"I see you wrote poems about all of us,"

I sat up in bed to see Mel sitting cross legged at the foot of it and flipping through lose leaf pieces of paper.

"Well, I'm practically bed ridden and poems seem to be the only other thing I'm good at because of you people,"

Just a few days before, the whole warehouse terrorist debacle thing went down. I have been under what feels like house arrest for the entire time. I've been refused from school because they think I need time to cope. What had happened didn't faze me in the least, I'm completely numb to everything the Muses do. I've seen them kill before, and always brutally. Most of the time people have very little to provoke them or me. They really are just nine Greek psychos.

I wasn't even thought of as a suspect. They were certain someone like me couldn't have taken down all those armed men. And they're right, I could never do that. The Muses do it all the time though. All my father and sister remembered was the little boy who led them out, the two masled assailants who came in swinging, and the guitar girl.

"Isn't that good? Your writings are quite splendid," Receiving a compliment from Mel happened about as often as Hailey's Comet.

"No, you guys know I hate writing,"

"Then stop writing, imbecile,"

"I can't. I have a never ending supply of inspiration,"

She snap and pointed at me,"You are welcome,"

"I only like co- Thank you? Mel, all you do is tragic acting- I only like computers,"

I sat up. My bed head hung in tangles around my face, my mouth was dry, my eyes were watery. I hated mornings.

  "I hate everything, and everything seems to hate me," She commented without taking her eyes off the papers.

"Get out of my head, Mel," I groaned and laid back down.

"You know we can't,"

"Yep, I know. No privacy. Can't think one thought without one of you putting your two cents in,"

"Sounds like the government. They are watching your every step, waiting for you to mess up. That's when they strike,"

"They don't even know you exist,"

"Technically we don't, but it's still tragic,"

Melpomene, Muse of Tragedy. Always depressed and ready to make others feel the same. Others see her in a baggy gray hoodie with the hood up, jeans, and black sunglasses. Her hair is  dark brown and wavy, but her eyes are a mystery. I see her in a dark blue toga that has a deep dip in the front down to her belly button. The hoodie is actually a wreath and the sunglasses are the tragedy mask, so I have never seen her, or Thalia's, actual eyes.

"Your room is too bright," She told me while gazing at my walls.

"Is yellow not depressing enough for you?"

"It's too happy in general. Pinks and purples and yellows. Pictures and posters everywhere. Fluffy things," She cringed.

"Well, princess, excuse me for being the opposite of you,"

"You wouldn't want something...tragic... to happen to it, would you?" Mel turned to me and smiled darkly to me.

I sprung up,"You wouldn't," I narrowed my already narrow eyes at her.

"You know if one doesn't give off the luck and inspiration, none of us can,"

"I can't just change my room, Melpomene,"

She crawled towards me,"You will, or your perfect life won't be so perfect anymore,"

"My poem about you is spot on,"

"Which part?"

"All of them, especially when I said you try to sway me to be like you,"

"But you also called my less annoying than the rest. Thank you, Meredith,"

"No prob, but you know I only listen to Clio,"

"Malarkey. You worship Calliope,"

I shrugged,"She makes the magic happen,"

"I can make things happen too. Don't test me," She pushed me back and crawled on top of me. She held something to my throat again.

"One of Euterpe's strings? Be careful, Mel, you might cut yourself," I sneered.

"I'll make this room glisten with your blood," She hissed to me.

"Melpomene," A warning tone rang out,"Don't even think about abandoning your post," Clio was over sitting on my dresser, also reading from what I wrote.

"But I'm so sad and useless," She whined and dropped the whole tough guy act," I'm the weakest of the nine. I just want something for my own," She starting sniffling and curled up into a ball.

"Oh, Mel," I say sympathetically and reached for her.

"Don't. You'll just enable her. Don't give her the attention," Clio's monotone voice spoke again and I retracted my hand.

"The attention whore not getting attention? That is quite tragic," Calliope stood with her arms crossed and staring out the large window just south of my bed.

Mel sat up,"Ugh, no wonder Uri stabbed you,"

"That degenerate did that because he's too simple minded to talk out his problems to me,"

"Let's not forget you don't even listen to him, Calli,"

"You're proclaiming once again, Clio," She argued.

