Though reluctant, she dialed the number and to her surprise, Deed answered on the first ring.
"This is Tina, Trent's fiancé," she said.
"I know. No need for the intro," Deed responded.
"I'm sorry for calling so late."
"It's okay. I don't usually get much sleep around here anyway. Are you all right?"
"No." Tina shook her head as if he could see. "I've been seeing things I don't want to see." She started to break down. "I've been hagged; I'm been having disturbing dreams…"
Deed was listening.
"I think something terrible is going to happen. I think the children of this city are now in jeopardy."
"Have you shared with Matheson what's been going on?" Deed asked.
"No, I didn't want to worry him. He had enough on his mind with his sister's troubles, aside from what's been happening all along."
"I understand. They're intruding in your space?"
"Yes."
"I have to say I'm not surprised you called me," Deed confessed. "I share the feeling that they're planning something big. I don't know what it is, but I hope it isn't what you think it is because we know that would be nothing less than catastrophic. This town would never recover from something as horrible as that."
"I don’t know what to do."
He could hear the frustration in her voice. "Don't do anything different from what you've been doing all along. I'll try to work my end for more answers, but I can’t make any promises. I'm not the one in control here."
"Okay," Tina acceded. "Please, don't mention any of this to Trent."
"Okay. Relax. Go back to bed and try to get some sleep. I'll give you a shout as soon as I find out anything."
Tina felt somewhat better having spoken to Deed about what was weighing her down. She looked over at her sleeping child wanting nothing more than to hold him closely and to never let him go.
After remaining awake for nearly an hour, Tina was about to doze off to sleep again when suddenly, the house alarm started blaring. Little Foster instantly awoke, which was odd since he usually slept through everything, but he was not crying — just lying there looking around innocently.
"I'll be right back, honey," she said to him quietly before reaching for the club at the side of the bed.
With hallway lights already on, slightly flickering, Tina cautiously proceeded toward the staircase. She crept down the stairs, glancing around for any movement that might warrant her making good use of the club. Little Foster's protection was front and center on her mind and if anyone dared to threaten that, they were up for a serious fight.
Observing no movement at all as she descended the stairs, Tina arrived in the living room and immediately noticed the activity on the alarm box situated near the front door. The light attached to "number two" indicating the motion sensor for a portion of the main floor, was blinking. She knew it meant something had passed across the space that caused the alarm to go off, but also noticed the other lights were not blinking at all. No entryway indicators had been disturbed which meant that no one had physically broken into the house. Tina entered her code to quiet the alarm.
In spite of the obvious, she wanted to ensure that no one had somehow made it into the house undetected, so she checked each room as quickly as she could before returning upstairs to her bedroom.
She lifted Little Foster out of his crib and laid him in the bed with her, securing all sides with large pillows.
Thirty minutes later, the house alarm went off again. Tina and the baby were wide awake. She placed the child into his crib, picked up the club and repeated her steps as before. This time, while descending the tall staircase, peripherally, she picked up on dark shadows scooting across the living room.
"Leave us alone!" she shouted. "Leave us the hell alone!" She gripped the club tightly, with anger coursing through her like never before. Within seconds, the alarm stopped and the house was eerily quiet.
"I'm not afraid of you!" She lied through her teeth, hoping that her unwelcomed guests had bought it.
"Surrender the child!" went the menacing voice Tina had heard several times before. She was halfway down the staircase; her steps slowed.
"Surrender him and no one else will be killed."
"You can't have our baby!" Tina replied, glancing around. "Can't you understand that?"
Although the downstairs light was on, Tina did not see where the voice came from. Then directly below at the base of the stairs was a hooded figure in a long, black robe. Within the black void where his face should be, Tina saw eye-sockets encircled by an array of colors, including a prominent luminescent silvery hue. This figure before her looked menacing, malevolent - inherently evil. Tina stopped dead in her tracks; her legs felt like they were about to collapse right under her. The fear was intense and nearly crippling. She fought with everything inside to keep up the brave façade.
"You have sixteen hours, twenty-one minutes and forty-six seconds to surrender the child. There will be no more visits; no more prodding; no more chances. If you have not delivered the child to us before that time, every parent and guardian of every child in this sickening city will be mourning the loss of their precious children. Your child will be the only one who remains, but the lives of countless thousands will be upon your head." The tone of his voice was even, but potent. "The child must be brought three hundred feet into the woods directly behind this very place — the place where it all began many generations ago — the place where the fallen ones once resided. We will be waiting…"
Tina was speechless and astounded by the threat which confirmed the nightmare she had woken up to that night. Completely sapped of strength and hope, she dropped the club, flumped onto the steps, held her head in her hands and cried her eyes out.
12
The Beginning of the End
Trent was being chauffeured to the jailhouse to meet Sanjay who was already there awaiting Solange's release. Trent phoned Tina from his cell, but the voicemail clicked in on the landline. He tried her cell phone next, but received no answer. Several minutes later, he tried again and this time, she picked up.
"Honey, great news!" he started. "I'm on my way to the jailhouse now. My sister is being released today."
