Daniel Returns

by G W Mullins

  “No because it will not happen. Daniel is good and as much as you attempt to interfere, you will not be able to change that.”

  “Maybe the shadows could change that outcome. If they knew they could get their ultimate goal accomplished, perhaps they would not be so scared about collateral damage. If I couldn’t have him, maybe you should not have the chance either.” Raven laughed.

  “And what would you have to gain by helping the Shadows?”

  “One less powerful angel in the world for one thing. Does that scare you? He is the savior to your kind. We all know he has the potential to tip power to whoever has him. If we can’t have him, why should you? Besides, things are changing anyway. Haven’t you noticed the feel in the balance? Maybe you haven’t counted your souls lately. You might be missing a few. There is power in numbers my dearie.” Raven turned and walked back into the darkness of the trees.

  Elizabeth watched her leave and then turned back to Daniel. She watched him intently. In her heart, she was sure he was good. He would lead them all one day. He just had to survive the last trials coming to him from the Shadows. The power of light had to prevail.

  13 The Gathering

  As Daniel and Jen said their good-byes to Larry’s family, Irene followed to a private spot so she could speak more freely. Jen took her hand as they walked. She fully understood Irene’s loss.

  “I wanted to say good-bye without prying family members. I love them all, but they are the nosiest lot.” Irene smiled.

  “They don’t seem all that bad.” Daniel tried to reassure her.

  “Oh, get to know them. Look I just wanted to make sure you two are going to be OK. I know you have been through a lot. I just want you to know nothing has changed. I will be here waiting when you are ready to come home.”

  “We are doing well; we have made it through for the most part. I wasn’t prepared for any of this happening. But we have to keep fighting. Larry would want it that way.” Jen held tight to Irene’s hand.

  “Yes, he would and he was so proud of the both of you. You are the kids we always wanted. When our daughter died, I just didn’t have the heart to try again. When you came along Jen, it was a blessing. I got my little girl and now we have Daniel as well. Maybe someday, we will have a wedding.” Irene said as she pulled both of them into a hug.

  “When all this is over with, we will come home again. It’ll just be a little time.” Daniel said looking off into the distance wishing it was all over with already.

  As they walked away, they waved across the distance. Jen didn’t want to leave. She wanted to go home and still have Larry there to greet her. She knew he was not necessarily a fatality in this battle, but he was unfortunately an innocent bystander who was drug in. He should have had a better exit from this world than he did.

  As they walked down the road heading towards the main gate, Daniel took Jen’s hand and led her to the side and down a familiar path that that had been the first time he shared the ghost world with Jen. It was different for them to be out in the light. When they were first there, they had to hide so much to prevent Jen form being caught.

  “Do you remember this place? We were here before?” Daniela asked.

  Jen looked around and then she saw the statue of the angel by the water. She knew where they were. They had held hands and walked there as she saw ghosts for the first time. She also remembered that Daniel’s mother was buried just a few plots down.

  “Do you ever think about her?”

  “Sometimes I wish I had known her. I guess it was not meant to be. At least, in the end, she was there when I died, even though I was in a coma. It never worked out.” Daniel replied.

  “I’m sorry it all happened that way. I know there must be a void there. I have one from my parents, just the way they raised me and the fact they didn’t care about us kids. I guess you can’t love a child much if you run off and leave them alone in a house with just enough money to buy food for a few weeks.” Jen’s voice was filled with pain.

  “Jen, they had to have loved you and the other kids in their own way. They just couldn’t handle life.”

  “Maybe, but for a brief time Larry showed me more love than I got from them in my whole life. It just doesn’t seem fair is all. New subject please. Are there any ghosts around here? Can you still see them?”

  “I haven’t seen any since we got here. I am beginning to wonder if that part of my powers has faded completely. Elizabeth said I was changing and would have new abilities, but she never said that would be one of them.”

  They walked down the path and look up on the hill at the old chapel where the light had claimed Daniel. He froze in his tracks as he approached it. He was scared, but he knew there was nothing there to hurt him.

  “What’s wrong?” Jen asked him.

  “Bad memories I guess. I just got really scared for a minute. I don’t know how to explain it. I don’t like this feeling. Maybe this is something I have to confront.”

  “Do we have time to fight your inner demons, when the outer ones are still coming for us?” Jen laughed at him.

  “Really funny Jen! I am serious, I want to put this behind me once and for all.” Daniel was annoyed and wasn’t up for playing.

  “Ok, we will go up there and see what we can see. It’s just going to be a big empty building but whatever.” She mumbled under her voice.

  As they climbed the hill it all came flooding back to him. Jen had been unconscious as he fought the light and was pulled inside. She woke up just before he went in and jumped into the light to save him. She almost sacrificed her own life for him. Then she was thrown free and Daniel went in to fight for himself. It was there he saw the shadows, the same ones who were coming for him now.

  As they reached the door Daniel took a moment and breathed deep. Then as he turned the door handle the light form outside filled the room. Inside he saw the pews were filled with ghosts. Jen looked in but saw nothing. The room looked empty to her except for the pews and an altar.

  “Jen you know that ability to see ghosts?”

  “Yes, what about it?”