"They don't call me the proclaimer for nothing, chief,"

The tragic one turned back to me,"Did you really mean what you said about me becoming a drug addict?" Mel asked me.

I shrugged again,"Depressed people turn to that. And then once you become it, you'll sway me to be like you. That could be dangerous,"

"She called me a harlot in mine," Ato spoke up. She was leaning on my vanity and sipping her usual wine.

"You have sex with everything that walks, slut," Calli sneered as she continued to stare out the window.

"Excuse me for being such a wanted item,"

"Wanted? I'm pretty sure you raped a guy,"

In an attempt to stop that confrontation, Clio shared about his poem,"She called me ruthless, evil, and manipulative,"

"Seriously? Clio? Evil?" Ato asked aloud.

"Yes!"I exclaim,"You guys may not see it but he's always changing me to fit what he wants. And I do it too. I've grown dependent,"

"What about you, Calli?" Mel asked.

"I don't know. I never got a poem,"

"I'm working on it. I don't have Polly or Euterpe yet either,"

"Are you saying Urania got a poem before I did?"

"Don't be too upset," Attention turned on Uri standing in front of the door," She called me a freak, lazy, selfish, greedy, an asshole, untrustworthy, irresponsible, weird looking, weak, impulsive, hated by everyone else, also completely insulted my personality, and said the only thing I'll ever love is my birthmark cause that's the only thing that will love me back,"

"You do spend a lot of time admiring it," Calliope commented.

I grimaced,"Yeah, and it's always when you're in my bathtub. Stop that,"

"But it's so great. Look at it!" He dramatically ripped the  orange toga open for us to see the sun shaped mark on his shoulders, chest, and torso. I have a theory that he has it because the sun is apart of the universe he loves to study so much,"As a matter of fact, I'm going to go admire it right now," He chirped and skipped off to the bathroom.

"And I gotta go to a doctor. I think I caught something," Ato admitted and walked off.

"Can Muses catch diseases?" I aimed the question towards Calli.

"They can when they spread their legs for anything with a pulse," Was her expected response.

Mel let out a loud groan and fell back onto the wall,"Host, get the tyrant to leave. She may be the chief but she's not one of the original three,"

"Neither are you!" Clio butt in,"You know how the order goes. You're fourth, Melpomene,"

I call it the Ranks. They all didn't show up at the same time together. They all showed their human bodies when I was a young child, all days apart. Rank 1st to 9th: Clio, Thalia, Terpsichore, Melpomene, Polyhymnia, Calliope, Erato, Euterpe, Urania. And for some reason, they think the order they showed up means how powerful they are.

"Now I wanna stab you," Mel said as she glared to Calliope.

"Why? You're not Uri. I know you look up to him, but you don't have to copy what he does," Calli told her.

Still with his focus on his scroll, Clio put Calli in her place,"Please, Calliope, stop trying to act so perfect. Every other day Polly has to hold you back from going on a rampage until we squid you up. And let's not forget how you would torture both Mel and Thalia," Clio's voice was not one of a little boy, it was much lower. Clio will always be a wise adult in a child's body.

"Oh, come on, it's not like they could feel anything," Calli argued. She kept standing right there in the window for some reason and I had no clue why.

"Gosh, I remember that. Everyday for a week at eleven at night you would drag them off to do that. And every time I would have to get out of bed and go with Polly to stop you," I reminisced,"God, you guys are all just so...I don't know...stupid?" I felt anger towards them all.

"It's a chain reaction, Meredith," Clio explained,"Uri has just reacted more than all of us,"

Calli went on further, "Makes sense. Euterpe was bullying you, so he drilled a hole in her cheek,"

"And that idiot started a fist fight with Polly. Who would seriously be dumb enough to do that?" Mel added.

Calli shook her head,"All because she tried to ride Xerxes,"

"Okay, Calli, I gotta ask: why won't you move away from the window?" I questioned.

She held her finger up,"Just wait,"

"Wait for what?"

As soon as I asked, my window shattered and shards of  glass flew everywhere. Mel immediately sprung to shield me. I saw Calliope flail her arms out and fall backwards. I heard a gunshot, then a second, and with shattering glass to go with it. I heard the sharp screech of tires and someone peeling off in a hurry.

