by S. J. West
“Why don’t you like Ravan?” Mason asks.
“Sweetie,” Sadie says with a tilt of her head, “this is the Bible belt. We’ve spent most of our lives preparing for the Apocalypse. Anyone with a brain and the Good Book can tell you that she’s working with the devil. Just because those people in the news say she’s our savior doesn’t make it so. In fact, it just proves what we already suspected.”
If these people figured out what was really taking place, it was a safe bet that there were others around the world who understood the truth of what was transpiring as well. Perhaps our task wasn’t as daunting as I’d first thought. So many people simply take what they see and hear in the media as the gospel truth. It was refreshing to know that not everyone could be led by the nose like a group of lemmings to the edge of a cliff.
“Would you like to come with me to The Pyramid?” Brand asks Vern. “I wouldn’t expect you to just take my word on what’s happening there.”
“I’ll go,” Jamie, Vern and Sadie’s son, says, taking a step forward as he volunteers.
“I can go, son,” Vern says.
“No, Dad, you stay here and take care of Mom,” Jamie replies. “This shouldn’t take long if we can trust this man.”
Brand holds out his hand to Jamie. Cautiously, Jamie shakes Brand’s hand.
“Brand Cole,” he says, making a formal introduction.
“Jamie Myrick.”
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Jamie,” Brand says, not letting go of the other man’s hand just yet. “Are you ready to go?”
Jamie nods his head, and Brand phases them both away.
“Can I ask you something?” Shelby says to me directly.
“Of course,” I reply.
“The way the two of you looked at us when you saw who we were,” she says to Leah and me, “was almost like you already knew us. How is that possible?”
I let out a small laugh and have to grin.
“Well,” I say, “I could tell you, but I’m not sure you would believe the explanation. Even I have a hard time believing the truth.”
“Try us,” Shelby encourages.
“Do you want the long version or the short one?”
“Short,” Shelby says instantly. “I have a feeling we don’t have time for the long one.”
I go on to tell them who we are and where we come from. Out of natural curiosity, they begin to ask me about their counterparts in my reality. I tell them what they want to know, and feel relieved that Jamie isn’t around to hear what became of him on my Earth. Thankfully, John Austin takes the news of his engagement to Faison and subsequent death in stride.
“I knew the Faison here,” he tells me. “But her Uncle Dan rarely let her out of his house after she went to live with him. I only saw her at school and, even then, she pretty much kept to herself. I don’t think any of us were too surprised when she ended up killing herself when she was fourteen. It hit our community pretty hard, though. We all felt like we should have done something to help her when we had a chance. We knew Dan wasn’t right in the head.”
“Well, the Faison in my reality is happy, married to a wonderful man, and expecting her first child,” I tell John Austin. “She avoided the fate yours ended up with.”
“I’m glad to hear that,” John Austin says sincerely. He tightens his arm around Shelby, “but, to be honest with you, I can’t imagine my life any differently.”
“And you shouldn’t,” I tell him.
Brand and Jamie come back, but neither of them appears to be too happy about what they found in Memphis.
“What’s wrong?” I ask.
“The Pyramid isn’t a safe place to go,” Brand tells me unequivocally. “It’s covered with birds pecking through the glass at the top. It’s only a matter of time before the people trapped inside it become infected.”
“Do you think Desmond would mind taking these people in?” I ask. “I would consider it a personal favor.”
Brand’s brow furrows after hearing my suggestion. I don’t have to be a mind- reader to know what he’s asking himself. He’s wondering why I didn’t suggest that they all be taken to Boldt Castle to stay with us. I don’t have time to explain to him that I can’t have a living John Austin walking around our temporary home. He would be too much of a distraction for me.
“I’m sure Desmond won’t mind,” Brand tells me, not delving any further into my reasoning in front of our present company.
The men help them gather up the few personal belongings they have inside their vehicles. Mason takes Leah and me back to the castle, while the others phase John Austin and his group to the salt mines.
