How Soon Is Now?

My eyes are no longer scanning the book. They are on Ryder's face, searching for any other emotion besides some excitement. There has to be something else. I get off the arm rest, nodding my head as the names of the gods spin around in my skull... And what Poseidon's children can do. He said he's from a different universe. There's a start. I smile weakly at him, "we need to talk to your mom, Ryder." I whisper, my voice flat and emotionless. I don't want to scare him, make him regret telling me all that he has. And getting him to talk, to actually... Just talk. "Right now. And I'm sorry, but I think she's been hiding a bigger secret than you can imagine." I add gently, bending down to slowly take the book from his hands. I set it beside his empty glass, then take one of his hands in mine. "You may not like it, but we need to know. Ya know, for that frozen Cyclops in your garage."

Looking at the book sitting on the table, Ryder got to his feet. "I'm not sure my mother will tell us." He replied before hearing gentle footsteps enter the room. "What would your mother tell you?" It was Jim's voice, echoing over to Loren and Ryder both. Ryder squirmed, glancing at Loren before stepping forward. "Ah, Jim, this is-" Jim cleared his throat, cutting Ryder off completely. "Don't call me 'Jim'. I'm sir to you." He snapped and Ryder quickly nodded. "Well, sir, this is Loren. And she just wanted to ask my mom about the mythology books. That's it." He said, looking back at Loren with an apologetic, crooked smile. There wasn't much else to do. Jim grunted, though didn't say another word, as he spun around and waltzed directly out of the room. Ryder released a breath he didn't realize he was holding. "Sorry about him."

I squeeze Ryder's hand, not meaning to feel sorry for him, but I do. Of course I do. He looks like a mess, with his hair standing up in random ways. I smile lightly, nodding my head. "It's fine, Ryder. Really." I whisper as I step to his side, speaking into his ear. I use our conjoined hands to guide him forward, through the doorway and onto the porch. His mother and sister are still sitting there. "Hey, Massie, we need to talk to your mom." I say gently, nodding to the doorway, hoping she'd leave for just a few minutes. Ryder already seems nervous. I squeeze his hand again, walking forward towards Sally with a polite smile. Inside, I'm just as nervous as Ryder is. Maybe more. I'm terrified to figure out what Ryder really is or who he is. Or maybe it's excitement.

Ryder slowly looked at Loren, then turned back to his mother. Massie had grunted, but left nearly immediately. "Ah, mom. We need to know a few things." Ryder said, stepping over his words cautiously. Sally nodded tightly, staring at her son without even considering blinking. "Or maybe just one important thing." He released Loren's hand, though he knew it had been helping him as some sort of support. Lowering himself into the chair opposite his mother, he set his elbows on his knees. "Mom, I need to talk about my dad. My real father. Not that pig, Jim." Sally frowned, "he's not a pig, Ryder. You need to respect him." She leaned forward, putting a hand to her son's cheek. "I can't tell you. It could get you killed." Sally glanced up at Loren, narrowing her eyes, "both of you."

"We're already kinda on edge as it is. You know, with the frozen guy in the garage and all." I snap, not meaning to sound as harsh as I did. But there's some urgency to the situation I don't think Ryder's mom is getting. Yes, he's different. Yes, she's trying to protect him. But I don't care about putting my life on the line. Like my best friend has suggested millions upon millions of times, I sort of seem to have a death wish. "I'm not exactly super important. So, how I end up should not effect you. I only care about what Ryder does and does not know. And what you need to tell him." I'm in her face now, my eyes narrowed and my hair falling down at my sides, pushing a shadow over my features. I sound like a total- Well. I bend back slightly, giving myself space to breathe. "Please. Just tell us what the big secret is."