I panicked and lept to Calliope. She jumped up with nothing less of a flesh wound right between her eyes. Clio hopped off the dresser and a portal was opened for him and the other two. They disappeared.

I stayed there on the ground in shock. I was frozen, I couldn't move except for my shaking hands. Was that an assassination attempt? Then I remembered Dad and Shali!

They raced into my room and ran to me on the floor. Shali wrapped me in a hug and soon did Dad.

"W-w-what was that?" I managed to stutter out.

"Those extremist bastards coming to finish us off," Dad answered.

My head was against Shali's chest and I could feel how fast her heart was beating too.

"I'm calling the police right now. This has got to end now," He took out his phone.

"Dad, something isn't right," Shali said,"They shot three times at three different windows and immediately left. None of us were in front of windows. If they were really trying to kill us, wouldn't they of waited until they could see us die?"

"M-m-maybe they s-saw something they thought were us. Were the shades drawn at each window?"

Shali nodded and answered,"Yeah, on all three,"

"They could of seen something they thought was us,"

Dad shook his head,"But that doesn't make any sense, Meredith,"

Shali loosened her grip on me and turned her head all around to examine the room,"Dad, I don't see a bullet anywhere. It doesn't even look like anything was hit besides the window,"

Dad got the same look on confusion on his face,"You're right. Go check downstairs while I call the police,"
They both left me alone in my room.

Calliope, Erato, and Urania walked in as soon my dad and sister walked out. They all stood single file smiling at me. I ran to them and wrapped my arms around them all and they embraced me back.

We parted and I had tears forming in my eyes,"That save was even better than last time. You guys really will do anything for me. But why didn't you tell me that would happen?"

Calliope answered,"Because then they would of stalked you. If we didn't get it over with. They would of waited for a time you guys were actually vulnerable,"

"And if we told you it would of just been delayed," Ato finished.

"But if you told me, then I could of called the cops and then they would be in custody," I brought up.

"Don't worry, they'll get what's coming to them," Urania hinted,"I rigged their meth lab to blow at just the right time," Quite the hint.

"That's my bomber, but stop doing that other places. That's the reason for such accusations in the first place.  Thanks for getting shot for me, Calliope,"

"Thank Ato, she's the one who posed as you. I was Shali, I'm way too tall to be you,"

"Thank you, all three of you. You may threaten to hurt me and actually hurt me, but I would be dead without you. And, Ato, I guess the doctor thing was all a ruse and you don't have an STD?"

"Oh no, I definitely have herpes. I don't need a doctor to tell me that,"

Mel gingerly walked through the door,"Oh, Melpomene," I went and hugged her.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever. Got shards of glass in me, but as long as you're okay," That snark ass.

I had suddenly remembered something,"The bullets! I'm gonna need those for evidence,"

Calliope shrugged,"Sorry, host, they already healed over,"

"Damn. Now how is this going to be explained?"

Mel piped up,"I think you should consult the gun expert,"

Thalia came storming into my room holding a hand gun and examining it closely,"Dus' is the type a gun they was usin'. It's the M1911. Seems ta' be original. Seven rounds a 45 ACP. The shape a-"

"Just give me three bullets," I hurried her along.

"Jus' give ya' the bullets? Now dus' dumber than a blonde at a spellin' bee!"

"Ugh, thank you, Thalia," Calliope huffed.

Urania goes,"I don't get it,"

"If ya' wat' incriminating evidence, your gonna have ta' recreate the scene. Oi'll go and shoot inta' ya' room from the street,"

"Thalia, you can't do that!" I shout and then realize my Dad and Shali could probably hear me.

"Don't worry. Oi'll use a silencer," She went to walk out of the room, but a child almost as tall as her stopped her.

"I would not advise a trigger happy idiot like yourself to create any more havoc than what has all ready been done," He stood confidently in front of her with his hands folded behind his back.

She looked down on him intimatingly,"Step aside, short stuff," She pushed him out of the way, but I couldn't let a trigger happy moron ruin things either.

I ran in front of the soon to legally be midget,"Clio is right. You're not doing it. I won't let you," I crossed my arms over my chest.

