“Do not allow the Screamers to take the son,” Shanawl says.
“We shall prepare the father,” Kynar says.
“Protect the son,” Shanawl says.
“Always,” Hydron says
“Forever,” Drawk says.
CHAPTER 15
Rick, James and some of the others live in the same town but Jeff does not. Most of the Vauns do not live in town and when they travel for a gathering, they do not stay at each other’s houses. They always try to keep the number of Vauns in one area down to a minimum. That is why Jeff stays in a hotel just outside of town and that is where he is right now. He stands in the parking lot talking to Rick. Jeff is feeling guilty about a decision he has made and it shows in his demeanor and tone. That is why he called Rick to come talk to him.
“You just think that it will be as simple as letting this Ekabar take us and then we will what?”
“We do not know,” Rick says as he shrugs. “I don’t like the idea myself, but that is the decision that we have made.”
“I can’t,” Jeff says. He turns and paces. “I just can’t, Rick.”
“That’s ok,” Rick assures his friend. He stares to the sky as the sun sets in the background. He hears the storm in the distance then he turns to his friend. “Nobody blames you. Do you understand?”
“So you are really going through with this?” Jeff asks. He takes a breath to regain his focus. He is mad at himself because he is not going with them.
“Yes,” Rick states hesitation.
“I talked to Rel,” Jeff says. He shakes his head as he repeats the conclusion of the conversation that he had with his protector before Rick arrived. “Rel says that there is little chance of them returning.”
“I know,” Rick says. “Sevol says the same.”
“Then why are you doing it?” Jeff asks.
“Cause James’ father and grandmother would have done it for me. That is the type of people that they are.”
“I never got to meet her,” Jeff says.
“She is a character,” Rick recalls. He smiles at the memories. “I only met her twice but she is not the type of person that you forget.”
The parking lot lights turn on and in the distance the storm nears as loud thunder explodes.
“Better to storm tonight than tomorrow,” Jeff says.
“Yes,” Rick says. He looks back to the hotel. “You have candles lit in your room?”
“Yes,” Jeff says, “Of course.”
“Good,” Rick says. He turns to his car and opens the back door. He reaches in and pulls out a holster that carries two flashlights. He straps the holster on then he sees the smile on his friends face. “What?”
“Do you know how silly you look?” Jeff jokes.
“Well,” Rick says. He welcomes the lighter toned conversation. “Do you know how silly you look to me for not having flashlights on you at all times? I mean with all the experiences that we have had?” He smiles. “You look silly, not me. I also have a shotgun in the trunk.”
“What?”
“Yeah,” Rick says. He walks his friend to the back of the car. He reaches for his keys then opens the trunk.
“Wow,” Jeff says. His tone shows his surprise. “That’s a lot of guns.”
“Did you think that we were going to go to another world where survival is slim,” Rick smiles, “without weapons? Now who’s being silly?”
CHAPTER 16
Outside the thunder erupts and lightning flashes across the sky. Inside the house on the first floor, every candle and lamp exudes light. In the middle of the living room on the coffee table, there are multiple candles and a variety of guns.
James, Stewart, and Rachel sit on the couch. The Professor sits on the chair and Julie stands in the corner. All of them stare at the guns on the coffee table.
“Can we even kill them with guns?” Stewart asks.
“Sure,” Professor says. He stares off into space as he thinks about his thought. “Sure. It may take more than one shot but yes I would imagine that the guns will do the trick.”
“This shotgun should have an effect,” James says. He reaches down and picks the weapon up.
“Yes I believe that it will,” Professor smiles.
“Do you think Rick will get Jeff to go with us?” Stewart asks. “Cause I like the idea of having as many people with us as we can. You know strength in numbers type thing.”
“I would not blame Jeff if he didn’t go with us,” James says. His tone is sincere as he looks at Rachel, “The same for you.”
Rachel doesn’t like what James says and it shows in her tone. “Don’t talk to me like that. Your dad and mom were my friends. They would come for me.”
“She’s right,” Julie says in a defeated tone.
“What?” Stewart asks. He looks at his mom as he realizes what she is saying, “Mom you are not going.”
“Rachel is right,” Julie says. She looks at Rob then to her son. “They would not hesitate to come for me, or for you Stewart.”
“You do not have to,” James says.
“Yes I do,” Julie says. Images of her friends Ann and Rob flash throughout her thoughts. She takes a breath and realizes the truth that she was running from, “I am going too.”
“Well then you will need a gun,” Professor says.
“What about you Professor?” James asks. “What gun are you taking?”
“No, no I do not carry guns,” Professor says. He rolls his eyes at the thought. “Not my style. It’s just not. You, you all carry the guns. Not me.”