Sally sighed, biting her lip nervously. Her eyes never left her son's face. "Knowing who your father is, Ryder, will put you in more danger than you are in now." She said sternly, taking a sideways glance at Loren. She breathed through her bared teeth, shaking her head. "He's a religious figure, almost." At that, Ryder frowned, "religious? I haven't gone to church a day in my life." Sally laughed lightly, "no, honey. That's Jim's religion. Christianity. Mine is the Greek gods. Zeus, Hades... Poseidon." She sucked in a sharp breath, a habit she had passed down to her son. "Poseidon." Ryder repeated and Sally smiled sadly. "Yes, that's... That's your father." She had tears falling down her face now. "Poseidon, one the big three Greek gods, is your father. Just never have a chat with that uncle of yours down under, please. He's a jerk."

I can't wrap my head around what's happening. Ryder... Poseidon's son. Ryder... The son of a freaking Greek god. I gulp, my eyes locked on the side of his face. "Holy mother of god. Or gods. Or... Demigods." I mumble, slowly lowering myself down to the arm rest, perching on it like I had done inside. My head is spinning. "This... This is nuts. You're nuts. How the hell can he be Poseidon's son?" I exclaim, though somewhere in my mind, it fits. He's Poseidon's son. He can control water. He can... Holy crap, can he talk to dolphins? Something to ask later. I run the palms of my hands down my thighs. I may be taking this worse than Ryder. "Okay, okay. You're from a different universe. A universe where all those Greek myths are real. And you're the son of Poseidon."

Ryder blinked several times, slightly dazed and overwhelmed. He ran his fingers through his hair, slipping out of his chair as he hurried down the steps of the porch. He stopped in the middle of the yard, taking quick and short breaths to try and control himself. Sally glanced back at Loren with a mere frown. "This is why I couldn't tell him all these years. Ryder is a very displaced kid. Nervous all the time, held in on himself. He even goes to therapy." She stood up, shaking her head as she thought. "Help him." Hesitating for only a moment, Sally turned and slowly went into the house. Ryder was still in the yard, his hands tightly knitted behind his head, pacing back and forth as he mumbled incoherently.

Staying on the porch until I know Sally is gone, I jump down the steps and hurry to Ryder's side. I step in front of him, grabbing his shoulders to force him out of the pacing exercise. "Hey, Ryder? Ryder." He's mumbling things I can't grasp, or hear for that matter. It sounds like a random line of... Noises. I bite down hard on my lip, squeezing my eyes shut. "Ryder, focus, okay? I don't need you to have a total mental breakdown right now. Maybe later. We can schedule one if you really need it." I open my eyes, stepping closer to him until I feel his breaths on my skin. "Focus, please. You know now. Who you are and where you come from. But I need you to pay better attention than this." I slip my hands around him to pry his hands apart, dragging his arms to his sides. "And tell me what we're planning on doing with your Cyclops friend."

Slowly nodding, Ryder looked up at her, biting his bottom lip until he felt blood leak into his mouth. Immediately, the small pain there brought his mind back to Loren. "I don't know. I don't know what to do with a Cyclops!" He pulled away from Loren's hold, running the palms of his hands together as he sucked in sharp breaths. "This is crazy. I should be on medication. No, I already am. That wouldn't make a difference." He stopped his actions, looking back at Loren with a small smile. "I'm the son of a Greek god." With that, he collapsed onto the ground in a sitting position, running his fingers through the grass. "This is a lot to process. Especially when I thought the Greek mythology was just some religion some people in my universe followed. I didn't know that... That they could be anywhere near real."

"Well," I say, sitting down beside him, "son of Poseidon, they are real. Very, very real. And you're related to them." I nudge him shoulder and smile, picking at some shards of grass silently. "You know, knowing who your father is shouldn't be... This hard on someone. At least, I hope not." I wrap my arms around my legs and sigh. "My dad died a few years back. My little brother hardly knew him, so I don't think he knows what he's missing... And you, you had your step dad." I shake my head, not wanting to make this about myself, though I feel as if I am. "So, instead of listening to me ramble on for several more minutes, just... Be happy you know now."

