Seeing it, Sharlia moved the three feet to the kitchen and joined him on the opposite side of the table. She watched him closely.
He pulled out a simple vanilla folder and handed it to her. “This is what was left.”
She took it and opened it to the first page.
He watched her, and looked back to Robert. “What is all of this about?” He was happy to see him again, but with Sharlia with him, he knew what it might mean. The two of them together was never a good thing. Bringing Sasha there to find him told him that it was a thousand times worse. She wouldn’t have come if this was simple, he was sure of that much.
Robert shrugged. “We think someone is using it against the Walkers.”
Brandon felt a cool chill fly down his arms. “There is none of it left. I made sure of it.”
Sharlia huffed again. “No offense Brandon and I hope you forgive me for this, but I cannot take your word for that. You are not exactly at your best right now.”
Brandon nodded with that. “Sure.” He looked back at Sasha.
She was staring at him, and he saw her stare. It made her drop her head from his.
He saw this, hated it, but he did understand it. This was hard for him too.
Sharlia looked to the folder.
The first page was a brief typed description of the drugs properties, chemically. Some of it she didn’t understand, she might have lived for thousands of years, but she wasn’t knowledgeable about such things. Even with this, she did see something that caught her attention rather quickly and that was something about an unknown dust that was a main component of the drug. Seeing this, she had to know more about it, “What is this about a dust?”
Brandon thought that was for him, he wasn’t watching her, so he looked back to her, saw it was, so he answered her, “If I remember correctly, it was found in Europe.”
Again, she didn’t quite believe him. “You remember that?”
He was sure of it. “Yeah, it was odd seeing it, especially with us being there when we took on that Devil guy.” He tried to put his hands in his jeans, realized that he was still only in his underwear so he just put them back at his sides. “I’m going to go and put something on.” He left the table, headed back in to his bedroom on the left, and quickly got dressed.
Robert heard him and gasped. “What did you mean by us being there?” he had to know.
Sharlia did too, and began flipping through the other pages hoping to find the answer first.
Brandon returned wearing a simple white t-shirt, and some jeans. He felt human again—almost. “It came from a place in Scotland. You know, not far from the guy’s castle—you know the one that Jimmy killed—it came from the area.”
Robert looked back to Sharlia. “That can’t be a good thing.” He didn’t know what any of this meant, but he did know that he didn’t like it. It sounded too weird that Richard Ross would discover something so close to where Devish was buried. It was a coincident that they couldn’t avoid.
She agreed, especially after finding what she was looking for. The twentieth sheet had a location for the dust. Seeing it, her heart sunk low. She knew the place. She knew it all too well. She also knew who was there buried beneath it.
He felt her tense up. “What is it?” He did too.
“Sima.” She could see the young woman standing there, and saw again everything she did. She also saw the place, just outside of the great forest where Kalima put her for her final rest. She bought the land to keep others from building on it. She did it for Kalima. She did it for her—Sima—herself.
Now Robert knew for sure that he didn’t want to know the truth about what she discovered, even though he had to. The danger of this just multiplied by a thousand percent.
Sasha heard the name and didn’t understand. “Who is Sima?” She didn’t like the sounds of their voice. It wasn’t good at all.
Sharlia shuddered from the thought of her alone, and to what it might mean to all of this. “Sima was Kalima’s daughter.” She shut the folder and dropped it to the top of the table with a resounding slap. At least the table was clean. It was the only thing that was in this whole place. “The dust they used to make the drug came from where Sima was buried. It obviously has something to do with her. Whether it came from the soil, or her, I am not sure, but it is there. It came from the same location.”
“How do you know that?” Robert asked.
She looked down at the table. “A long time ago, after she was taken from him, I bought the ground where he buried her next to her mother. I had to do it for him and to keep her safe. In knowing what she could do, I did not wish to have anyone build on top of her. I wished to keep the place sacred.”
He respected this. “Do you really think they would be able to use her like that?” He had so many questions bouncing around inside his head that he found it hard to categorize them completely. He just had to speak them, and hope he could in the end.
She just shook her head. “I am not sure Rochie, but if they did we must discover it.”
Sasha felt herself go cold. For a werewolf it was hard to do. “What does that mean?”
Brandon blinked.
Robert froze with everything. Thankfully, his mind did too. It kept the rest of the questions locked inside his head.
Sharlia swallowed hollowly. “I am not sure what it does, but we have to find out.” She turned to Robert at her side. “We have to go there and see her. We have to know what they took.”
He agreed. She was right. They couldn’t do anything until they found out what this meant. Until then, they would just have to continue down this path.
Sasha looked at Brandon and felt her heart ache even more than it already had. She and he could never have children, they were Walkers and they were unable to do it together, but she knew that Jimmy could and did. She didn’t know entirely what happened, but she still felt for him. It made her miss him and that in turn made her miss Brandon even more.