  “It still works.”

  Daniel took her hand and tried to extend a shield around her too as he did in the past. It was a new experience for them both. His familiar blue light was now bright and white. The end result was as he wished; Jen could see the room as he did.

  “Look at all of them. What is going on here?” Jen whispered.

  “I don’t know but I think we should find out all we can.” Daniel raised his voice as they turned toward him. “Why are all of you in this building?”

  “It is safe here. They don’t come on hallowed ground to capture us in here.”

  “Who doesn’t come in here?” Jen asked.

  “The dark ones. They come frequently now to claim the dead. Ghosts are not safe here anymore.” One of the crowd spoke.

  “Dark ones, you mean shadows?” Daniel asked.

  “No, not the enforcers, these ones are mostly ghosts, who chose not to enter the light. They went to the dark after the man in the hat showed up. We don’t speak his name, but he is not like other ghosts. He convinces them not to go into the light, that it is not good there. He is using them to block the light. The more he gets on his side the more chance there is he can block the light completely; then no one will be able to cross over.”

  “What does this mean Daniel?”

  “A world where the dark takes over and then darkness and the dead rule. And you thought we had problems now. That sounds a bit worse.”

  “We need Elizabeth. Can you call for her? She has to be aware of this.”

  “I can try she is supposed to be monitoring me. She said she knew when her charges needed her. Seems like a good enough time to test that.” Daniel said looking up. “Elizabeth, if you can hear me, I need your help.”

  An orb of light formed in front of them and then grew and took shape. Elizabeth emerged and as she did, she looked around the room. She looked confused and turned to Daniel.
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  “What is going on here? Why are all these ghosts huddled in a chapel?” She asked.

  “Ask them, they have a pretty interesting tale to tell.” Jen cocked her head and made a face.

  They explained the story and what had happened. Daniel also told her of the fact he had not seen any ghosts as he passed through the cemetery. Elizabeth went to the door and looked out. She then went to the hillside and as she turned in a circle emitted a ray of light which went to all corners of the cemetery. She looked back to the others.

  “You are right. This whole place is devoid of ghosts. The only ones are those hiding inside the building. You were right to call on me. If their story is true, we have to do something immediately. I have heard of the Black Hat Man before but he is a low-level demon. He shouldn’t be able to accomplish anything like this. Unless, he is getting help from someone more powerful. We have to cross these ghosts over and get them out of here.” Elizabeth said as she headed back into the building.

  She explained to the ghosts what she was about to do and many of them were scared to even try to go into the light. She reassured them that they would pass through safely and then she called on the light to appear. As the breeze filled the room and the light formed Daniel stepped back. He was scared. He didn’t want to be anywhere near the light.

  Elizabeth walked over to him. “Don’t let it scare you. You are safe and the ones who are trying to claim you are not here. Just help me cross the last of them over and you can get out of here and on your way.”

  They last ghost went in to the light as Elizabeth watched intently. She knew something was wrong. The light was partially blocked. She sensed it as they crossed. The path into the light was lined with dark ghosts. These souls should not have been there. They should have been sent into the light like all others.

  “I have to go to the elders and notify them what is happening. If this continues, all hell is going to break lose. I mean that literally not figuratively. This has to be stopped. You two be safe and if you need me you know what to do.” Elizabeth disappeared as her final words left her lips.

  “So where do we go from here?” Daniel asked.

  “I have a brother in college we could visit. Seems like a good time to see family.”

  14 Family Reunion

  As they arrived on campus, neither Daniel nor Jen was ready for the experience. Jen had tried to call ahead to let Jay know they were coming, but she never got an answer. As they walked through the commons area of the college, they studied the map and found the building he resided in.

  Jen fumbled through her purse and found the last letter she had received from Jay. She knew it listed his room and building on it. As they made their way up to the third floor, Jen was both nervous and excited to see her brother again. He had been gone long before their parents disappeared.

  Jen knocked on the door and waited but nothing happened. She thought that for a moment he was in class. Then she knocked again and dialed his phone. As she stepped closer to the door, she could hear the ringing on the other side. She turned to Daniel and shook her head.

  “Maybe he is in there and something is wrong.” Jen got scared.

  “What can we do? We can’t just break the door down.”

  “One of us doesn’t need to. You can just materialize your cute little blond butt inside there.” Jen said impatiently.

  “I could, but I do not know what the inside looks like. What if I overshoot or something? He said shaking his head.

  “Just do it!” She insisted.

  “But that is an invasion of privacy.” Daniel knew he was losing this battle. “Oh, ok, but it is all on you if we get in trouble.”

  Daniel concentrated and a shimmer of light enveloped him and then it rose up and he was gone. From within Jen heard a scream and what could only mean Daniel interrupted something. The door opened and a boy in his underwear ran out nearly knocking Jen into the wall. She regained her composure and stepped inside to find Jay completely naked. She threw her arms in the air and made a face.

  “What the hell was going on in here?” She demanded.

  “Well, to start with...I am gay and I should have told you long ago and that was my boyfriend you just scared to death. We were having sex until the hot blond appeared out of nowhere.” Jay explained.