"Oh, I'm so glad!" Tina replied.
Trent thought her voice sounded a bit off. "Are you okay?"
"Sure, I am! And I'm so happy to hear the joy in your voice again, honey."
He asked about the baby and what her plans were for the day. She quickly filled him in.
"We'll be leaving for the airport in a few hours," he said.
There was a pause on the line.
"I love you more than you will ever know, Trent Matheson," Tina finally replied.
Trent was taken aback, even though Tina always professed her love to him. "I love you too, Tina. Are you sure everything is okay?"
"Everything is fine. Trust me," she asserted.
"Maybe you need to get some more rest. You sound a bit tired. Let Amina watch the baby."
"I will, honey; I will. You and Solange have a safe trip back. Give her my love."
The conversation left Trent with an unnerving feeling he could not put his finger on.
Solange walked out of jail a free woman. With tears in her eyes, she ran toward her brother and embraced him for a long while. She thanked him for standing by her and being so supportive. Sanjay stood watching, deeply moved by the reunion of the siblings.
Solange was handed all of her travelling documents, as well as other possessions that had been retained by police, including the necklace Victor had given her.
"Do you mind?" She handed Trent the necklace, before turning around and lifting her hair.
Trent did the honors. "It's beautiful. Where did you get it?" he asked.
"I'll tell you the story at the hotel," Solange replied with a smile. "We have so much to talk about."
Trent and Solange headed to the hotel where Solange could not wait to take a long, warm shower. Afterwards, they
went downstairs to the restaurant for brunch.
The two spoke for hours and Solange shared with Trent certain things she did not feel at liberty to discuss before she was arrested. She told him all about Victor and also about Laurie, the little girl she met in Miami when she first went to America, and Laurie's aunt Hazel. She told him about Greg the cab driver and the horror she discovered in his house. Trent was intrigued.
"Last night, while sitting all alone in my jail cell, I thought a lot about Laurie and Hazel and how I promised Laurie that one day, I'll be back to visit her," Solange said. "I think that time has finally come. I'm free now; I don't have to hide anymore, so I can go back there and keep my promise."
Trent smiled. He was touched by the bond that Solange described she had with the youngster. "I think you should," he agreed.
"You go back home ahead of me to Tina and the baby," Solange suggested. "You've been away from them long enough because of me. I will go to Miami for a few hours, then catch a flight home."
"Okay," Trent said, having a sip of wine. "I don't know Laurie or Hazel, but would you give them my regards?"
"I surely will." Solange smiled.
After checking out of the hotel, Trent and Solange headed to the airport. Solange's flight left first, but Trent's wasn't scheduled to leave for another two hours. He waited in the lobby, legs crossed, reading periodicals until he heard his boarding call.
* * *
Trent shifted in his seat again for the third time. First Class travel felt somewhat different for him that day. An aberrant uneasiness had slithered its way inside of him and he was eager to get home.
"May I offer you a glass of wine, Mister Matheson?" The stewardess asked with a tray full of white and red to select from.
"Thanks." Trent reached for a white.
He took a sip before setting the glass onto the tray in front of him.
Resting his head back and shutting his eyes, he finally started to relax. Then moments later, he became filled with that dreadful feeling again.
* * *
"You've got to be kidding right?" Deed gazed at Peter in disbelief.
Peter, his image pulsating in and out, shook his head slowly. "I told you, He loves her too much." He kept shaking his head.
Without a moment to waste, Deed picked up his keys and ran to his jeep. He hurriedly dialed the number that could make all the difference in the world.
13
Darkness Awaits
Tina checked her watch. It was 5:45pm. All day, she had battled the debilitating symptoms of unshakeable depression. She felt a strain each time she had to put on a strong, collected face for Amina. That day was tough and every moment possible, she held her precious Little Foster securely in her arms.
After placing the sealed envelope on the nightstand, she slid the special purchase she had made that day into her back pocket. She picked up the baby, gently placed him on her shoulder and walked out of the room. Tina heard the phone ring, but did not turn back to answer it. As she proceeded down the staircase, the landline stopped ringing after what must have been the sixth time, then she heard her cell go off. It was on the living room mantle. Ignoring it, she passed by the mantle and headed outside through the open sliding doors.
With each step she took above the dried, crinkly leaves and withered branches of the dark woods, Tina felt she needed to hold Little Foster a little more tightly. Her face was washed in tears as the baby made cooing sounds as he keenly observed his surroundings. They were headed deeper into the woods and everywhere was becoming darker and darker as the sun seemed to be setting more rapidly than usual.
Within minutes, Tina heard strange chanting and spotted a blaze of light through the trees. She knew she was almost there. Overwhelmed by an array of conflicting emotions, she kept wanting to turn around and go back to the house, but she could not. She had convinced herself that there was no other way. Turning back would be ignoring the problem instead of facing it head-on. The flow of tears never subsided. They resembled an endless waterfall. She constantly dried her eyes with the back of her hand so her vision would not be blurred.