"Oh, dear, sweet, Mary. Oi' would never hurt ya',"

"I know. You're one of the good ones,"

"Dus' right, but I will let the others do it,"

She stepped to the side and I saw Ato swishing her wine around in its glass and Calliope glaring. Urania kept his focus on the floor. He never harms me either, but he still wouldn't interfere with the others plans.

"Scars don't look sexy on a girl, host," Ato said in a low voice.

"Guys, is this really that big of a deal that you need to hurt me for it?" I ask. They could probably smell my fear.

Calliope and Ato's faces both dropped and contorted into something less scary.

"Huh. It's really not," Calliope admitted.

"Can we still cut her?" Mel asked from behind Ato.

"If you do, my strings will slice through you like a paper shredder," Euterpe came and stood in front of me with her double flute in her hand and her black and white guitar on her back.

Terpsichore took up space beside Calliope,"My rope will be around your neck before the first string is strummed, punk,"

In front of the door stood Clio, Eu, Polly, and Uri blocking me from Mel, Calli, Terp, and Ato on the other side. Thalia stood alone in the middle.

"Oy. What have oi' done?" Thalia slumped her shoulders.

"We are not having another Muse war," I pushed my way past Polly and Clio,"If you wanna go shoot through the windows, fine. I don't care anymore. Just don't be seen,"

Euterpe disagreed,"Are we giving up that easily?" She asked with much sass.

I sighed and rubbed my eyes,"Eu, I really, really don't care,"

Eu was never one to start a confrontation with another Muse. She would just sit there with her feet up and playing her flute, totally unaware of anything else that was happening. That's why I found it extremely out of character when she lept for Thalia's gun.

She flat out dove to grab it. She gripped the ginger's hand and knocked her to the ground. Her arm flew backwards and the gun slammed into the wall, creating a hole. Uri reacted and tried to pull Eu up by the shoulders, but he was body slammed out of the way by Mel. She wrapped her arms around Eu's skinny waist and pulled her off of her best friend. Polly forced Mel off her and threw her into my vanity mirror.

All my things on it flew off and onto the floor. I was in a complete panic because there was no way Dad and Shali couldn't hear that and I knew they would show up any minute. I looked to Clio to do something, who looked to Calliope, who looked back to me.

The gun went off and my ears rang. Everyone paused. The bullet ricocheted around my room. First it hit my metal bed post, then my lamp, then radiator, and finally my arm.

"Ahhh!" I screamed and gripped my arm. Polly covered my mouth and Calliope held my nose. No sound was coming out of me. The pain was even worse than the wine. I lifted my shaking hand up and saw it was covered completely in blood.

I looked over to see Thalia holding the gun still in the air. I knew behind that mask was a look of apathy,"You said oi' could shoot,"

We heard footsteps racing up the steps and everyone immediately scattered. Polly lifted me into my bed and she and Calli went invisible. Polly laid me down and covered me in the blankets and sheets, all while Caliope was still holding my nose and blocking my mouth. Tears streamed down my face but all I felt now was anger. Thalia was gonna pay.

Calli got in the bed with me while Polly sat at the edge,"Hurry," Polly told Calli,"They're almost here.

Calli closed her eyes and I closed mine. She placed her hands over my bullet wound and breathed steadily.

"Come on!" Polly whisper yelled.

Too late.

"We heard a gun shot! Are you okay? What happened?" Shali started screaming.

Dad ran to the window,"Did they come back? Are you hurt? What happened?"

Shali sat me up before Calli could finish her healing process. Blood caked my right arm and tears masked my face. The wound wasn't as bad as before but it definitely looked like I got shot.

"Oh my god!" My dramatic sister shouted,"Dad, she was shot!"

"We have to get you to the hospital, now!" He pulled the rest of the covers off and stood me up.

"No! I'm fine," I say stupidly.

"Fine? You're shot. Why were you even in bed?" Shali asked.

"I thought I could sleep it off?"

I sat in the hospital on a gurney for what felt like forever before the surgeon came in. Apparently I wasn't in critical enough condition for immediate attention. I had no opportunity for Calli to heal me quickly, so I had to go into a whole operation.

The surprisingly young doctor laid me back,"Okay, this shouldn't take very long at all. The nurse already gave..."