  Daniel turned and whispered in Jen’s ear. “I’ve seen things I cannot un-see. You did this.”

  “Now do you mind telling me how this guy can appear out of nowhere?” Jay demanded.

  “Sorry about that.” Daniel spoke trying to conceal the redness that was flashing across his face.

  “This is Daniel my boyfriend. And as for what he just did, you are better off not knowing about things that could hurt you. Just let it go and one day I will explain everything to you. I wanted to see you. Larry just died and I just wanted to see a family member is all.”

  “I am so sorry Jen I know how close you were to him. Are you Ok?” Jay tried to show sincerity as he fumbled to put on his pants.

  “I’m dealing with it. I was doing better before this. You were gay and never told me? I could have been there for you.” Jen took a deep breath. “If it is OK, we wanted to hang out with you tonight, maybe spend the night before we move on. We are traveling right now.”

  “Sure, you guys are welcome to stay. I have missed you so much. As long as blondie doesn’t go poof again and scare me to death, we will be fine.”

  “I see all of your family have a similar sense of humor. This is going to be fun.” Daniel laughed.

  Jen and Jay spent the night rehashing the family and what had happened after he left. He was sad that she had been so much on her own. He had wanted to help but it was all out of his control. Jen understood he could not do anything, and she was happy just to see him get an education. It was something she had planned to do after things with the Shadows had settled down. She had promised Larry she would finish school and go to college. It was a promise she wanted to keep.

  Daniel grew unsettled as the night went on. As he propped himself up on the floor trying to be comfortable, he felt the pain on his back start up. He thought he was just uncomfortable for a second then he was sure it was one of the markings. Number six was on its way. He wanted to tell Jen, but with Jay there, he did not know how to get her aside and let her know. He made an excuse to get out for the room for a little while. The floor below had an indoor pool and Daniel felt he could at least cool down the pain of the hand print.

  ~~~~~

  On the same floor of the building was the science lab. That was where self-proclaimed science geek John Walston was in the last stages of his experiment when things went wrong. What was supposed to be a simple chemical, turned into a poisonous gas. He had just made it to the door, when he fell to the floor gasping his last breath. As his eyes blinked the darkness entered and overtook him. His body jerked and flung itself upwards as he stood upright and made his way to the hall.

  Daniel found the pool and had changed into trunks he borrowed from Jay. He had made a couple of laps before he realized there was someone else in the room. He looked over his shoulder and saw the boy as he walked past the door and moved towards the center of the pool. Daniel tried to wipe the water from his eyes as he focused to see the boy again. He was gone from the room.

  Daniel spun around trying to see him but he was gone. He swam to the side of the pool and began to climb out as the boy shot up from out of the water. He grabbed Daniel from behind. They both fell backwards to the pool as Daniel struggled to free himself from the Shadow’s grip.

  Daniel threw his body back and forth and managed to get free of the arm around his throat. As he pulled free, he tried to focus on the side of the pool and transported himself out of the water. As he reappeared, around him a splash of water fell around him and he fell to the floor gasping and spitting up. Just as Daniel stood up, the Shadow launched himself at him again, this time sending both his fists into Daniels abdomen.

  “Give up you cannot win. We will reclaim you. You c
annot resist. We are more powerful.” The boy’s mouth moved emitting the sounds of the Shadows in unison.

  “I will never give up. I’m not as powerless as you think I am.” Daniel screamed as he stood up and channeled his blast straight into the boy’s body.

  The Shadow fell for a second and then stood up again. As it moved toward Daniel, it drug one of its legs behind. It had been hurt. As the creature moved forward, Daniel orbed in behind it and blasted again. The creature fell again once more.

  “Why won’t you stay down?” Daniel screamed as the creature again became upright. Just then, the door opened to the pool, Jen and Jay stepped in unaware of what was happening. Daniel orbed in front of them and tried to protect them as the creature came again. Daniel mustered as much energy as he could, and aimed the full force at the boy. The Shadow fell for the last time.

  It was over and the Shadow was gone only the boy’s body remained. Daniel turned to Jen; he did not know what to say in front of Jay. Jen took his hand and led them out of the pool area and into the hall.

  “How did you know I was in trouble?” Daniel asked

  “We didn’t, we heard an alarm going off in the lab. Turns out there was a poisonous gas turned loose in the building. That is probably where your friend came from.” Jen explained.

  “Are you OK?” Jay was concerned.

  “Yeah, I have had worse things happen to me recently, but this was pretty bad.”

  “One more to go and this can all be over.” Jen tried to comfort him. “Jay, I think we are going to have that talk I promised you a lot soon than I expected.”

  “Yeah, I can see that. Hmm, the cute ones always come with baggage, don’t they? Jay laughed as he patted Daniel on the shoulder.

  “Maybe the rest of the night can be peaceful. That would be nice for a change.” Jen smiled as she took Daniel’s hand.

  15 Don’t be Scared of the Dark

  Daniel tossed in his sleep. His dreams were filled with dark images. In one of his dreams the earth had fallen under the control of the dark ones. Ghosts had stopped going into the light. The dead now inhabited the earth and were being turned by the Black Hat Man to increase the power of evil.