Red eyes, dozens of red eyes pile in through the doors of our hotel. Carrying weapons, they walk with a mission breaking into each room and taking everything from our people. They take until they are dry.
Screams erupt but are silenced within seconds as the Reapers do their dirty work. The hallways are a mess of people running this way and that, trying to find their way out of this nightmare. The sounds of weapons clashing and gunshots in the small narrow spaces, ring out. Blood is splattered about as a massacre begins.
I try to run but someone stops me. I turn around to look into the all too familiar eyes of the Reaper who has me in his clutches.
"Huhhh!" I shoot up from bed breathing in a deep ragged breath. My heart is accelerated at unnatural speeds. I look around the room, it's still dark out. I put my head between my legs and take several deep breaths trying to remove the dream from my memory. Finally my pulse slows and returns to a normal pace. I lie back down and pray that the memory of my dream will go away. The sick feeling it left in the pit of my stomach hasn't ceased. I close my eyes hoping that I won't see anything.
My door opens and I shoot up out of bed and am across the room in an instant ready to attack. My mom shoots to move around my dad to protect him from whatever move I'm about to make. I stop a foot away when I realize who it is. "Mom?"
"Honey, we don't have time. They are coming." My mom says.
The panic I did so well to stave off moments before comes back full throttle. "What do you mean?"
"Your dad saw them, they are coming now. We only have a few minutes to prepare."
"You need to get your friends and go. There will be people downstairs waiting. You have five minutes." My dad tells me.
"No! I can't leave." I tell them.
"We can't do this, not now Willow. You have to and they are coming now. We can't fight. Take your brother and get out of here. The Reapers will kill you." My mom begs me.
"I saw it." My dad says with ice cold fear in his voice.
I look at him and know he's not lying. "I saw it too."
"We need to go." Claire comes to my side and says with conviction.
"Okay, okay, but you two are coming with me." I tell my mom and dad.
My mom's eyes tear up and she lets out a sob. "I can't. I can't leave them, these people depend on me."
"No mom, you can't. We depend on you. I depend on you. I need you." I cry.
"I know." Her voice breaks. "I love you so much, I love my little boy so much. Can't you see it breaks my heart Willow to tell you that I can't go with you? I am their leader. I can't abandon my people." My mom crumbles against the door her head in her hands sobbing.
"I am staying with your mom. We don't have time to talk this out but you need to know that we love you. We trust you, that is why we are sending Sebastian with you." My dad steps in.
"I can't, I'm only sixteen dad!" I furiously bat away the tears.
"You are the strongest sixteen year old I know. You will have help, there are several others going right now. The teachers will help you with Sebastian.” My dad tells me.
"I will help you too." Claire says.
"You will come find us right dad? You and mom will make it right? Did you see that happen?" I beg him.
My dad takes a shaky breath. "I don't know, I didn't see anything for certain. We will fight with all of our heart to beat this and to make it back to you. Hold strong and know that we love you." He pulls me into a fierce hug. My mom joins in.
"You must go." They tell me. With that said, none of us take the time to change. We run out the door and down the stairs. Sebastian is at the bottom, barely able to stay awake on his feet. A few of the teachers are standing with him along with a large group of over thirty children. Mr. Leroy is there also. So are Alec, Connor, Tony, Candy and Jake. My friends come to my side.
I watch as my parents tell Sebastian that they love him and that they will see him soon. The kids don't know what's happening and perhaps it's better that way.
"They are coming!" Someone yells from down the hallway. Like a herd of cattle we are ushered out of our pin and into the night.
"I love you!" I yell to my mom.
I turn to see Tony arguing with her heatedly as we are being pulled outside. Everyone is moving so quickly that they try to pull me away with them. I fight against the flow of people and when I look back I see that my friends are already far from me. Everyone except for Alec. He is standing there waiting for me with Sebastian in his arms.
I hear some screams from inside followed by gunfire. The group outside begins running quickly. Many people scoop the children up to move faster.
"Come on Willow!" Alec yells to me.
I look at him and at Sebastian, then back to my parents. I turn to Alec and shake my head.
"I'm not leaving you!" Alec tells me firmly.
I look at Sebastian in his arms, shivering and scared. I know my eyes are the tint of hazel when I say, "You will go now! You will take my brother to safety. Do not let him out of your arms until you two are safe."
