by KT Webb
“Are you afraid of them?”
He glanced up at her then looked down at the floor. “Yes. You know, I am one of those people who got swept up in something because they thought it was a good idea at the time. I wish I’d seen it sooner, but something happened that night when Elpis knocked me out. I felt hope for the first time since being banished to the Underworld.”
“Wait here,” Nora instructed as she pulled Whitley in the back room.
Whitley gave Joe an apologetic shrug as she was led away. When they were alone, Nora whirled her around and stared her down.
“You believe him don’t you?” Nora demanded.
“Yes,” Whitley replied.
“He kidnapped your mother,” Nora said.
“Yes,” Whitley replied.
“He killed a bunch of secret service men,” Nora said.
“Your daughter is being babysat by a kid who planned to turn us all over to Absalom,” Whitley replied.
“I see your point,” Nora said.
“People change. He was good once. Who are we to say he can’t change. Why don’t we have Kerr chat with him? He’ll be able to determine his intentions,” Whitley suggested.
Nora thought for a moment then held up a finger. She disappeared. Whitley peeked out around the doorframe to see what Joe was doing. He was just standing there with his hands in his pockets. He wore a hooded sweatshirt and jeans. His blonde hair hung loosely around his head, catching the light from the large windows. He looked troubled, but Whitley hoped she wasn’t wrong about him.
Nora and Kerr materialized next to her. Kerr didn’t bother to stop and talk to her, he headed straight out to see Joe. Whitley waited patiently with Nora. A few minutes later, Kerr came around the corner with Joe trailing behind him.
“I don’t know how to feel about it, but Joe here isn’t lying. He doesn’t want to help the Maladies. He wants to help us,” Kerr told them.
Whitley couldn’t contain her grin as Joe stood there towering over them.
“I’ve locked the door and put the closed sign up. I think it best we all go to the house,” Kerr said.
Moments later, they all stood in the sitting room. Kerr and Nora left right away to explain the situation to the others. Whitley stayed with Joe.
“So you must be Hadley’s twin?” Joe asked.
“Yes. I don’t have any abilities though,” Whitley replied.
“Neither do I,” Joe said.
“Really? You can’t do any infectious mojo anymore?” Whitley asked curiously.
Joe shook his head. “No. But I’m not complaining. Disease isn’t exactly something someone lets into their life. Usually, it’s something that happens to them without warning. I don’t want to be the person responsible for such terrible things.”
Whitley nodded her head. She could understand that. “That makes sense.”
“I’m sorry about what happened with your mom. It wasn’t my idea, and truth be told, I didn’t try that hard to infect her while she was unconscious.”
Whitley shivered involuntarily. “I’m not the one you’ll need to apologize to for that. I’m sure Nora will be bringing mom here.”
“I’ve got a lot of atoning to do. You and your family aren’t the only ones I need to make amends with. I still need to face my father. The Creator must be so disappointed in me,” he said with his head buried in his hands.
Whitley instinctively reached out to him and placed a hand on his back. It couldn’t be easy to face centuries of sins. He seemed to be truly sorry for what he had done. She knew being sorry wouldn’t be enough to fix everything, but it was a start.
“I don’t recall the last time someone touched me voluntarily,” Joe said into his hands.
Whitley swallowed the lump that was forming in her throat. “Oh. I honestly didn’t think anything of it.”
“You’re not afraid of me, are you?”
“Not in the slightest.” She smiled.
Whitley heard the door open and looked up to find Hadley peeking into the room. Her sister motioned for her to join her in the entryway.
“I’ll be right back, Joe.”
She made her way to the foyer and smiled at her sister. Dorian, Romulus, Kerr, and Nora were there with strained looks on their faces. Thatcher hadn’t returned yet; he’d been gone for nearly two weeks.
“What’s up?” Whitley asked.
“We just don’t know what to do. We really didn’t expect this,” Nora said.
