Chapter 16

 

         By TurtleBoy

 

            Horror over ran me, fear of the night before chilled my very soul.  What had happened?  Had I some how managed to sneak out in some form of wakeful dream, or was everything just coincidental?  It was impossible; there was no way this could have really happened.  James would have noticed my absence.  Wouldn’t he?  As my mind raced the burning on my back became more intense.   I could feel the blood struggle past its influence.  Like it was slowed at its passing, accompanied by a tingling sensation which was throbbing further and further across my body; like a rapidly growing vine.  I felt my face grow flush and beaten red.  Yet a coolness swept over me which caused an uncomfortable sweat.


            James seemed uninterrupted by my restlessness.  He just held my hand throughout the movie in a calm silence, with out once letting go.  The movie ended, I couldn’t remember a single scene.  I could still only feel the mystery on my back.  The lights slowly turned back on, and the few people present began to exit the theatre.  James remained seated next to me.  A worried look crossed his face as he noticed my current state.  I could not see straight, the world was blurred around me with an off set spin.  My stomach was twisted and tangled and I could not for the life of me raise to my feet.

 
            With a quick hug, and a gentle nudge; James helped me to my feet.  He led my slowly out the theatre and directly to that rest rooms.  Sitting me down in one of the facility cubicles, he ran to soak some paper towels to calm my nerves and wipe the sweat from my body.  Upon his return he closed the door behind him and removed my shirt.  His gentle hands sponged the moist, cool toilettes across my brow and than chest.


“Geeze Adrian you look horrid.  Why didn’t you tell me you were sick?”  He questioned in a fearful concern.


“I… love  …   you.”  Was all I could manage.  The pain was increasing, and my thoughts were tainted with blackness.  James leaned in and hugged me the most warm comforting hug easing my body briefly.


“I love you too Adrian.  Can you wait here for a moment I need to call your parents to come get us.”


            With out waiting for an answer he got up and left me there.  I was alone, more alone than I had ever thought.  It felt as if my bones were being crushed and grinded inside me, the sweat became heavier as my mind wandered into the depths of the blackness.  The burning sensation was becoming more intense and spreading throughout my body.  There it was; the same feeling as I recalled from the previous night.  It was the feeling of power.  I could feel the need for more of this pain.  I wanted it more than anything I had wanted before.  With every horrific surge, I felt stronger and more accepting to the pain.  It was at that point I became scared.  What ever this was it was consuming me, destroying my thoughts and all that made me who I am.  I gripped my hands into the feeble walls beside me and clutched into them with all my strength.  I had to fight this.  If last night was even partially real, than what ever was happening was not good.  And the feelings being told to me were not real.  With more concentration then I had ever been able to summon before, I steadied my breathing and forced my self to remain intact with my soul.


            Moments later James returned with the most horrified look on his face I had ever seen on any ones face.  My surroundings were tainted red, James how ever remained the same; apart from a bluish glow beaming off body.  It taunted my sickness, as the glow seemed to grow and pulsate against me.  This couldn’t be real.  It was right out of one of those cheesy Saturday morning cartoons.  Non the less what ever was happening was diminishing the influence that had consumed me.  With every breathe I felt myself become more and more myself.

            Tears rolling down both our faces nothing was said, James dropped to his knees throwing his arms around me.  I could smell his fear and felt his pain.  It was that which ended my own.  Soon all that filled me was the scent of not too fruity, not too perfumey.  The feeling of this beautiful person which had just help me return to the real world, warmed my heart.  I was me again.


“What’s.. happening to you…?”  James cried.

 
“I don’t know.”  I sniffled, feeling the tears roll off my face and watching them drop on top of James head.

 
            Nothing else was said.  My parents rushed in and drove us both home.  I was sent to bed, and James was sent home.  The rest of the day was a blur.  I remember mother pacing back and forth in the hall outside my room.  Than a doctor, my dad holding my mom out in the hall.  Than I remember James placing a kiss on my forehead.  Than there was nothing.