I completely tuned him out when I saw Erato walk into the curtain offed room.  I looked back to the doctor to see if he noticed and he didn't. At least she was smart enough to stay unseen.

She got right up to the doctor"s face and observed him. He remained unaware and kept his gaze to the clipboard,"He's cute," She commented,"I wonder if he'll exam me," She winked to me, but I remained silent,"At least talk to me in your head,"

"I told you guys to stay out of my head,"

"Yeah, well for moments like these it can come in handy. Also with getting handy-"

"Don't wanna hear it,"

"Look at him! He looks like a soap opera doctor,"

He was quite attractive. I'm a sucker for blondes.

"See, he's just your type," She snickered.

I snapped out of it when he asked,"Do you have any questions?" I shook my head,"Great, let's start the procedure,"

For an hour my arm was dug into with metal prongs and junk. I was doped up on whatever was in the IV and couldn't feel a thing. Doc told me I had to stay bandaged up for a while and clean it so it wouldn't get infected. I knew as soon as I got home I would just have Calli work her magic.

I walked into the waiting area to see my family with three police officers. I almost stopped when I saw them. How do I explain this? I hate lying and I'm terrible at it, but the truth wasn't an option either.

Dad sat me down and the officer with the far apart eyes took the seat across from me,"Hello, I'm officer Clemont, we have some questions we would like to ask you, Meredith. Is that okay?"

I sat very awkwardly with my arms straight on the arm rests and my body stiff and slightly leaned back,"Sure," I answered very unsurly.

"How's your arm?" He asked kindly.

"You know," Polly's unexpected voice beside me make me flinch,"I kinda always wanted to become a cop,"

Clemont shot me a look consisting of pursed lips and foreward eyebrows,"Are you alright?" He asked.

I swallowed hard and nodded my head. I looked around to see the other officers questioning Shali and Dad. I wondered what they had to say.

"I tried you help, you know," Polly continued while messing carelessly with her nails.

"Polyhymnia, shut up," I thought aggressively.

"Did you happen to catch a glimpse of who shot you?"

Polly answered for me,"Red hair, chubby, midget sized,"

"No."

"Want me to take care of this guy, host?"

"No!" I shouted.

Half the people in the smelly waiting area turned to face me. I put my head down.

"I heard you, I heard you. Were you standing in front of the window when you were shot?"

"Haha, nope, she was not,"

"Yes. I'm trying to listen here of you don't mind,"

" If that thou hast the gift of strength, then know
Thy part is to uplift the trodden low;
Else in a giant's grasp until the end
A hopeless wrestler shall thy soul contend,"

"This isn't the time for your self hatred,"

"We found a gun discarded in the grass across the street from your home. We are almost positive it was the weapon used. Currently it is at a lab being checked for prints. We should have the results in a couple of days," He stood up,"Is there anything you feel you need to tell me?"

Polly chuckled,"Um, yeah, how about I know who the shooter is?"

"No, I don't,"

"Then I'll leave you alone. Hope you get better soon," He tipped his hat to me and walked off to go talk to Dad.

Shali came and sat down next to me,"Hey, kid, how are you doing?" She asked kindly and begun to stroke my hair.

I have always loved my sister. Mom has been away a lot of my life and she's kind of like a second mother to me. She had my Mom's fairer skin and curly hair, opposite of me, really,"I'm doing okay. I just need to use the bathroom real quick," I stood up quickly and walked down the white corridor into the bathroom.

I pushed the door open with much angered force and swiftly entered. I looked to see if anyone was in the bathroom with me. I was alone.

"Thalia, show yourself," I demanded in a firm voice.

"Oi'm sorry, kid. You know oi' didn't mean to shoot ya'"

I spun around and she was leaning on the wall in front of the door,"You planted the gun? Why did you do that?"

"So now they can definitely say it was an attempted murder," Was her response.

"Oh, it was an attempted murder, alright,"

"Involuntary," She quickly corrected.

"What if they find prints?"

"Don't got em'"

"Where did you get the gun? You must of gotten it from somebody,"

"Magic, kid, we are magic," She took out a pipe and lit it up.

Still infuriated at her, I strode to her and grabbed the pipe out of her hand. I licked it all around the tip and shoved it back in her hands.

"You cac! How could you?!" She shouted and stepped towards me.