When we arrive back at the castle for a much-needed break, Leah makes some lame excuse I barely hear, in order to give Mason and me some privacy. Mason takes my hand and phases up to our room.
“Are we still arguing?” I ask him.
Mason doesn’t say anything. He simply pulls me into his arms and holds me tightly to him, as if he has no intention of ever letting me go again. I sag in relief against him, soaking in his warmth, and relieved that he doesn’t intend to rekindle our squabble from earlier.
After a few minutes of simply standing in each other’s arms, Mason pulls back just enough to look me in the face.
“All I ask,” he says, worry for me naked in his eyes, “is that you be careful, and at least listen to the suggestions I make. Yes, you’re the one who ultimately decides what needs to be done, but you’re the love of my life, Jess. I can’t live without you, and I will always put your safety first, no matter the situation. It’s just who I am. I make no apologies for that, but I also don’t want you to ever doubt that I trust your judgment. I do, as long as I know you will at least listen to what I recommend, and not just shrug it off as me being too overprotective.”
“I promise I won’t,” I tell him. “I would never ignore your ideas, Mason. You know how much I rely on you.”
“Good,” my husband says, lowering his head to mine for a gentle kiss, “because I meant what I said, Mrs. Collier. I can’t live without you, and I never want to know what that would feel like.”
“You won’t lose me,” I say, sealing my promise with another kiss. “Heaven would be more like Hell if you weren’t there by my side to share it with.”
Mason drops his arms from around me so he can reach for the zipper at the front of my jacket.
“You know, we have a world to save,” I gently remind him.
“This won’t take long,” he tells me with a cock-sure smile as he draws the zipper down to help me out of my jacket. When he leans back to toss the jacket onto a nearby chair, I glance down the length of him, and see that my husband is more than ready to satisfy both our needs. “I’m guessing that’s not a cellphone in your pocket, Mr. Collier.”
Mason grins as he reaches to undo the button on my pants.
“No, Mrs. Collier, I don’t even have one in this reality. It’s all me, ready and willing to satisfy your insatiable urges for my body.”
“Can you blame me?” I ask. “What woman wouldn’t want to make love to you all the time?”
“That’s a very good question,” Mason replies, slipping his hands down the back of my pants to cup my bottom against his warmth. “Fortunately, it’s one I don’t have to worry about. The only woman who counts in my world is you.”
“And I will always want you,” I assure him as I loop my arms around his neck. “Always.”
CHAPTER FIVE
For the next two weeks, Leah and I traverse the globe, exterminating as many birds as we can without killing ourselves in the process. To minimize on down-time, we only sleep for about three hours each day. We’re all acutely aware that every minute we waste eating or sleeping could translate into thousands of lives lost. Mason constantly reminds me that we’re already saving millions of lives through our efforts, but every life is precious to me. I refuse to be the cause of someone losing a beloved husband, wife or, worst of all, child. I push through my mental tiredness and b
ody aches, refusing to give into weakness. Fighting and flying maintains a high level of adrenaline in my body. For the most part, I’m perfectly fine while we’re out destroying what the fourth seal unleashed. It’s only when we stop that I feel the full effects of working so diligently.
The lessons we learned from that first practice run in Tunica were invaluable. To make sure neither Leah nor I lost a grip on our talismans during an inopportune moment, JoJo designed black mesh gloves that would hold onto whatever item we wanted. We only had to think about letting go of the object in our hand for it to drop away.
Mason continued to be my rock during those weeks. I could see his worry over my health continue to grow after each mission, but he knew that if I granted myself more time to sleep, I wouldn’t be able to truly rest. He held his concern for me beneath the surface of his emotions, and only showed me the strength of the man I needed him to be during those bleak days. I would have collapsed from exhaustion and despair a hundred times over if he hadn’t been there to lift me up with a gentle touch, a soft kiss, or even just an encouraging smile. For him, I conquered my fears and fought against the darkness that threatened to consume us.
