Rise of the Titan

by Pressley James

  The woman released an anguished cry and dropped to the floor. Mumbling incoherently and sobbing wildly, the strange woman crawled on all fours towards the nearest corner. Once there, she huddled against the wall before assuming a fetal position. Then, sobbing uncontrollably, she rocked back and forth, all the while clawing at the thin veil covering her face. It seemed that she was trying to tear at her flesh through the fabric. Now, more frantic than before, she began repeating the same words over and over. “He’s coming after me. He’s coming after me…”

  Her own voice trembled. “I promise you that it’s okay.”

  “No!” the woman wailed from across the room. “It’s not! It’s not!”

  She couldn’t dispel the instant pity.

  Clearly, the woman was mentally disturbed.

  Plus, it was apparent that she intended her no harm.

  She frowned in confusion.

  But……how had she gotten inside the room?

  The door had been locked.

  There was only one logical explanation.

  The woman had to have been hiding in the room somewhere.

  Of course, the burning questions were why was she afraid, and just who was she deathly afraid of? Those much unanswered questions propelled her forward and away from the bed.

  “Are you okay?” She made a slow approach, all in an attempt to appear non-threatening in every way. For there was no telling what the poor thing would do if her fear heightened, she decided, veering in her direction. When she was several feet away from her, she stopped walking, and her sympathy rose even more. The woman was trembling all over, and her fear was highly palpable. “I’m not going to hurt you. You’re safe, okay? I promise that you are.” She paused for a brief second. “It’s just that you surprised me. I thought that I was alone in the room.”

  “P---please leave me alone.” The strange woman huddled closer to the wall. “Don’t come any closer.”

  “I won’t hurt you,” she whispered past the lump in her throat. “I promise that I won’t.” Her thoughts raced. What was the standard protocol when dealing with someone in a crisis? Of course, soothing their fears and anxiety came first. “Are you hurt or anything? Can I help you in some way?”

  “W—who are you?” the strange woman asked between broken sobs. “He never brings anyone home! Why did he bring you here?”

  “My car broke down, and I needed help,” she explained carefully. “He was only trying to help me---”

  “Please, don’t hurt my son,” the woman sobbed wildly again. “Don’t take him away from me. He’s the most important thing to me. I don’t know what I’d do if anything happened to him!”

  The guilt kept her tongue-tied.

  How could she exactly lie?

  Wasn’t it her very mission to destroy him?

  “We saw you earlier…me and Tabby,” the woman whispered fast, and even through the thin veil, she felt the woman’s piercing gray stare. “W---why were you in my son’s study?”

  She nearly tripped over the words. “I---I was trying to find something to read---”

  The fast and frantic pounding outside the door spared her from telling more lies.

  “Open the door!” Titan screamed from the other side. “Do it right now!”

  She surged forward and rushed to it.

  The lock was barely freed before it was opened.

  Titan stood on the other side. “Where is she?”

  “Over there, in the corner---”

  He moved past her quick without saying a word. After crossing the room, he crouched down on the floor. “Mama, you’re safe.”

  Mama, she mulled, watching the emotional exchange.

  This was the ‘she’ that they’d been referring to!

  “My brave little Titan, what would I ever do without you? You will always be stronger than the world.” Sniffling, his mother eyed him through the thin veil, and a tiny smile curled her lips. But, it died quickly amongst her gasp of horror. Instantaneously, her entire attitude changed, and now her tone was filled with anxiety. “You need to hide! Quick! You know what he’ll do to you if you don’t! I’ll try to reason with him. Maybe he’ll listen. I can only pray that he does.” She cried between hiccups. “What are we going to do? Please, don’t let him hurt me. Not like he did before.”

  Watching them, she trailed slowly from the door.

  Just who had his mother frightened beyond reason?

  She swallowed hard against her own tension.

  Witnessing the woman’s naked fear was past difficult.

  Staying silent, she stopped just short of them.

