Daniel Returns

by G W Mullins

As the power shot across the park, it found its mark square in Jack’s chest. A deathly cry emerged from his mouth as he was ripped apart from the energy’s intensity. Jen stepped back scared by the destructive power of Daniel. She took a deep breath and blew it out as the darkness returned to the area around them.

  “Remind me never to piss you off.” Jen whispered.

  “I would never hurt you like that or any other human for that matter. He wasn’t Jack anymore. That thing wasn’t human.”

  “Poor Jack, he must have drowned after all. And we can’t even tell anybody about him being gone.”

  “I am so sorry Jen for exposing you to this. It’s not fair to make you endure this.”

  “Danny, I chose to be here. You didn’t make me come. It’s just simply what you do when you love someone. And I do love you so much. So, let go of the guilt and just realize we survived another one.”

  “Thanks. So, you really love me huh?”

  “Don’t push your luck Danny boy.”

  “You know I hate it when you call me Danny.”

  “Yup, that’s why I do it.”

  “Look when we headed in here, I saw a sign for a motel just down the road from here. We need to pack up and head for it. At least inside we are a little safer from attack.”

  Daniel looked around still taking in what just happened. He thought about what he had just done and feared that he would have to do it again.

  11 Too Close to Home

  The light came quickly overtaking the shadows. Daniel watched as they disappeared one by one. He was overjoyed that they were destroyed. Then the light grew and moved forward. As he watched it get closer, he yelled for help, but none came. His only recourse was to orb. He tried as he had done before but no energy formed. He was powerless. The light kept coming as he turned to run. Daniel moved as fast as he could but the light overtook him and in an instant, he was absorbed into it.

  Daniel jumped up in bed, his voice fading from the scream in his dream. He looked around but did not recognize the place at first. Then it all made sense. He was in the motel they had headed for after the lake. It was all a dream he told himself. But why did it feel so real?

  “You Ok?” Jen whispered in a groggy half-awake voice.

  “Yeah, it was just a dream. A bad one, but I am OK.”

  “What time is it? It looks light outside.” She asked.

  “It is 8 A.M. we should probably get up and try to eat before we have to leave.”

  Jen moved about picking up her cloths and reassembling her bag. As she picked up her phone, she saw the blinking light. “Missed call from Larry.” She flipped the screen and saw the message. As it played her heart sunk. It was Irene calling to tell her Larry had been taken to the hospital. He had a heart attack during the night. Larry had asked for Jen and wanted to see her. Jen turned to Daniel with a look of fear on her face. She didn’t know what to do.

  “What’s wrong Jen?”

  “Larry had a heart attack. He’s in the hospital and asking to see me. What do we do?”

  “We go to him. He is a part of our new family, we have to go there.” Daniel insisted.

  “But what about the Shadows? What if they attack?”

  “Then, I will take care of them, just like at the lake.”

  They checked out of the hotel and made their way to the nearest bus station. Jen was terrified of what was happening. She had only been with Larry such a short time. He couldn’t be sick and in danger already. She couldn’t handle the thought of it.

  As the bus pulled out, Jen stared out of the window. Daniel tried to comfort her by running his hand over her back, but it was little relief. He knew she was on the edge and there was nothing anyone could do to make it right. Jen was fighting a battle of her own.

  When they arrived at the bus station, Jen jumped up and dragged Daniel to the door. As they stepped down the back of Daniel’s shoulder started to burn. He tugged at his shirt and grabbed for Jen’s hand.

  “We have a problem. I feel the burning again on the back of my shoulder. Number four is coming.” He said cryptically, so no one would know what they were talking about.

  “No not now. We have to get to the hospital. Can’t they leave us alone for just a little while longer?” Jen spoke out with her voice full of anger.

  “Just head for the hospital and we will handle this as it comes.”

  As they crossed the parking lot to the back side of the building, they looked for a cab to get them to the hospital. The side street was full of them. Before Daniel could walk up to the first one and ask for the driver to take them, from out of nowhere a car screeched around the corner.

  The car veered left and right as it flew toward the bus station. Daniel grabbed Jen’s arm and yanked her onto the curb behind him. “Not now, not like this.” He mumbled under his breath. “I can’t do this in front of people.” He closed his eyes and imagined the open space across the street. As the car flew at him, he was prepared to orb. When the car came closer, Daniel could see the driver, he looked insane. Daniel grabbed tight to Jen as the car flew at them.

  Just as the car was about to hit, it clipped the end of a vehicle that was turning out of the lot to leave the station. The car flipped on impact and rolled across the street from them. Before anyone could try to get to the vehicle the underside burst into flames before the gas tank ignited. The whole car exploded throwing glass and debris everywhere.

  Daniel turned to look at Jen. “That was crazy. Are you OK?”

  “Yes, but we need to get out of here. We don’t have time to hang around for this.”

  Daniel agreed and as the taxi driver walked across the street to look at the car, he grabbed their bags and they made their escape. The hospital was too far away to run by foot. They looked for another cab and were off before the police arrived on the scene.