"How could you shoot me? Huh?"

She reached behind her to and pulled out that wooden bat,"You know bout' me fear of germs! Lick this!" She swung the bat and I ducked just in time. The weapon hit the mirror and it spider webbed but didn't break. I rushed to step back and she raised the bat again,"Oi' feel that Euterpe is ta' blame ere'!"

I fell back onto the floor and looked up to see a terrifying sight above me; a creepy, smiling, sunken eyed, midget about to break my skull. I never realized how freaky the comedy mask really was. I braced myself.

The bat slammed down, but it missed me. It hit right between my legs, well, a piece of it. Sections of the bat fell all around me with a clunk. It was severed.

I looked back up to see Euterpe with a stone cold look on her face. She had her guitar in hand.

"My bat!" Thalia shouted.

"Um, my bat," Balancing herself on top of one of the stalls was Mel; the real owner of the bat. She didn't seem to be too concerned about it though.

"What happened to never hurting me, Thalia, hmm?" I questioned with much attitude.

The comedic Muse let out a small laugh,"Germs make me do crazy things. I'm okay now," She sighed in relief and walked out of the door.

Eu held her hand out to me and helped me up off the ground,"You better leave," She told me.

"Thanks, Eu, I owe you one," I told her as I walked out the door.

"You owe me a lot!" I heard her yell to me.

I went down a crowded hallway, feeling better that everything was somewhat, not really settled.

Clio caught up to me,"You're going the wrong way,"

I stopped dead and looked up at the directions on the wall. I saw that the waiting room was to the left of the bathroom and not the right,"Ah, Clio, what would I ever do without you?" I ruffled his combed hair and began the other way.

"Probably just get lost," He answered and straightened his hair back out,"Despite being the Muse of Comedy, Thalia isn't very funny,"

"She's not even funny when she is trying. How did she end up so pathetic? And Erato. She was flirting with my doctor during my surgery,"

He flicked his wrist at me," I'm sure so it was that she felt more comfortable. She's afraid of hospitals. And also, you're one to talk about being pathetic. Your best friend is a little kid,"

I "ah-ah-ah-ed" him,"My best friend is an old man in a little kid's body,"

"Old man?"

"You act like it,"

"Let's not forget that you are in pajamas,"

I grinded to a halt again and looked down at my attire; striped pink flannel,"Ah, it's a hospital, they'll understand,"

I felt the familiar wave of sleepiness overcome my body. My pace slowed to a leazurly drag and I felt my shoulders and head sink with each step. Nurses rushed past me to the sound of flat lines and patients just shoved right on past. Why always when something new and exciting was happening? Why when I never had a place to sleep peacefully?

I managed to drag my exhausted body back to the waiting room and slumped down into a cushioned chair. And under I went.

I woke up in the car with my face planted against the window. A blob of steam formed where I breathed. It was afternoon time then. Dad was driving and Shali resided in the passenger side. She was on the phone talking to someone, mostly likely Ainsley, her girlfriend.

"Meredith, are you awake?" I faintly heard my Dad calling.

I cleared my throat,"Uh, yeah, I'm up," I sat up and stretched slightly, wondering who carried me into the car.

"Well, when we get home, we have to start packing," He told me cautiously while looking at my reflection in the front mirror.

"Packing for what?" I ask in my usual hoarse voice.

"The police said it would be best if we switch towns for a while, until this all blows over, or until they can catch whoever is doing this, because they said they will most likely not let up. They said they have an apartment open for us whenever we are ready," He explained.

"That doesn't sound too bad, actually," I responded.

"I haven't gotten to the bad part; you'll have to switch schools," He paused and I could see the look on his face in the mirror. He expected a blow out.

"Okay," I stated simply.

"What about your friends?"

"I'll make new ones," The only friends I actually had also happen to be my bullies. I never had time for interaction with actual humans, or because of the Muses always somehow ruined relationships. They were the reason I was almost thrown into a loony bin when I was younger. I always complained about hearing voices and seeing people that weren't there. They passed it off as imaginary friends and I learned to keep my mouth shut.

I wasn't worried about the extremists finding and hurting us. There was no way they could. I was actually quite glad about it all.

Mel appeared next to me on the leather seats,"The new room better be depressing,"