by Rue Volley
“You okay?” Josh asked me and I smiled, as water continued to trickle from my mouth.
“Yeah… yeah… fine.” I said.
“I just felt… I don’t know.” He said as he turned and closed the doors behind him.
I wish he had stayed, we needed to end the thing we had going on. It wasn’t like us and it made me feel foreign to my life and everything I know. I don’t want regret. I had spent so much time battling it that I shouldn’t have to now, and I know that I have to be the one to force it open, this door that has Jonathan’s name all over it, if I am to ever move forward again. If “we” are to move forward, I guess I should say.
I looked down at the water and it waved on the surface, I touched it with the tips of my fingers and then I sank under the surface again… this time not on my own. It beckoned me to it, as water often does. We have a love/hate relationship… me and water that is. It tries to kill me and I almost let it from time to time, maybe to just make it feel more powerful than it already is. I opened my eyes up and the water had disappeared and I found myself on a hill, no grass… no sweet smell to beckon me forward… it looked deserted, ugly… browning from lack of care. I looked up at the sky and it was gray, a misting rain had started and it felt cold as it gently touched my lips and face. I held my hand out and the air pressure shifted, like it would if you had climbed to high in the sky. My head felt foggy and I swayed on my feet. I looked out across the barren landscape and saw a flash of something run into the forest and I suddenly felt the urge to follow, like if I didn’t something awful would happen. So I moved forward, my feet barely able to move through the muddy ground, thickened with dead and dying grass and flowers. That was when the smell hit me. It smelled like decay. Death I would assume. The rain started to come down in larger drops and my hair was heavy and cold as it stuck to my face and made the muscles in my neck ache, like someone was holding ice to it. I looked up and realized that I was in fact at the edge of the dark and stinking forest and my breath came out in a white puff of smoke in front of me, as I suddenly felt like something was sitting on my chest, causing me to fight harder to breathe.
I stepped in and the forest shielded me from the rain, but not the weight that I felt in my chest, it was cold and getting colder with each step that I took. I looked up and saw another flash across the forest of someone and I pushed forward, needing to find out who was here, calling me to them. I stumbled forward and in true me fashion I fell, not only fell but rolled down a hill that I obviously did not see coming. I tumbled head over feet until I hit something hard and cold and it knocked the breath out of me. I cried out and rolled on my side, then I reached out to whatever had stopped me from falling and realized that it was in fact a dead and rotting tree… large and white, something I had committed to memory so long ago… but not in this form. I stood up as I gripped the trees bark and pieces of it broke off in my hands, I held it up to look at it and it hit me as to what I had found…it was the creators tree. One I had been in so many times before…but now it lay dead in the middle of this ugly stinking place, this dead forest, cold and dark. I stood there and started to cry, feeling like I was attending a funeral of sorts. I stared at the tree and then I saw movement to my left and I looked quickly to see what or who it could be.
A small girl stepped out from behind a tree and looked at me. She had on a red coat with ears on it… so cute that I immediately wanted to go to her but I stood frozen where I was, like something would not allow me to move. She slowly started to walk towards me and I tilted my head as she got closer to me. She looked so familiar, like someone that I should know, but her memory escaped me and I felt the weight in my chest again, like something heavy was bearing down on me. I bent over and grabbed my chest, coughing and feeling heavier than I should or ever had before. I peeked up and she grinned at me, melted my heart really. I narrowed my eyes and stared at her as the rain once again started to fall harder.
“Do I know you?” I asked her.
She smiled and turned to walk away.
“Wait!” I yelled out as it echoed in my ears and made my heart feel heavy.
I stumbled forward and the earth started to vibrate under my feet. I looked down and the mud bubbled at my feet. I started to sink and I felt a panic come over me, not of sinking… but of not being able to follow this girl.
“Don’t leave me… please!” I screamed out as the mud continued to swallow me up. I looked up at the sky and then I went under the mud, it filled my mouth and lungs and tasted worse than anything I can remember.