Ryder lightly nodded, turning his head to look at Loren with a sigh. "So we just need to handle the killer Cyclops." He tugged out a few pieces of grass, but let them fall back into the yard as he stood up. He brushed off his hands on his pants, then turned to go towards the garage. This wouldn't be his smartest idea ever, but it was an idea nevertheless. Managing to control his breathing, Ryder typed in the code as the door to the garage slowly moved upward. The Cyclops was there, nearly thawed and looking more angry than before. Ryder took cautious steps inside, shadows lining his face and under his eyes. "Son of Poseidon? Did I hear that right?" The man, previously known as a waiter, grinned, his words sounding more like hisses.

I jump to my feet, running after Ryder quickly. And when he stops, I just about run into his back. "Oh, cool... Hissing. Nice..." I mumble, staying close to Ryder's side as I narrow my eyes at the Cyclops. "Though it really must suck to only have one eye. But hey, he's the son of Poseidon. One of the Big Three and the only Demigod in this universe. So, what sounds more impressive?" The Cyclops grunted, but refused to speak to me. Which I found rude. Sure. Talk to the Demigod.

Ryder grabbed Loren's hand, trying to step back with her as the Cyclops dragged itself forward. "Loren, you can't have small chat with it right now. I think this was a stupid idea." He admitted, moving back a few more steps until his back slammed against the front of his truck. He yelped, trying to duck as the Cyclops broke through the rest of the ice, rushing forward. Pulling Loren with him, Ryder slid down to the ground, feeling the hot metal and licence plate scratch at his back. He grinded his teeth together, slipped to the side and dragged Loren with him. "Come on," he mumbled, stumbling back to his feet to race through the yard.

I tighten my grip on Ryder's hand, letting him pull me through the yard until I notice the cuts down the back of his hoodie... And the blood that's visible through it. "Ryder!" I yell, wanting him to stop so I can look at it, though I know we have to keep moving. That ridiculous Cyclops seems to be in very good shape. Which bugs me. I make it in front of him, pulling on his arm to get further down the road. I swerve into a random building, dragging him through the doors and into what looked like a movie theater. No one payed any attention to us, but I continue pulling him towards a janitor's closet I pick out through the small crowds waiting in line. I don't wait for him to ask questions as I throw the door open, push him in, and rush in after. "Ryder, sit down and let me look at your back." I snap, shutting and locking the door.

"Wait, why? I feel-" Ryder broke off, a sharp pain immediately penetrating his adrenaline. He obeyed Loren, sitting down on an overturned bucket. "It was probably just from the car..." He muttered, slowly pulling off his tattered hoodie and tossing it to the ground. There was no use in wearing a torn up jacket. And there was no way they could stay here for very long. Not long enough for his injuries to be handle. "We should keep moving," Ryder suggested after a silent moment, just wanting to not be the one who Loren had her attention on. Or the one freak who could see the Cyclops without having to hold someone's hand.

"Shut up," I mutter, wandering until I was right behind him. I press my fingers gently to the first part of the wound. "Stay still. We're not going anywhere until you stop bleeding." I bite my lip, because his back actually looks... Horrible. Cuts everywhere, blood dripping, burn marks, scratches. "And I'm not sure when you'll stop doing that. Ryder, it looks awful." I whisper, walking back around so I am in front of him. I bite down on my lip so hard I can only assume it will start bleeding soon. So I stop and cross my arms. "We need to find help."

"We can't." Ryder said, staring at Loren with a frown. "My blood... My blood won't be normal, would it? I have the blood of... Of a god..." He trailed off, unsure of how to phrase everything and annoyed that it made him sound crazy. Dropping his head into his hands, he sighed heavily. "We'll take care of it later, Loren. Please. We... We need to keep going." He glanced up after a minute, then stood, taking a step towards her. "Please stop being nervous. It's making me more nervous." He smiled weakly, rubbing the back of his neck as he watched her. Yes, his back ached. But he ignored it entirely. Or really, really tried to. And it was incredibly hard. If it wasn't for his own nerves boiling and building up into adrenaline, he wouldn't have been able to stand on his two feet.

