V.I.R.A.L

Chapter 12: The charismatic Parasite Part 2

"Harriet? Harriet? Oh, there you are." Reece slurred poking his head around the corner, finding Harriet sitting in the corner of the room. "You'll crease your dress if you sit like this."

"I'm not going out there. I can't look at them."

Reece crouched down, resting his arms on his knees as he sighed. "Hattie, Hattie look at me." Harriet's eyes drifted up to Reece as he shook his head. "You can do this. I believe in you. You're going to go out there and show those people whose boss. Remember what the therapist said?"

"You control your powers; they don't control you. I know she said that. But it's just. If I don't pay attention. If I let my guard down, I can't stop them. Can't we just go home? Who cares about this stupid work party?"

"And lock yourself in your room forever? You can't live like this, Harriet. You have to live your life. These powers can't hold you down."

"But… they way they look at me. It makes me uncomfortable. And that man, he tried…"

"That was a one-time thing. Harriet…" Reece folded his arms blowing wind between his lips as he frowned. "Well, you're going to have to come out, or Dad is going to be pissed."

Harriet stood up nodding. "Al, alright. Will you. Will you stay with me?"

"If it makes you feel better sure, you have nothing to worry about, you look nice."

"That's what I'm worried about." The doors to the hall crept open the sound of people drinking and laughing erupted as Harriet felt her world sinking in. As people began to notice her, she quickly shot her head down as she started walking with her brother staring down at people's feet. She made sure to be right next to him as her mouth became dry. Her legs shaking as she began running her hand through her hair rapidly.

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"Ahh, there is the Russels. Have you seen your father at all? I believe I owe him a drink?"

"I think my father went to take a quick smoke break. I'll be sure to say you asked for him."

"Splendid. I must say he brought you up well, such well-spoken for someone your age."

"Father drills it in."

The older man curled his beard, looking at Harriet intrigued. "I don't believe we have ever met. You must be Harriet. You never are at your father's parties. This is a first."

"Its, its. It's nice to meet… you" She softly spoke, still staring down her eyes glued to her shoes.

"Sorry, my sister doesn't do well with crowds. We keep trying to boost her confidence, but it never seems to work."

"Poppycock! I'm sure after a few cakes and a drink or two she will be just fine. They will be playing music later. I'll be sure to come by for a dance."

"Ah-ha. I'm sure she will be honoured, sir." Reece laughed nervously as he turned away, letting out a deep breath. "I am not suited for this…"

Harriet gripped her brother's arm muttering. "I want to go. I can't do this. Please."

Reece moved his arm away, shaking his head. "You know we can't. I'm going to find my father. Get a drink or something. It's all free here."

Harriet's eyes widen as she stumbled forward as Reece left her. She stood in the middle of the ballroom feeling empty and alone, although surrounded by dozens of people. Her hands began to shake as she felt her throat swell up. She started sweating all while licking her lips, looking around the room's floor never once daring to lift her eyes. Hoping to find her father or Reece, she began walking forward, lifting her head only slightly to stop any possible collisions. This would dawn on Harriet and quickly fail as her eyes drifted down just as a man walked past her. She slammed against him, falling to the ground. The man turned around seeing her on the floor. "Oh, I must say, apologises for the young one. You can't experience this party if your eyes are glued to the floor."

The fall Harriet took crippled her attention as she grazed her knee. With the sudden jolt of pain, she couldn't help but look up her eyes meeting the men. Her heart dropped as she quickly looked away. "I'm. I'm sorry!" She tried to get out, but the man very quickly grabbed her wrist, stopping her escape. Harriet looked back in horror as the man was fixated in a trance, never leaving Harriet's line of sight. She began tossing around, trying to break free, which only draped more unwanted attention. Her eyes darted around the room, hoping to see her father or Reece, instead it only had more eyes meet with hers. Like mindless animals who hadn't eaten, they all stopped what they were doing as men began to bombard her, each one fighting to get a good look at Harriet.

"You're so beautiful."

"Let's ditch this place and go back to mine."

"Don't listen to that pig, I'll show you a good time."

"Pick me!"

"I'm the only man you need."

