Intertwined

by Cooper Eaton

  I turned back to see Rachel was struggling to make it! A look of absolute fear was frozen on her face!

  The sharks had regrouped and were chasing her! She’s not going to make it!

  The lead shark had her! I didn’t see the bite land, but judging from the look on Rachel’s face it had hit its mark! NOOO!

  I didn’t want to, but I knew what I had to do. I pulled the inside lever shutting the doorway between Rachel and safety.

  “Open it, open it! You have to let her in! She’ll die! Let her in!” Jessica screamed turning on me!

  “It’s too late. She’s gone! If I opened the lever it would only end badly for all of us!”

  But Jessica was having none of it! She grabbed onto me and tried to pull me away from the lever. “Let her in, she’ll die out there!”

  “Rasben, a little help please?”

  Together Rasben and I managed to subdue Jessica.

  “Jessica, it’s over, she’s gone, we can’t save her.” Rasben explained.

  “No, no we can save her, she’ll be alright, I know we can save her.” Jessica broke down sobbing.

  “No we can’t Jess. She’s gone… she’s gone.”

  Chapter 17: The Return

  We sat in the library together, just the two of us. One side of the library held two couches one of which we occupied. We sat very close sharing body heat in the expansive, chilly library. It’d been Jessica’s idea to come to the library together and talk about Rachel. I had agreed and after dinner she’d found me and lead me to this hidden set of couches.

  I didn’t think it would be very cold, but someone must have forgotten to fill the giant fireplace because it was quite chilly.

  Jess leaned in close. “Can you hold me?”

  “Sure, what’s up?” I replied as I smoothly reached my arm around her and squeezed her closer.

  And then out of nowhere she began to shake with heart wrenching sobs.

  Her body shook with each sob as she leaned in closer but remained silent. What do I do? I had no idea what was happening, but this felt like a good moment to just listen.

  She continued to cry in my arms for 5 minutes. Finally, her head came up and conversation began again.

  “I’m sorry, I’m such a mess. I didn’t mean for tonight to go like this. I can’t believe Rachel is gone. I’ve felt so strange lately, everything that’s been happening has been so confusing.” her eyes glistened, reflecting light and creating one of the most exquisite sights I’d ever seen.

  I waited a moment before responding. “You know you're beautiful when you cry, right?” She laughed shyly and ducked her head. “No I mean it, you really are. I knew you were gorgeous, funny, and smart, but I didn’t know you're also a cute crier.” She laughed shyly again.

  I could feel her worry and tension begin to melt, so I pressed on. “I know losing Rachel’s been rough and this whole experiment has been really weird, and I don’t know exactly what you're facing, but I know you’ll figure something out. You work harder than anyone I know, so whatever it is, I know you’ll face it head on. I’ve never seen you back down from anything. Just remember that whenever you need someone to talk to, I’m here for you.”

  In response she wrapped her arms around me and laid her head gently on my chest. It felt good, for the first time I felt as though I were truly in tune with someone else. It seemed, for a moment, as if our hearts beat in unison.

  The moment seemed almost too good to be true. We stayed still; neither of us moving. As time fell away I felt her breathing slow against my chest as she slowly slipped into sleep.

  A few more minutes passed before I too lost consciousness. However, the world I went to was anything but a dream.

  I fell into my dark and mysterious dream world, but surprisingly something about the nightmare I now occupied seemed familiar. I remember this dream. I’ve been here before!

  The dark path that lay before me was one I’d walked before. I followed the path, already knowing where it went.

  I walked around a bend in the path, and into a clearing. It was the same one from before! There’s the small box and it’s still shaking from whatever wants to escape. But where is the small little man with the riddle?

  “There you are! I was wondering when you’d bother to show up again.” Came a squeak from the bushes.

  I spun on my heal, and there he stood!

  “Where am I?”

  “We’ve been over this; I don’t have time for your questions. Last time you were lucky, you escaped the wrath of the demon, but this time you won’t be so lucky. Even now he stirs as your presence is made known to him.”

  And then, as if on cue I heard it! “Boom, boom, boom!” Footsteps!

  “Do you remember what you’re doing here?”

  “No, I’m so confused! What is happening?”

  “We went over this in your last dream! You have to answer my riddle in order to open the box which contains the ability which you must attain in order to escape the beast's wrath! Do you remember the riddle?”

  “No, no, I thought that I would never need it again so I didn’t think about it!”

  “Boom, wham, slam!” The monster ripped through the forest much as he had last time, laying the ground to rubble behind him as trees flew in the air and the ground shook with his approach!

  “You must focus! Are you ready?”

  “Yes, yes give it to me!”

  “Alright, here it is: I can bring tears to your eyes; resurrect the dead, make you smile, reverse time. I form quite quickly and last for ages, what am I?” He said his voice quickening as the monsters approach grew in volume!

  “Slam, Boom!” The beast was closing now! Its steps were getting louder every second!

  I couldn’t think! I remember trying god, which had sounded right according to the first four descriptions, but what formed quickly and lasted for ages? I have no idea! What can reverse time? What can bring tears to my eyes but also make me happy? Is this a trick questions, is there no real answer?