  Though she couldn’t make out every one of them, she heard his soothing words. But, his efforts were useless and ineffective at this point, sadly. For his mother was hardly reacting to his attempted calmness. The desperate look on his face indicated that he realized it just as much. “Mama, you’re going to have to try and calm down---”

  “Calm down? How can I? We both know what’s going to happen! He’s here to make me pay for what I’ve done! It’s my job to obey him, and I can’t disappoint him.” The thin fabric fanned against her lips as she spoke, and even from behind the veil, her demeanor was wild. She gave a frantic whisper, “Where is he? Is he close?”

  “No one’s here but us, Mama.” There was no mistaken his raw emotion. “He’s not here, and I swear on my life that he’ll never hurt you again.”

  “You’re lying to me! He’s here! You know that he is!” Then, flailing her arms frantically, she slapped at herself hard. “Stop lying to me!”

  “Mama, listen to me, please.” A pure desperation masked his handsome features. Reaching out, he tried to subdue her gently. But, her actions only became more erratic and violent. “I swear to you---”

  “No!” his mother cried out fast. In fast successions, she slapped her face harder and harder, inflicting a drastic level of self-harm. “No, no, no!”

  The horrifying sounds echoed in the room.

  Standing midway it, she watched and flinched at the woman’s every strike. Her startled gaze strayed to Titan, and the sight was even more wounding. The expression on his face was telling---he was devastated.

  Dear heavens, she breathed, it was just too much.

  Against her will, the hot tears sprang to her eyes.

  She blinked them back fast.

  No, she had to do something!

  Standing there and being a non-active bystander was not an option!

  Firming her shoulders, she surged forward. As she knelt down beside him, he nearly jumped out of his skin. “It’s okay,” she said softly, placing a reassuring hand on his arm. Under her touch, she felt every bit of his tension. As his eyes beheld hers, they were filled with a mixture of alarm, surprise and relief. But, he relaxed somewhat under her gentle hold, and her gaze softened further. “I promise that it will be.”

  Their gazes clung.

  In that very instance, a tentative trust passed between them.

  Her pleading gaze said one thing.

  Please let me help you.

  He gave a subtle nod.

  When she received his silent permission, she turned her attention to his mother. “Hey, it’s okay,” she murmured gently. “No one’s going to hurt you. I promise.”

  At her words, his mother stilled before turning a skittish gaze on her. Against the veil, her lips trembled. “Don’t lie to me. P---please…”

  She grasped the woman’s hand before she could stop her. In her grip, she offered a quiet strength, and it resonated straight from her to the woman. “It’s okay. I swear to you that it is. Braden and I,” she murmured softly before giving a soft pause. Because wasn’t it something incredibly intimate about saying his name? Mentally, she shrugged the thought off. “We wouldn’t dare tell such a lie.” Her smile was soft. “Look at us. We’re both okay.”

  “Bella’s right.” He pounded a fist against his chest. “I’m rock solid. No harm here.”

  “You don’t look hurt,” his mother acknowledged
in a trembling voice. A hint of affection played in her tone. “But, you look dreadful, honey. Have you had a bath today?”

  He gave a lopsided grin. “Ouch at that insult, and yes, Mama, I have showered, even though it’s been hours ago. Let’s just say that today’s been an unfortunate one.”

  “That much is evident.” Behind the veil, his mother’s smile widened. Then, she turned an inquisitive look on her. With careful ease, the woman disengaged her hand from hers. “Your name’s Bella? What a beautiful name. It matches you perfectly. Don’t you think so, Braden?”

  As their gazes clashed again, her toes curled, and even though she wanted to tamper the forbidden thrill, she was unable to. His next words totally made it impossible to do so.

  “Not only is her name beautiful,” he acknowledged with a serious stare. “But, she is as well.”

  Their intense stare held for a second longer.

  Face flushed warm, she dropped her gaze from his.

  “Mama, you take your meds?”