During those long, hard days, I became even more grateful for the gift my father gave me on my birthday. Whenever weariness threatened to consume me, I would open my locket, and pretend that Max and Brynlee were with me. More often than not, I would start to cry because I missed them so much, but Mason would take me in his arms and tell me everything would be all right. When he said it, I believed it. So…I asked him to say it a lot.
Leah was able to form a closer relationship with her estranged mother during that time as well. Brand would phase Xiulan to the castle every day so she could help tend to her daughter’s needs. Leah seemed to flourish under the love and care her mother was finally able to lavish on her. For most of her life, Leah had thought that her mother didn’t love her, but it was obvious to everyone around them that the complete opposite was true. I also knew, without having to ask, that Xiulan would be returning to our Earth with us when we left. The love I saw in her eyes for Leah told me that no power in Heaven or on Earth would separate her from her daughter again.
Unfortunately, we soon discovered that those who were infected by the birds were doomed to insanity. The agony associated with living in a decaying body was too much for most people to bear. Eventually, almost all of them were driven mad, and, through that madness, they viewed the uninfected as their enemy. They began attacking the healthy out of anger and jealousy. Thankfully, the infected couldn’t pass their malady on to others, but their viciousness drove them to kill anyone they came into contact with. It was only then that I was thankful that Brand’s group of rebels had been forced from their tunnel hideout in New York City. Since we were isolated on an island, none of the infected was able to reach us. In a twisted way, having to abandon Brand’s original headquarters ended up being a good thing. It was always strange how God’s plans worked. An event you thought was the worst thing that could occur at the time always had a chance of being a blessing in disguise.
Two weeks after the fourth seal was opened, almost all of the birds were dead, because, either they infected their targets, or Leah and I killed them. Joshua kept close tabs on any mention of us in the news, but Ravan and Lucian kept tight control over the information disseminated by the media. The only people outside our small group of rebels who even knew that Leah and I existed were the few civilians who saw us with their own two eyes. We were becoming legendary simply by word of mouth, which was sometimes even more effective than TV. We became a symbol of hope for those who were suddenly realizing that Ravan wasn’t as all-powerful as she pretended to be. Without even meaning to, we were slowly chipping away at her hold over the people of this world. I had no way of knowing if she or Lucian realized that yet, and, secretly, maybe even selfishly, I hoped that they did.
The rest of my friends kept busy with their own projects, while Leah, our small band of Watchers, and I completed our missions. JoJo and Gabe worked tirelessly to make leather outfits identical to ours for the Watchers of this world. Zack and Chandler helped with whatever needed to be done, whether it was gathering supplies or leading people on the ground to safety, away from the birds. With Nina’s help, Rafe was able to heal the sick and infirm at locations around the world, spreading hope to those who didn’t have much before he entered their lives. We all chipped in where we were needed most, becoming stronger and even closer through our coordinated efforts. I also learned an important personal lesson.
My friends didn’t need me as much as I’d once thought they did.
I always felt as though it was my responsibility to protect them from all harm, but I discovered they were more than capable of taking care of themselves. In a way, that realization lifted a heavy burden from my heart. I no longer felt like I needed to constantly keep tabs on them. I knew I would always feel protective of them because they were a part of my family, but I wouldn’t feel the need to constantly hover over them anymore.
Once our work was done, Leah and I slept for almost three days straight. We only woke up long enough to eat and go to the bathroom. I didn’t even take the time to shower, which might be why Mason decided to sleep in the chair beside our bed. I didn’t ask. I was simply too tired to even care.