  And then the trees at the opposite end of the clearing parted and there he stood! The demon!

  The beast was here! It was over!

  “Give me an answer! Say something, say anything!” The man screamed in desperation!¶I couldn’t give him an answer though! I had nothing but complete and utter fear running through my brain! I closed my eyes and tried to think of my parents and how much they had loved me! I tried to think of them when I said goodbye to them and the looks on their faces, and then the answer hit me!

  Memories! Memories were bringing tears to my eyes, making me smile, reversing time and they could resurrect the dead!

  “Memories!” I blurted out! “Memories is the answer!”¶“Yes,” the man said in surprise.

  Then with a snap of his fingers the box that’d began to shake violently with the sudden closeness to the beast burst open!

  Out of it floated a body! However, this was no ordinary body! It was transparent! In fact, it looked like only the halo of a body. It was completely empty and had no human features other than being shaped like one.

  As the body materialized, the beast began to move faster! It was now full on sprinting! The ground shook and I could barely stand! This is it; I’m going to die in a dream world!

  The two of them approached in unison! The body from one direction and the demon from the other! But I couldn’t focus on both! How is a transparent ghost going to help me? The body floated towards me, and as it got closer and closer it didn’t look like it was going to stop!

  The beast converged and leapt in the air, its giant mouth opened to reveal a set of glistening fangs! I took a small step backwards realizing it was too late, but then it happened!

  The halo joined me! It became me! It flew into me, instantaneously spreading throughout me! As it did, I felt something return. What the?

  The monster's mouth snapped shut, but only on the air where I no longer stood!

  I was ripped from
the nightmare and began to fly back towards reality! As I did, I felt something fluttering back into existence. Memories, memories are returning! But why?

  I felt memories of me being shocked with a million volts of electricity in my attempt at escaping capture, I remembered finding the testers bodies, I remember Matthew telling me that he too could see the colors and then, just when I thought all my memories had returned another one flew back into existence.

  The memory of how I’d lost my memory to begin with! Jessica, it was Jessica! Jessica had betrayed me! She had lured me away and then drugged me! She’d been the one who had told Mr. Blackwood about the testers bodies I’d found. She’d told him that I could see colors. She’s the reason my memories got swiped! It’s because of her I’ve been living a nightmare! She’s been playing me this whole time! I can’t believe it!

  My eyes snapped open and the world zoomed back into focus only to reveal Jessica, the backstabber.

  She’d been shaking me away. “Are you okay Will? You were having a nightmare.” she asked concerned.

  “It was you!” I shouted angrily as I pushed her away. “You drugged me! You're the reason nothing’s been making sense. You're the reason everything has been going wrong, how could you do this to me? I thought I meant more to you than this! How could you?” I yelled feeling my face flush with anger as I stood!

  “What are you talking about? I don’t have an idea of what you're talking about.” She replied confused.

  “So you’re gonna play it that way. Pretending like you have no idea what I’m talking about, pretending to be sweet and innocent! Well, it won’t work! I never want to see you again!”

  Her eyes began to glisten over with tears as a few people poked their heads out from between shelves to see what was going on. Feeling slightly embarrassed, I turned and rushed out.

  I quickly made my way to Matthew’s room. I had to make it there before Jessica told someone and I got my memory taken away again.

  I sprinted up to the second floor and pounded on Matthew’s door quite loudly! “Matthew, Matthew, I need to talk to you.”

  I couldn’t hear anything. I tried the handle and it twisted in my hand. It was open. “Matthew, I remember our conversation. I think we should talk about the colors. Where are yo…” But the words trailed off in my throat as I saw the gruesome sight before me!

  He was dead! Matthew was dead! “Creak, creak, creak.” The rope that held his lifeless body groaned in protest as Matthew swung gently to and fro. His face was a chilling dark clouded with cold. His eyes were wide open but with nothing in them. His body now resembled that of a rag doll.

  It was horrifying! I couldn’t stand the sight! I turned away wanting to both cry and puke as I found the trash can, when something out of the corner of my eye caught my attention.

  An envelope! I hadn’t seen one of these except in old movies and in my invitation from A.S.T.A! Why is this here? The letter sat on the desk as if waiting for me to open it! I moved closer only to realize that there were two envelopes. One addressed to me and one to Rachel. Scooping it up mine I looked for a way to open it; unable to find a way I decided to tear it open.

  As I was pulling Matthew’s last words from their white coffin a girl entered. “Hey Matthew, how does your head feel, you ready to come play some games with…” She stopped mid-sentence completely confused and at a loss of words! She looked from me to Matthew and then back again! “Ahhh!” She screamed and fled from the room! I could hear her screaming from the hall. “He’s dead, he’s dead! Someone help, Matthew’s dead!”

  Her voice got quieter and quieter as did her footsteps, but I knew people would be coming to investigate so I quickly left and ran the opposite way.

