Session Five

## Dead Minds Think Alike

Late at night, we see a steamy car at the Moonpool. It’s dark outside with only a sliver of moonlight. Two figures inside seem to be getting hot and heavy in their car. A twig snaps. A feminine voice asks, “Did you hear that?”, before the window to the car is shattered. We see the car shake violently, hear a voice scream, and hear the sound of someone being dragged out of the car.

Caleb offers to drive Jessie and Crow to school. He smokes constantly, the car awkwardly silent. He drops them off out front exactly on time.

Ashlynn and the cronies arrive in their perfect formation, with Brittany stumbling over herself trying to keep up. Ashlynn flashes her an encouraging smile. Jason’s phone rings and he hands it over to Ashlynn, the screen lit up with 19 missed calls from Mom. Ashlynn nods and hands the phone back to him.

Ashlynn and the cronies enter class and Ashlynn is glowing, chattering with everyone and greeting her classmates by name. Brittany tries to chat, but is cut off from accessing Ashlynn by an annoyed Harper. Crow and Jessie arrive not long after. As Crow enters, Chastity grins widely at them, and Eden gives a nervous smile. Jessie is held up in the doorway, and feels a something bump against her hand, Broden subtly handing a folded piece of paper to her. She pockets it. As she walks to her desk, Peter growls at her. Before she can respond, Skylar mutters at him to shut up. Peter does so and Jessie tells Skylar to control his dog and sits at her desk to read Broden’s letter.

*“Got some new stuff in, if interested. Big money items. Working out of the Armstrong”.*

During class, Ms. Hidalgo is droning about cancerous cells and the entire class is drowsy and quiet. Ashlynn leans on her hands, sleepy, and her head bobs down. She opens her eyes and sees the class through her cronies eyes.

Ashlynn sees through Charlie’s eyes first, focused on Juno, who appears to him as more suggestive and beautiful. Her vision dips again and she sees through Tylar’s eyes. Everything is a blur, and he’s completely unable to see the board. Only Ashlynn is in perfect focus. Her head dips again, and she sees through Harper’s eyes. Everything is louder and brighter, more clear. Ashlynn feels overwhelming rage and irritation. The chalk screeches on the chalkboard. Her head dips again, and Ashlynn looks through Jason’s eyes. Everyone is in their underwear and very sexy. Peter is… like that. Ashlynn’s head dips again and she wakes up, now herself, with rock hard nipples.

Jessie finds Diana, sitting alone at lunch. She hands Diana a note and turns quickly to leave. Diana opens it, reading: “*Meet me at the Moonpool, text me what time*.” Diana sighs and tucks the note in her shirt pocket.

Dipping out a side door after class, Crow heads to the woods intent on finding Kareem. Dead minds think alike, and Kareem stumbles from the treeline, a bloody squirrel gripped in one hand and blood on his face. He looks alarmed to see Crow. The two regard each other, snow flurrying around them. Neither of their breath fogs in the cold air. Crow slowly makes her way to the woods, disappearing and reappearing a moment later with a bird. She takes a bite. She turns Kareem on, who stumbles towards her into the woods. Crow asks him what happened, but Kareem doesn’t seem to understand. She pulls her sleeves up, showing the scarring on her arms. Kareem approaches and touches the scars gently. Crow tells Kareem, “We’re the same…”. Kareem pulls his hoodie off and shows her the deep scarring on his back. Crow reaches up and traces the jagged wounds. Crow tells Kareem that they can help him, and Kareem nods eagerly, telling her that he doesn’t want to be like this anymore.

Ashlynn pulls Harper away from their manicured lunch, leaving the cronies to eat, and slips down a quiet hallway to talk. Ashlynn tells Harper about one of the ketamine syringes, hidden in her bedside drawer, and that she really wants Diana back. Ashlynn sweetens the pot, telling Harper that if they can get Diana back, Brittany doesn’t have to be around anymore. She turns Harper on, who responds enthusiastically, agreeing to do what it takes to get Diana back so things can go back to how they used to be. Ashlynn’s nipples are still hard and Harper curls up into her lap, eager for attention.

We see Jessie’s phone light up with a text from Diana, agreeing to meet at the Moonpool after school. Crow’s lights up with a text from Kareem, telling her that he really wants to see them again, and if they could meet after school.