My eyes started to flutter open and I felt a hard hit to my back, I coughed up water and then mud came… black and dirty, spilling out onto the white stoned floor. I sucked in my breath and my head ached, like I had been hit harder than I ever had in my life before. Another hit to my back and I cried out.
“I am okay!.... damn!” I said.
I stared at the floor and let my fingers move in the black mud and I lifted my hand up and stared at it.
“What the fuck Rue?” Josh said as I turned to look at him.
I then cried, not knowing why. I just felt like I had lost something so dear to me that I could not bear it, it overwhelmed me. Josh flashed down to me and scooped me up in his arms and carried me to the bed and laid me down. He wiped my hair out of my face and stared at me, looking so concerned for me. I sucked in my breath and looked at him.
“Baby… what happened?” he asked me.
I shook my head and looked around the room.
“I don’t know… I don’t.” I said as he continued to touch my face.
Josh turned when Johnathan entered the room in a flash, followed by Jonah and Lily.
“Dude… what the hell just happened?” Johnathan asked.
Josh looked at the three of them and back at me.
“Rue is upset with me… because I don’t want any children.” He said.
I looked at him and crinkled my eyebrows at him.
“Because of what?” I said.
“Oh… love.” Lily said as she walked to the bed and sat down on the other side. She scooted up and placed her hand on my face as Josh stood up and stared down at me. I looked at her and sniffled.
“You have forever to do this…perhaps he will soften with time.” She said.
I looked at her face and then at Josh. He tried to smile, but he then looked down at his hands.
“I took a bath.” I said.
“Not your best choice when you are upset.” Lily said.
“I sank under the water and then...” I started to say, but as the words came…the memory of it faded. I sat up and looked around the room.
“We are in London.” I said.
Josh laughed and looked at me.
“Yes… we are.” He said.
I smiled.
“I always wanted to come here…” I said.
“Well, I am sorry for the reason why we are here.” Johnathan said as he looked at me.
“Oh god… Brooke.” I said.
“Yes… yes. But tonight we have a party to attend, let’s leave sorrowful things to tomorrow.” Jonah said as Lily slid off the bed and walked to him.
“We will be down shortly.” Josh said as they all left us and sat there feeling…well…stupid. Like a girl who had just thrown a temper tantrum and I had no memory of any conversation that would have put me in this state of mind. Josh looked at me and half smiled.
“I am sorry.” He said.
I tried to grin, but I decided to let him talk, because I really don’t know what the hell is going on.
“I know, well… I do now… how much you want to have a child and I will promise you that maybe in time I will feel differently.” He said.
“I… ah.” I started to say.
Josh looked at me and tilted his head.
“What is wrong with you?... other than the fact that you once again proved that water can kick your ass?” he said.
I smiled and looked around the room.
“I don’t know wha
t the hell happened… I heard a whisper, I think.” I said.
“Could you try to not do that?” Josh asked me as he sat back down and touched my face.
I nodded, I really had no choice. I don’t remember whatever reason I was upset, but I do know that something upset me… more than I had been upset in forever. Perhaps Josh said something awful, something that would tilt me… seeing that he is the only one who can do that to me anyway. I pushed myself up and off the bed and started walking towards the bathroom.
“Rue.” Josh said. I turned to look at him.
“I love you more than you will ever know.” He said.
I smiled, because I do know that…I do.
“Understood.” I said.
He smiled and followed me into the bathroom and then we started to rummage through the endless clothing selection that the closet offered up.
“Oh.” I said as I pulled out a dress that just screamed to be worn. I held it up and smiled.
“You will look hot in that.” Josh said.
I grinned at it as I ran my hand across the brown corset and lace.
“Yes… I will.” I said.
Josh laughed and looked for something to wear too and slowly my heart started to feel lighter… my thoughts eased and I forgot all about whatever it was that made me feel like I was dying to begin with.
***
Johnathan felt a hit to his head, and then another. His eyes fluttered and he tried to focus, but everything was blurred. What he did know is that he felt cold… colder than usual and he would guess that he may be “waking” up to memory, dead finally. He felt one more slap to the back of his head and he “ow’d” because it stung… okay, so maybe not memory, he thought to himself as he rubbed the back of his head and pushed himself up on his knees.