  Arriving at the hospital Jen ran through the front doors. At the information desk she asked for Larry by name but the receptionist did not want to give out any information to a non-family member. Daniel insisted that they had to go up since Jen was Larry’s daughter. The receptionist called up to the ward desk where Irene verified she was family.

  As Jen hit the button for the elevator, she began to lose her composure. It was all too much for her to handle. She couldn’t imagine Larry in a hospital in such a serious condition. She wrapped her arms around Daniel as she started to cry. Daniel didn’t know of anything he could say to ease her pain. This was one battle he couldn’t fight.

  As the door opened Irene’s sister Ellen was waiting just outside. She came to Jen and hugged her and tried to comfort her to stop the crying. It did not work, Jen was falling apart.

  “It’s going to be OK. The doctors are with him and they are trying everything they can to stabilize him.” Ellen held tight to her and then turned her attention to Daniel. “You must be David.” She said as she pulled him in to hug him.

  “I’m Daniel. It’s nice to meet you.”

  “I don’t know why I called you David. I was sure I heard you called that. Well anyway it is so nice to meet you.”

  The made their way into the sitting room where Irene was looking out the side window crying. Jen went up to her and held her from behind. “He’s going to be OK.” Irene turned and looked at her. It was evident she had been crying all night. Jen felt her pain, but in the situation didn’t know how to make it any better.

  “Have you seen him since you have been here?” Daniel asked.

  “No, they have not let me in yet. They said as soon as he was stable, they would let him have family in the room.” Irene tried to speak as she sobbed.

  The doctor came in the room. As he turned to Irene to speak, the look on his face was not good. Larry was near death and there was nothing anyone could do to save him. His heart was just too weak to keep going. The doctor sat beside Irene and tried to console her.

  “If there is anything we can do, please let us know.” The doctor wished he didn’t have to deliver messaged like this but it was an al
l too common occurrence.

  “Thank you for everything you have done.” Jen said putting on a brave face. “Will we be able to see him soon?”

  “Yes, I think in a few minutes you will be able to. I must warn you, he is in a drug induced coma. We had to do that to keep him calm until we could get his condition under control. He probably cannot respond to you. The medication will not wear off any time soon. Talk to him, we have found that even patients in comas know when a loved one is there. They can feel their presence.”

  “Thank-you doctor.” Jen said shaking his hand.

  “I am going to go down and get something to drink for all of us. I think we could use it about now.” Ellen said trying to be useful.

  The nurse arrived and escorted Irene to the room where Larry lay unconscious. She stayed with him for quite a long time talking to him and holding his hand. There was no response. He didn’t even flinch. The only sounds she heard came from the machines that were monitoring his condition. As she stood up to leave, she leaned over him and gently kissed him on his forehead. Her heart sank with fear of losing the man she had been with for decades.

  As she stepped outside the door Jen was waiting for her. The two hugged and Irene confirmed that the doctor was right about him being unconscious. Jen began to cry all over again as she reached for the door handle to the room. Daniel stood with Irene as the door opened and Jen stepped inside.

  Jen moved in slowly. Larry looked so peaceful on the bed. It was like he was at home napping in his chair. Jen always thought it was funny how he would take cat naps in the chair in front of the TV. In her mind she realized this time it wasn’t so funny anymore. Larry was about to die.

  As she sat down, Jen spoke to him. She told him of where they had been and what was happening. She reminded him of the first time they had met. The memories flooded back and she told him things she had never had the time to before. She also told him that she was glad that for a brief time he was her father.

  She held tight to his hand, and kissed him as she prepared to leave. As she stood up and prepared to let go, he pulled at her hand. Jen looked down at it and then at his face. His eyes opened and he turned to her. As she looked into his eyes, she could see the dark pools within. She tried to pull her hand free, but he held on with a grip so tight he hurt her.

  Jen screamed as his grip tightened. Daniel was just outside the door and heard what was going on. As he ran in, Larry was dragging himself up out of the bed. Daniel pulled at Jen’s hand and broke her free from his grip as he threw her out of the way. As Larry came towards them, his body jerked and shook. Jen scrambled to her feet and backed into the doorway.

  “Run my children.” Larry spoke.

  “What is going on?” Jen screamed.

  “I don’t know how long I can stay in control. Get out of here while I can control it.”

  Larry had awakened while the Shadow was taking control. His love for Jen and Daniel was enough to help him fight against the demon who was trying to control him. “I won’t be an innocent by-stander while this thing tries to kill someone I love.” Larry watched as the two got to safety and then took fate into his own hands. He knew there was only one way to take out the shadow, it was a violent death. Larry turned to the machine at the side of his bed. He hit the switch to power the paddles and picked them up and pressed them to his chest. “Good-bye my children.” Were the last words for Larry’s lips as he jerked back and forth from the large jolt of electricity he sent through his body.

  When the doctor entered the room, Larry was alone and lying over the bed sideways. There was no evidence of the Shadow or why Larry was holding the paddles of the cardiac defibrillator. All that was clear was Larry was now gone.

  12 A Death in the Family

  Days passed as the family prepared for the funeral. A covering like a dark veil surrounded the proceedings. It seemed like so long ago that Jen had decided to use the cemetery as a hiding place. She had only been back once since then. It was the night Daniel came back to her. She had thought he was dead. She remembered the pain, the feeling of having her heart ripped out. Just when she had put that all behind her, then Larry had to die.