Alec's eyes glaze a bit. Then he nods, turns and runs to join the group, with my little brother cupped safely in his arms.
With most of the group gone, I can hear Tony yell to my mom. "I won't leave you! I will fight by your side."
"My final order to you as your leader is to protect my daughter. You want to lay down your life for this cause? Then you protect my daughter with your own life. That is my final directive." My mom says authoritatively, glancing behind her back. She pulls a gun from her side and without turning around she yells, "Go now!" She runs into the building with my dad at her side.
Tony tries to argue but finally says, "Yes ma'am." He turns and our eyes lock. I look away seeing the hurt there. I know he wanted to stay and fight. He comes to my side and doesn't mutter a word. We begin walking quickly towards the tree line up ahead where the others went.
Something hits me from behind and I fall to the hard earth. The shocking pain radiates down my left shoulder blade. I look back to see a knife sticking in it. It seems so surreal to see a weapon protruding from my back. It takes a second for the pain to hit its fullest potential. I gasp against the pain as I hear Tony fighting someone behind me. I look back to see that two Reapers are on him and he's doing his best to fight them off.
Behind them I see some bodies lying lifeless on the ground. In the dark I have no idea who they are.
As I watch the fight, a Reaper turns to look at me. Anger begins burning through my veins. From the ground where I lay, I watch as Chris walks towards me. Just like in the vision I had. His red eyes and cold hard stare tell me that he's even more far gone than he was when I broke his hand. Someone jumps him from behind before he can get to me.
Mike, one of the fantastic four, is on top of him with a knife aimed at his heart. Chris has a hold of his knife hand as he pushes it away from him. He turns it slowly with his own abnormal strength and plunges Mikes knife into his own chest. Then Chris knocks him off of him as Mike is gasping for breath. I watch in undiluted horror as Chris lays his palm on Mike's forehead and Mike's body shakes and trembles like he's having a seizure. From the short distance I can see Mike's eyes roll to the back of his head and then he's gone. Nothing left of the man that was nothing but nice to me.
Overwrought with a livid emotion that can't be contained, I personally pull the knife out of my own back. I feel the wound healing as I stand up. Tony is fighting off a new Reaper who has joined in on the fight. I see that the first Reaper is already lying dead at his feet. He doesn't see Chris approaching me, slowly and with a cocky stare. I'm on my own for this fight.
I clench my hands to my sides and allow the rage to overtake me. I breathe the shaky breaths of someone on the brink of losing control and when I look up, Chris is stopped and staring at me in horror.
He stutters and steps back. "I...I kkneww iit!"
I give him my nastiest smile as I move forward ready to tear him apart like he's nothing more than a pillow. He tries to fight me off but I'm much stronger than him. I use my ability to pass through objects and I walk right through his punch. He stumbles forward with his momentum that landed nowhere but rights himself immediately. He turns around quickly and I go invisible so he can't see me. He pulls the knife out of Mike's breathless chest and starts taking aimless swings with it. They don't come anywhere near me.
When I'm ready and the rage has hit its fullest point I let go of the invisibility and I knock the knife to the ground with a kick that Tony taught me. I punch him in the gut then tackle him to the ground. When he's on the forest floor, I keep punching at him. I focus all of my energy on making those punches count. He tries to fight me off, but I'm stronger than him. I pick up his head and bang it against the ground.
The anger is a swirling emotion now and it has consumed me. I hate this! I hate that my family is being torn from me. I hate that these things are trying to hurt the people I love. I hate that they kill! I hate, hate, hate them! I think each thought and with each thought I punch him harder. Then as his eyes grow weak I put my hand on his forehead like he did to Mike. "You want to know how it feels to be taken from? I will show you." My voice doesn't even sound like my own.
"Willow no!" Tony yells to me. I hesitate and the next moment Tony has me pulled up and away from Chris. His eyes catch mine and he's taken aback for a second but then he pulls me into an all out run. We run with all of our speed into the woods. He holds my hand and doesn't let go as we dodge fallen trees and get slapped with hanging limbs. We don't know where the others have gone, but we head in the general direction, knowing that we will catch up with them eventually.
We stop for a second to verify that we haven't been followed. Tony listens and all I can hear is our heavy breathing and the blood pumping in my ears. He turns back to me after he's sure nobody is around.
