Under the Blood Moon (The Stargazers Trilogy Book 1)

by Lee, Summer

  “I’ve explained the dream to you, Isabella, to the best of my ability. I’ve heard it so much that I memorized it! So there is nothing else to say. Why can’t that be enough?”

  “I know what I have to do.” Isabella took a sip of tea and smiled. “I need him to tell me the dream. I need to hear his words. Only then can we find the answers we need. Nothing more.”

  “Leave him alone.” Sybil took her cup, walked over to the open door and looked out.

  “I want to ask him a few questions, that’s all,” Isabella said.

  “Let me ask if he will talk to you. See what he says.” Sybil saw her brother standing out in the trees. Walking out toward him, she tried to be quiet so as not to disturb his thoughts. He looked up. “Hi, sis.”

  She put her arm around his shoulder. “I know you well, Eric, but I’ve never seen you like this before. Talk to me. Tell me what is going on in your head.”

  He turned to her with tears in his eyes. His eyes were puffy as if he had been crying for quite some time. “Yeah, you do know me. You know me well enough to know that I’m scared. I’ve never had a dream like that before. But now I’ve had it several times. It was so real and I can remember every aspect, like I just dreamed it.”

  “I know, bro’. It goes beyond anything we can find out with conventional science. Heck, we already tried back at the lab. You saw where that got us. A big zero.”

  “I just wished you’d have asked me before bringing me out here. This gal scares me.”

  She set her cup down on the ledge and gave her brother a big hug. “I get it, Eric. You know as well as I do that that dream means something important to a lot more people than just you and me. We can figure it out. Let me help you. Let Isabella help you. When science fails, we try something else. Isabella is that something else. Will you please just listen to her?”

  He smiled weakly and nodded.

  Sybil looked up and said, “Look brother, it’s a blood moon.”

  “I saw it, but it means nothing.”

  Isabella came out to the edge of the porch and pointed at the sky. “Full moon tonight. Blood Moon will get brighter. Not much time. Please go inside now.”

  She rushed back inside, followed closely by the siblings. Eric closed the door behind him.

  “No!” Isabella exclaimed. “No door closing on Blood Moon! Sit. Please.”

  He opened the door again. Everyone returned to their chairs at the table. A gentle breeze came into the cabin.

  Sybil felt anxious, knowing her brother was frightened. Eric turned to Isabella and asked, “Why don’t you wear shoes?”

  Isabella grinned. “No shoes helps me to be in touch with mother Earth. Nothing comes between me and her. Plus, the Lord told Moses to take his shoes when God told him to go set His people free.” She touched his hand. “No more stalling. You must tell me the dream now. Just stare into my eyes, Eric. Do this as you tell me your dream. Don’t ask why, just do it.”

  “Okay,” he replied, with some trepidation.

  “Ready?” said Sybil.

  Isabella held her hand out to her. “Sybil. You must remain quiet. Do not get up from your chair for any reason.”

  Sybil reluctantly nodded, as she scooted the chair in further under the table.

  Isabella sat in front of Eric and opened her hands in front of her. Eric clasped Isabella’s hands, and immediately felt a slight tingle go all the way up his arms. He was about to open his mouth, but she shook her head.

  “No.” Breathing slowly, Isabella sighed. She then regulated her breathing and told Eric to do the same. “I need not hear your words in order to hear the story. Please remain quiet and still. Allow yourself to experience the dream again. I must see it and feel it, as well. Understand?”

  He nodded.

  “Shut your eyes and then concentrate.”

  He just stared.

  “Close your eyes and think only of the dream.”

  Eric closed his eyes and the dream reappeared. After viewing the scenes of zombies and his mother, he reached the part of his dream where he touched the moon. The blood was more intense this time. He could even smell it. He started fidgeting, but Isabella squeezed his hands, helping him to be aware of what he was doing. He regained control.

  Beads of sweat formed all over Eric’s body, causing his shirt to get soaked. His dream soon became his only reality. More real than it had been when he first dreamed it. His breathing became erratic, as he felt the heat pressing in on him.