As school lets out, Ashlynn and the cheerleaders practice their routine for the big game against their rival team, the West Pine Bears, especially because of the opposing cheer captain, Kaitlin Jones. Ashlynn's rival. Ashlynn is all smiles, greeting everyone on the field. She catches Harper glowering at Diana as she leaves school, and comforts her. Jessie leaves school running and heads to the Moonpool. Crow texts Kareem back, agreeing to meet at the cemetery.

Crow finds Kareem at the largest mausoleum in the cemetery and catches him unaware. She fights the compulsion to frighten him, but still creeps up to spook him. He jumps, swinging his arm wildly, catching Crow in the stomach. Crow sees a crazed look in his eyes for just a moment. The two settle in, sitting on the benches of the secluded mausoleum. Kareem rests his hand on Crow’s. Crow begins telling him the story of her life, including the details of her death. Midway through, Crow removes her layers, revealing more of her scarring. Kareem feels “***morbid***”, interested and intrigued, and Crow turns on Kareem. He kisses her, and Crow leans into it, unzipping his hoodie.

Jessie pulls up her hoodie, zipping it to stay warm as she approaches the Moonpool. She sets up her books and candles as Diana appears on the treeline. Jessie is reading one of the tomes when Diana steps out, crunching a twig. Jessie greets her awkwardly, inviting her to come see. Diana is skeptical, but approaches. Jessie offers her diary to Diana. She begins reading, before slumping down beside Jessie, flipping through the pages. Jessie tells Diana that this is a gift from the moon. Diana tells Jessie that she doesn’t think any of this matters, because nothing can protect them from Ashlynn. Jessie clasps Diana’s hands, and Diana melts into the contact. Jessie tries to ask her what happened with Ashlynn, but Diana seems unable to fully answer or remember her time with Ashlynn. Jessie tells her that she was the one who transformed Diana into a wolf in order to try and save her. They talk more about Ashlynn, and Diana warns Jessie to be careful of her. Jessie tells Diana that she’s stronger than before, and that there could be more of them to help each other. Jessie turns Diana on, and gains a string on her for the connection, but Diana turns to leave, telling Jessie that maybe she’s better off alone. Jessie gives Diana her diary of her time as a wolf, telling her she hopes it helps.

Jessie texts Crow. Their phone lights up in the pocket of their discarded jeans in the cemetery. Jessie heads home.

As Jessie arrives home, she finds that Big Mike doesn’t greet her like normal. As she closes the door, she hears rapid footsteps, and a disheveled Big Mike emerges from his office. He asks her if she’s alone. She says yes, and he tells her to lock the doors. She turns and does, and finds new deadbolts installed. He ushers her into his office, where Lexi is sitting on the air mattress. The office is in disarray. He asks her to sit, and she refuses. Big Mike asks her if she recognizes this image, and pulls out a copy of Crow’s Missing poster. Jessie asks why he made that, and Lexi pipes up that he didn't make it! Jessie tells Lexi to butt out, and shuts her down, calling her “***annoying***”. Big Mike and Jessie argue, with Jessie daring him to tell her what he’s trying to get at. Lexi tells her that Crow’s DEAD, and Jessie threatens to hit her if she speaks again. Big Mike orders Lexi out of the room, to her protests. She leaves, slamming the door behind her. Jessie and Big Mike continue arguing, with Big Mike telling her that he thinks Crow is dangerous. Jessie gives him an ultimatum, her and Crow, or neither. He tells her that some people don’t need protecting, and Jessie shuts him down, leaving the office to pack. As she passes her, Lexi implores her to rethink, and Jessie punches her square in the nose, which breaks on impact. As she punches, Lexi sees Jessie’s bared pointed teeth and inhuman snarl. Lexi’s eyes go wide. As Jessie shoves clothes into a bag, Big Mike stands outside of her door, warning her about Crow being dangerous. Jessie leaves her house, heading to the Moonpool. She checks her phone, and has a message from Crow, who says they really need to talk to her. Jessie tells Crow to meet her at the Moonpool.

At home, Ashlynn plans a party at the Grill for the next day and gets a notification on her blog post. A reply from medLX85 responds “I have information you may be interested in.” Ashlynn invites them to a chatroom, where she asks if they’re in the area or able to meet. medLX85 sends a picture of Crow’s missing poster. The two message about Crow and how dangerous (and dead) she is, and the two set up a meeting at the Grill later that night.