“You are the biggest ass in the history of asses.”
Johnathan turned and there she was… Brooke, her arms crossed on her chest and tapping her foot. He narrowed his eyes and tried to grin, but she didn’t look like she would accept that.
“Hi.” He said as his voice cracked and she hit him again, with as much force as she could muster up. It knocked him over a little and he caught himself with his hand on the cold stone floor.
“Ouch! What the hell?” he said as he rubbed his head again and pushed himself up trying to steady himself.
Brooke stood there with her lips tight, shaking her head.
“You call this a rescue?” she asked him.
Johnathan laughed. “I didn’t know I was.” He said.
“Of course not… and trust me, I am shocked that you came.” She said as she started to walk towards the stone wall, she got up on tippy toes and tried to look out the window.
“Well, I didn’t… not really, I guess.” Johnathan said as he rubbed his shoulder. He looked down at his arms and the black streaks were fading, he flexed his hands and felt them loosening up. He looked at her and she stood right in front of him now. She pulled back her arm to take a swing at him and he caught her hand and spun her around, facing away from him as he hugged her from behind.
“Do not touch me!” she yelled out and he tried to hold her still as she struggled.
“Not a very nice hello… after all this time.” Johnathan said.
“Seriously?... fuck off.”
Johnathan let her go. If one thing was true… Brooke does not use the f word ever, and her use of it now kind of hurt him. He stood there as she turned to face him, with a bad look on her face.
“I don’t get you.” Johnathan said as he stared at her.
“Oh my god!... YOU don’t get ME?... PLEASE!” Brooke yelled back, with as much venom as he had ever heard from anyone.
“Okay.” Johnathan said as he walked past her and to the wall that she had tried to scale. He looked out the window and saw birds fly by, he leaned up and looked down… way down, to the bottom of the tower and then turned back to her.
“We are in Valon’s tower.” He said.
“Oh, good assumption.” Brooke said as she walked to the large door and pushed on it. Johnathan looked at her from behind and his eyes wandered down her back, over her nice round...
Brooke turned and caught him looking at her.
“Please.” She said as she laughed.
“What?...you look good as usual.” Johnathan said as he stepped towards her.
Brooke held up her hand to him.
“There will be none of your charming BS here.” She said to him.
Johnathan stopped and tilted his head.
“I don’t know why you hate me.” He said.
Brooke started to laugh so hard she bent over and caught her breath. She looked up at him and narrowed her eyes.
“What?” she said.
Johnathan opened his mouth and Brooke stepped back as they heard the lock on the door. She ran to his side and Johnathan stepped in front of her as the door opened up and a figure stood there… more as a shadow, than a being. Then the figure stepped into the light and Jonathan’s eyes perked up.
“Alandra?” he said.
Alandra ran to him and bear hugged him and it knocked him back a step. Brooke stood there with her arms crossed on her chest and Johnathan glanced at her and then back to Alandra who released him from the bear hug and stood there grinning.
“How?” Johnathan asked her.
Alandra shook her head.
“I’m not sure… I woke up, on a couch and I felt dizzy but better. I started to walk around the city and I saw the tower, and I just felt like I should come here… so I did.” She said.
“Well... good call.” He said as he looked at her arms and like his, the black streaks from the poison were fading.
Brooke cleared her throat, and Johnathan turned to her and Alandra smiled. Brooke did not.
“Umm... Alandra, this is Brooke, she is ah...”
Brooke interrupted him and stepped forward.
“It’s complicated… I mean Johnathan is complicated.” She said.
Johnathan looked at her kind of confused and Alandra reached out and shook Brooke’s hand, kind of shaking her in the process. Brooke pulled her hand out of Alandra’s grip and half smiled.
“Well, seeing that you were obviously with Johnathan, I am glad to see that you survived.” Brooke said.
Johnathan snorted and shot her a look.