When they came upon the spot where the fire was, Tina had no doubt that they had arrived at the intended destination. A large bonfire had been set with an elevated golden, rectangular platform in front. Golden candles seated in designer holders were lined off along the perimeter, and firmly set in the center of the platform was a chair made of pure gold and fit for a king. Scores of hooded figures were present, including the menacing one that issued the final threat to Tina at the house.
Immediately, the chanting stopped and all that could be heard was the crinkling of fire that blazed high above the ground. Little Foster appeared to beam brightly and his brown eyes turned a resplendent green. The hooded figures bowed in unison, then a chief figure stood to his feet and advanced towards the child.
Holding the baby close to her heart, Tina looked at Little Foster and said, her voice breaking with every syllable: "I love you, my sweet, precious child. Please know and remember that." She was stroking his long, black, beautiful hair as the tears streamed down her face. "I am doing this because of my love for you - so that you will not be the reason for anymore senseless, vicious acts. I love you so very much. I'm so sorry." She kissed him repeatedly. "Please forgive me."
Standing before them, the hooded figure with the strange eyes extended his arms. With much reluctance and venomous anger, Tina handed Little Foster to him. As the child left her arms, she felt utterly defeated and wanted to fall into the earth below.
"Go now!" the man said to her. "He is ours forever."
Tina turned away and with her head hung low, weakly walked in the direction from which she came. A little ways down, she hid behind some bushes and watched as the mysterious entities mounted Little Foster on the golden seat. He was still beaming; his entire body glowing an unnatural glow. It appeared as though he was truly where he belonged. Immersed in tears, Tina slumped onto the ground considering the gravity of what she had just done.
"Sphh!" She heard someone behind her. She turned around. It was Deed. He was looking on towards the bonfire. "What have you done?" he asked her in a terrified voice.
"I've ruined our lives." She sobbed. "I've... sacrificed my only child to save the lives of others. I'm a horrible mom. Trent will never forgive me!"
"Yes, he will," Deed quickly responded. "He will forgive you. He loves you."
"Love is not enough." Tina was shaking her head. "It wasn't enough for me not to surrender our son."
They soon watched as the platform holding Little Foster, the bonfire and all the hooded figures disappeared into the night.
A moment later, Tina slid a semi-automatic handgun from her back pocket and pressed the barrel to her head. "Tell Trent, I'm sorry," she said, before pulling the trigger.
Deed was horrified. He didn't know what to do with himself. "Oh, no! Oh, no! Oh, no!" he cried holding his head; blood had splattered onto his face and clothing. "Oh, no! Oh, no!" he shouted over and repeatedly, staring at Tina's lifeless body that had fallen face-down into the dirt.
* * *
The yellow cab pulled up in front of a little house on the street where Solange once lived. Hazel's house still looked the same. Nothing much about the area had changed since she was last there. She could see Greg's house down the street. It was surrounded by overgrown bushes and appeared run-down. She knew it was uninhabited. The sight of it that way saddened her as it looked nothing like it used to.
Solange stepped out of the cab with a gift bag in hand and asked the driver to wait for her. She then mounted the crinkly steps of the porch and knocked on the door.
Moments passed without a sound extending from the interior. As Solange waited, she felt anxious — nervous to see the people who had practically saved her life. The door creaked open, a little first as someone looked out, then wider. The young girl standing at the other side had gotten taller and had started to fill out like many teenage girls do.
"La
urie…" Solange felt excitement rising at a rapid pace.
"Liza?" the girl answered.
Solange was smiling and nodding. "I told you I'd come back."
"Oh, Liza!" The girl flew into Solange's arms in utter disbelief. Hazel emerged from the back as Laurie called out to her with overwhelming excitement in her voice. They all embraced and Solange gave them the gifts she had picked up for them in France. They sat down together and chatted about the old times until it was time for Solange to leave for the airport.
"I would love to fly you and Laurie over for a visit sometime," she told Hazel.
Laurie stood excitedly, looking at her aunt for approval.
"We would love that," Hazel replied. "I knew your future would be bright in spite of the secrets you were keeping."
Solange was caught off-guard by Hazel's remark, but remembered how truly gifted the woman was.
They all embraced once more before Solange left the house and walked to the waiting cab. Hazel and Laurie waved goodbye as she drove off into the distance.
During the drive to the airport, Solange pondered what she had been told: How the remains of Greg's boys were ultimately discovered buried in his own back yard and the psychotic father was awaiting execution on Florida's death row.
* * *
One week later…
Trent and Solange slowly walked from the gravesite toward the waiting car. Trent was visibly broken and had barely eaten or spoken a word since learning of the tragic events. His heart felt like it had been literally snapped in two and he wondered how he could still manage to breathe a single breath of air after losing the two most important people in his life.
He had found the note Tina had left on their nightstand professing her never-ending love for him and Little Foster, in spite of everything.
Their dream of a fairy-tale wedding would never be and at every waking moment, Trent wondered what would ever become of his only son.
Immortals- The Complete Real Illusions Series Page 38