Authors: Ralph Smith
Eleanor moved towards David
, raising what was now a claw like hand preparing to strike. Aurora did not waste a moment and followed David’s example thrusting her other dagger into Eleanor’s chest. Her scream was even worse. If it had continued, they thought, their ears might have bled. The other orderly was reeling from the blow that would have deprived any normal person of consciousness, but he began to regain his senses. David reached inside his jacket, retrieving another knife, and plunged it into the beast’s heart.
In a matter of moments
, all three of them had shriveled into hideous creatures wailing in torment, and then they exploded into fragments of shadow, and disappeared. Aurora stood, poised to strike, scanning for any more attackers. David reached down, grabbed the knives, handing her two back, and sheathed his own.
“We have to hurry. Let’s get to the car quickly.” His hands shaking, he pushed his father as fast as he dared
, and once at the car, opened the passenger door. “Please sit in the back behind me.” He said to Aurora, who did not question him, but climbed quickly into the car. David easily lifted his father’s frail body, and set him in the seat, fastening the belt to keep him in place. He rushed back around, and in moments they were on the road. His fear for his father and adrenaline were the only things keeping him going.
“How did you know they were demons?” Asked Aurora
.
“I’ll explain when we arrive. We can’t talk now. We have to hurry.” Aurora didn’t argue. After what just happened, she realized he knew something she didn’t. She put her hands on his shoulders
, and her comfort steadied him. She was a hardened warrior while David had never experienced real battle before. If not for her touch he thought he might vomit, but he had to hold it together for his father’s sake.
David was driving as fast as he
dared without risking attention or getting them into an accident. They couldn’t afford a moment’s delay. They finally saw the road to the farm, and when he turned onto it his father began twitching.
“Hold on Dad we’re almost there.”
Suddenly his father’s head turned towards him. A hideous growling hissing voice came out of his mouth. “You are too late boy. You will not make it I will finish him.”
David shouted
, “No!” He placed his hand on his father’s chest. It was agony, the pain was threatening to knock him unconscious, but he had to hold on. The voice screamed, and howled as his father’s hands clutched at his arm, trying to pull his hand away while struggling against the seatbelt. It took every ounce of his strength and will power to hold on. It was all he could do to guide the car where he needed it to go. He could see it just moments away, the perimeter of the seal. He braced himself as they crossed it. He barely noticed Aurora, still clutching his shoulders, as an explosion of light and sound filled the vehicle. He could see a wall of light passing through the car as they crossed over the line. As it washed over his father, the beast was thrown back out of him, screeching as it exploded into fragments. He jammed on the brakes, and the car skidded to a halt. His hand fell as the car stalled. He just barely made out the sound of Aurora’s voice as he slipped into unconsciousness.
***
Aurora fumbled with the door trying to get it open until she figured out how to pull the right lever. She did not panic, she never panicked, but she was frightened. Getting out of the car, and pulling open the driver’s door she quickly pushed David’s head back, and put her head on his chest. She could hear the steady beating of his heart, his chest rising and falling, and she knew he would be all right. She quickly went around to the other side and opened the door. David’s father was pale and looked terrible. Again she placed her head on his chest, his heartbeat was extremely faint, and his breathing was weak. She stood up placed a hand on his chest and forehead, and closed her eyes. Shutting off all thought and slowing her breathing, she reached out for her gift. She could feel it fill her as it had done so many times before, then she released some of her power into him. Almost instantly he began to moan. She withdrew her hands, and in a soft voice said, “You’re going to be all right.”
His eyes still closed, in barely a whisper he breathed out “David.”
She leaned in and said, “He’s all right. Try to relax. We’re safe now. I’ll be right back.”
She rushed up to the house, passing Rusty who was standing nearby
, and appeared to be surveying the perimeter. She opened the front door and dashed back to his parent’s room. She went in and pulled down the covers on the bed. She knew that it would be difficult to get him inside, and didn’t want any unnecessary obstacles.
H
urrying back to the car she unbuckled David’s father. She grabbed his left arm and pulled him out onto her shoulder. Because he had been so sick for so long, he wasn’t as heavy as he could have been, but it was still a struggle for her. She carefully made her way up the steps of the porch, and was cautiously moving through the doorways, trying not to bump him against the jamb. As gently as possible, she laid him down on the bed and let out a sigh. He moaned slightly, and his eyes opened just enough to see her. He breathed out weakly, “Thank you.” Then he drifted back into unconsciousness. She placed her hands on his heart and head, and reached out again for her gift. It told her that he was all right, now he only needed rest and food.
Already winded, Aurora wondered how she was going to get David inside. Scrambling to the door, she was amazed to see him stumbling out of the car
, and grabbing the door for support. She darted to him and grabbed his arm.
“Hold on,” she said pushing her shoulder up under him for support.
"I can't see," he said with a hint of desperation in his voice.
“It
’s alright, you’re safe now. It is going to be all right. Just hold on until I get you inside.” She pleaded.
“My father”
He croaked, “I couldn’t find him.”
She struggled against his weight “He’s fine, he’s inside resting now. Just a little further” she said as they made it to the steps of the porch. She had to use her free arm to pull on the railing for support
, and with some difficulty they managed to make it up. Stumbling forward, she barely made it through the door. When she reached the sofa, she tried her best to slow his fall. Once he was down, she rolled him onto his back, and got his legs up so he wouldn’t fall off.
“Lie still now, you need some rest. I’ll be here watching over you.” She placed her hands on his hea
d and chest, and with the little strength he had he moved his hand to hers. Calling her gift she released some power into him, and felt his muscles slack. She leaned forward and pressed her lips to his forehead, he was going to be fine.