  The floor under his feet felt like dirt. Around him, it vibrated intensely. It was stronger than the last time. He felt the soft soil underneath his feet squish between his toes.

  His hands shook, as he scrunched his face in fear. He could tell that Isabella was trying to calm him, but he could not respond. He clenched his teeth as he felt his face turn hot and crimson red.

  He ran to the door and looked out. The moon was now fully red. It seemed so close, so he reached for it. But it was not close enough to touch. The black clouds gathered. Lightning flashed. Thunder rolled. Instantly, there was a flash flood. Then the rain stopped as quickly as it had started.

  Water ran down the driveway and down the hill. Eric went back to his seat and sat down, saying nothing. It felt like his body was on fire.

  Chapter Ten

  April 15th, 9:00 p.m.

  Meanwhile, Sybil called out to him, showing she was concerned about her brother. She indicated to Isabella that she wanted to leave her chair. Isabella shot her a look to remain where she was. The table itself was shaking now, as Isabella grabbed hold of Eric’s hands once again. Isabella blew on her fingers, showing she felt the overwhelming heat emanating from Eric’s body, but she still held on. Sybil was shocked.

  The table continued to shake and move about the room. Sybil kept a close eye on it and realized something shocking. It wasn’t just the table that was moving. Sybil looked around the cabin in a panic and noticed that the entire building was now shaking.

  Glassware crashed to the floor. Everything that was not secured fell to the floor and shattered. Sybil let out a screech as one of the legs gave way on her chair, sending her crashing to the floor. She had no idea if something supernatural was going on or something worse. Could it be the curse of God?

  Eric’s eyes opened wide as he looked helplessly at his sister. His eyes were bloodshot and completely red, as he let go of Isabella’s hands. When he did, the room became calm. “Earthquake!” Sybil shouted as she ran to her brother and Isabella. Hugging Eric, she said, “Are you alright?”

  “Don’t know.” All three stood still, as if they realized that there was something bigger going on than what happened at the table. Eric said, “I believe that earthquake was worldwide.”

  Sybil hugged him again. “I’m sorry this happened.”

  “It will pass!” Isabella held up her hands, as the tremors slowed down. “Remain where you are! Both of you.”

  Both siblings looked fearfully at each other, as if they were reading each others minds. Sybil wondered if coming here was the best course of action. She motioned to him with her eyes, and he nodded that he understood, as they mentally prepared an escape plan.

  Being obedient, everyone stayed exactly where they were, as the tremors died out completely. Isabella smiled, as if she knew how long the earthquake would last.

  “We get Sybil a new chair, then back to the table,” Isabella said, as if nothing had happened.

  After everything quieted down, Isabella poured tea for Sybil and Eric and then sat down at the table.

  Isabella looked abnormally calm. “I tell you now the meaning of the dream and the Blood Moon. You came to me for a reason. Right?”

  She breathed in and let it out slowly. “There have been dreams and visions for a while now about the end of the age. It is only recently that we connect them to the Blood Moons. I am not the only one who prophesies. Some have proclaimed the acceptable year of the Lord. Others have prophesied the number of days as found in Daniel. For me the prophecy i
s to be 1,350 days from my first vision.”

  “So you have visions like Eric’s dreams?”

  “Yes. That is why I need Eric.”

  Eric stood up and was noticeably freaked out. “What the heck are you talking about? Will someone explain to me the gibberish she just spit out, please?”

  Isabella looked angry, for the first time since they all sat down. “I’ll not to be questioned! I did not seek you out! You called me, Sybil.”

  “You put your card in my hand.”

  “Humph.” Isabella snarled. “Listen to me. Exactly 1,350 days from my first vision will be September 28, 2015! Others have visions of the same times.” She got in Eric’s face. “Understand?”

  Eric did not like being yelled at. “Big deal! September 28th is my birthday! You knowing my birthday doesn’t make you a psychic! Sybil could have told you!”

  He looked at his sister for confirmation, but she stood there shaking her head.