  The family came in cars to the cemetery but as soon as they entered the front gate, Jen wanted to go on foot. She looked up at the little guard shack where she first met Larry. Back then she had no idea he would take her in or become so important to her. She hadn’t thought the pain she was feeling would come back so soon, but it did.

  Daniel walked slowly beside her as she moved up the hill, and to the back door of the house they had stayed in. With everyone headed in a different direction, she took Daniel’s hand and pulled him across the back porch and into the door. Walking inside it all felt the same as it did the day they left it. Jen smiled as she looked around at the place.

  “It all started here in the cemetery. When I met you in the mausoleum and then we moved to this house. It was my first safe place. It feels like it was so long ago. We’ve been through so much. I have been able to handle all that is thrown at me, but this time it was just too much.” Jen broke down. She could not hold back the tears anymore.

  “I understand what you mean; I never wanted this to happen. It feels like we are being tested. I am trying so hard to be strong but Larry was an unfair addition to this sick game.” Daniel sat down beside her on the couch. He wrapped his hands behind his head and sighed.

  “What do we do now? You have survived five of the Shadows. It just seems they are getting so much worse as we go. They want to hurt you by knocking you off your game any way possible.”

  “We have no choice but to go on and fight. No matter how much it hurts. I mean, what’s the alternative; I just surrender to the light? Then it is game over, and you are left alone.” Daniel knew there was no choice.

  A ball of light formed just inside the door by the stair case. It floated around the room for a moment before taking shape just in front of them. “Jen I am so sorry this all happened. I know you are hurting and there just aren’t words to make any of this better. Nothing I can say will change things but maybe someone else can make you feel a bit better.” Elizabeth bowed her head.

  As Jen looked up, she understood what Elizabeth meant. The light which Elizabeth created too shape and Larry’s image became clear. He stepped forward and moved towards Jen. “Hello sweetheart. They tell me you are having trouble dealing with what happened. Elizabeth said she could bring me to see you again and help work it all out.”

  Jen rose to her feet and looked at him. Larry looked better than he ever did. He was healthy and smiling. Jen’s hand covered her mouth as she gasped at him. The last thing she remembered was the demon grabbing her and now Larry was himself again. He was free.

  “I figured if you could see I was back to my old self, you would not be so upset. We all have to die and I understand that. But what you had to see was beyond horrible. I did do what I had to, to save you.” Larry’s eyes brightened as he saw the difference in Jen.

  “I understand now. I have so much trouble understanding ghosts and the other side, and the light. It is so complicated. I know you died, but I also know now that you are OK. It’s right and wrong all at the same time.” Jen was confusing herself with all that was going on. “So, what happens now? Do you go into the light or are you here for a while?”

  “I don’t know. Elizabeth what are we doing?” Larry asked laughing.

  “The light is ready for him as soon as he is done here. I do think we will have to go soon though”

  “Jen be strong for me and look after Irene. She’s not strong like you. She’ll need you to get her through this. Daniel, I know I do not have to worry about you. You’ll survive this and go on to do so many good things. I need you to take care of my little girl though.”

  “I will, I promise.” Daniel began to cry as he finished speaking.

  “I guess I need to go now. I love you both. And tell Irene I never meant to leave her this way. My love will always be with her. Good-bye my children.
” Larry turned towards Elizabeth.

  The back door to the house flew open and a strong wind entered. The brightness of the light flooded the room. Elizabeth motioned to Larry to move towards the light and to prepare to cross over. Jen waved as Larry looked back across his shoulder. He turned back and walked into the light. Jen could still hear his voice as his last words drifted out into the room. “There are so many people here, so much family and friends waiting to see me.” And then it was done, the light faded and the wind in the house was gone.

  A smile made its way across Jen’s face as she turned to Daniel and held tight to him. Elizabeth watched for a second before waving good-bye to them both. She had business elsewhere to take care of. Her time there was limited. Daniel breathed a sigh of relief. He remembered good things could come from all this.

  “We have to get over to the grave side. They have probably started without us.” Daniel whispered.

  “I’m ready now. I can do this.” Jen wiped her face and began to walk towards the back door.

  “We had some good times here. Now it is time to move forward.” Daniel took one last look around the room and smiled.

  ~~~~~

  As Daniel and Jen took their places at the grave side, no one was aware they were being observed. In the distance a flock of black birds gathered. Landing one by one they collected and took the form of Raven. She walked forwards towards the crowd. She watched intently as the family said their good-byes. A sinister look crossed her face as she looked at Jen. She stared long and hard like a wild animal stalking its prey.

  “You are the one who stands in the way of Daniel turning to the dark. Maybe if you weren’t here, it would be easier to end all this.”

  “I wouldn’t bet on it.” Elizabeth’s voice came from behind.

  “Oh, it’s you. Shouldn’t you be off doing good deeds like a nice little white lighter?” Raven mocked her.

  “I am right now, by making sure you keep your hands off both of them.”

  “Does it frighten you that I might damage the girl and claim Daniel?”