Vision of Sacrifices

by Vincent Morrone

  I ran for Simon. “When did you realize you had a power?” I asked as I pulled him into a hug.

  “Ten seconds ago.” He was staring at his hands in bewilderment.

  Dan screamed profanities as he got to his feet. He was bleeding from his head, arms and gut, but was still in this fight, and started to charge.

  Jumping over a pile of rocks, Payne tackled him.

  Dan swung at Payne with fists crackling with a misty frost, but Payne never let up, unleashing a savage assault on Dan with his fists, legs and even smashing his head forward.

  Dan manage to grab Payne’s fist and started to freeze it, but Payne shifted his weight and snapped Dan’s arm out of its socket. When Dan screamed, Payne spun and grabbed his head. Dan clutched at Payne with his one good hand, freezing his skin wherever he touched, but Payne refused to let go.

  Payne twisted quickly, breaking Dan’s neck. Dan fell to the ground with his neck twisted at an unnatural angle, and I knew he was dead.

  I ran to Seth and Aunt Breanne. “Are you okay?”

  Seth hugged me as Aunt Breanne, struggling to sit up, nodded. “My head hurts a little,” she admitted. “They came from the tunnel. Archer rushed them and brought down the ceiling. I think he’s trapped.”

  I ran to the rubble and started to pull at rocks. Payne came running over to me.

  “I think we have them on the run,” he said. “Victoria and one other Shaw were held back. I’m not sure where Jack is. What are you doing?”

  “Archer’s under here,” I said.

  He quickly bent down and started to pull at rocks.

  Simon yelled for us to get back.

  I grabbed Payne’s arm and pulled him aside. Payne looked confused and started to protest, until the larger rocks on top started to shake, until several of them flew off the pile. At that point, his face registered shock.

  “Simon just figured it out,” I told Payne.

  We watched the debris for any sign of Archer as Simon continued to move rocks away.

  “Look!” Payne ran forward to the wreckage. There was an arm exposed. Payne grabbed the arm. “It’s Archer,” he yelled. “He’s alive.”

  Simon tried to levitate the giant piece of debris, but it was too heavy for him. Payne and I put our combined weight into it and the three of us were able to roll it off to the side. Underneath it, Archer was bloodied, his arm was broken, and he was out cold, but he was breathing.

  Behind me, there was a pop. I spun around to see Aunt Rose appear.

  “Is everyone all right?” she asked. “I was in the kitchen when it happened. I grabbed Zack, popped him someplace safe, and got back here as soon as I could. It takes me a while to move from one place to another.”

  “Can you do it again?” I asked. “Archer’s buried. He needs medical attention.

  Aunt Rose came over to us.

  “Just give me a minute,” she said. “I can get him to Location A. They have medical personnel there.”

  She closed her eyes and concentrated.

  “What happened?” I asked. “How did they know where to attack?”

  Payne shrugged. “I don’t know. I can’t figure it out.”

  I turned back to Archer. He was starting to come around. He struggled to open his eyes.

  “Take it easy,” I said. “You’re going to be okay. Aunt Rose is going to take you to get help.”

  Archer struggled to speak. I tried to hush him, but he kept trying.

  “J... J... Jack...” He managed to say.

  “Shh,” I said. “I know. You and Jack got into it. I haven’t seen him.”

  “Then turn around,” someone else said.

  I spun just in time to see the three remaining Shaws. Dave was the first to move. With glowing red eyes, he grabbed Payne from behind, and suddenly Payne screamed like I’d never heard him scream before.

  I remembered Dave’s ability—he could make his victims feel every hurt they’ve ever felt in their life, all at once.

  How many times had Payne’s father stabbed him, shot him, and beat him? I’d seen Payne fall from a building ten stories high, break his neck and get set on fire.

  Victoria watched with an amused satisfaction as Payne shrieked in agony.

  The glow in Dave’s eyes dimmed as he let go, laughing in delight as Payne fell to the floor. Jack moved forward next. The ground beneath Payne exploded as he flew across the room and smashed into a wall. His body fell to the floor in a heap.