  “You know that I hate those things, Braden. It’s not like I really need them.” She wrung her hands together, and it was a clear sign that her agitation was spiking again. Now, her words were muffled behind the thin veil. “They make me crazier than I already am.”

  “You’re not crazy, Mama. But, you do need them to help with your daily functioning. They help to alleviate your stress, and in the end, that means that you’ll feel better.”

  At that point, Carmine made a quiet entrance into the room. In his right hand, he balanced a small black tray. On it, there was a small glass of water, pink tablets, and a syringe. When the butler reached them, he stopped directly behind them. “Is everything okay?”

  His mother straightened against the wall. “Carmine, is that you?”

  “Yes, Lola, it’s me. And it seems that you skipped out on me this morning,” the butler chided with obvious affection. Then, he gave her a disapproving frown. “Now, you know that you’re supposed to take your pills with breakfast. Then, your injection comes at lunch time.” His frown deepened. “Naturally, your little disappearing act has caused quite a setback today.”

  “I fooled you, didn’t I?” Lola said with gleeful laugh. “When you came to the garden house looking for me, I’d already gone.” She switched a fast look between her son and Carmine. “Wouldn’t the two of you and Cassius just love to find out about my new hiding place? In a million years, you’d never guess where----”

  The thunder rumbled again.

  A dazzling light show lit the heavens.

  Lola released a terrified cry. “Why would you all tell such a lie? He’s here! He always comes during the storm.” Flailing her arms wildly, she began beating herself again. “I can’t get away! I can’t get away! Someone help me!”

  In horror, she could only look on.

  But, he only passed Carmine a quick nod.

  With a quiet quickness, the butler passed him the syringe.

  “Take it easy, Mama.” With a surprisingly steady hand, he clenched the syringe, and through the plastic, the clear medicine was visible. “Please, calm down. I’m not going to hurt you. I just want to give you your meds.”

  “Son, why are you doing this?” Lola sobbed, and again, her lips trembled against the veil. Releasing a ragged cry, she strained against the wall. “You’re the one person who I thought would never hurt me!”

  “I’m not trying to hurt you,” he whispered, pained. “I’d never do that.”

  Swallowing hard, she watched them.

  Again, she couldn’t tamper her desire to comfort him.

  Without a doubt, this episode was ripping him to shreds.

  Every bit of torment was etched along his features.

  Yet, his actions were purposeful and quick as he grasped his mother’s right arm. Within seconds, he’d administered the medicine and passed the syringe back to Carmine. Now, obvious concern plagued his features. “Mama, I’m going to help you up---”

  Exhausted and worn, Lola collapsed against the wall.

  Sighing hard, he wiped a tired hand along his face. “She’s fainted.”

  “I’ll get her room ready,” Carmine said quickly and scurried from the room.

  She passed him a quiet look. “Is there anything that I can do to help?”

  “No, there’s nothing anybody can do about this fucked up mess,” he muttered tightly and refused to look at her. “It’s been a long ass night. Try and get some rest.”

  She crossed both arms along her chest.

  Like that was actually possible…

  Rather than saying that, she kept her mouth shut.

  With ease, he lifted his mother from the floor. “Excuse me,” he said and sidestepped around her. As he regarded her, his entire posture was stiffened. “Don’t want to run over you with my load.”

  “No, that’s my fault for being in the way.”

  But, he said nothing further.

  Lost, torn, and confused, she watched him leave.

  It was only hours later that she was tossing restlessly in her bed. Finally giving up, she rolled onto her side before hugging the pillow close. She stared blankly across the darkened bedroom and couldn’t dismiss the obvious reality.

  A horrible tragedy breathed.

  For him…his mother…beyond these walls…

  The scalding tears burned her eyes.

  Couldn’t she relate to them on some level?

  Didn’t she understand how easy it was to fall into a state of depression, and be stuck with the sinking feeling that there was no way out? Hadn’t she been trying to claw her way out from her own world of darkness since Gage’s death?

  “Will I ever be whole again?” she whispered past the clogged tears.

  Would any of them for that matter?