Loud thunder explodes outside and the lights flicker inside the house startling everyone present. They stop talking and stare around. A second later the power goes out, the room darkens, and the only light generated comes from the candles. The Molawner Ekabar fades into vision in one of the few areas of the room where the shadow of darkness survives. He appears in the corner of the room where the hallway to the kitchen begins. He turns his shadowy head towards the humans in front of him.
“Stay away!” Professor yells.
“Your lights cannot protect you,” Ekabar says.
“Load the weapons!” James says. He calmly reaches down, grabs a box of shells, and begins to load the shotgun. “I want you to travel me to my parents Ekabar.”
“Why?” Ekabar says whispering his words across the room.
“To bring them back,” James says. He turns his stare across the room to Ekabar. “Will you do that?”
“Curious one you are,” Ekabar says. He raises his hands and the candles across the room are blown out. He speaks as the protectors Hydron and Drawk fade to vision, “Your thoughts.”
Hydron and Drawk say nothing. They stare across the room through the light from the candles. They wait to see what Ekabar is going to do.
Julie and the Professor grab the flashlights and ready to use them.
“Don’t!” James yells to Professor and Julie, “I want to talk to him!”
“James we are not ready,” Professor declares. “We just are not ready.”
“Not now,” James says. He speaks with no fear, “Tomorrow, will you take me tomorrow?”
“No,” Ekabar says.
“Why?” James asks. “Why not take me? That is why you are here, right? So take me.”
“No,” Ekabar says.
“What do you mean no?” James asks.
“Live your life young James,” Ekabar says. He steps back deeper into the darkness. “Create family.”
“I see,” Professor says, “I know why.” He stands and walks to the edge of the light provided by the candles. He stares at the Molawner in the darkness before him “You cannot take James because you will lose your connection to our world?”
“Yes,” Ekabar says.
“You see James,” Professor says. He steps back away from the edge of darkness. “Your family is Ekabar’s link to our world. Once you are gone, there will be no more of your family left. That is why he always allows the Vauns of your family to survi
ve, so the connection can continue.”
“I don’t care!” James exclaims. He stands and walks to the edge of the darkness next to the Professor. He speaks with command in his tone to Ekabar. “You are taking me!”
“Continuing to impress me,” Ekabar says. “You always have young James, always.”
Rachel loads a pistol then hands it to Stewart. “Take this.” She grabs a shotgun and begins loading it as she scans the room. Her protector Teelah is nowhere in sight.
Julie steps back as her son hands her the pistol Rachel loaded. She stands with Hydron and Drawk close behind her in the darkness along the wall. The tall shadowy image of the Allumn Ocyrul fades into vision within the darkness behind Julie and in between the smaller Drawk and Hydron. He moves fast without hesitation. He thrusts his hands forward violently pushing Julie in the back. He reaches both hands out and grabs the Molawners, Hydron and Drawk, standing on both sides of him. He lets out a loud low pitch roar that erupts through the room.
Stewart yells as his mom crashes into the coffee table knocking the guns and the candles to the floor. One of the fallen candles catches the floor on fire and begins to spread to the entertainment center.
Ekabar waits until the Professor and James turn around. He reaches out, grabs James from behind, and tosses him sideways down the kitchen hall. He steps into the light revealing his thick dark leathery hand as he strikes the Professor. He falls forward and crashes into Rachel before she can react.
Rachel falls to the floor between the coffee table and the couch. She drops her gun as she falls to the ground with the Professor on top of her.
Stewart stares up in fear at Ocyrul holding Hydron and Drawk with ease as they try to break free. Stewart reaches out and grabs his mom as the Molawner Teelah fades into vision in front of Ocyrul.
“Release them!” Teelah commands.
Ocyrul steps forward and tosses the Molawners through the air across the room over the fallen humans. He reaches out with one arm and roars as he knocks the burning entertainment center sideways to the floor.
“No,” the Professor yells. He watches as the flames from the fallen furniture block the hall to the kitchen. “James!”
CHAPTER 17
Rick and Jeff stand at the rear of the car in the dark parking lot. The power in the area is out and their protectors Sevol and Rel are present in the darkness several feet behind them. There is frequent lightning flashing throughout the night sky all around them.
“I wasn’t ready for this,” Jeff says. His tone shows his fear as he shines one of the flashlights Rick gave him.
“Really…?” Rick says, “You have never been in a blackout with your protector? Unbelievable.” It is something that Rick has encountered before and it shows in his tone. He is not scared but he is aware. “Shine your flashlight everywhere you look. Rel and Sevol will protect us. They are stronger than the others. We will be fine. We just need to get inside your room to the candles. Ok?”
“Yeah,” Jeff says. He scans around and sees a couple in the distance as the man is teasing the woman about the dark. “Let’s go, now.”
“Wait,” Rick says. He aims the weapon in the air and fires. The blast scares the couple to duck down. He turns and yells to them. “Get out of here!”