He stares at my eyes and then he lets go of my hand. I look away hurt. He's realizing what I am, what my eyes tell him. With his hand under my chin he moves my face to where I'm looking at him again.
I try to look away and he commands in a confident voice, "Heal me." He holds out his left arm that has a vicious cut across it.
"What?" I ask him yanking away from his hold. I don't know why he would want me near him at all, not when I'm like this. "You don't want me to touch you. What if..."
With yellow eyes full of certainty he tells me. "You are not a Reaper."
"How do you know?" I cry out. My chest is heavy with pain from what I just saw, who I left, what I am becoming.
"Because I know you. You could never be one of them. Plus, we just held hands for a mile. You didn't do anything to me." He looks so confident that I feel compelled to believe him. He puts his right hand up to my cheek then says. "So, heal me. You need to focus your mind on something good."
I look down at his arm that has the cut on it. I place my hand over it gingerly and channel my healing ability. I don't breathe again until I pull it away and see that his arm is completely healed. I slowly look back up into his eyes and we both let out a sigh of relief.
"Please don't tell anyone." I beg him. I have to blink away tears. This new part of me is so scary and shameful that I can't bear sharing it with the world.
"Never." He tells me and I believe him. Then he grabs my hand and we continue running.
We run untill we reach the top of a small hill that allows us to see a panoramic of the area. I spot a small, almost insignificant light in the distance. I point it out to Tony. “There they are,” I declare.
He grabs my hand once again and we run to catch up to the others. It doesn’t take us long until we see their light through the branches of the trees. I instinctively let go of Tony’s hand, hesitant to see what Alec would think.
I find Alec who’s holding Sebastian in his arms. His little cheeks are tear-stained and he sniffles in his sleep. My heart nearly breaks in two. I swallow hard trying to keep the tears at bay. I rest my hand on Alec’s and he turns towards me. Relief fills his eyes as he realizes I’m safe. With his free hand he reaches for me. He pulls me into a hug gripping me tightly.
I let one, and only one tear fall. I keep thinking this may be all Sebastian has for a family now. I never envisioned myself as a mother this young in life but I’m willing to do whatever has to be done to protect this little guy from harm.
I link my arm through Alec’s and we walk in motion with the others. During our walk Alec’s arms begin to get tired so I take Sebastian in mine. It takes me a few moments of coaxing because the compulsion is still telling Alec that he can't let go of Sebastian. I have to assure him that we are safe now and with that he relinquishes him.
Sabby's tiny head nestles in between my neck and shoulder perfectly and I feel his pudgy little hands holding on to my hair.
He whispers, “Wello,” in his sleep.
“It’s okay little guy,” I whisper back. “Everything’s going to be okay.” I rub his back feeling his body go limp as he falls back to sleep.
A few hours later we arrive at a large estate. The grass is quite a bit overgrown and the topiaries are undistinguishable. All of the windows are boarded up and locked. One of the adults in the group begins working on the front door. He uses some sort of saw and starts chipping away at the wood.
Alec and I take a seat on a porch swing. I’m still holding Sebastian as we begin a light sway. I rest my head on Alec’s shoulder allowing myself a small reprieve from the stresses born of this night. Alec wraps his arm around my shoulders. Even if I am physically strong I truly believe that Alec is ten times stronger than I am on a mental level.
As we sway I spot Claire and Connor, each holding a small child in their arms. Candy and Jake are together on the steps watching the man with the saw jimmy the handle of the door.
Before long the door swings open. We all get up and shuffle inside. The children are exhausted as we all uncover the plastic furniture laying the children on any soft surface we can find. Some lead the children up the stairs to find beds.
All of the people ages sixteen and over are asked to meet back downstairs in the formal dining area once the children are put to bed. Alec and I find a nursery and uncover a small crib off in the corner. Alec removes the sheet and I place Sebastian on the tiny little mattress. He hasn’t been in a crib for a few years but this makes him look smaller than four. I run my hand through his curls and kiss him softly on the cheek. When we’re sure he’s asleep we tip toe out of the room. I place my hand in Alec’s and we walk down to the formal dining area.
We find Connor, Claire, Candy and Jake in the opposite corner talking amongst themselves. We make our way towards them.
