Danny broke down crying.
It’s not fair.
Tears dripped into the water now as Danny took a deep weeping breath.
When was life ever fair.
Danny looked up at Eric. "Be the man you always wanted to be," he said in a hoarse voice.
Eric sobbed heavily now as he shook his head. "I will," he replied.
Danny looked up at the trees. Giant pines swayed back and forth just like in his dream.
This was how it was going to end.
Danny closed his eyes before he spoke. "You have to carry the light now because things are only going to get darker."
When he opened his eyes there were half a dozen creatures behind Eric. They all looked down at him smiling. Fear overwhelmed Danny now. One of the creatures rested a claw on Eric's shoulder as it smiled down on Danny. Then, in unison, all of the horrible faces suddenly changed. There before him was Chaps, Kevin, Ken, Anna, his father. It was everyone he knew surrounding him to take him to the light. Suddenly that fear was replaced with a warm numbness. Danny smiled as everything slipped away.
Eric raised a pistol with tears streaming down his face. "I’m sorry," he said.
Suddenly a bright light made all the pain fall away.
CHAPTER FORTY-SEVEN
"I CAN’T THANK you enough, Dan," Eric said.
He looked older now as strands of hair in his beard had turned gray and the edges of his eyes showed the beginning of crows feet.
A gust of wind blew cold air across the vast lake and through the trees where Eric stood.
He smiled. "All I can say is that I get it now. Turns out I’m gonna be a father." Eric smiled again pushing a back tear. "Sophia broke the news to me last night. Thought you’d want to know that. I guess I can say now I know why you wanted to get back so badly, Dan."
A tear ran down his face and fell on the ground below. A tombstone stood by Eric’s feet. In capital letters across the top, it read.
DANNY ETTER
DEAR FRIEND, LOYAL HUSBAND, AND DEVOTED FATHER
Eric brushed away a tear before it fell to the ground. "It’s been a long time since we made it up here, but I want you to know that I am thankful for what you gave me."
"What did he give you?" A girl called out from behind him.
A smile came across Eric’s face as he looked back. A girl of about thirteen walked up behind him holding a faded black teddy bear.
"He gave me a life," Eric said as he wrapped his arm around the girl’s neck. "How are you doing, Suzzie?"
Susan looked up at Eric. "I’m scared for you, Uncle Eric."
Eric laughed as he wiped his eyes. "I won’t be gone for very long. A year tops."
"Well that may not seem like a long time for old people like you, but time is relative. That feels like a lifetime for me."
"You know, you are just like your old man," Eric said.
Susan looked up at him. "How’s that?"
"Witty and too smart for your own good."
They both laughed now as they stared at the grave.
Susan sighed heavily. "Lucas wants to go with you on this so-called Last Crusade."
Eric patted Susan’s arm as he bent down. "I still don’t know why they are calling it that." He moved some debris near the tombstone.
"Well, he still wants to go."
"Young men always want to be part of the battle. It’s up to the older men to dissuade them. I made sure he will stay with your Uncle Mike to protect everyone here."
Eric could see Susan start to tear up.
"I don’t want you to go," she cried.
Eric walked up to her and she wrapped her arms around him.
"Susan, I will come back," Eric pleaded as he rubbed her back.
The girl cried in his arms. "You and I both know that is a promise you can’t keep."
Eric bent down so he was face to face with her. "Kid, I wouldn’t say it if I didn’t mean it. I will come back."
She looked at the tombstone where her father laid. "How’d you know when he was sick?"
Eric scratched his salt and peppered beard. "Do you remember the exact moment when you get a cold?"
Sophia thought about it. "I mean, there are small moments, but most of the time you just wake up and you are sick."
"Well, it was kind of like that. There were moments when I thought something was wrong . I’d find a door open or window open when it should have been closed. My guess was he would hallucinate at night when he was on watch. One night after Aunt Sophia got hurt he relieved me on watch. I went to close my eyes and I heard this screaming." Eric looked at the lake. "Your father said he saw these monsters screaming in the trees. What he didn’t know was that he was the one screaming. Right then is when I knew."
She sniffled heavily and quickly pulled herself together. "How did you and Aunt Sophia get my father back here?"
Eric took a step back so Susan could look him in the eyes. "That Missy, is a story for another time."
"I want to know," She said.
"How ‘bout this," Eric said as he squatted down looking up at her. "When I get back I’ll tell you everything."
Susan thought about it for a moment and then nodded her head. "You promise?"
Eric smiled. "I promise."
The crack of pine needles drew Eric to the trees. A towering man walked up brandishing a pistol on his hip.
"They are ready, Captain," the man said.
"Thank you, Mike," Eric replied as he stood. He shouldered his rifle and gave Susan a hug. It was a tender moment for him as he felt that feeling in his gut telling him to stay, but he had to go.
The darkness can only exist if there was no light to vanquish it.
Eric released Susan and started to walk back up the hill. He could hear his men calling out orders as they prepared for the long march.
One more thing.
Eric turned to look at Susan. "Hey, kid?" he asked.
"Yeah," she said curiously.
"You remember what I told you earlier?"
Susan smiled nodding her head. "Carry the light."
Eric nodded his head and turned.
We all remember, Dan.
A MESSAGE FROM the author.
I want to thank you as the reader because it is you who makes the world I have created come to life. So, if you are sitting around now twiddling your thumbs asking if that’s the end of the story, don’t worry, I plan on making REM a trilogy. If you enjoyed the story and characters, then I invite you to follow me on Amazon and Facebook for updates about the second book.
Also, please write a review so other readers can have the opportunity to enjoy this story.
If you have questions you can email me at [email protected] or go to my facebook page at J.D. Valentine. I would love to help answer any of your questions, whether that is about the book or self defense tips.
My content editor is looking for more clients. If you are an aspiring writer I implore you to reach out to her. Her name is Czarina and you can email her at [email protected].
Lastly, please write down three people you would recommend this book to, and please share the link to my book with them.
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Thank you so much, and remember to live everyday like it’s your last roll of toilet paper.
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