Witness

by Lori Darnell

  “You know, he is so helpful.” I looked back at Duke; Jill laughed and wrapped her arms around my neck, brushing her lips to mine.

  “Yes very helpful.” She purred as she rested her head against me, and reached up to stroke Duke’s shoulder.

  We made a simple camp, laying our sleeping bags on the ground. Without the blazing sun, the desert became cold. Jill and I zipped our sleeping bags together and settled in for the night. James and Dean did the same. Our travel guide led his horse further away and made his own camp.

  “James, I think you two make him uncomfortable.” I laughed as I remembered the look on Sam’s face when he realized that they were a couple.

  “Well he doesn’t have to watch.” James stated, leaning over Dean and capturing him in his own embrace. I laughed and turned away from them. Jill curled into my arms after briefly peeking over my shoulder at them.

  “We have another long day tomorrow, and I am sore. Let’s get some rest.” I leaned in and kissed her lightly on her forehead.

  “Are you nervous?” She brought her eyes up to mine.

  “Yes, why?” Had she sensed something I missed?

  “No, I didn’t see anything, but you’re right, I do feel something. I don’t know, maybe it is just my own fear.” She tried to push the thoughts from her mind.

  “Jill, what are you afraid of?”

  “I think they are going to… change you.” I could see the glistening tears ready to spill over.

  “No matter what changes lay ahead, one thing won’t change. I love you.” I brushed the tears as they escaped her control.

  “How much do you love me?” She asked, a sudden grin appearing on her tear-streaked face. I knew she had an ulterior motive – it seemed she always had an ulterior motive.

  “More than enough to give you what you want, like always.” Her giggle was infectious, making me smile. She shifted slightly to remove her pants, and then turned to me to do the same. A decent enough distance from the others and under the stars, we made love, quietly drowning out fear of what was to come with knowledge of what was here and now – our depth of feeling for one another.

  In the early morning hours, we heard James yell. I turned to see what had happed but, turned quickly back as I saw the stream of white camel split dripping from the side of his face along the length of his outstretched arm. I buried my face in Jill's hair, trying not to draw attention to my uncontrollable laughter. James was not having good luck getting along with his camel.

  The sun hadn’t risen over the horizon yet when we all rose and gathered our things to get moving. Sam had come around to tell us that it would be much easier to travel if we could get going before the sun was too high, and we all agreed, vividly recalling the heat of yesterday. The days were extremely hot here, but the nights were almost cold. What a very strange country this was. Just a few hours after sunrise Sam fell back to speak to me. I knew we must be close; somehow, I could almost feel it.

  “Marcus, we will be there shortly,” Sam claimed, confirming my suspicions. He looked around at James and Dean. “Did you want to come alone?” I looked at him, shocked.

  “No, of course not - they go where I go. That includes everyone,” I warned, hugging Jill tighter to my chest. She reached back to stroke my face. Sam nodded forward and went back into the lead, silent.

  Moments later, I saw the door from my vision, or more exactly, Duke’s vision. He was excited under me, trying to push forward into the lead, but I wanted Sam to lead us there. The place looked deserted - no animals or people could be seen for miles around. Where were all the people Sam claimed would be here? I looked at Sam expectantly. He dismounted his horse, smacking him hard on the butt, but did not look in my direction. The horse ran off behind the large dune as Sam disappeared into the doorway of the dune. Duke dropped to the ground so we could get off. Dean shook his head at me.

  “You know, I wish I had a psychic that could tell my camel to do that.” He smiled back at James who shot him a glare, obviously not thinking it was a good time for jokes.

  “Well maybe it would help if you didn’t laugh every time he spits at me. I didn't think it was funny when he spit on me on the plane, when we tried to harness him, when we were waiting for Marcus to come back from that retched hotel, when I woke up this morning with spit covering half my head, or when he took my pants and decided they were a chew toy with me still inside them. That camel is sheer evil,” James declared, wagging his finger at Dean, just as his tormenter turned and spit at him again. Dean collapsed in the sand with hilarity. “See?” James demanded, pleadingly glaring at us for support.