On the morning of the fourth day, I am awakened by the sound of birds chirping. I promptly sit straight up in bed, instantly wide-awake, with my heart pumping so fast I fear I might faint from the sudden rush of blood to my head. I look to the right of the bed, but find the chair Mason has been using during his silent vigil over me empty. Filtered sunlight streams through the sheer curtains covering the windows in the room. I see my sword propped up against the wall next to the bed. I pull it from my baldric and hastily get out of bed. When I open the door of the room to leave and search for my friends, the sound of the birds chirping grows exponentially louder. I race down the hallway full throttle, and take the stairs of the grand staircase two at a time until I reach the foyer in the castle. Brand’s people are walking around, as if nothing is out of the ordinary. The deep, hearty sound of my husband’s laughter directs me towards the back of the house, where the kitchen is located.
When I walk into the large gourmet kitchen, I find Leah, her mother, and Malcolm sitting at the rectangular dining table in front of the bay window in the room. Mason is standing directly behind Leah, smiling as he watches her lean in and place a toothpick with something attached to its end into a shallow, blue plastic container. I soon discover that this is the source of the chirping.
“I can’t believe how hungry they are,” Leah says, with a childlike look of wonder on her face.
“You’ll need to feed them at least once every hour for the next few days,” Malcolm instructs her sagely.
“I’m sure we can find others to help with that chore,” Mason says. “You still need to get some rest, Leah.”
As I walk further into the room, Mason is the first one to notice my arrival.
“Good morning,” he says with a smile that could rival the sun with its warmth. Mason walks around the table to meet me as I approach.
When I look inside the plastic container sitting on the table, I see half a dozen baby robins, with their mouths wide open, wanting to be fed. I instantly notice something odd about them.
“Why aren’t their eyes glowing?” I ask.
“Because they’re not dangerous,” Malcolm tells me. “It seems that nature has found a way to persevere. Only the adult birds were affected by the fourth seal, not the ones still inside their eggs.”
“But won’t most of the baby birds just die because they don’t have parents to take care of them?” I ask.
“Yes,” Malcolm answers bluntly, not bothering to sugarcoat the truth, “but a few will find a way to stay alive, like these. In time, they’ll be able to replenish the bird population. I imagine some species have been lost forever, but most will find a way to survive, like most living things do.”
I watch as Leah places what looks like a pea-size piece of dough on the end of the toothpick she’s holding.
“What are you feeding them?” I ask Leah.
“Malcolm showed me how to make some baby bird food by soaking dried dog food in sugar water and grinding it up,” she answers.
“And how did you know how to do something like that?” I ask Malcolm, amused by his knowledge of such a thing.
Malcolm raises an eyebrow at me, like he’s surprised I feel the need to even ask such a question. “When you’ve lived as long as I have, you tend to pick up a few things along the way.”
“Are you hungry?” Mason asks me. His question makes me realize I feel a lot like the little birds in the container… ravenous.
“I’m starving,” I admit.
“Sit down and I’ll make you something to eat,” he says, leaning in and giving me a quick kiss that makes me realize I’m hungry for more than just food from my husband, but that particular need will have to wait to be satiated.
I sit down and continue to watch Leah feed the baby birds one by one. It’s not exactly a quiet time, with all the high-pitched chirping, but it’s soothing nonetheless. The presence of the little birds proves that all isn’t lost, even if those we fought against would have us believe otherwise. Life always seems to find a way to go on.
“Did you get enough rest?” Leah’s mother asks me.
“Yes. Thank you for asking,” I tell her, feeling better than I have in a long time. As I take my first long look at Xiulan in days, I notice a fine sheen of sweat dotting her brow. “How are you doing?”
“I’m fine,” she replies, with a suspiciously quick nod of her head. I notice her tug on the right sleeve of the white shirt she’s wearing. “I’ve been fighting off a cold, and just feel a little tired is all.”
“You should get some rest, Mom,” Leah says, looking concerned about her mother’s health. “I’m fine now. You don’t have to worry about me anymore.”
Xiulan places a hand on Leah’s arm. “I want to spend as much time with you as I can,” she tells her daughter. “I don’t want to waste a moment.”