Crow arrives at the Moonpool first, Kareem having driven off after their tryst. Crow feels great, but nervous about the text from Jessie.  As they sit anxiously at the Moonpool, they get a text from an unknown number, “Hey, it’s Chastity. Got your number from school. Would you wanna hang out sometime?” Crow agrees, and Chastity invites Crow to Ashlynn’s party at the Grill the next day. Crow tentatively agrees, and Jessie arrives, looking disheveled. Crow asks if she’s okay, and Jessie tells her that Big Mike knows about their situation. The two sit and Crow tells her about everything since her resurrection. Jessie mentions that they still haven’t dealt with Kareem, but Crow corrects her, telling her about how Kareem is like her… flesh eating and all. They laugh over how long the day has been, and tuck in to sleep beside the Moonpool.

At the Grill, Ashlynn is decorating when a younger girl in a puffer jacket and baseball cap enters. She orders a water and sits to read from her Medical Encyclopedia and magazine on zombies. The two make pointed eye contact. Ashlynn greets her, and the two discuss Crow. Lexi, barely disguised, tries to avoid telling Ashlynn who her uncle and cousin are, but slowly drops details until Ashlynn understands what Big Mike and Lexi found. Lexi also spills to Ashlynn about Jessie’s fight with them, and that Jessie ran away to protect Crow. Ashlynn comforts Lexi and invites her to the Grill party the following night, before offering to drive her home. Lexi has Ashlynn drop her off several blocks away, and the two tell each other their names before Lexi runs off to climb into Big Mike’s window. Moments later, we see Ashlynn standing outside of Jessie’s house in the rain, watching.

Elsewhere, the cronies all visit home. With Ashlynn’s voice guiding them, they each tell their families that they’re okay, that they’re doing much better. Each says the same rehearsed lines, inviting their families to the Grill party tomorrow.

At the Moonpool, the two sleep, Crow curling into Jessie. Jessie stirs, awakened by Crow’s freezing touch. Her breath fogs in the cold night air, and as she looks around she sees Diana. The two regard each other, before Jessie silently moves closer, leaving an invitation hanging between them. Diana stands to approach, but picks something up before coming over. She carefully carries the large bundle, and sets it down next to Jessie, just on the shore of the Moonpool. Jessie looks, and the bundle is tightly wrapped blankets, with an old woman’s face poking out. The woman’s breath is ragged. Diana tells Jessie that she’s dying, and that she wants to try to save her. Jessie turns without a word and begins collecting her candles and herbs. Once everything is set for the ritual, Diana hands her grandma to Jessie. The moonless sky overhead makes the water dark, and for a long minute nothing happens. Jessie pleads with the moon, asking what to do, but receives no response. Suddenly, as though her legs were lead, Jessie and Diana’s grandmother begin to sink into the Moonpool, deeper and deeper. Jessie is bombarded with images of herself being sucked into the dark depths of the water. She releases Diana’s grandmother, and the two stop sinking. Suspended in the water, Diana’s grandmother wrenches free of the blankets, twisting and jerking violently. Jessie watches from underwater as Diana’s grandma is transformed into the more monstrous half-werewolf. Something is wrong. Diana’s grandmother does not complete the transformation, and surges to the surface half-transformed. Crow awakens at the sound of splashing, as Diana’s grandmother scrabbles out of the Moonpool and tears off towards the woods. Jessie emerges from the Moonpool and begins chasing Diana’s grandma, transforming into her wolf form. At the edge of the woods, she stops and looks at Diana, whining and pawing at the ground. She spends a string from injuring Diana the day before, bristling and growling threateningly. Diana snarls and begins running, approaching Jessie-wolf. Seeing her not-transformed, Jessie growls and snaps at Diana. Diana dips her head, submitting, and transforms, crouching beside Jessie.  The two sprint off into the woods, howling and snarling at Diana’s grandma.

Crow, shaken after having seen the transformation, climbs a nearby tree and watches the trees tremble as the wolves tear through the forest. Cold rain soaks them to the bone.

Ashlynn, looking out at the forest through her bedroom window, watches the rain fall. Tylar hugs her from behind. The two head to bed with the others, and a printer in Ashlynn’s bedroom quietly prints copies of Crow’s Missing poster.

Later that night in the woods, Jessie and Diana, still massive wolves, leap over fallen logs. They snarl and snap at each other, barely keeping pace with Diana’s freshly transformed grandmother. As they run, their snarling calms, and their sloppy movements become steady, synchronized. They stop for a moment, tipping their heads to the moonless sky, and howl.