  “You know, this is a serious matter.” Dean choked out between laughs. "I think James is developing a nervous tick." To give credence to Dean's accusation, the camel shifted for another go, and James ducked out of the way just in time to avoid being splattered once more.

  “Don’t test me,” James reached back, deliberately grabbing one of Dean’s clean shirts to wipe the spit off his own.

  “Awe, come on. That was my last clean shirt.” Still laughing, Dean walked over to inspect the damage. Once he was within range, James pitched the shirt full force at him, landing dead center on Dean's chuckling - and open - mouth, with a slimy 'splat'. Now it was James' turn to burst into laughter.

  Jill had lost all composure and fell to the ground, clutching her sides and waiting for the racking spasms of humor to cease. I tried to maintain my calm for James’ sake, but my face was cracking despite my best efforts.

  Disgusted at the two men's familiarity, Sam reappeared and motioned for me to follow him. Silence settled over all of us. Too much was at stake now for fun and games.

  I followed as Sam disappeared into the darkness. I walked into the temple after Sam; Jill was close behind. The temple was very dark, seeing me coming up behind him, Sam held a match to the wall. With the same effect as the temple in London, the small flame ignited the wick hidden in the walls, catching and spreading around the room like magic.

  Remembering what happened last time, I ducked, just in case. The flames licked the wall as they caught in a ring of fire over my head. The ceiling was much taller than that of the temple in London, thankfully. I straightened walking further into the main chamber. We were alone here.

  “Sam, you said there would be people here.” I looked around, seeing the thick layers of dust that covered the seats. No one had been here in years. The realization that we were alone didn’t make me more comfortable.

  “They will come. Look, I want to show you. We walked further into the chamber, and against the back wall were the figures of several people, all with images of animal heads where their own heads should have been. Beneath them were rows of stick figure humans. This was very similar to London. I looked over at Sam. He was pointing to another section of the wall. I approached, peering into the direction Sam was pointing - and then I saw it. It was a large portrait of me, with glowing blue eyes, receiving a feather from one of the animal people. It was the same figure that I had seen in London. His head was shaped like a bird, with a long neck and a beak shaped in almost a half circle.

  “You see, you are descended from gods.” Sam stated, smiling at my own look of disbelief.

  “Gods? The animal people are gods?"

  Sam nodded and drew my attention back to the wall where they were gathered. Sam started to say their names, in order of their pictures. But I only heard one - Isis. Jill froze at my back.

  “Show me Isis.” He pointed to one of the figures. She was beautiful. She didn’t have an animal head like the others. She looked a lot like the Isis I had been seeing in my own mind.

  “She was a great alchemist. She ruled here as well, just like you will.” He looked at me expectantly, but I had nothing to say. None of this made sense to me. How could I be descended from gods?

  “You see here?” Sam walked over to another section of the temple with even more paintings. “Here she is again. She received the knowledge to save her husband Osiris from the teacher
and scribe Thoth.” Sam walked back over to the portrait of me again. “Here he has bestowed his godhood to you.”

  Jill was growing paler by the second. This was far beyond anything either of us thought was possible. But she couldn’t seem to take her eyes off my portrait on the wall. Her stare seemed to burn with tears.

  “Jill, what’s wrong?” Trying to soothe her, I brushed my hand through her long hair, tilting her head up at me. She closed her eyes, a pained expression washing over her.

  “She is going to take you from me.” Her voice was so calm, so quiet, that I almost didn't hear her words.

  “I won’t let that happen.” Jill shoved hard away from me in response. An ache of pain shot through me. Dejected, I stared wide.

  “How? How are you going to stop it? Look around you! She has been playing you, leading you all along. Do you really think there is a way to stop it?” She cried softly, leaning against my portrait.

  “I don’t think I can stop the change. But my love for you will never change." She shook her head violently. Tears were falling freely down her face. I felt the pang of rejection. "Could you still love me?” Unsure what this would mean. Did she now fear me?