“And none of us have learned to expect the unexpected? Hello? I’m standing right here. You thought I was dead for five years, remember?” Whitley replied.
Before any of them could respond, Thatcher materialized before them. He looked at the gathering around him and grinned.
“Well, I know I’ve been away for a while, but you really didn’t have to throw me a surprise party.” Thatcher laughed.
His expression changed when he saw the somber looks on the faces around him. “What am I missing?”
“We have a guest,” Dorian said.
Whitley watched his expression as they filled Thatcher in on their guest. He was not impressed. Whitley felt a wave of concern for Joe crash into her. The voice of Charis, the Old Immortal, rang in her mind; it was telling her to be strong and stand by Joe. She knew then that she would have to be his champion. She would have to help him on his road to redemption.
Chapter Three:
Dorian
He wasn’t sure what to make of the sudden appearance of Disease. This man had spent centuries working alongside the other Maladies to destroy humankind. He had been a faithful servant of Absalom. Now, he was sitting on the couch across from him.
“So tell me, Joe, what made you want to jump ship?” Dorian asked.
“I woke up in a hospital bed. I wasn’t a disgusting mess anymore. I remembered everything. The only thing that kept going through my mind was that I had been changed. I wasn’t the same person. I feel like I was given a second chance,” Joe replied, keeping eye contact with Dorian.
“You understand why we’re skeptical, right?” Dorian asked.
“Of course. Look, I’m not asking to be welcomed with open arms. I’m asking for a chance to prove that I’m different, and a chance to help you take the Maladies down. A battle is coming, and it isn’t going to be won easily,” Joe said.
Dorian knew from what Kerr had told them that Joe was telling the truth. He was here to help. If Dorian had learned anything from his life, it was that the Creator would always find a way to use you if you wanted to be used.
“Alright. Well, as it so happens, we have a spare bedroom upstairs. It’s all yours,” Dorian said.
He waited for a response from his family but noticed they were all willing to follow his lead. They trusted his judgement just as they trusted Kerr’s. When Kerr read someone, they couldn’t deceive him. He had seen what was in Joe’s heart, and it was there that he found the glimmer of hope growing from the seed Elpis, the spirit of hope, had planted.
“Thank you. But I don’t want to be any trouble. What will happen if they find me?” Joe asked.
“Then we’ll fight. If they’re anything like you, they don’t have abilities anymore,” Thatcher said.
Hadley, Nora, and Kerr all nodded in agreement. The Evolved were a united front, and they would accept help wherever they could find it.
Whitley took Joe upstairs to show him to his new room. Thatcher took that opportunity to assure everyone of Keira’s safety. Dorian noticed that Thatcher waited to talk about her whereabouts until their new friend was out of earshot. It would take time for them to trust Joe, but Dorian was confident that the day would come when Joe would prove himself to be a true member of their team.
“So you’re telling me they’ve turned Eternity into a hotel lobby?” Hadley asked.
“Kind of. Malcolm said they’re preparing for the influx of souls they’ll be seeing,” Thatcher replied.
“That’s ominous,” Nora said.
“I don’t ev
en know which I hope they’ll have more of,” Hadley said.
“I wish they didn’t have to see an influx of either,” Romulus said.
“Well, this tells us that we need to keep reaching out to people and building our side of the battle. I don’t want to see us put any mortals in danger, but I fear we have no choice. They’re going to get caught in the crosshairs either way. We might as well prepare some of them for what’s to come,” Dorian said.
They all agreed that Kerr, Romulus, and Nora should continue to reach out to religious leaders and visit places where the temperature was consistently higher. They had discovered a pattern months ago that indicated warmer weather in areas populated by those who believed in a higher power representing the Creator.
The arctic temperatures that had seized the majority of the world were disheartening. Despite the seed of hope Elpis had planted in all souls nearly a year before, people were losing faith faster than ever . Dorian knew this meant that the army that would follow the Maladies in the final battle would be far larger than he had hoped.