“Like I suck.”
Brooke looked at him and laughed.
“Oh you do… you suck bad.” She said as she walked towards the door and Alandra looked at Johnathan and grinned, kind of nervously.
“I guess you made her mad?” she asked him.
“Girls… who the hell knows.” Johnathan muttered as they both started to follow Brooke, who had snuck into the hallway and was leaning against the wall. Johnathan and Alandra cautiously stepped out and leaned against the wall next to her. Johnathan looked down as Brooke’s chest rose and fell as her breathing increased and he stared at her cleavage. Brooke looked at him and rolled her eyes as she pulled her shirt closed. Johnathan sighed and Alandra giggled.
“We have to get the hell out of this place.” Brooke said.
“No shit.” Johnathan said as he walked past her and down the hallway. Both Alandra and Brooke started to follow him and then Johnathan stopped and held up his hand, as he tilted his head and looked down.
“Is that?” he said.
Brooke ran up behind him and grabbed his arm.
“It’s Caine Johnathan… he is here, I can only guess that he brought me here… we have to get out now.”
“Uh huh.” Johnathan said as a trail opened up to him… glitching on the floor. He could see it rounding the corner and kept moving as he stared at the floor.
“Seriously… Johnathan… we don’t have time for this crap, he will find us and kill us.” Brooke said.
Johnathan looked back at her and grinned.
“No… I will kill him.” He said.
“Johnathan!” Brooke said as Johnathan moved down the hallway and stopped as he saw the
glitching trail slip under two large doors. He stood there and stared at them as he clinched his fists at his sides. Brooke ran up behind him and looked at the doors too.
“Johnathan… please, let’s just leave.” She whispered.
Johnathan looked at her and grinned, she sighed… knowing that look meant that Johnathan had no intention of leaving, not until he attempted to kill the demon that had plagued him for so long. Johnathan looked at Alandra.
“You know the way out… take Brooke and go to the wall… leave the city. From there you can find your way home.” He said.
Alandra looked at him and nodded and Brooke shook her head ‘no’.
“Listen to me you ass… we all need to leave… like now.”
Johnathan looked at the doors as they started to open slowly.
“Go now.” He said as he squared his shoulders and let the doors open up to him. Alandra tried to grab Brooke’s hand but Brooke pulled her hand away from her and stood by Johnathan as the air rolled out of the room and blew their hair back, smelling of decay and rotting flesh. Brooke covered her mouth and narrowed her eyes.
“Oh god… that stinks so bad.” She muttered from behind her hand. Johnathan held his hand up to his mouth for a moment and then he lowered it and narrowed his eyes as he looked into the dimly lit room, trying to focus on anything. He settled his gaze on the center circle rose up and spotted a figure… sitting on a throne of sorts. He gritted his teeth and took a step forward. Brooke reached up and grabbed his arm and Johnathan looked down at her and smiled, taking her hand from his arm.
“I’m sorry… I have to do this.” He said.
Brooke sighed and watched him walk into the large room and decided maybe out of pure stupidity that she would follow, although everything in her told her to run. Johnathan took about ten steps in and Brooke cautiously followed him, she heard a creaking sound and looked back to see Alandra running up to her as the two large doors closed and then with a loud bang, they shut, locking them into this stinking tomb of a room. Johnathan took a breath and looked up, suddenly a clapping started… echoing in the room. Johnathan took a step back and heard a crunching under his foot and looked down to see that he had stepped on a skull, which had become so brittle with time that he had crushed it. Brooke looked down and so did Alandra and Brooke “eww’d” as she moved closer to Johnathan and grabbed his arm. Alandra simply kicked bones out of her way and looked back towards the center circle in the direction that the clapping seemed to be coming from. The shadowy figure rose from the chair and stepped forward, one last clap echoing through the room. Johnathan stepped forward and his eyes focused in on a man that he had dreamed of killing so many times before. Caine Graph, looking older and quite dirty now, dust settling off of him and floating in the air, being caught in tiny glimpses of light that happened to penetrate the room.
