Sleep Keeper (31 page)

              There was a flash of light, and instantly she was standing in the forest. Flames danced wickedly from the trees and nearby brush, sending billows of smoke into the dark sky. The air was thick with ash and death, but she couldn’t taste anything.

              “Quit fooling around and finish her,” he growled.

              She locked onto those dreadful blue eyes that returned to torment her children. She tried to scream but fear choked her throat.

              “Not yet, I want to bask in this moment of victory.” Jeremy took a deep breath and exhaled sharply, “Now I’m ready.”

              “No,” she whispered, as the realization hit her like a dagger to the heart - Jeremy had crossed-over.

              She watched from afar as his face twisted in a wicked grimace. He picked up a knife from a dead body at his feet. Alexis stood several feet away, frantically looking for a way to escape. In an ill-fated attempt at defense, Alexis grabbed a large branch as Jeremy charged forward.

              “No! Don’t hurt your sister!” Martha screamed - but it was no use. No one could hear her.

She tried to run to her daughter’s aid, but couldn’t move. She watched helplessly as Alexis swung the branch at Jeremy, praying that it would render him unconscious. Her ill-fated attempt had failed and his knife sliced across her stomach.

              “Jeremy stop!” Martha begged but the words just echoed in her head.

Before Alexis could flee, Jeremy punched her and she fell back to the ground. He kneeled over her. With a twisted face she didn’t recognize, Martha watched her son plunge the blade into her daughter’s chest, over and over.

“No!” she screamed in unison with Orion.

Pain flooded her heart and suffocated her chest. She couldn’t take a breath. She fell to her knees. Her vision blurred and she gasped in agony as she watched the life disappear from her daughter and grandchild. Pressure intensified in her head and rang through her ears. Surrounded by screams, yet all she heard was a high-pitched tone. Through drenched eyes, she watched as Orion’s body lit up like a star, emanating bright light that caused the others to shield their vision.

Orion broke free from Erebus’ hold and crashed to the ground, landing firmly on both feet. His face was turned in a snarl of fury. He rushed over to Alexis’ corpse and drew his sword. Leaping into the air, he plunged his sword savagely into Jeremy until all that remained was the hilt.

“No! Please!” Martha sobbed as Jeremy’s body fell on top of Alexis’.

She heard his sinister roar as Erebus pressed closer. Orion charged forward but he was no match. Erebus raised a hand and Orion’s body ripped into shreds. The others screamed… Martha’s vision collapsed and she was encased in darkness.

In a blink, she was back in her bedroom, alone and trembling. She stood frozen, trying to let her mind catch up with the vision her eyes just witnessed. Confused and panicked, she rushed to her phone and dialed Alexis’ number… but there was no answer. She quickly phoned Jeremy, but got the same response.

“Oh no, my children,” she whimpered.

Her legs wobbled and she crumbled to the floor. To lose her son, daughter, and grandchild in one moment was more than her mind could bear; yet she knew she had to calm down and focus if she was to intervene with God’s plan.

In her mind, it was no secret that Erebus’ hand was controlling her beloved son. To destroy the puppet master would mean his soul would then be freed. The only way to save her children was to go back to the gruesome world that she vowed to never enter again. She would need to act fast to save Alexis, but to save her son, she would have to take down the man who stole her innocence a long time ago. She would have to kill Erebus.

Without a second thought, she fished the gun from under her mattress and loaded the barrel, just like the shop owner had showed her. She threw on a jacket and shoved the gun into its pocket. Hoping it wasn’t too late, she lowered herself into her meditative pose. She straightened her spine and closed her eyes, letting the trepidation melt away. Deep steady breaths helped relax her mind as she focused on the scene of her vision.

Several minutes ticked by.

She inhaled deeply and a burning sensation filled her nostrils. She opened her eyes to her son’s twisted face scowling from above. The reflection of fire flickered off the blade as it sliced through the air with immense power. Martha grabbed Alexis firmly on her shoulders and yanked her back. Suddenly, they appeared fifty feet away. She looked out across the forest and immediately spotted
him
. Raw hatred crept through her veins as she locked onto his location. She released Alexis, and in an attempt to save her son, drew out the gun.

Before Alexis could comprehend what was happening, Martha was standing behind Erebus, her shaking arms thrown out in front of her. As she stood at his back, the only thought that encompassed her mind was revenge. Without hesitation, she pulled the trigger.