Later that night, the family gathered in the dining room to eat dinner together. They decided that Nora should contact Tahlia and fill her in on their house guest. She had a right to know, and Joe had expressed an interest in apologizing to her for his part in her kidnapping. Thatcher and Hadley disappeared to their room shortly after dinner, no doubt to catch up on the two weeks they’d been apart.
Dorian went to the library after dinner. He sat at his desk and looked at the corkboard he had been using to track the movements of the Maladies. He knew Malice, Rage, Avarice, Vanity, Pain, and Panic had found each other. The only one who was now unaccounted for was Chaos. They weren’t sure if she was still comatose, or if she simply hadn’t realized who she was yet. He turned back around to look at the computer screen.
A quick internet search showed him more video and images from the volcano eruption a few weeks ago. An eye witness account had surfaced; a man was adamant about what he had seen. He claimed to have witnessed a demon bursting out with the lava. He claimed the demon disappeared in front of his eyes.
Dorian knew that people sometimes misinterpreted what they’d seen due to stress, but this account caught his attention. The man had no history of mental illness. He was a highly respected minister and had been one of the few survivors of the event. Dorian quickly jotted down the man’s name and made a note to have Kerr and Romulus follow up on the lead.
He was startled by a knock at the door as he switched off his computer. “Come in.”
Nora pushed the door open slightly. “I just got off the phone with Tahlia. She and Eric want me to come get them to have a chat with Joe.”
“Go ahead. Bring them here,” he said.
Nora nodded and disappeared. Dorian didn’t have to wait long before she came back with Tahlia and Eric in tow.
“Welcome home!” Dorian said as he embraced them both.
“I’ve missed you, Dorian,” Tahlia said warmly as she smiled at her brother.
Dorian noticed the subtle changes in her face. While she was still a young woman, she was beginning to change for the first time in centuries. She had been through much in the past few years.
“Where is he?” Eric asked.
“I’ll go get him,” Nora said as she made her way from the library.
“I know you both will have some harsh things to say to Joe. But please remember that he is here for the right reasons. Kerr has looked into his heart, and his intentions are pure,” Dorian cautioned them.
The door opened again and Nora led Joe into the room. Dorian was surprised when Whitley filed in after him and stayed by his side. Joe took one look at Tahlia and the sorrow showed clearly on his face.
“Please sit,” Tahlia said.
Joe took a seat opposite Tahlia and Eric and waited for them to begin. When they didn’t say anything, Joe took it upon himself to start the conversation.
“Tahlia, I need to apologize for my part in what happened to you,” Joe began. “It is inexcusable and I know an apology cannot fix it, but I need you to know that I am truly sorry.”
Tahlia examined him for a moment before speaking. “Thank you. I appreciate your apology. You’re right, it doesn’t fix anything. But, there is nothing to be fixed. I have put those experiences in my past because I was liberated and healed by the Creator.”
Joe nodded but kept his head down as she continued. “I did not come here for you to apologize, Joe. I came here to tell you something important. I was once a person in need of redemption. I made very poor decisions. But in my darkest hour I asked for help, and I was transformed into someone who could make a difference. I believe that you can make a difference too.”
Eric cleared his throat and leaned forward, but Tahlia gripped his hand as she continued. “Your past is just that: the past. It does not need to define you. You need to choose your path now. You’ve been given a gift. All of the Maladies were given an opportunity to start over. You have taken that opportunity.”
Dorian felt so much pride in Tahlia. She had always been an amazing person, but now that she fully understood where she came from she could see life in a different light. She might not have known it, but she was giving Joe an amazing gift. Dorian saw Whitley standing with Nora behind Joe; she had tears in her eyes as she looked at her mother. Nora looked to be close to tears as well. The only person who appeared displeased with her words was Eric. It had not just been his wife they harmed that day, but also his secret service agents. They were killed, by Joe.
