination. Ty took the moment to shift the discussion in a new direction.
"Let's try something different," he said, his tone thoughtful. "I'll tell you a story—not about DNA, but about using animal organs to sustain human life."
Everyone leaned in, intrigued. Whatever Ty was about to say, they knew it would challenge their thinking.
Ty gathered the team, his voice firm and urgent. "We need to get back to work. We're running out of time. If this takes any longer, surgery will be the only option—and that means Hybrixin." Everyone understood what that meant: a high-risk, experimental procedure that none of them wanted to resort to. They had to succeed with the injection.
The team rushed changing into their protective wears after getting their hands cleaned , immediately diving into their research. The first step was analyzing Zoey's blood samples, comparing them to a normal human's to track how Lycanthropine-X had altered her system. They ran multiple scans on her brain activity, noting the increased activity in the amygdala—the part responsible for fear and instinctive behavior—while her prefrontal cortex, responsible for rational thought, showed alarming signs of suppression.
Their first attempt at a cure was based on standard neuro-blockers, but when they injected the test sample into a simulation, it had no effect. Kelvin slammed his fist on the table. "Damn it! We're missing something!"
Ty paced back and forth, thinking. "We need something that doesn't just block Lycanthropine-X—we need to flush it out completely while stabilizing her nervous system."
The team worked tirelessly, testing multiple compounds, but each attempt either failed to neutralize the chemical or caused dangerous side effects. At one point, Collins suggested a stronger antidote formula, but it led to extreme fluctuations in heart rate—meaning if they had injected it into Zoey, it could have stopped her heart.
Hours passed, and the frustration in the lab grew. "We can't afford to fail," Kendrick muttered, running his hands through his hair. "She doesn't have much time."
Then, at around 4 AM, Ty had a breakthrough. He realized that the answer wasn't just in blocking Lycanthropine-X, but in stabilizing neurotransmitter production to counteract the damage. He made adjustments to the formula, incorporating a neuro-regenerative compound derived from animal nerve cells.
The team immediately got to work, refining the new formula, running it through their final tests. They held their breath as they injected it into a simulated bloodstream. The effects were immediate—the chemical neutralized Lycanthropine-X without shutting down the nervous system.
By 8 AM, they had done it. The final batch of NeuroStabilin was ready. The room was filled with a moment of stunned silence before Kelvin cheered, "We did it!"
Exhausted but relieved, the team stood around the vial, knowing that this was it—the answer they had been fighting for. The cure was finally in their hands.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Four highly trained psychologists. Four experts in their field. Four men who thought no patient could break them.
None of them were ready for Zoey.
She never spoke. She never explained herself. She just acted. And one by one, the psychologists fell.
Victim #1: Mr. Clever
Mr. Clever walked in with a clipboard, glasses, and an air of confidence.
"I've handled difficult cases before," he told Ty and the others. "This is nothing."
Kelvin smirked. "Aight, bro. Good luck."
Three hours later…
"AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!!!!"
A flour-covered, soaking wet, half-naked Mr. Clever stormed out of the place, eyes wide with pure horror.
His hair was dripping. His clothes were torn. His shoes were missing.
Ty blinked. "What... happened?"
Mr. Clever trembled. "SHE... SHE ATTACKED ME!!!"
Kelvin fell to the floor, laughing so hard he couldn't breathe. "NAHHH, SHE MADE YOU A HUMAN PANCAKE!"
Zoey sat on the chair, completely silent. Arms crossed. Staring.
Not a single word.
Ty sighed. "Mr. Clever, are you okay?"
Mr. Clever growled. "I AM NEVER COMING BACK HERE AGAIN!"
Kelvin wiped tears from his eyes. "Yo… that was day one. Who's next?"
Victim #2: Mr. Troy
The next day, Mr. Troy arrived—tall, strong, serious. "I've dealt with military minds," he said. "This girl is nothing."
Three hours later…
"OH GOD, AHHHH!!! THEY'RE IN MY CLOTHES!!!"
Mr. Troy sprinted out of the house, shaking and jumping like a man on fire.
His shirt was open. His tie was missing. His pants were twitching.
Kelvin gasped. "BRO, DID SHE JUST—"
Collins pointed. Tiny spiders and termites were crawling out of Mr. Troy's shirt.
Kelvin screamed with laughter. "NAHHH, SHE TURNED HIM INTO AN ANT FARM!!!"
Zoey stood. Silent. Watching.
Ty pinched the bridge of his nose. "Zoey, what did you do?"
She blinked.
Kelvin wheezed. "OH MY GOD, SHE'S A MENACE!"
Mr. Troy screamed one last time and ran away.
Kelvin fell over, laughing. "TWO-FOR-TWO!!! WHO'S NEXT?!"
Victim #3: Mr. Edger
Mr. Edger had a reputation. He was a legend in psychology.
"I have trained soldiers, counseled war veterans, and helped a man who thought he was a chicken," he said. "This girl is nothing."
Two days later…
A shirtless, scratching, half-crazy Mr. Edger stumbled out of the house.
His pants were ripped. His arms were covered in red bumps. His eyes were WILD.
Kelvin gasped. "WHAT DID SHE DO?!"
Zoey was in a swing. Silent. Staring.
Ty rubbed his temples. "Zoey…"
Collins asked, "Wait… what insects did you use this time?"
Zoey blinked.
Kelvin whispered, "Bro… don't tell me."
Ty sighed. "Ants."
Kelvin held his breath.
Collins asked, "And?"
Ty sighed again. "Millipedes."
Kelvin screamed. "A MILLIPEDE?! IN HIS CLOTHES?! AIN'T NO WAY!!!"
Mr. Edger sprinted out of the compound, never looking back.
Kelvin fell over, kicking his legs. "BROOOO, SHE'S A NIGHTMARE!!!"
Ty sighed. "Only one left…
Final Victim: Mr. Peter Parker Pan
Mr. Parker Pan was different. He was cool, calm, and professional.
His long, luxurious hair was his pride.
"This is my specialty," he said. "I will not fail."
Night fell. Mr. Parker Pan decided to sleep in the room with Zoey to monitor her behavior.
The next morning…
An earth-shattering scream woke the entire house.
"AAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!"
Ty and the others rushed to the scene.
Mr. Parker Pan stood in front of the mirror. His hands were trembling.
His head was BALD.
But it wasn't just shaved.
Zoey had glued random patches of hair back onto his scalp using super glue and painted it rainbow colors.
Kelvin fell to the floor, clutching his chest. "SHE GAVE HIM A CLOWN WIG!!!"
Collins was speechless.
Ty covered his mouth.
Mr. Parker Pan sobbed. "YOU… MONSTER!!!"
Zoey stood with paints and scissors on her hands. Silent. Staring.
Mr. Parker Pan ran out of the house, crying.
Zoey chased him out of the compound with the scissors.
Kelvin was on life support from laughter.
Collins wiped his eyes. "Bro… I can't breathe… This girl is insane."
Ty rubbed his temples. "She needs real therapy."
Kelvin wheezed. "Bro, if we call another psychologist… he's just gonna be another victim."
Ty sighed. "We need a different approach."
Collins nodded. "Yeah… but first… let's get Mr. Parker Pan a wig."
Kelvin screamed, laughing all over again.
Just as they were about to leave the room, Zoey turned to them with an innocent smile.
Zoey: "..."
Kelvin: "OH HELL NO—"