"We were half-lying about the brain thing," the daughter said. "I didn't think you would actually..."

Emi looked at her, looked at her friends, then looked at the aftermath on her hands. The crashing waves in her head calmed. She realized what she'd done and began to cry softly.

Usually, the numbness kept her eyes from releasing their emotion. Ness and Wendy tried to come to her aid, but she shied away from them.

"I'm a monster," Emi said through her tears. "I couldn't stop myself."

"No, you're not a monster, Emi," said Ness. "We can help you. Well, Zedra Labs can help you."

Emi glared at the Zedras; her red eyes looking them over. "How do I know I won't become some kind of lab rat or...or a weapon?"

Zedra the 5th stepped forward. "Zedra Labs will handle you with the utmost care. You will not become a guinea pig."

The new "zombie" thought about it for a bit. 

"No. Just send me home and give me a supply of..." She could barely bring herself to say it. "Anyway, I'm fine now, so if I keep getting them then I shouldn't have any more negative symptoms. Right?"

"Most likely correct," said Zedra the 4th.

Emi got up from the bed. "Then I'm going home."

*****

The school bus left Chicago later that day, taking all the students home to Oak Park. Emi looked out of the window, trying her best to avoid paying attention to her reflection.

She didn't talk to Ness and Wendy as much, which was normal for them so they ignored it. It made her feel lonely; she truly wanted companionship for the first time but didn't know how to talk to them.

The whole thing was eating her up inside, but all she could do was watch. Emi could feel Allen's presence in the back of the bus, a newfound anger had risen within her on the trip. But as fast as the trip started, it was soon over. The students filed off the bus and were taken home in their respective vehicles.

Emi's mom was waiting for her in the frigid parking lot outside the school.

"How's it going, Em?" she said to Emi as she got in the car. "And why are you wearing that costume? Was there a party?"

"Mom, I have something to tell you..."

Emi explained the entire situation to her mother during the car ride, who was dumbfounded.

"I've heard of Zedra Labs...but your boyfriend made you this 'zombie' thing? And how are we going to store human brains?" 

"I don't know," Emi said. Her brain was trailing off again.

Her mother huffed. "Darn that Allen and that lab. Now we have to deal with you." Emi gave her a look.

"No no, Em, I didn't mean it like that. I just meant...never mind." She continued driving.

Emi made a pouty face and faced away from her mother. She caught her reflection in the side-view mirror.

Her skin was getting paler. She attempted to smile, but then closed her mouth suddenly. She was appalled by her reflection, so she closed her eyes for the duration of the ride.

When she got home, she rushed upstairs past her brothers, sisters, and father to cry herself to sleep.