A loud pop filled the air and her ears rang from the gunshot. Erebus’ body thrust forward as the bullet forced its way through his back. He fell to his knees, gasping for air.

The others tumbled from his malignant hold and crashed onto the ground. One of the men soared through the air toward Erebus. With a swing of his sword, Martha saw Erebus’ head fly off its body and wobble on the ground. She stared into his decapitated eyes and watched his soul diminish into nothingness. A sense of peace washed over her.

Alexis began to vomit and a blonde girl ran over to console her. The other young man sprinted toward Orion with his sword in hand. Her daughter was safe and the evil hold on her son had been released. Her last remaining task was to save Jeremy from his fate. Before Orion could look up to meet her gaze, Martha disappeared. With everyone distracted over Erebus’ demise, Martha appeared behind Jeremy. She wrapped her arms around his body and took him back to her world.

She released her hold and jumped back against her bed. Jeremy whipped around and swung the knife, slicing wildly into the air.

“Jeremy stop!” Martha cried.

Jeremy paused, confused. “Mom?” he whimpered as he dropped the knife.

“Oh Jeremy,” Martha cried and wrapped her arms around him.

“Mom, I don’t understand… what’s happening?” Jeremy choked out and moved his hand to his temples.

“Shhh, its okay, baby. Everything will be alright now, you’ll see,” she whispered as she cradled his head in her arms.

“But Erebus…”

“He’s dead now. He can’t hurt you anymore,” she spoke softly while holding him close.

Jeremy pushed away violently, “What?! Dead?” he sputtered.

Martha caught herself against the dresser. “Calm down, son. It’s over. You’re safe, you’re free,” she said as she held her hand out to comfort him.

Jeremy’s head was spinning out of control. The man behind that voice that had comforted him all those years was gone. The only person who ever truly understood him was now dead - at the hands of his mother. His hands balled into fists as he tried to fight the urge to rip the flesh off of her bones. A low growl hissed from his clenched teeth and his body shook with fury.

“Did you hear me, Jeremy? You’re free now,” she spoke.

Conflicting flashes of rage and excitement raced through his blood as he replayed the words his mother had spoken.
You’re free… you’re free…

“Honey, say something,” Martha’s voice sounded a mile away as it echoed in Jeremy’s ears.

“What?” he muttered, as he collected his thoughts and tamed his wild temper.

“Are you okay?” she asked.

Her voice became clearer to him as he took deep breaths and relaxed his hands. “Uh, yes mother. I’m fine,” he answered stiffly.

“Listen honey, you need to get out of here for a while. Your sister won’t understand,” Martha said as she rushed across the room and pulled out a wad of cash from a drawer. “Here, take this. Do you remember the cabin your father and I used to take you and Alexis to when you were younger?”

“Yes,” Jeremy muttered with unfocused eyes.

“Go there and I will come for you in a few days, okay? After the baby is born, I’ll explain things to Alexis. She’ll be a mother then, she’ll understand,” Martha explained, although the look on her face said she knew that was false hope.

Jeremy snatched the cash from his mother’s hand and ran out the door without looking back.

As he walked the five miles to his apartment, he thought about his father. Not the feeble human his mother choose to wed, but his true father; his blood. Even after death, he could still hear his voice echoing in his head, just as it had for most of his life… the whispers guiding him when everyone else turned their backs. It comforted him; consumed him; taught him how to sustain from the social piranhas of this pathetic world and overcome the binds that held him down for so long.

He remembered the first time his father appeared in his dreams last year and finally confirmed that he was meant for so much more. His father brought him to the world he was born to rule; then showed him who was standing in his way… his sister.

To please his father, Jeremy rushed and tried to take care of the problem himself, but he underestimated his sister’s resistance and Mitchell’s defense. Marked with revenge for his failure, he was consumed with rage toward them both. He allowed his father to use his mind to cross into this world and kill Mitchell, in exchange for Jeremy’s vow to destroy Alexis in this world. He planned to keep that promise.

Jeremy reached his apartment and paused outside the door. His hardened heart didn’t skip a beat as he scribbled good-bye on the paper and stuck it on the apartment door without entering. He turned away, and never gave a second thought about the menial life he was leaving behind.

As he left his life behind, he finally embraced the taunting voice inside his head that had haunted him for so many years. He embraced his true self and let them mold into his mind. She was right - now he was free.

Free to roam wherever he pleased.

Free to do whatever he wanted.

And what he wanted was everything.

He walked across the parking lot and instantly vanished.