Dressed in a tattered nightgown, Mrs. DeVries stumbled out of the bedroom, grunting incoherently. Her eyes looked glazed over, and her forehead looked a bit more pronounced. She showed no recognition as she began to advance on Zoe, who backed up toward Athena's bedroom, a bit freaked out.
"What...?" Athena said. She stumbled out as Zoe was backing up, and the two bumped into each other. "Mom?"
Whereas she seemed to be distrustful of Zoe, some primitive maternal instinct must have remained present, because she advanced on Athena, grabbing her, and holding her...rather uncomfortably, grunting.
"Athena...what the fuck is going on?" Zoe asked, as Mrs. DeVries cradled her best friend like a baby...and rather roughly for that...as if her motor control was not quite right.
"I don't know," Athena said, now wide-awake and trying to struggle out of her mother's grip. She did so. Her mother stumbled back into her bedroom.
Zoe turned on Athena's TV. "Repeating...Do not go outside. Do not let anyone into your home who has spent any time in the sun. Cover all windows and doors. Exposure to the sun for more than a few moments can cause permanent changes."
"My mom had those skylights and the picture window put in," Athena said..."She probably..."
The TV replayed the footage of one of their reporters... "...got bathed in those rays." She paused. "But that seems more like...magic."