One of the adults has a clipboard in one hand and a pen in the other. “My name is Chloe. If you’ll all form a line so I can get all your names and information that would be great.”
Alec and I take our place in the back of the line waiting our turn. We end up giving Chloe our names and tell her what gifts we possess. She takes a while to jot mine down, much longer than anyone else. I feel a little embarrassed as people stare at me with stunned expressions as I name one gift after another. I make darn sure not to put down my reaper gift…if you can even categorize it as such.
“I’m sure you all are extremely tired. It has been a long night. Thank you to everyone who helped get the children to safety,” Chloe states. “I’m sure you all are wondering what the plan is and to be quite honest we don’t really have one. The only orders I was given was to get the children to the safe house, which is here, and wait for further instructions.” Chloe pauses looking around the room. “A few months ago some rations were brought here along with clean water in case this facility had to be used. They are in the large shed at the rear of the home. With as many people as we have, I’m not sure how long the rations are going to last so please, no wasting.”
We all nod our heads in agreement. My stomach growls but I ignore it.
“Now, if you all will find a place to sleep near a child or two, we can all rest. I have a feeling tomorrow is going to be another big day.” Chloe is the first to leave. I walk across the room and bid my friends goodnight.
Tony is standing near the door watching me. I give Alec’s hand a squeeze and ask him to give me a few minutes. He kisses me lightly on the cheek and leaves. I watch him walk out of the room and then turn towards Tony. Most of the others have gone now, only a few linger about.
Tony meets me halfway and gives me a small smile. “You were great tonight.” He says.
I let out a small snort, not sure if he’s being serious or not. “Sure, now that you know I’m part monster,” I retort.
“Willow,” Tony chastises. “You are not some kind of monster. You took on one of the monsters. You didn’t lose your mind like a true reaper would. You used it for good! You can’t be so hard on yourself. You are doing the best you can with the cards you were dealt.”
I let his words sink in. “Thank you, Tony.” I tell him simply. “And thank you for protecting my secret. It means a lot to me.”
He nods his head like a true soldier would.
“So, I guess I’ll see you in the morning,” I tell him.
“See you then,” he replies.
We part ways and I make my way back to the nursery. Alec has made a small cot next to the crib.
I lay down on the pillow he placed for me and nestle into his arms. I’m so thankful for his rock in the storm attitude. It’s easy to lose it in situations like this. I rest my head on his chest and he strokes my hair. I listen to his heartbeat slow down until I know he’s fallen into a deep sleep.
I must wait for some time before I get up. It’s just before dawn now as the moonlight is gone, replaced by a very dim morning glow. I carefully move out of Alec’s arms. I take time before I go to study him like this. He’s so peaceful right now, looking years younger.
I stand up and take a peek at Sebastian. “You’ll be okay little guy,” I whisper. “Take care of Alec for me.” I give him a small kiss and watch as he rolls over.
Before we even left the compound I made the promise to myself that I would make sure my parents were okay. I knew no one would agree to it so I kept this information to myself. Deep down I know I may be the only one who can help them and I’m not going to let them down. I inch my way to the door making sure not to wake Alec or Sebastian. I tip toe down the stairs and out the front door.
There’s a guard walking around the perimeter of the property and he almost sees me. I push my body against the house and thankfully he doesn’t shine his light on me. I wait until he walks to the side of the house before I take off in a run. I run as fast as I can through the woods praying that I’m headed in the right direction. My memory seems to be spot on as I round the familiar places I saw just a few hours ago.
I stop at the top of the hill and take in my surroundings. The view makes it easier for me to plan my assent. After making a mental plan, I sit down on the ground and catch my breath.
My stomach is growling so strongly now, I can hear it over my heavy breathing. The sun is just starting to peak over the mountaintop. I place my hand down on the ground and get pricked by a plant. I put my finger in my mouth trying to soothe it when I see that I’m sitting next to a blackberry bush. Laughing at the irony, I take a few berries and pop them in my mouth. This is just the thing I needed. More fuel for the fire that is burning within me, keeping me going. After a few minutes the berries have stained my hands a deep purple. I try and wipe them on my pants, but to no avail.
I hear a rustling in the bushes behind me and immediately hunker down. My heart rate doubles as I listen for noises. The rustling happens again, closer this time. I’m about to attack when I hear my name. Completely dumbfounded I rise up off the ground and see Tony crouched down about twenty feet in front of me.