            It was morning.  The birds were chirping outside, and the sun was beating down brightly.  I could smell something which lured me to my feet.  Feeling great, I hopped myself downstairs into the kitchen.  I was instantly greeted by my mothers embrace.  She wrapped her arms around me tighter than she had done ever before.  I just smiled and returned the hug.


“Morning moms.”  I smiled.  She removed herself from me, wearing a huge smile.


“Morning,”  she seemed a little distant now, “You feeling better?”


“Yea, I feel great.”  I assured her, with only vague memory of yesterday’s drama.


“That’s good.  You had us worried… again.  It seems ever since we moved here you’ve had non stop problems.”  She started.

 
“It’s all coincidence mom.”  I smiled sitting down at the table.


The scent of something amazingly good filled my lungs, subconsciously glancing down and taking a couple of pieces of whatever it was, threw it in my mouth.  It was an instant shock to the system, I could feel what ever this was fill my jaw and flow through out my veins.  What ever nutrients were inside this delectable treat my body had decided to waste no time absorbing them to my system hehehe.  The flavour was indescribable, I couldn’t get enough  I couldn’t restrain my self, I kept grabbing the stuff and tossing it in my mouth as fast as humanly possible.   It was at that point that I stopped, dropping the morsel from my hand back down to the table.  I felt my stomach grow sick, and my eyes water.  There sitting on the table before me, was several pieces of cut and cubed raw meat.

 
Jumping from my seat and stepping back I ran from the table to the fridge to speedily guzzle down some juice.  My mom scalded me at my lack of the use of a cup, but at that moment her words meant nothing, sorry mom.

 
“I’m gonna grab a shower ma, call me when lunch is ready.”  I quickly excused my self, and bolted for my room.

 
            Closing the door behind me, I stopped and looked around.  The room had that tint of red again, and the birds had stopped chirping.  There was an eerie silence about everything.  All that could be heard was the beating of my own heart.  I felt myself grow anxious, my breathing increased to a near panic as I could feel the burning within my self once again begin to take over.  I dropped to my knees and cradled the floor.  I forced a couple of dry heaves in hopes of expelling the remnants of my breakfast.  Nothing worked, my body as it would seem did not care to part with it.  My body throbbed and quivered.  My eyes concentrated on my hands which were gripped firmly into the carpet; my veins were darker and larger than they once were.  Seemingly growing to the point where they appeared as if they would burst.

 
            My heart pumped more and more of the blood that no longer felt like my own.  As the pain increased, and I felt my very being begin to change.  The grinding of my own bones began to comfort me, as I soon found myself welcoming the pain once more.  That is when it starts.  My muscles began to pulsate, increasing to a rigged vibration.  My finger tips had torn through the carpet, and were now scratching against the bare wooden floors.  In a panic I raised to my feet and forced myself to the bath room.  Even though the world was tainted red in my eyes, my surrounding seemed more vivid and detailed than I had ever noticed before.


            Slamming the bathroom door shut I turned on the shower and forced myself inside.  Even the water burned;  it felt as if it were going to corrode my very flesh right off my body.  The world began to spin as I fell to the shower floor.  My heart had sped up to the point where I could no longer keep up with it.  I gave in and allowed what ever was going to happen… happen.

 
            I awoke in near convulsions, the cold was unbearable.  Struggling to gain enough control I rolled my way out of the shower, and onto the floor.  I pulled myself into a ball on top of the shower mat, forcing myself to stay awake.  I couldn’t quite move, but knew if I didn’t I’d pass out and that didn’t seem like a good idea.  With what seemed like forever, and in the company of all my strength I pulled my self off the floor and on to the side of the tub.  Reaching for a towel hung on the rack beside me and wrapping it around me, I once again festered as much energy as I could to try and get to my room.  The whole world was spinning and my heart was now slower than it had ever been before.  I could feel myself wobble from side to side, as I carefully made my way through the door of the bathroom to the door of my bedroom.

            Half way there I realized I was still wearing my clothes, which were soaked with the cold liquid that had plagued my body.  Slowly I managed to peel off my shirt and pants before reaching my room, as soon as my door was closed I got rid of the rest.  Dropping to my bed I peeled the covers over me until I could hopefully once again co-exist with my body.