  The silence gave no answer.

  ***

  By 3:00 am, the rain finally stopped.

  The fog crept along the grounds and filled the dense woods.

  Yet, there still wasn’t a sense of peace.

  Wasn’t that the norm during times like tonight---a lack of sleep and him always being alone with his debilitating and torturous thoughts?

  Nursing a glass of cognac, dressed in nothing but a white terry robe, he stood at the study window and stared out at the night. After draining it, he nearly crushed the glass in his hand. Forcing himself to calm, he carefully placed it on the window sill.

  Then, releasing a tired sigh, he focused on the heavens above.

  There was one irrefutable truth.

  A magnificent being resided beyond the stars.

  “Tell me what to do,” he whispered, pained, and blinked at the hot tears. “Tell me how to fix this. Give me the answer.” The lump thickened in his throat. But, still, he forced himself to look skyward. “The kind of man that I am, and all the things that I’ve done---I know that I’m deserving of nothing. I don’t expect anything in return.” A tear slipped down his cheek. “But, Mama…can’t you give her just a tiny piece of normalcy or happiness? Hasn’t she suffered enough?”

  The quiet noise echoed louder.

  “Did I do the right thing?” he asked in keen desperation. “Bringing her here, away from the rest of the world---was it the answer?” He sought the answer from the foggy darkness. “I was only trying to protect her from him. If I could have put ten continents between us and him, I would have.” Suddenly, it was difficult to get his words out. “Seeing her like this, it’s almost too much, and I can’t help her in the way that she needs.” He braced his hands against the window sill. “Maybe Cassius is right about seeking professional help…”

  But, would that ‘professional help’ lead to his mother serving a stint in a mental hospital? “I can’t do that to her,” he claimed in a shaky voice. Though he tried, he failed to stop the falling teardrops. “She’s already locked in a prison that no one else understands.”

  As the memory surfaced, he turned away from the window.

  Eyes wild, he stared unseeingly across the darkened stud
y. Yet, his focus was dead clear, and in his conscience, the horrible night was vividly clear on playback.

  The night of Vitali’s most vicious attack yet…

  “No,” he raged violently and while moving almost capsized the office chair. Like a caged animal, he stormed back to the wet bar. To his horror, his hand shook violently as he snatched the liquor bottle from the counter. The anger ricocheted through him as he failed to steady it. Releasing a biting curse, he hurled the bottle across the room. The bottle whistled shrilly before crashing against the bookcase. In broken pieces, it fell to the floor. But, the sound of its destruction only hurtled him further into the dark hole.

  The dark hole where his tormented thoughts lingered…

  His eyes centered on the wall.

  On instant replay, the awful story played out in his mind.

  “See what happens when you try me!” Vitali taunted and kicked him in the stomach again. The action caused more exploding pain. “If nothing else, I’m going to teach you to stay out of this business between me and your mama!”

  Breathing raggedly and unsteadily, eyes nearly swollen shut, he peered at his so-called father from the floor. Along the edges of each one, the fresh blood oozed and trickled down his face. The hatred in his heart was like fiery venom, and the words left his mouth in an icy whisper. “Go to hell.”

  “And that’s the very place you will never escape, boy. I’ve sent you there, and that’s where you’ll very much stay,” Vitali whispered cruelly in turn. “My only regret is that she didn’t abort your bitch ass. Now, I have no choice but to look at you and acknowledge the grand mistake that you are.” Releasing a violent cry, he kicked him hard again. Over, over, and over again…“Turn sixteen and think you’re a damn man, huh? I’ll show you that you’re nothing. And you will treat me with respect!”

  The pain ripped through him, spearing from his abdomen, and straight to his chest. Dazed, refusing to cry out, he embraced the physical agony and tried to fade his mind out.

  But, but, but, he mulled in a crazed state.

  How was it even possible to do so considering that the world itself was drenched in a pure gloomy state? The entire human population was doomed, he realized, feeling the stark pain as it impaled him again.