I look into his eyes, which look angry as heck, and know it would be useless to ask him what he’s doing here. He’s doing his job. I finally get it. Tony is like a loyal puppy. He’s never going to stop coming to help me. Not when he’s been told his only directive is to protect me.
I pick off a few berries and offer them to Tony. He comes over and his angry glare softens a touch as he accepts them. “Out of all places you stop, you come across a blackberry bush? Someone up there must be looking out for you.”
I give him a small laugh. “I guess you’re right,”
He shakes his head and runs his hand through his hair. The sun hits it in such a way that it shines like a penny. "What are you doing Willow?" He sounds exasperated.
"I am going back for them." I cross my hands over my chest and firm my stance. "I am going back for them and I will not allow you to stop me. I will not leave them."
We stare at each other for several seconds. The vision of Tony throwing me over his shoulder and taking me back to the safe house runs through my mind. Luckily that doesn't happen. Instead I see a strange sort of pride and relief display on his face. "If you are going to do what you want to do no matter what....And if I can't change your mind....Then we better get moving. We're wasting time."
I let out the breath I had been holding. It takes a lot to force myself not to say, 'really?' Instead I say, "Let's do this."
We both start moving again in the direction of the hotel. We stop every so often to listen to our surroundings. When we near the tree line that borders the hotel, we pause to survey the area. The land is completely silent, which is starkly different than when we left.
We move closer to get a look at the back door. A few bodies are lying cold on the ground, motionless. I don't know if they are ours or the Reapers.
When we are certain that there is nobody alive from as far as we can see, we begin moving silently towards the hotel. I grab ahold of Tony's hand and turn us invisible just in case. We walk through the open door and find more bodies in the hallway. I turn and heave, throwing up the blackberries I just ate. Tony rubs my back but remains alert as he tries to comfort me. The smell is over whelming, the coppery stench of blood permeates the air.
Knowing we need to get moving I tell myself that these people are just sleeping. We walk through the downstairs area, checking each room, looking for any sign of life. Dread fills me each time I see a new body and I pray that they are not my mom or dad.
We see a lot more lifeless red eyes than I imagined we would. It looks like our people held their own well. Feeling confident that there is nobody around that's alive, I let go of Tony's hand and we both become visible again. "I think we should split up, that would make our search quicker."
Tony shakes his head. "I don't like that idea."
"We need to get moving now! If my parents are here, if they are hurt, I can help them if I find them in time." I yell at him.
He considers it for a second then reaches into his back pocket. He hands me a pistol. "Use your powers and get out if anything happens. Keep this ready for backup. Your powers are more useful than any weapon, so be ready." He tells me.
"Okay, I will call to you if I find anything on the third floor." I tell him.
"Ditto." He confirms.
With that, we head up the first flight of stairs. Tony and I separate as he heads down the hallway and I go up another flight. There are fewer bodies up here. Most of the doors are either open or have been kicked in. I turn invisible for safe measures as I search room by room. I don't find my parents anywhere.
At least fifteen minutes has past when I head down the flight of stairs to find Tony again. He's been silent as of yet and the anxiety of being separated from the only other living thing in this building is starting to wear on me. I search the rooms looking for him and find him in one of the rooms on the far end of the hall.
"Tony?" I ask as I watch him hunched over.
"He-elp...Th-eemmm." A male voice croaks out. I hear one final labored breath and Tony's eyes turn to me. They are rimmed with tears. I can't see the person that he is hovering over and my heart bottoms out.
"Dad!" I cry as I run to Tony's side. I look down at the man Tony is kneeling next to expecting to see the lifeless eyes of my father. Guilt overruns me as the relief fills my veins. I know I have no right to feel such relief when another man has died, but I can't help feeling it. I let out a shaky breath then I put my hand on Tony's shoulder.
He rises slowly and turns to me. Seeing the pain in his eyes I pull him into my arms. He holds me tightly and his hands clench at the fabric on my shirt. I feel a few tears soak onto my shoulder before he pulls away.
"We have to go now." He tells me.
"Why? Did you know him?" I point to the man who is one of ours.
Tony nods, "Yes. He was a great fighter."
"If you had called me, I could have helped him." I say softly, not wanting to make him feel worse.