  “Grab the kid,” Victoria told Jack, pointing towards Seth with a gun. “And the girl.”

  Jack moved towards Seth. I started to scramble down to him when someone else came to his defense. Seth’s little puppy Roxie wobbled forward and started to emit a series a high pitched yips.

  Jack stopped short and laughed.

  “Keep him laughing.”

  Jared appeared between Seth and Jack. It was like he was saying that Jack would have to get past him to get to Seth. Roxie was right in front of Jared, continuing to bark.

  “How cute,” Jack said as he raised his hand and aimed it at the dog.

  Jared looked towards me.

  “Keep him talking,” Jared said. “Just one more minute.”

  “You must be some kind of real tough guy,” I said. “Hurting little boys and puppies.”

  Jack’s hand lowered a bit as he stared at me.

  “Can’t we just kill her here?” Jack asked.

  “No,” Victoria wasn’t amused. “We’re supposed to take her alive for them. That was the deal.”

  “Deal?” I said. “What deal?”

  A sadistic smile spread across Victoria’s face. “You’ll find out.”

  I wanted to charge down there and rip that smug smile off of her face, but Jared clearly was waiting for something.

  Victoria was getting impatient. “Jack.”

  He stepped forward again. Roxie bared her teeth. Once again, Jack held his hand out towards the helpless little puppy.

  A big, black ball of fur – Jared’s dog, Eli – leapt out from behind the rubble and sunk his teeth into Jack’s extended arm. Jack screamed as the dog tore at his limb, and fell to the floor with Eli still attached to his arm, the dog’s head shaking back and forth viciously.

  Just as Jack tried to aim his other hand at Eli, Spock came flying out and bit down into it. A moment later, Larry ran right between Jack’s legs, and clenched down with his jaws.

  I was shocked. These were three of the gentlest dogs I’d ever seen. I could believe how brutally they were attacking Jack.

  “Enough,” Victoria snarled. She rolled her eyes as if Jack was horsing around. “Dave. Stop them.”

  Dave put two fingers to his left temple. There was a flash of hazy, red light and I realized what was about to happen. The dogs all fell to the ground, yipping in pain, and the red haze continued outward, hitting the rest of us. I fell to the ground in agony. It was like I had just received a massive electric shock.

  The pain didn’t last long, but it was long enough. Simon and Seth were on their hands and knees. Aunt Rose was lying flat on her back, struggling to get up. Aunt Breanne looked like she had passed out. It was probably nothing compared to what Payne had felt, but it was enough to stun us all.

  I was still seeing stars when someone grabbed my hair

  “I can’t wait until I see you die,” Dave hissed into my ear. “I hope it’s slow and painful and only after—”

  Payne charged at Dave with a furious insanity, crashing into him and bringing them both to the ground. Dave was taller than Payne and had at least a hundred pounds on him, but Payne’s fury was fueled by madness. The two of them smashed their fists into each other’s faces.

  Payne smashed his head forward, breaking Dave’s nose. He then forced Dave into a headlock and was cutting off his airway.

  Dave reached back and grabbed Payne’s arm and his eyes flashed red. It wasn’t the best way for him to transmit agony, but it was more powerful than what he’d done a moment ago.

  Payn
e screamed, but he didn’t let go.

  Victoria hit Payne on the back head with the butt of her gun. Payne’s grip loosened just enough for Dave to break free and slam his fist into Payne’s face.

  Without warning, Victoria placed her hand over Payne’s heart. I ran forward, screaming for her to get away, but it was too late.

  Payne’s eyes went wide, his skin turned pale green, and he screamed like I’d never heard him scream before. I watched as he fell to his knees. His veins bulged and turned black. He’d started to die.

  I ran to his side. He was shaking from the private torture that Victoria had let loose inside of him, and reached out for me. I tried to take his hand, but I felt myself being pulled up by Dave once again.

  Victoria leveled the gun at my head.

  “Send the kid forward, or I’ll put a bullet in her brain.”

  I struggled to get free, but Dave’s grip was too powerful.

  “She’s bluffing,” I yelled as I tried desperately to twist free. “She wants me alive!”