  Isabella stood in shock with her hands covering her mouth. Tears started to roll down her cheeks, as she had a look of sympathy for Eric. “You have to believe in your gift.”

  Eric didn’t like where it was going. He looked back and forth from Sybil to Isabella, as if one of them was going to offer him a perfectly logical explanation. “Sybil?”

  “Please to calm down,” Isabella said, in her deep Hungarian accent. “I will explain. I apologize for my outburst. I need to stay focused. Tonight is the first of four Blood Moons over the next year and a half.”

  “What exactly is a… Blood Moon?” Eric managed, after slowing his breathing down.

  “I will explain.” Isabella’s eyes lit up and she began her description. “When the Earth passes between sun and moon, this is called lunar eclipse. There’s one tonight. Sometimes, during the eclipse, the rays of the sun will curve around the Earth. This causes moon to look red. For only fourth time in last 500 years, there will be four Blood Moons surrounding Jewish feast days. Blood Moons are mostly common in relationship to events God has planned for Israel. When they happen this close together, it is called a Tetrad. That’s what the space scientists call it, anyway. I call it a Blood Omen. A sign.”

  “You seem upset, but that’s a Jewish belief, Isabella,” Sybil added. “You’re not Jewish.”

  “I am half. Not just for Jewish people,” she replied. “End is nigh.”

  “What does this have to do with me and my birthday?” Eric asked adamantly.

  Isabella glared at him, but did not put him down. “Your dreams. There’s always someone who dreams. Like when God took Israel to Egypt, he gave Joseph dreams first. This time, it’s you.”

  “What makes me so special?” he asked, almost pleading.

  She shrugged. “Don’t know. Don’t know if anyone ever knew. But you will still have a final word. From the time the first trumpet blows, until the time of the seventh trumpet… those that will hear will know that the Messiah is the Lord.”

  She was almost trance-like when she mentioned the trumpets. She almost collapsed, but Eric caught her in time. “Gracious.”

  Sybil was puzzled by everything Isabella had said, so far. “Isabella. That part about the trumpets sounds an awful like it came out of the Bible. Is this the real end of the world you’re talking about here?”

  Almost as if on cue, the cabin started to shake violently. More dishes and glasses crashed to the floor again. Most pictures fell from the wall.

  “Let’s get out of here before the roof caves in,” said Sybil.

  “No.” Isabella sat firm.

  Eric and Sybil lifted Isabella out of the chair and dragged her out of the cabin. As soon as they were all out, the door slammed shut behind them. The ground shook under their feet. Turning back toward Isabella’s cabin, Sybil shouted, “Look at the cabin!” It was all lit up. A dark red light streamed forth out of every crack of the cabin. The light was blinding as it shot out in three rays of hot energy. The laser-like beams brushed by each one of the trio. As it did, it seared their skin.

  Grabbing each others hands, they backed up slowly, so as not to be ambushed by the heat. The light emanating from the cabin continued and was blinding. Sybil could not think of what the cause was. “Why is this happening, Isabella?”

  “I have no idea.” No one could say anything in response. Fear gripped them all as they froze in their tracks.

  The Earth continued to shake. The ground shaking grew into a sizable tremor again. “The trees. There is safety of the trees,” said Isabella.

  Remembering his dream, Eric agreed. He said, “Run for the trees, sis. Run quickly.” The trio backed up toward the trees they thought should be safe.

  At that moment, large chunks of wood broke off from the cabin with a loud rumbling sound, which seemed to come from within. All of a sudden there was dead silence. Eric, Sybil, and Isabella were frozen in place. None of them could not tear their eyes away from the enigma. Never had any of them seen anything of that magnitude.

  Eric was the first to speak. Looking around, he said quietly, “What now?”

  “No idea,” said Isabella. The cabin appeared to inhale, as the walls cracked and were sucked toward the center of the dwelling, Then, all at once, the cabin imploded with a tremendous force. The light illuminated the entire area, as the three bewildered voyeurs were blown backward. They flew almost 20 feet in the air, each landing in a different place.