I wrap an arm around Ryder's waist gently, making sure to keep away from any of his injuries. "We'll be fine. Probably." I say lightly, blowing the hair out of my face as I smile weakly at him. I don't believe myself at all. How could I? I did add a 'probably' onto the end of that short comment of mine. And he is in fact bleeding. A lot. I pull the door open with my free hand, guiding him and myself through and into the lobby. Several people are watching us with a frown. I look over my shoulder back into the closet, then shut the door. "Forget about that hoodie of yours. It's totally wrecked." I mumble, trying to support him as best as I can manage. Which isn't much. I'm a weak person physically, and having him injured just makes me much, much more cautious of my every step. I don't want to break the guy.

Ryder glanced at Loren, wincing when he turned his shoulder by a fraction of an inch. It was still enough to remind him of his back. "Where are we going?" He mumbled, slipping his arm over her shoulders to try and make it easier on her. It wasn't that he couldn't walk on his own, it would probably just not be exceptionally safe. Or fast. His nerves were growing by the second, and every time he allowed his mind to drift away from the situation at hand, he felt overcome with drowsiness. And frankly, he didn't understand why that was so. He could remember skipping his pills that morning, and his mother being outraged when she found out. But didn't force him to take them. He couldn't remember why she didn't make him. Using his free hand, Ryder lifted it to his face and rubbed his eyes, allowing Loren to guide him practically blind through the lobby and out the doors. "I mean, I... I know I said... I know I said to go and... Go somewhere... Somewhere else. But I... I don't know where." He was stuttering, stumbling over his words. He shouldn't have thought about not taking the pills. It screwed his thoughts up even more.

I look at Ryder, nibbling on my lip. And I remember an old story I read. It was fiction, yes. But... He would technically just be fiction if that applied anymore. "Water. Water will heal you, right? Let's just get some water." I exclaim, practically thrilled by the idea of healing him. Seeing someone in pains bothers me. And especially if they're not thinking properly. And it doesn't seem like he's thinking right at all. I look at him again a moment later. "Are you tired, Ryder? You can't be tired, can you? I mean, why the hell would you be..." I trail off, not exactly knowing how to phrase whatever I'm thinking. I don't know what I'm thinking.

Even forcing his feet to stop moving took a lot. Ryder kicked his foot out, dragging his other like a dead weight. "Please... Just don't ask questions." He replied, pulling his arm away from her to skip backwards by several, unscheduled inches. Which hurt drastically. "Water is a good idea, though. Really good idea. I like it." He muttered, placing his hands on his knees as he bent over, trying to control his breathing. And that was much harder than he anticipated it would be. "Where would water be? Back in the movie theater?" He looked up at Loren, raising his eyebrows as he bit into his lip hard enough that the focus of his attention was off his back. And it wasn't working well enough. His attention would linger on one, then jot off to the other, only to return to the one before in seconds. It was a painful experience. Painful enough he had to force himself to stop biting his lip.

"Okay... Okay! Find some water before you collapse." I blurt out, abandoning him on the sidewalk to hurry into the theater. I'd probably have to buy a water, but I didn't really care. All that mattered was Ryder. Rushing to the counter, I slam my hands down, leaning over to spot the worker. He joined me in seconds. "What can I get ya?" He asks, smirking at me. I roll my eyes, nodding at the freezer. "Water. Just get me a water bottle." I already have a five dollar bill on the counter. He makes his way over, grabs one out, and hands it to me as I payed him. "Keep the change," I yell back to him as I run back to Ryder. I pull the cap off the water and some sloshes onto my hand. "Now what?"

Ryder snatched the water bottle from Loren's hands. Immediately, the water pooled up at the top, then spilled out. It laced itself up Ryder's arm, soaking the sleeve of his shirt as it made it's way to his back. The water felt all too cool, drenching the torn fabric. It seeped into his exposed skin until the cuts had faded into thin scars, then into nothing. He dropped the bottle, turning around to look at Loren with a small, helpless smile. "I think..." He started, tugging at his shirt lightly, "I need a new shirt. A new shirt would be kind of nice." He bit his lip, trying to look over his shoulder at the cuts in the dark blue fabric. He wished he still had that hoodie. That hoodie would at least cover up some of the mess, even if it was torn to bits itself.