  Victoria laughed, her eyes slits of evil.

  “We’re supposed to take you alive. I’m willing to break that deal if I have to.”

  “Leave her alone,” Seth yelled. He started to move forward.

  “Aunt Rose!” I yelled. “Take Seth and Simon.”

  Aunt Rose grabbed Simon’s hand and placed her other arm around Seth, pulling him close. Simon was still on the floor, dazed, but Seth struggled to pull away, crying and screaming.

  “You can’t get far,” Victoria said. “If you run, I’ll kill this one first, and then come after you.”

  Aunt Rose’s eyes found mine, read the pleading in them.

  Aunt Rose sent me a small nod, and a loud pop echoed through the room, just as Seth called out.

  “Mommy!”

  Victoria started to fire, but the bullets had no target to hit. Aunt Rose, Simon and Seth were gone.

  Victoria screamed, and put the gun under my chin. For a moment, I thought she would pull the trigger, but I refused to look away.

  “Bristol!”

  The voice came from the other side of the wreckage. It was Uncle Mark.

  “Hang on,” Uncle Mark called. “We’re coming.”

  Victoria dropped the gun to her side.

  “We need to go,” she snapped at Dave. “Carry her.”

  I started to buck and fight with everything I had. I stamped my foot down on Dave’s and heard a satisfying crack. I threw my head back and made contact with his already broken nose. I felt his grip loosen just a bit.

  Victoria hit me on the head with the butt of her gun, just like she had Payne. My knees buckled, and I saw stars, which was followed by a sharp stab of agony from Dave. Not a full onslaught, but enough to knock me out.

  The last thing I saw as they carried me away was Payne, lying on the floor, convulsing. He was still reaching out to me as my world went blank.

  Chapter Twenty One

  Visions of Rose Popping in my Head

  A pretty, little redheaded girl was running down the hallway. I didn’t know what she was running from, but I could see tears running down her face.

  She opened a door to what must have been her bedroom. Slamming the door after entering, she stomped over to her bed. It was very pink, and piled high with teddy bears and dolls. She swiped them all off her bed with one hand and then proceeded to plop down in the middle. Crossing her arms, she sat there and proceeded to pout like a world champion pouter.

  I relaxed a little. It didn’t seem like she was in danger.

  Someone else knocked lightly on the door.

  “C’mon, Rosie,” a young voice said. “Let me in before I get in trouble.”

  The pout faded a little as Rosie slid off the bed and walked to the door. When she swung it open, an adorable little boy about a year or so older was standing on the other side, holding a small bowl with a scoop of chocolate ice cream in it. He held this out to her.

  Rosie looked like she was ready to slam the door in his face.

  “Gregory James Blackburn,” she said with a very impressive scowl, “I oughta dump that bowl over your head. It’s bad enough that Daddy sent me to my room without dessert, but for you to come up here and wave that in my face is really mean.”

  I realized that I was seeing Grandpa and Aunt Rose. It was strange seeing Aunt Rose that young, but positively crazy to look at a little boy and think of him as my grandpa.

  Grandpa, or little Gregory in this case, pushed his way into his room and quietly closed the door behind him.

  “Would you shush? Jeez.” He held out the bowl to Rose again. “Take this already before I decide to eat it myself.”

  Rose looked at him skeptically for a moment before taking the bowl, and walking over to her bed.

  “C’mon,” Little Gregory said. “I wouldn’t come up here to tease you like that.”

  Rose’s right eyebrow arched up.

  “Yes, you would.”

  Little Gregory looked insulted, but that didn’t last long. He gave her a sheepish grin, and shrugged.

  “Okay, maybe I would, but not when you were really upset.”

  Rose seemed to consider that as she sampled the ice cream. Finally, she gave a very small smile and patted the bed next to her. Little Gregory walked over and sat.

  “Thank you.” She offered him a spoonful of ice cream.

  “No problem.” He leaned in and accepted the treat. “I think that you’re right. Just because Old Man McKnight is funding the circus doesn’t mean that a Blackburn shouldn’t go. It’s not like it’s free. We pay for our tickets, so why can’t we go?”