She pushed herself to her feet
and slumped into a nearby chair, taking deep rhythmic breaths to slow her pounding heart. She knew the seal would protect them, she had seen what it would do to any threat that tried to cross it. She sat there staring at him, watching his chest rise and fall. She had been fighting this battle for 10 years now, and would have been caught entirely unaware, yet he saw things she hadn’t. He knew what to do in the face of things she was sure he had never seen before. No longer alone, and with someone who could, and would at any cost protect her, caused a swell of emotion inside her. She reached up, and wiped a single tear from her face. She needed something to do while she waited, something to keep the feeling of helplessness at bay. She decided they would need some food when they woke, and she wanted to be ready.
Rusty had come inside
, and was lying on the floor watching over David, seeing the dog there was somehow comforting. She made her way to the kitchen, and realized finding what she needed would probably be half the battle. She only ever cooked for herself with a single pot, and over a campfire. So she decided that she should start with something simple. Yes, he had some fruit and cheese in this box that kept things cold. She pulled on the handle, and saw a puff of smoke like hot breath on a cold day come out of it. She knelt down to look inside, and was amazed at how cold it was. There were all sorts of things in there that she didn’t recognize, but then she saw some apples. Looking further, she found a block of cheese, and decided that was a decent start. She placed them on the counter and shut the door. She was about to pull her knife out of her boot when she noticed a wooden block filled with knives. She inspected a few, until she found a shape she liked. Then she remembered that he had some dishes to put it on, and started opening doors and drawers until she found them. She also found some glasses, and realized how thirsty she was. Drawing a glass of water from the tap, and taking a long drink she thought, that of everything she had seen in the house, water in the tap was the best. A canteen or basin was warm, and not usually fresh.
She cut up the apple
and some slices of cheese. Then she found the bread and carved off several chunks. She felt that this would be enough to take the edge off when they woke. Then she saw the teapot, and a glass jar with the bags in it he had used. She took the pot, and put some water in it, and placed it on the stove where he had warmed it. Looking at the dials on the stove she wasn’t quite sure what to do. She inspected the dial and saw Hi, Med, and Low. Then she thought to herself that they must indicate how much fire comes out. She turned it to Hi, and heard a low hissing sound, but there was no flame. Curious, she looked a little closer. She could smell something, like perfume. It was unpleasant, so she leaned back. Wondering what she was supposed to do, she was startled when she heard,
“You’ll blow the house up if you do it that way.” David said from the doorway. Unsteady on his feet he walked over
, turned the dial until she heard a clicking sound, and a whoosh as the flames lit under the kettle.
“What
are you doing up?” She said sternly, “You need some rest.”
“Clearly I’m keeping you from blowing us all up.” He said with a smile.
“You know what I mean,” she said disapprovingly at his attempt at humor.
He reached over
, and lifted her chin with his fingers to look into her eyes. "I'm fine," he said in a gentle voice. “Thank you for taking care of me and my father.”
Suddenly she wrapped her arms around him burying her face against his chest and shoulder. He hugged her back and began gently stroking her hair.
"You gave me a good scare,"
she said, “I... Well for a moment…“ She stammered.
“It is alright,” he said in a soothing voice. “We’re alright now.”
She straightened up “I should go check on your father.”
David held her arm
and said, “I just did. He’s still sleeping. We’ll check on him in a little while. In the meantime that tea you were about to make sounds perfect.”
They sat down at the table with their tea
, and the food she had prepared. David said their prayer, and then turned to her. “Thank you for making this, that was very thoughtful of you.”
She smiled brightly
, and said, “Oh it wasn’t any trouble. The hardest part was finding everything.” She enjoyed his praise, and marveled at how at ease he made her feel, in spite of what they just went through. "Tell me what happened today," she said, taking on a serious tone. “I was there, and I’m still confused. How did you know they were demons?”
“I think something happened to me the other night when I looked into the seal
. Somehow I can see, and sense things I couldn’t before. I feel connected to the world in a way I can’t put into words,” David said. Then he went on to explain how, when he saw the shadows behind their eyes, he could sense the evil, and had guessed what it meant. When they saw his father, and he looked into his eyes, he could see the struggle between the dark and light. He could see that a demon was trying to possess his father, and he was losing the fight after all these years. He told her how as the demons pursued them, he felt power flow into him, and then he knew what had to be done. These demons had assumed a human form, and if he did not act quickly, and take advantage of the element of surprise, the two of them would have been no match for them.
After that, he remembered what she had said about them not being able to cross the seal. He came up with the idea that if they could get his dad across the seal, the demon in him would be forced to let go. He told her he didn’t want to say anything so the demon wouldn’t know what he was planning. It was only in those few moments before they arrived that he realized that he had to help his father hold on so the demon could not take him. The problem was that they were locked in battle
, so the only choice was to hold onto both of them. He explained that he was somehow able to draw the demon partially into himself, so that when they hit the barrier all three of them would be forced to pass. He told her that the pain was excruciating and that the explosion of light had temporarily blinded him. In his last moments of consciousness, he was able to let some of his power leave him and go into his father, helping to keep him alive.
She looked at him, mesmerized by what he was saying. She was moved by the fact that he had so willingly risked his life to save them both. Because what he did not say that she knew, was that he made her sit behind him, knowing full well the risks he was going to take. When she was holding his shoulders during those final moments she felt his power envelope her, too
, and it was his protection that prevented the demon from latching onto her when it was ripped from his father. If it had, she wasn’t sure what would have happened when it exploded as they crossed the seal.