“Joe, what I’m telling you is that you are forgiven. I want you to only look at your past to see how far you’ve come. I want you to move forward and help the Evolved in the coming battle. Help us win this fight,” Tahlia said calmly.
Eric smiled at his wife and took her hand. He squeezed it gently; he was clearly beginning to understand where his wife was going with her speech.
“Thank you, Tahlia. I don’t deserve your forgiveness, but thank you. And Eric, I know you lost men that day because of me. I cannot begin to express the disgust I feel with myself for the things I’ve done. I’m sorry,” Joe said through his tears.
Dorian was surprised to see a faint light shining from Joe’s face. Whitley gasped then came around and knelt in front of him. Joe looked confused as he reached up to touch one of the scars he had just moments ago, only to find that the skin was now smooth and unblemished.
“Your scars. They’re fading away,” Whitley said in awe.
“You don’t need our forgiveness, you need to forgive yourself,” Tahlia said with a smile. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’d like to spend a little time with my daughters before we have to head home.”
Joe nodded and rose, still in a daze. Dorian found himself smiling at the miracles that could occur. Joe had taken some huge steps in the right direction, and the Creator was rewarding him for his choices.
Chapter Four:
Kerr
Kerr was sitting in the library reading a book when he started to feel lightheaded. Someone must have cranked the heat up in the house, because he was suddenly covered in sweat while facing an empty fireplace. He fanned himself with his book, which only made it worse; he felt as though he was breathing through a wet washcloth.
Kerr stood shakily and tried to walk toward the door, but he fell back into the chair. He didn’t know what was going on but it wasn’t pleasant. The bookshelves danced before his eyes as he lost focus.
He stood at the edge of a small village. The heat and humidity, combined with the landscape, led him to believe he was somewhere in the Middle East. He could hear voices nearby, so he went in the direction they came from. He found two men arguing. Kerr wasn’t close enough yet to hear their words, but he didn’t know that it mattered.
The argument escalated from a simple disagreement to a physical confrontation. Kerr heard whispers floating on the wind as they swirled around one of the men. A strange look passed over his face and his posture changed slightly. Kerr watched as t
he man turned as if to leave, only to draw a dagger from his shirt.
The other man stepped back and held up his hands in apparent surrender. The whispers grew more intense, until the armed man lunged forward to stab the other. Kerr couldn’t believe his eyes. As the victim fell to the ground, a gut-wrenching scream ripped through the air. A woman flung herself down on the fallen man and began crying and yelling in an ancient dialect. Somehow, Kerr understood her as she asked the man why he killed her husband.
The whispers continued as the man told the mourning woman that she was now his wife. The fear in her eyes intensified as the man pulled her from her dead husband and dragged her into one of the nearby huts. Kerr watched the blood pool around the slain man. The whispers receded with wicked laughter and rushed back past Kerr in a whoosh, as though someone sucked their breath in. The breeze that flew by him was cool against his sticky skin.
Kerr opened his eyes to find himself back in the library, drenched in sweat. He jumped to his feet and sprinted to the kitchen, then grabbed a glass from the cupboard on his way to the sink. He quickly filled the glass with water and drank deeply, then repeated this action three or four more times. When he finally felt as though he had sated his thirst, he turned to find Nora, Hadley, Whitley, Thatcher, and Joe watching him on the other side of the counter.
“Thirsty are we?” Nora asked.
Kerr managed a nod, before turning to fill the glass once more. “Been standing there long?”
“You ran right past us,” Whitley said drily.
“Sorry, I really needed water.”
“We noticed.” Thatcher chuckled.
“Do we want to know why you’re all wet?” Hadley queried.
Kerr looked down at his clothes, realizing just how sweaty he was. He shrugged his shoulders at his friends as though he couldn’t articulate the circumstances he found himself in. Kerr didn’t want to have to explain his vision twice, so he left the kitchen in search of Dorian and Romulus. Once he found them, he dragged them to join the others. With everyone present, he sat them down and told them about his vision.