Tony shakes his head, "No, he was near death. We both knew it. Healing him would have taken everything out of you for a while. We need to get to the mountain."
"Why?" My heart starts to race and panic sets in. "My mom and dad? Are they there?"
He nods. "Yes, this attack was a decoy. That's why there weren't as many Reapers around as there could have been. Only a quarter of them attacked this place. The rest are at the mountain. Your mom thinks they found a way to get inside. Along with many other survivors, she went after them."
"Let's go!" We grab each other’s hand and run out of the room and out of the hotel. Our energy is spent by the time we make it anywhere near the mountain. I can see the top of the peaks rising up from a mile away. That gives me the push to keep on going.
A loud explosion rings off nearby and the earth shakes. We run faster and another explosion sounds off. The earth rumbles with it and I lose my footing. Tony scoops me off the ground and we look around. Through the tree's I can see smoke rising up in the distance.
"What the heck was that?" I ask out of breath.
"Don't know!" Tony says looking in the distance. We start running again and another explosion sounds. I have no idea what is going on! It sounds as if a war is breaking out and my stomach twists in response. My parents are out there, not to mention the hundreds of innocent people outside and inside that shelter right now.
When we near the clearing we hear the chaos of screams, fighting and gunshots. We break out of the tree line and another explosion goes off. I lose balance again and go down, taking Tony with me. From the ground we both look up at the fiery red balls of flames coming from different points around the mountain. Thick charcoal smoke filters up to the sky. Fire seems to be everywhere, engulfing the area in a deadly orange glow.
The sound of hundreds of people screaming fills our ears as we watch them filter out of the shelter into the sunlight. The Reapers pillage and our people fight off as best they can. Chaos is everywhere. People run around crying and screaming and soon the entire clearing is filled to the brim with people fighting and trampling their way over others in their efforts to escape this nightmare. The ones coming out of the shelter have no idea what they've run into. They don't know who is bad and who is good. Some of them try to fight our people, with the yellow eyes, but they only get pushed away.
Tony helps me to my feet and I try to charge into the mess but he holds me back. "We need to look for them first, you can't see them out in the middle of that blood bath!" He tells me.
I search the crowd frantically looking for any sign of my mom and dad. There are too many people, which makes it impossible. The scene laid out in front of me is so intensely crazy that I can't even register everything that is happening. People run past us into the trees. We watch them with their faces filled with fear. Here and there, I can see the change of a person's eyes. Nobody understands the abilities and some go invisible, some run through others and some crumple to the floor holding their hands to their ears. Of all of the new gifts to have, hearing thoughts and feeling emotions has to be the most debilitating in this situation.
I know I need to find my parents but for the mean time, all I can do is try to help. I see a girl around twelve, fall to the ground a few feet from me. She balls into the fetal position and cups her hands over her ears. I run to her with lightning speed, scoop her up and deposit her a little ways into the forest where some others have gathered. Tony is at my side with a woman in a similar condition. He places her on the ground and we silently run back. We run back and forth helping people, who can't help themselves, to safety.
Returning to the clearing on my fifth trip I come across a Reaper kneeling over a young girl. The first thing I notice about the little girl is her red hair. "No!" I yell in a high pitch voice realizing that the little girl is Connor's sister, Lilly.
The Reaper put's his hand on the Lilly's head. "Stop!" I yell at him. Not waiting for a response, I pull the gun out of my back pocket, aim and shoot.
The Reaper falls down on top of her. I shove him off and work on picking Lilly up into my arms. She's passed out and fear for her overcomes me. I can't let anything happen to Connor's sister so I hold her tightly to me doing my best to protect her from the war around us. Tony comes to my side with another victim in his hands.
When we turn to take them to safety I see him standing in my path. Our eyes lock and his head cocks to the side. He eyes me with a cool, dangerous stare. I watch as the colors in his eyes twist and turn like a small tornado surrounding his pupils. My stomach clenches when a crimson red shadow overcomes the colored twisters, filling half of his eyes with the tint of blood. The shock of the sight nearly makes me drop Lilly.
Tony jumps in front of me in the next instant ready to attack him. His hands are empty, except for a gun.
"Hello Willow." The man says coldly, looking over Tony's shoulder, into my eyes.
The fear in my voice doesn't even sound like my own when I say, "Hello Zack."
To Be Continued....