The Chardon Chronicles: Season Two --- The Winter

by Kevin Kimmich



  The Chardon Chronicles: Season Two — The Winter

  by Kevin Kimmich

  (cc) Kevin Kimmich 2015

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  All characters appearing in this work are fictitious. Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

  Thetis Anointing Achilles -- Johann Balthasar Probst

  Demeter and Demophon -- Willy Pogany

  Elysian Fields -- Carlos Schwabe 1903

  EPISODE ONE -- Down on the Farm

  Chapter One

  Present Day

  The sky was a deep shade of cloudless blue. A bird circled lazily overhead and meadow grasses and wildflowers swayed in a gentle breeze. The meadow was encircled by a ring of evergreens that turned the breeze to a persistent whisper. Morgan sat up. He held his hand up in front of his face. He recognized the hand as his, but it was slightly more defined and larger than he recalled.

  “I am dreaming.” He announced.

  A figure who looked like Demetria bounded through the field toward him and jumped onto him and they fell back onto the grass together. She looked a bit older and had a more defined, womanly face than he remembered.

  “Hello? Demetria?” he said. He felt confused.

  “No, I’ve been looking for her too! I haven’t seen another person for, it seems like forever.” The girl said. “I’m Stephanie.”

  Morgan stood up and helped Stephanie to her feet. She continued to hold onto his hand with both her hands and kept looking at him. She was wearing a simple white gown that fluttered in the breeze. He looked around the meadow and asked, “Where are we?”

  “This is Demetria’s home. She brought me here. Did she send you?” Stephanie said. “Who are you? Where you are from?”

  “I’m Morgan,” he said, “I’m actually from Chardon, that’s in Ohio.”

  “I know Chardon! The Maple Festival--I went there once, threw up on a ride! I was only 5 or something.” She blushed. He felt her embarrassment wash over him like a wave. “I’m actually from Hudson, just down the road from Chardon, really.” He sensed a mix of familiarity and a pang of homesickness from her.

  Morgan knitted his brows together, Stephanie looked concerned. “What’s wrong?” she asked.

  Then a look of recognition and amazement crept over his face. “Ohhhhh…” he said. “Oh, Okay. I get it.” he said.

  “Get what?” She was puzzled.

  “We’re on the ‘other side’.” He air quoted. “I got shot, actually. I don’t think I’m dead though. I hope I’m not!” He felt his arm, and it seemed normal, but maybe it would seem that way if he were dead.

  “Shot!” She was alarmed. She put a hand on his chest, and said. “No, I think you’re actually alive. You seem really solid and real. You make this place like daytime. Normally it’s really dim. How are you here? Demetria once said some people can just cross over whenever they want. Are you one of those?”

  “I don’t think I can do that. Maybe getting shot did it?” He was confused.

  “Oh well, it doesn’t matter, really.” She hugged him and kissed his neck. “I’m really glad you’re here anyway. I’ve been really lonely. I prepared for this for years, but, still wasn’t really ready.” She kept her face pressed against him. He noticed she was sniffing him, breathing him in through her nose.

  “What are you talking about? What did you prepare for?” He asked.

  He felt a wave of confusion from her. “Aren’t you one of us?” She asked. “Is there a Gathering in Chardon?”

  “Gathering? What is that? I’m a senior at CHS… It’s a really long story.” He could feel her tense up and become anxious. His face softened. “I don’t know what a Gathering is, but I know Demetria. I love her.” He said.

  Morgan felt the warmth return. Stephanie said, “I do, too. She’s like a mother to me.”

  Morgan said, “How did you end up here?”

  He felt a tinge of anxiety mix into her demeanor. She said, “It really is a long story. Basically, my family is part of this religious group, for lack of a better description, that is connected to this place. I spent a few years training myself to come over here. Now, I guess I’m basically immortal, but so far, it seems like the brochure lied about how great that would be. It’s really pretty boring.” She grazed her finger along his chin and studied his face. “Are you immortal?” She asked.

  “I really don’t know.” He shrugged. “This is all really new to me.”

  They both felt a familiar presence, a warmth approached them. It began to encompass them both. Morgan tasted a powerful intoxicating flavor. Stephanie closed her eyes and seemed to glow.

  “You can’t do that!” A shrill voice insisted.

  Morgan felt extremely groggy and couldn’t open his eyes. He smelled Demetria’s scent mixed with the rotten antiseptic tanginess of a hospital.

  “Get off that bed, now!” The shrill voice grated again. He was too weak to open his eyes and he just dozed off again.

  The ICU nurse was a matronly woman dressed in purple scrubs. Her dark hair was pulled back into a tight bun away from her middle aged, lined face. The Geauga Hospital rarely had gunshot victims and she’d been on edge the entire night taking care of Morgan even though his wounds weren’t life threatening. At first, she was happy to have Demetria there. It was endearing how attached Demetria was to Morgan, and her presence seemed to comfort him. When Demetria climbed into the bed and curled up next to him, she let it slide. But now as her shift ended, she found Demetria cradling his head and pressing her bosom against his face.

  Demetria stood up and faced the nurse. Her eyes were blazing. “Why have you interrupted me!?” Demetria demanded. The woman averted her gaze and stepped back, then pulled herself together.

  “Miss, you can’t do that! This is a hospital. That boy’s been shot. He needs rest!” She harumphed angrily and fussed with the covers on Morgan’s bed.

  Demetria sighed and rearranged her clothes. “Please forgive me for my anger. You’ve been very good to him and you are a very good person doing what’s usually thankless work. I forget myself. What’s your name?”

  “I’m Marjorie.” The nurse smiled.

  “They’re in here!” They heard from the hallway. Chloe waved through the door window and entered the room. She sat on Morgan’s bedside. Then Tracy and Richard entered the room. Richard was wearing some of Tracy’s father’s old clothes.

  Tracy asked, “Is he alright?”

  “He’s just a little out of it, Miss.” Marjorie said. She checked her watch and noticed visiting hours were just starting and she’d be able to leave, soon.

  “Dude, major eye boogers!” Chloe put a hand on Morgan’s good arm. His right arm was in a huge bandaged splint. She grabbed a sponge from beside the bed and dabbed his eyes. “Poor guy won’t be able to see. How disorienting, right?” Morgan’s eyes fluttered open. He looked around the room.

  “Hey…” he mumbled. He was still really groggy. “Does this bed have an up thingie?” He motione
d like he wanted to sit up. Marjorie showed him the switch box and he raised the back and sat up. “I feel like I’ve been asleep for months! What happened?”

  Marjorie said, “You had surgery, now the anaesthetic is wearing off, but I don’t think you’re quite back to the land of the living, yet. You’ll feel out of it for the next few hours.”

  Demetria sat next to him again. “Welcome back.” She said.

  Morgan touched her hair and managed a weak smile. He said, “I met Stephanie, she’s nice.”

  Demetria sat up with a start. “You met her in the meadow?”

  He nodded. He was trying hard to stay awake. “My parents?” He asked. His eyes were half closed.

  Marjorie said, “They were here overnight while you were in surgery. They will be here any time, now. Anyway, with some luck, you’ll be outta here later today. A doctor should be around to check you out in about an hour.” Marjorie said. “I hate to insist on this, but everyone will need to leave, now, including you.” She pointed at Demetria.

  Demetria deflated. “I can’t leave him! Besides, I have nowhere to go…”

  “You’re always welcome at our house! We’ll visit Morgan as soon as possible. It’ll be fine.” Tracy said and hugged her. “We’re heading back there once we visit Berto.”

  Demetria leaned over and kissed Morgan’s head. She thanked Marjorie for her hospitality and went with Tracy.