  “I will always love you, but it won’t be enough to bring you back.” She looked over to me, glancing briefly at Sam, then turned abruptly looking down at the floor. Her statement confused me.

  “My lord, we need to get you home. Everyone is waiting.” Sam stated flatly. I looked around the room. We were the only ones here. What in the world was he talking about? Everyone was saying confusing things. All of this was too much. I was getting a splitting headache. Angry at the rejection in I had seen in Jill's eyes, I turned abruptly on Sam.

  “What are you talking about?” I was so confused. The room was spinning. My visions overtook me in my moment of weakness; I saw images of the temple wall start to move. Murmuring figures circled around me, reaching out toward me. I shrank toward the center of the room.

  “I’m sorry my lord, but it has to be this way.” Sam spoke softly.

  "I don't understand, what's happening?" Jill's soft cries pulled at me in the distance, but I couldn't focus on her or anything. The figures were reaching toward me.

  I heard Jill scream my name the instant the sharp blade pierced my skin. The pain shot through my body. I felt the cold steel inside me, ripping, shredding its way through the center of my chest. I saw through the vision haze that Sam was still holding the knife that had stabbed into my heart. “You will be home soon. Don’t fight it.” His voice was full of reverence and awe. The blood flowed down his hand, thick like tar. I felt the sluggish, gelatinous blood, flow hotly down the front of my shirt, soaking through it and burning against my skin.

  I looked up, searching for Jill. How could I have failed? Why did I not see this coming? Why didn’t she tell me? I searched the room with my eyes and found her collapsed on the floor, sobbing. James and Dean were running to her, trying to process what they were seeing. My anger raged.

  “I will not leave, I will not go!” I tried to scream, but it only came out as a strangled gurgle. Even as I chanted the words in my mind, I knew I was losing the fight. I felt a strong pull against me. The gods spinning around the room were reaching for me, pulling me toward them. I had to go.

  Dean had Jill in his arms, trying to take her away from me.

  “Jill! Don’t leave me!” I pleaded, screaming in my mind what could not be screamed aloud. She fought in his arms. Dean dropped Jill to the ground and she ran back to me. Sam tried to stop her. Withdrawing the knife he lunged for her. At the same moment, I lunged for him. With more strength that I should have had, moments from death, I threw him against the wall. His head crashed against my portrait, shattering the framework and slamming it to the ground in pieces. His body landed sharply alongside the painting, and with the infinite slowness created by adrenaline surging, I heard the crunching sound of his bones breaking where they met the solid stone wall. James crumpled to the floor as he realized that I was going to die. Dean tried to pull him to his feet, but in his despair he was unable to move.

  Once again at my side, Jill brushed her hand against my cheek, soft as a feather. Everything in me suddenly turned from cold to warm to numb, as the force of life ebbed away. Her eyes were bright with tears, but I could see the steel behind them. She turned toward Sam.

  “Sam, you want to die. Take the knife. It will be easy.” I could see that she was manipulating his feeble mind. He tried to struggle against it. In a moment of true terror, he realized that Jill’s talents were as great as my own. He struggled with the knife again, pleading as he did. The knife looked as though it had many invisible large hands pulling it closer to him. With his free hand Sam fought a losing battle. His own body was betraying him. Sam closed his eyes and gave in to the sensation of his own hands wanting to kill, and quickly sliced his own throat.

  Seeing this seemed to snap James out of his catatonic state, and he allowed Dean to help him up, both of them running to my side. They stopped short in the entry way seeing the river of blood form quickly across the floor. Their faces wore equal expressions of astonishment – they would never have believed that she could be so dangerous, though I knew she was more than capable. We would die for each other, and we would kill to keep each other safe. Jill did not spare a moment for their reaction, but immediately returned to my side.

  She put her hand to my temple. “Marcus, you come back to me. I won’t leave. If you die, I am coming with you.”