 
            It wasn’t long before the cold had nearly subsided.  As the energy I had from this morning gladly took its place, I felt my spirits lift; I had once again controlled whatever it is that was happening to me.  However if it happens again, cold water is not the favoured option, hehehe.  Jumping up out of bed, I tossed on some old sweats and a tattered t-shirt.  After collecting all my wet clothes and tossing them down the laundry shoot, I slid on some clean socks, and slid down the stairs for some lunch.

 
“Wow, that was a record breaker.”  Said Mom.


“I know…  it was relaxing.  Is lunch ready?”  I inquired with a smile.

 
“No, but dinner will be in a few minutes.  You didn’t wake up until two.  I tried to tell you earlier, but you ran off to fast.”  She explained with a smile, but seemed worried in tone.

 
“Oh, wow.  My whole day is thrown off haha.”  I giggled in a bit of confusion.


“Well, go wash up and watch some TV, I’ll call you when it’s ready.”

 
“Ummm, I just did wash up mom….” 

 
“Oh right, well ok than, wasn’t that easy?”  She smiled once more, but it still seemed forced.

 
“Yea,”  I trailed off, and left for the living room to see what was on.


            Dinner was awkward and silent.  Dad was half asleep, Mom was off in some world of worry, and I was hungrier than I could ever remember being in all my life.  I finished two helpings, along with half the roast.  It was weird, not even a stupid wise crack at my appetite.  That would usually be a must, but not today.  Something was different something wasn’t being told to me.  I would have asked, but judging by the way they were both acting; questions weren’t going to get me very far.  I excused myself from the table and decided on a nice walk to clear my head.


            I contemplated asking James along but going by the way things were today, I just really needed to be alone for a while.  Things were changing, not just little things; but things that were larger than anything anyone could fathom.  I headed off in the direction opposite to town.  I figured the trees would be more comforting than the eerie feel of Oakpoint.  Crossing the street towards the park across from my house, I travelled along the side of the road which exited the barriers of town.  After a while the street lights had run out.  There was now nothing but darkness, which was fine it suited my mood.  It was weird venturing in the black of night with nothing to light your path but the moon.  God, the sky was so beautiful.  It was hard to believe how many stars were actually out there.  They were so bright and the numbers were overwhelming.  Amazing how only a few scattered street lights can block this wondrous beauty.  The moon was full; nearly blue in colour.  It had the most amazing detail scattered across it.  The sky in the country is nothing like the one I was familiar with.  The pure vividness of the sky, the largeness of everything.  It’s the kind of thing all good stories come from, this undeniably is the inspiration or most peoples imaginations.  Makes you truly believe that in all that space, there has to be something else out there.

 
            I found myself in the most comforted mindsets I had been in for as far back as I can remember.  Not like being with James, that was different and undeniably incomparable to anything.  This was freedom, a sense of actual belonging.  Something I had never before felt in any of my homes.  Something I definitely didn’t achieve in Oakpoint.  But this makes everything worth while.

 
            It was than I realized I had ventured away from the road.  I was surrounded by trees no more than 30 feet from where I stood.  There was a narrow path off to the side which seemed to be throwing some kind of luring light.  Maybe a fire of some sorts.  It was definitely luring enough to peak my curiosity.  I had to investigate.  There was no way I could just ignore this.  The light was comforting and the smells being released from the area were intoxicating.  I felt just like Tucan Sam hehehe.  The grass was tall, with no path to ease my step.  So with some frustrating detours, and a little compromise I found my way to the parting trees.  Peering threw I could see the flames reaching more than ten feet high.  Sparks were being tossed out into the sky; someone must have been chucking more logs into it.  I cautiously crept closer to the warm glowing fire.  But to my surprise the closer I got to the flames, the more I was convinced that no one was around.  Where had they gone?  Did I startle them?