“Rick?” Jeff asks as he fearfully scans the area. When his friend stops walking his nervousness increases. “What are you doing? We have to get to the room.”
“No,” Rick says. He steps back and looks to his protector Sevol. “We have to get out of here don’t we?”
“Yes,” the dark shadowy image of Sevol nods.
The door of the room next to Jeff’s opens and a man steps outside his room. “What’s going on?” Another door opens and curtains move as the guests inside the rooms stare out the windows.
“They are all in danger if we stay,” Rick says.
Jeff stares at the hotel as he realizes his friend is right. The attackers are bound to a circular radius around the Vauns. They cannot get close to others or they can be taken. He knows that Rick is right. They have to get out of here and fast.
“Get in the car!” Rick yells as he runs around the vehicle to the driver’s side.
Jeff opens the car door and is about to get in when the man in the room next to his yells. The tall shadowy image of Setah appears behind the man stepping into the walkway.
“Look out!” Rick yells as he aims his gun but the man moves too slowly.
“Mine,” Setah says as he grabs the man from behind and yanks him back inside the dark room. The door closes as the man’s screams fade inside the room.
“No!” Rick yells. He steps around the front of the car aiming his flashlight and gun everywhere he looks.
Rick’s attacker is the Molawner Notav. He fades into vision several feet behind Rick. He reaches out for the Vaun but Sevol stops him. Rick turns around and sees his protector grab the shadowy image of Notav and toss him sideways through the air to land on the walkway several feet away.
CHAPTER 18
Inside the house, all the candles in the kitchen are out except for one on the table. James stands in the middle of the room aiming his shotgun to the corner at the shadowy image of Ekabar.
“Your choice,” Ekabar says. His tone reflects his curiosity. “Travel to your parents or stay and create family.”
James looks down the hall as the flames rise up the walls blocking his path to the living room and his friends. He doesn’t turn around as his protectors Hydron and Drawk fade into vision behind him. He looks through the sliding glass door to the back yard, and then he turns to Ekabar.
“Run,” Ekabar says. “I will not chase.”
“I’m not running,” James says. He steps forward and leans over the table. He blows out the remaining candle and the room darkens. He stares at Ekabar. “I’m inviting you to take me.”
Drawk and Hydron step forward and stay close to their Vaun as Ekabar slowly walks around the side of the table near the back door.
“Why?” Ekabar questions.
“I will bring them back!” James demands. He walks to stand a few inches away from the larger Ekabar. “You already have what you want from them. Let me try!”
“Always the brave one James,” Ekabar says. He turns and raises his hand to the door and as soon as he touches the glass, it shatters. He steps outside onto the patio as he talks to the human behind him. “Follow.”
James turns and looks down the hall, and through the flames on the other side, he sees his friend Stewart staring at him. He says nothing then starts to the door.
Stewart stands in the living room yelling at his friend. “James!” He turns to see Professor and Rachel helping his mom to her feet. “We have to get to him!”
The small fire has spread up the walls of the hall to the kitchen. The light from the flames causes the otherworldly beings to vanish.
“We have to go around the house!” Rachel yells. She starts toward the door without thought. She doesn’t take the time to pick up a weapon or a flashlight, “Hurry!”
Julie bends down and grabs a flashlight and shotgun from the floor.
The Professor looks at Julie as she stands. Their eyes meet for a second as he speaks. “Protect your son.”
Julie turns and heads out the door, leaving the Professor in the house. She runs behind her son and Rachel as lightning flashes throughout the night sky.
In the kitchen, James stops at the open doorway. He hesitates for a second then walks out onto the patio. He follows behind Ekabar. Drawk and Hydron walk to the edge of the patio and stop. They watch in silence as their Vaun follows Ekabar into the yard.
Outside, along the sidewall of the house Rachel is racing toward the back yard when Ocyrul fades into vision. Before she can react, he grabs her by the arm and tosses her sideways. He raises his foot as the Vaun’s protector fades into vision in front of him. Ocyrul front kicks Teelah in her shadowy chest knocking her backwards to the ground next to Rachel.
“Rachel!” Stewart yells.
Without hesitation, he charges the larger Ocyrul from behind. The Allumn is faster and much stronger. He reaches out and grabs the human by the neck. He spins around tossing him backwards to the ground a few feet away.
CHAPTER 19
In the dark parking lot of the hotel Jeff and Rick stand on opposite sides of the car. They watch as Sevol tosses the shadowy image of Notav backwards, crashing through the front window of a room.
Jeff steps forward as human screams erupt from inside the hotel. A second later, a man and woman exit the room running in fear. He stops walking and keeps his weapon aiming at the open door. “We have to get out of here Rick!”
Fearlings Three (The Fearlings Series Book 3) Page 5