  I reached my room sitting quickly down on my bed trying to read the note before prying eyes could. “Dear Will, I hope this letter finds you. I doubt it will considering what really goes on here, but I don’t have time to tell you everything. I wrote this to you to explain some things that I know you're confused about. First, you need to know that there are others like us. There are others that can see electricity! I’ve met someone in this simulator missions. They know things. I hope you get the chance to talk to them and figure out what is wrong with us. However, in the meantime you should focus on the gift. The gift can be very dangerous, and if you don’t learn to control it you’ll end up like me. Everyday the colors attack me! I can’t figure out what I’m doing wrong, but whenever I try and use the sight I attract the colors. They attack my brain and have been causing me to have especially dark thoughts. Rachel was the only light in my ever increasingly dark tunnel. Without her my last hope was snuffed out. I know I sound crazy, but without her, there’s no reason to live. I know she’s out there somewhere, but without her here the colors have overwhelmed me. I no longer possess the will to live. I hope that these thoughts will not consume you. Whatever you do, do not let the darkness in, it will drown you.”

  The letter continued on like this for a few more paragraphs, but I couldn’t finish them. I folded these precious last words from a boy I’d never thought much of, but now was having second thoughts about. Was he really so bad? Probably, he’d killed others without thinking and had never been especially nice to me, but this letter sounded like he might have had a better side. Maybe Rachel changed him? Either way, I wish he was still here, he was someone who might have some of the answers that I so desperately need.

  With these thoughts of sadness I gently let go of the paper and watched it float to the floor. Unexpected tears began to roll. I don’t know what it was, but something inside me felt sorry for Matthew. That was a real life. He had so much to live for, and now he’s gone. There’s no coming back from what he did. With the others, I now know they are below in a vegetable state, but at least they’re still alive. Matthew won’t ever be coming back.

  I could’ve stopped this! I should have talked to him, I might have helped him! I wish I could go back.

  “Knock, knock, knock.” Someone’s knocking ripped me from my thoughts.

  I hurriedly grabbed the note, hid it in one of my many pants pockets and rushed to open the door. There I was met by Mr. Blackwood.

  “Hello, Mr. Rose, may I come in? I have a few questions for you…”

  He didn’t ask much. All he’d wanted to know was what I’d seen and why I’d went to see Matthew. I’d answered that I went there to talk to him about our last mission and how his team was doing. Mr. Blackwood accepted my lies, and told me he might need to talk to me later. Upon the conclusion of our talk he left quickly.

  I’d fallen asleep close to an hour later. I woke to the morning sunshine streaming in only to realize that Rasben had already left. I assumed for breakfast, but I didn’t want to run into Jessica so I stayed in my room. Minutes turned into hours and hours into the rest of the day. All I could think about was; What if what Matthew said is true? Am I really seeing electricity? Could it really affect me in such a negative way? What did he find out, and why hadn’t he told me?

  These questions and many more continued to swirl throughout the day but were interrupted by a visit from Chris and Rasben. They both tried to cheer me up but I remained cold. Matthew’s cold dead eyes kept haunting me. Why’d I have to see that? I’ll never get those horrendously gruesome images out of my head.

  As I continued to drown in panic at the possibility of suffering the same fate as Matthew, the light from the small dorm window turned dark.

  I heard a knocking at my door waking me from my stupor. “Knock, knock, knock.”

  It must be Rasben, but why is he knocking? Maybe it’s Mr. Blackwood back to ask more questions?

  However, as I opened the door a quite different person appeared, Jessica.

  “I don’t want to see you; I thought I’d made that clear.” I said trying to close the door on her.

  However, she stuck out her foot preventing me from doing so. “I just want to talk, we need to.”

  “Why don’t you go talk to
Mr. Blackwood or Mrs. Nasdin, you seem to like that.” I replied as my voice hardened.

  She pushed past me unwilling to give up.

  I was suddenly embarrassed with her in such close proximity and myself shirtless in an extremely messy room.

  “Jessica, I don’t want to talk to you. Please leave.” ¶I could tell my words stung even though she tried not to show it. “William please listen to me for one minute. I’m extremely confused. The other night things were going great and I felt like we were finally understanding each other, and then out of nowhere you flipped out. I have no idea what you were talking about! What did you mean I was the reason for your memory loss? Didn’t Mr. Blackwood tell you that you hit your head?”

  “I can’t believe you’re still acting like you have no idea what is going on. I know you're the one who drugged me so that my memory could be swiped! You thought I would never remember and you would escape punishment, but I got my memory back and I know what you did, you can’t pretend like it never happened!”

  “What do you mean you got your memory swiped? What are you talking about?”

  “So you’re trying to tell me you have no recollection of when we went to the pond, you asked me questions and then out of nowhere you STABBED me in the neck and knocked me out!” I raised my voice. ¶“You have to be making all of this up! There is no way any of that happened! You know me Will, I would never do any of what you just said! Why would I want your memory swiped? If anything I want the exact opposite! I want you to remember you and the good times we’ve had together.” She argued.

  “Sure, play the sweet and innocent card. Pretend like I’m imagining everything! Make me look insane, but I know what really happened and no matter how much you deny it, I know what you did!”

  “William, if you would just look at all the facts, you would see that none of this makes sense! I would never do that to the boy I love!” She shouted with tears suddenly glistening in her eyes.