            I stood in front of the fire glaring with need; into the flames.  The smells were stronger than before, but I couldn’t place the scent.  Venturing slowly around the blazing fire, a structure stood only steps from the fire.  It couldn’t be.  This wasn’t real.  Was it possible that I was asleep again?  There was no way this was actually happening.  I felt my heart speed once more, and a cold sweat cross my brow.  Mixture of disbelief, excitement and fear flooded through me all at once.  There it stood as if picked right from my head.  The blackened stone structure I had dreamt about.  It wasn’t true to what I had seen.  This real life oddity was covered in moss and shrubs.  But the build was that of the same.  The circular shape narrow entrance, the two posts over the well.  The similarity was unreal.  I approached the stones against my better judgment, raising my right hand to clean off some of the moss.


            As I did so, I could feel my body shiver and begin to tingle.  The moss fell off without effort, almost immediately the stone began to accumulate a shine.  Perfect to the one I saw in my dream.  I watched as the stones began to glimmer, the moss slowly fell to the ground.  It seemed almost to be an electrical current surging through it.  But it wasn’t as vigorous as that.  It was more subtle and calm.   Things soon progressed, the stones began to glow and eerie shade of blue, while the pulses of electricity grew stronger.   I couldn’t help myself, it was like I was no longer in control and this was no longer real.  I found myself walking towards the two posts.  My hands reached for them, placing a hand on either one.  Looking up the giant full moon shone brightly over the structure, seemingly directly above it.  Maybe that was what was making the stones react so strangely.   The dark can do weird things to people.  It was than it hit me, the times didn’t add up.  From the time I left to now, this was impossible.  I left after dinner, it was five; the sun was high in the sky.  This couldn’t be real, it was too dark.  Too late at night.  I wouldn’t even have gone this way at this time.  How had I not noticed before?  From almost the instant I crossed the street from my house I remember it being dark.  Yet it didn’t register.


            The fear shot through my body, alarming my senses.  I felt that pain once again trigger in my back.  It burned and sent a tingly sensation down my spine.  My head hurt, but when I tried to cradle it with my hands my body would not respond.  My arms seemed to be glued to this obstruction.  Again my heart was racing.  My blood pumped thicker, and my veins began to swell.  I felt my muscles begin to spasm; that is when I knew what was next.  I raised my head to the stars as the tears rolled down my cheeks, than clutched my fingers into the posts.  It had begun, my bones felt as if they were shifting and grinding into powder at the same time.  I watched the world go from its wondrous shade of blues and greens, slowly but inevitably the world turned to the tainted red I was expecting.  It was than everything seemed clear.  I was meant to be here, times didn’t even apply to this moment.  An opportunity was chosen, and somehow I lead myself here.

 
            The pain was almost unbearable now, it was as if my very flesh was being torn off of me starting from the inside.  It was than I lost it, it was than, I enjoyed it.  Not a fight, not even a shred of panic.  At that exact moment I chose what was happening, and I embraced it.

 
            My hands tore into the posts my arms pressing hard against them.  I dropped my head toward my knees.  My skin was ripping into pieces, my bones were no longer destroying me, but improving me.  Everything seemed right.   While the pain subsided and my heart slowed to a steady beat.  I felt like I had never felt before.  I was different not only inside but on the outside as well.  I could feel my strength surging through me.  With the world tainted red, I could see through the darkness.  I could see and hear the beating hearts of creatures far off in the trees.  Everything let off a kind of warmth, a glow just like a fire does.  Only this was not there without purpose, I could see this glow even through the trees.


            My mind filled with excitement, as I forced my hands out from the posts and crashed them into the soil below me.  I could not control my actions as initially intended, I had meant to jump and scream as loud as I could to release some of this mew found energy.  But instead I thrust my head upwards and crashed it into the side of the well sending flakes of stone to the ground; than without interruption cuffed it against the ground.  Clutching both my hands and feet deeply into the earth beneath me, a blood chilling roar escaped my throat.  It wasn’t that of your everyday animals.  That noise which had just escaped me, would probably have sent a lion running with terror.  Without another thought I jolted back and with all my might leapt, into the trees; racing against myself.

 
            It felt good, almost too good.  Actually, that doesn’t even describe it.  The ease I felt jumping from ground to tree to tree to ground again, faster than I had ever gone before.  For once it seemed as I was in control, I was the one in charge of everything that was going to happen.  Nothing telling me that I couldn’t, or that it was impossible.  I was free.



Chapter 17