  “No.” It was the only word to escape my lips. Everything went black. I could hear Jill calling my name, but I couldn’t find my voice to answer. I felt weightless, but strong. The room seemed to lighten. Figures started to appear, many figures. They were the gods from the temple walls. But, this was not the temple. It didn’t surprise me to hear her voice. If filled me with rage.

  “Marcus, welcome home.” Her voice was honey and spice. It was meant to be comforting.

  “Let me go.” I had found my voice. I could feel my body. My rage fueled my sense of self. I stood from the ground. She was smiling, happy at my efforts. Crossing the room I saw several figures. Some from the temple walls, others that I didn't recognize. But I only had eyes for Isis, my tormentor, the one that cost me everything; and she was staring at me, warm and inviting. She opened her arms to me. I reached down to her soft, long neck and wrapped my firm hand around it. “Let me go.” She wasn’t afraid - she was a god, after all. She brushed my hand from her neck, casually, as though I had been a fly.

  “What have you done to me?” Looking down my body was hardened, glowing. The deep amber glow radiated around me.

  “It was your destiny to ascend into our existence. Humans have the ability to transcend. You were born with this ability. I have brought you home.” She said this casually, like I would forgive her for all she had done to me, for that reason alone.

  “This is not home! I have to go home. She is waiting for me – she’s alone without me!” I pleaded with gods. They all looked at me like I was crazy, like I was throwing a gift back in their faces.

  “Marcus, you are home. Nothing else matters. The memory of her will fade.” She took my hand pulling me forward. She touched my temple, mimicking Jill’s touch. “When you go back, you won’t care about this anymore.” She saw the confusion on my face. “You won’t love her that way. She’s just human; she isn’t able to love like we do.” I pushed back away from her. I was sick at the sight, smell, and touch of her.

  “You know nothing about love; our love is stronger than the simple fact that she is human.” I turned from her and I saw the figure of Osiris running toward us. I ignored his large presence, turning back to Isis. “Send me back.”

  Isis held her hand as a caution to the approaching Osiris. “Marcus, the gods have always had the intention to send you back. But when you go back you have a mission. You have to stop the Church. Stop the pain. Your god is a selfish child. You have to make the people see. You have to make them remember.” So t
his was Isis’ grand plan. Something I had already wanted for myself. But she took me from my family, from Jill, for a message to be delivered? I would have killed her easily and relished doing so, had my strength proved to be of any use here.

  “When you go back, I will send you your guide. He will help you discover yourself. I would have you stay here, but the memories don’t fade here. It is better that you go.” She reached her hand to my face. Determined, she parted her lips to kiss me. Isis’ breath, full of spice and heat, burned like acid. I recoiled from her, disgusted, and turned away from them all.

  “Send me back.” I said it in a whisper, though she reacted as though I had bellowed it from the rooftops. In that moment, I heard Jill’s voice. She was calling my name. I turned around abruptly. No one else seemed to notice this? Jill had promised me, and she wasn’t giving up yet. Neither would I.

  “Now!” I screeched, my voice echoing beyond me.

  Isis nodded once. “I’m sorry Marcus, but I told you. I told you that you would both suffer more. Now, you will see.” She placed her hand over my heart, and suddenly, it was on fire again. Everything went black.

  Chapter 24

  I could hear the frantic breathing over me. Loud sobs coming from, Jill. But they felt distant. I could feel something, but I couldn’t place it. I opened my eyes slowly. Jill was still leaning over me. James and Dean were lying on the floor, at rest. Sam was against the wall, slumped into a pool of his own blood.

  Seeing my eyes open, Jill stopped crying, placed her hand on my cheek. It felt foreign, like it didn’t belong there. It was soft like a feather caressing my cheek. It was warm and welcoming, a nice gesture, but it had no meaning to me. I knew all of these humans, but was only vaguely aware of them. I had a strong ambition to find my guide; there were things to do, things that must be done quickly.

  “Marcus! You came back for me!” she cried, tears streaming anew down her face. I didn’t feel that it would matter, but I patted her hand. It seemed natural to make her feel better. She seemed like a loving person.