Harriet managed to break free as arms began mindless grabbing and touching her wherever and when ether they can. She tried to scream out as more attention was drawn to her. She tumbled back falling against the wall. "No! Get away from me! Don't touch me!" The men stopped with their urges suppressed for that short moment. However, it wouldn't last long as their lust-filled mind fell apart and they all began tearing at Harriet with no remorse. Harriet screamed curling up, not wanting to live through this again. She wanted to curl up and die. Her mind was breaking, she began to lose any sense of control as she screamed out in desperation. "No more! No more. Just die, all of you just die!" Her eyes widen as she realised what she just spoke. The men's expression of pleasure and jealously faded. Their faces blank with nothing. Each of them stepped away as they turned to each other. Like puppets, they all began to walk out in perfect sync. Harriet tried stopping them, begging them to stop, but the deed had already been done. They all started walking to the balcony. No one could stop them. The doors opened. Each of them took one step onto the railing. "No, please stop!"

One by one, they all took a step forward—one by one by the orders of Harriet. One by one, they all fulfilled the deed as the grounds of the manor was run red with blood. Harriet collapsed holding onto the railing, knowing this was her fault. She curled up, sobbing the guilt eating away at her. Until it, all stopped. A thought crept into mind. A small whisper. "This wasn't your fault. It is theirs. It's all their fault. If only they listened to you." Harriet's mind snapped as her sobbing turned into laughter as she watched the pigs who craved over her drop like flies by mere command.

****

Harriet glanced away a smug look smudging over her face as the hordes of her obedient fans swarmed the two streamers. Zinnia pushed one away as Alton jumped back making them slip on the puddles of water igniting from the water fountain. "Well, this all went to shit so quickly. Serves me right to think this would be so easy."

Alton pulled Zinnia out of the way blocking serval attack. Zinnia tried to calm them down, but her powers couldn't bypass their mindless rampage in the name of Pokiero. "We need to stop Harriet. We can't hurt these people. They are innocent."

"Easier said than done. They. They aren't exactly playing fair. They've gone mad!" Alton curses being pinned to a tree. Struggling to budge, he curled his hand up, grabbing one of their arms and tugging it forward. The mind slave tumbled forward, giving Alton enough legroom to use the icicle he had planned to break his mind out of reasonable mind control. He broke it as water flooded, pressing them back into the park bench. As they hit said bench the water froze holding them in place. "Zinnia! I'll hold them off takedown Harriet, that might break her spell."

Zinnia nodded jumping over the bench, rushing Harriet. Alton spun around flicking water everywhere freezing people on the spot. Harriet's eyes widen as she spun around seeing Zinnia reaching out, trying to get the finishing move in. All she had to do was suppress her emotions, and the goons would fall from her fantasy. Harriet stepped backbiting her lip, this couldn't be over for her. The two made eye contact as she feared the worst. That was until Zinnia stopped her pursuit. Her legs began to become weak as she fell to her knees taken by Harriet's looks.

Alton finished the last of the goons yelling in annoyance as Zinnia failed. "Fuck sake Zin you had one job…"

Harriet gave a puzzled look slightly startled that Zinnia suddenly stopped. The look morphed as she began to giggle like a little girl on Christmas. She kneeled smacking Zinnia's face lightly as she began to hackle ruffing up her hair. "Well isn't this a turn of fates? I honestly thought you had me their sweetheart. My looks and charms have never reached another girl before, isn't this just groovy, huh? Seems that thunder you had their Rhapsody had crumbled away before you even had the chance to succeed. I don't know why you came after me now but no matter. That train will never leave the station. She's a pretty one, isn't she? I think I'll keep her. Always wanted a pet, we can play sleepovers, paint each other's nails. Go all out. Oh, but don't you worry Dauntless if you're a good boy and submit I might just let you have her."

Alton grinded his teeth staring at Zinnia disappointed. "Damn its Zinnia… always making my job harder than it has to be."

"I take that as a no."

"What do you think? Even if I lose, the media will take notice. The numbers have witnessed your corrupt ways. They won't let this slide."

"Hehe, Hehe, oh my dear sweet naïve boy, that will not happen. When I take your mind, tomorrow will be just another for me. You might get a few articles, yes. But only for a failed streamer throwing false allocations at a well-established streamer, your apology video might be something to find amusing." Alton grumbled readying his final stand. "I grow tired of these games, let's see how you do when your team turn against you."