  Rose nodded solemnly as she offered her brother another spoonful of chocolate. “Exactly. I bet some of the McKnights aren’t that bad.”

  Little Gregory looked dubious.

  “I mean, I’ve heard stories. Remember what happened to George? They beat him up pretty good.”

  Rose just rolled her eyes. “It’s George. He probably deserved it. You tried to hurt him last year when he shoved me down the stairs.”

  Little Gregory nodded. I could see him roll the memory around in his mind. His cheeks flushed as he thought of it. He didn’t even notice the third spoonful of ice cream being offered to him.

  “Relax,” Rose told him. “I never told anyone what you did, not even Daddy. Although I still don’t know why you don’t want anyone to know.”

  Little Gregory got up, his arms folded and went to the window to look out. Rose ate the ice cream herself and waited.

  “You can talk to me,” she urged him. “I’m not a baby anymore.”

  He shrugged.

  “I don’t want to be one of Daddy’s freaks. It’s not easy, you know. Healing people hurts.”

  Rose’s eyes went wide. She got up off the bed and left the bowl of ice cream there.

  “I’m sorry,” she said. “So, when you healed my wrist—”

  “I didn’t mind that. You’re my sister. But I don’t want to do it every time I turn around, and I don’t want to heal people because they’re being stupid and getting into fights with the McKnights.”

  Rose nodded again. Then she threw her hands around her brother and gave him a huge hug and a kiss.

  “Ugh,” Little Gregory groaned. “Ew”

  Rose stuck her nose up and smugly went back to her bed to claim the rest of the ice cream. She took two big bites, nearly finishing off the desert before she looked at her brother again.

  “My hugs aren’t ‘ew’, and you know it. Now you better be nice to me if you want the last spoonful.”

  She held out the spoon to him. When Little Gregory stepped closer, she put the spoon down and pointed to her cheek. The cost of the last spoonful of chocolate ice cream was a kiss from her brother. The look on Little Gregory’s face was priceless.

  He made a show of rolling his eyes before he sat down and gave his sister the kiss. Rose just smiled and offered him the dish.

  Little Gregory shook his head. “Hurry up. I’ve got to
bring the dish back so it doesn’t look like I brought it to you. You know how Dad will get.”

  Rose nodded. With a tremendous flourish, she ate the last bite, and then handed the bowl back to her brother.

  “Thanks,” Rose said.

  Little Gregory took the empty bowl and headed for the door.

  “Don’t mention it,” he told her. He then wiped his cheek where Rose had kissed him before.

  Before Rose could say anything else, Little Gregory left.

  Rose flopped back on her bed. She was still upset, but not quite as angry as before. She reached into her pocket and pulled out a flyer for the circus, staring at it intensely.

  “Daddy’s wrong,” she mumbled to herself. “I’ve got to go to the circus. I will go to the circus.”

  Rose closed her eyes as if she was willing herself to go. I was pretty sure she was just wishing it, or maybe trying to plot a way to get there.

  Suddenly, her eyes popped open, fear etched in her expression. She let out a small gasp, which was followed by a pop.

  Rose looked around in a panic. She was no longer in her room, and covered her mouth with her hands to stifle a scream. Her eyes went big for a moment. Instead of panicking, when she dropped her hands, she started to laugh. She was at the circus. Somehow, she had willed herself to get there.

  She knew very well that sometimes Blackburns could do strange things. She’d heard her father talk to her uncles about it when he thought nobody was listening, and she’d seen her brother’s ability to heal people.

  She had an ability. She could go places. She could go wherever she wanted, and she had magically wished herself to the circus.

  Slowly, she made her way closer to the show.

  “Hey,” someone called. “Where did you come from?”

  The scene shifted.

  Rose and little Gregory were together, looking around. There was cotton candy, bleachers full of families and clowns. (Clowns! Yikes!)

  “You made it,” said another voice.

  Rose turned around and smiled.

  “Greg,” Rose glanced at her brother. “These are the boys I told you about yesterday. This is Tag,” she pointed to a boy about her age. He was a cute, blonde-haired boy with striking blue eyes. “And this is his brother, Varick.”