  Sybil rolled into a nearby patch of trees, hitting her side against the trunk. It sufficiently knocked the air out of her.

  Isabella was thrown back onto some dirt and gravel, causing small cuts all over her face and arms.

  Eric was simply knocked off his feet, as he held his arms over his face to shield himself from the barrage of wood fragments. Instantly, he let out a scream of agony.

  Sybil managed to get to her feet, in spite of the searing pain in her side. She saw the ground littered with small pieces of flaming wood. Not knowing what to do, she let her thoughts wander. Nothing in science could explain what just happened and she had no theories. Nothing! Her training and experiments and labs didn’t prepare her for what she was experiencing. Sybil did not consider herself a scientist governed only by scientific laws. She knew that there are things in life that can’t be explained. Scientists had tried to force their unproven opinions down people’s throats and called them facts, but she wasn’t like that. She needed proof or at least a gut extinct. She knew that most people would believe anything scientists told them, because they were in positions of authority. She started to hate the field she trained in just because of all of the glory grabbers. She knew there was something bigger than what mankind could create.

  “Are you okay?” Eric turned to face his sister.

  “Yes.” She felt desperation. He looked the same way. “How about you? Are you okay?”

  “Yeah. Where’s Isabella?” He walked away to look for her and disappeared from sight.

  Sybil could not see either one of them. What was going on with her brother or Isabella? She wanted to move to try to gain a better advantage, but her movement was limited. Flaming cinders were everywhere. She called out Eric’s name, but was drowned out by crackling sounds of Mother Nature. All she could do was hope he and Isabella were alright.

  Standing alone, she wondered if she should have paid more attention to the Bible.

  Chapter Eleven

  April 15th, 11:00 p.m.

  Several pieces of wood sliced across Eric’s arms, embedding splinters into his skin. He returned to the cabin, but all he saw was the foundation. Big slabs of the walls lay burning on the ground. While looking for Isabella, Eric picked the small pieces of wood from his limbs.

  The tremors started again with a stronger intensity. They gradually increased, as more trees were being uprooted. There were some places where the broken ground rose up forming a hill.

  Small cracks formed around the roots, as branches broke off the still standing trees, and flew in all directions. Eric braced himself against the same tree that cau
sed him damage. He saw Isabella was trying to make her way toward him. He was stuck in one place, not knowing which way to turn. His fear had taken control. Isabella approached him and seized his hands. “I’ll help you. Hold on tight.”

  “I am.” He had no strength of voice.

  Isabella said, “If we get torn apart, you must face what comes next, alone.”

  “I understand. Where is Sybil? I can’t see her. She has disappeared.”

  Isabella acted concerned, as she told Eric, “As soon as the storm dies down, we’ll look for her.”

  Eric was frightened. “Don’t just talk about it. Help me look for her now.”

  Isabella snapped at him. “I’m doing all I can here, trying to take care of you.”

  There was a cracking noise, as the ground split beneath them. Next, a loud rumbling of moving Earth drowned out any hope of conversation. Walls of fire shot up from the widening cracks in the ground. Eric was ripped away from Isabella. He expected to die.

  The movement stopped. The sounds died down. “What’s going on, Isabella? My sister is in real trouble here, but you don’t seem concerned. Shouldn’t we be looking for Sybil?”

  “Now that the earthquake is over, she’ll find us. You don’t understand who you are.” Isabella became very serious as she stared at Eric. She also lost her strong accent. “You are special, Eric. For some reason you have a connection to the Blood Moon. There are always a few random people who become connected through unknown means. But you are the best. We’ve searched for someone like you. You should be honored!”

  “Not really.”

  She started toward him, showing her teeth. “Don’t contradict me.”

  “I am nothing without Sybil.” He backed away as far as he could, with a look of revolt. “You’re insane, Isabella! You have a devil living inside you. I’m out of here and finding my sister right now!” He looked around for a clear path that may take him back to his sister among all of tremors, fire, and flaming wood.