Alton spun around as Gale slammed forward, launching Alton into the water fountain smashing it to pieces. Water flooded everywhere as Alton was blinded by the sudden burst of water. Gale jumped up, crashing down on him. The shot of water tore back, knocking Gale back, slashing him down as he collapsed frozen still. "I'm not going through that again…"

The goons of Pokiero began to break free as Alton began panting struggling to keep up. Harriet snickered leaning forward, gripping Zinnia's neck. "Boys hold this creep down. I want to get a good look at him." Alton stood up away from Harriet. He took a deep breath relaxing as his tight grip loosened. Taking one last breath, he turned around facing Harriet. She looks somewhat startled as the two met eyes to eye, at least Harriet was. Alton had his eyes closed, starting his gamble. "What? Just what do you think you're doing?! You think that's going to save you? Not looking?! Try that all you like but you're going to have to open your eyes to fight!"

The mind slaves began moving in all around Alton. He turned his head slightly as one slave slammed his foot onto the puddles of water all around Alton. The slave was shot up into the air by a sudden burst of water falling into a tree. Alton grinned sinisterly as his plan was going perfectly. The slaves began swarming him each falling into his trap, tramping on the puddles of water all around. And like flies they all began dropping as the sudden gusts of water flew them away, protecting Alton without him even having to blink. Using the water as echolocation, he could tell where anyone was if their bodies reached the small defence he had set up. Using that he would entrust the water to rid of any intruders bridging the gap between him and Harriet. Her face turned into one of devastation as her fans were taken out until there was nothing left. Alton was all aware of this. It was just him and her. Lifting his arm, he stood on the spot for a short while before swinging his arm in a long way rushing Harriet eyes still shut.

Harriet began freaking out, unable to take control of him. She, however, still had one last ace up her sleeve. As Alton was inches away, she picked up Zinnia using her as a body shield. Alton felt this change stopping his attack being forced to open his eyes to avoid hurting Zinnia. Harriet lowered Zinnia's head as Alton, and she met with a gaze him being mere moments from the final attack. Alton's heart began to fluster as Harriet smiled brightly taking control of Alton. "Got you!"

Alton stopped on the spot with a blank expression entirely under her control. Alton's eyes became droopy as he dropped his arm. Harriet moved closer to Alton inspecting her prize. As she did, a loud snap was heard. The ice shattered down Alton's arm as bloodshot out spilling on Harriet's face and into her eyes. She stepped back blinded by the blood as Alton managed to snap out of his trance. His sleeve ripped apart as a new icicle he had just made before attacking Harriet crumbled apart. Alton pulled Zinnia away, swinging his blood around turning it to ice cutting deep into Harriet's face. Harriet fell back onto the ground as Alton watched over her holding Zinnia behind him. Harriet began panting nagging in pain. The attack caught her completely off guard, and her lifeline was gone. She gritted her teeth spitting as she was ready to fight again only to stop halfway through her motion. Her head began to go crazy as her hands began wailing around, she started feeling her face screaming in fear. She couldn't open her eyes. She couldn't see Alton glanced over her sighing in relief. "Seems I found your weakness. You can only take control of somebody's mind if you are making eye contact with them. So, I used the opportunity to take that from you. Now you can never ruin another person's life without your sight."

Harriet began crawling around like a lost child rubbing her eyes. She fell forward sobbing. Alton looked away only to turn back hearing her laughing. "I'm, I'm free? I'm free of the curse… ha, hahaha, Bahahaha!"

Zinnia began to come to as she looked up seeing her in Alton's arms. "Huh? What, what happened? Are we winning?"

Alton turned to Harriet, who was over the moon, smirking to himself. "I think. I think we just all won."

Zinnia was put down as she scratched her head in confusion. "How? Last, I remember she took control of my mind and then. Everything draws a blank."

"Well turns out her powers only work if the victim is looking at her in the eyes. I used that to take her down with my eyes shut."

"Wait, how did you know that?!"

Alton's proud look died down into relief as he slouched over. "I had no idea! I just threw my last desperate attempt at her. Thank God that did work; otherwise, I would look like a right idiot about now. I think. Only people attracted to her could be under her control. Once I figured that out I had her in the bag."

"That makes sense. That's why she thought she lost when she took me down… only people who are… Can we. Can we drop this? You never speak of this got it!" Zinnia snapped looking away, going bright red at the thought.

Alton laughed as the drones flooded around them. "Look Zin, all eyes are on us. Take it all in. We made history today. Victory is ours."