He shared the feeling. “I am going with you.” He offered. He didn’t know what happened to Jimmy after his wedding. He didn’t know where he was. He didn’t even know about him having a child from a previous time, but he was still his best friend. He just knew that he had to help him no matter what. He owed him more than this. Besides, it was time for him to rejoin the world. It was time for him to set things right—if he could.
He looked back to Sasha.
It was time to make things right with her too.
Sharlia nodded to all of this. She then looked to Sasha.
Sasha saw her and nodded. “I will go with you too.”
Knowing that Rochie was already with her, she turned. “Then we start out to there tonight.”
Rochie watched all of them, and suddenly felt a wave of refreshment fly over him like a tsunami of strength. They were back together, and it made him feel true power as he hadn’t felt it in years. It just continued to grow, and he hoped it was worth it. He would soon find out if it was or not.
17
The morning came. The sun rose brightly overhead. It would have looked magnificent but for Joseph, he didn’t see it. He had never seen the sun, not with these eyes. One time, a long time ago he did see it. It had been brought to him through a gift. The gift has been gone now, for a long time. Now, he saw nothing but the blackness of living blind.
He just heard the alarm go off. It just woke him up.
He pushed off the sheets. He pulled his feet to the bed and shook.
This never gets old. He always hated having to wake up, but he did love life. The waking part meant the dreams were over. The loving part meant that yet another day was about to begin again. That made it worth it. Living was such a wonderful thing and he would never take it for granted. He had died too many times before. He knew what it meant.
He reached to his left, felt for the nightstand that he knew was there, and felt for the clock. He found it, groped for the button on the left of its face and pushed it. The alarm silenced instantly. He then stood up.
Ever since moving to Olympia Washington, this had been their routine. They came there so Danny could attend college. It was worth the move. His grandson deserved the chance. He deserved the change. He deserved to have a life.
He found his clothes, folded neatly at the foot of the bed, and put them on. When he finished, he moved to the door.
Danny saw him coming. “Good morning Kenny.” He already poured him a fresh cup of coffee and handed it to him without another thought.
“Thank you Danny.” He took the cup, walked over to the small table at the far end of the kitchen and sat down. “How is your day looking?” He drank a quick and hot sip, and placed it down in front of him, cupped in both hands as he did it.
Danny watched him and shrugged. “My day is going to be good. I have a couple of classes and should be home before night.” He poured himself a cup, and brought it and the sandwich he made with him as he sat down next to his grandfather’s best friend. He finished the ham and cheese just about as fast as it took him to make it.
Joseph laughed. “That’s good.” He also had more to say. He always did when he heard such things. “You know that you don’t need to come home so soon. I can take care of myself.” They talked about this before. He was more than thankful that Danny did so much for him, but he also knew that he was old enough to start doing other things than taking care of him. When they agreed to move there, it was for him. He needed him but not that much. There was so much more to life than just the two of them. He knew that his grandson needed more than an old man who wasn’t really the one he remembered. He needed love. He needed friends. He needed to live.
Danny shrugged again. “I know, but you are the only thing I have. I don’t want to just leave you here alone.” He understood what he had tried to tell him, but he also knew what he really was. He knew that he wasn’t really his grandfather. He knew that his name was Kenny. He knew that monsters existed. He knew so much.
Joseph admired this more than he could ever tell him. “What about that boy Charles? You liked him I know you do.” He smiled as he took another sip.
Danny shook his head with yet another shrug to go along with it. “He’s fine. I will see him after class.” He also knew of what Kenny could do. He saw his thoughts clearer than even he could speak them. He liked that. It made it easy for him to talk to him about anything. In some ways, he understood him better than he did himself.
Joseph did. “You could go with him to that movie after class. I’m sure you would both like it.” He looked back up. Danny’s yellow glow was gone with the rising of the sun, but with his mind so open, he could see himself through his eyes. He could see everything in the room from his memories too.
Danny had to look up with hearing this. “We don’t have any plans about going to any movie.” He just didn’t understand what he was talking about, even though he did.
Joseph laughed. “You know you do.” He put the cup back to the table. “Well, you will.”
Danny knew what that meant. He must have seen it in Charles’ mind. Right then, he wanted to know what else he saw. That would help him too.
Joseph just laughed again. “You don’t have to worry Danny. He likes you too.” He went back to the coffee.
Danny felt better already. He knew what he was going to do. If and when Charles asked him, he would go with him. He wouldn’t have the choice. He did like him—a lot.
Joseph of course already knew this. “Go, have fun. I’ll be all right.” He finished the cup. “I’ll just hang out here, make some calls, and maybe later listen to a movie on the TV. I’ll be great.”
Danny understood this. He also liked their mornings together. “Well I have to get to class.” He pushed himself away from the table, and stood up with a flash. With it all, he now felt nervous.
Joseph felt him and left it at that. “Have a great day Danny.” Some things were best left unsaid. Young love had to find its own way. So instead, he just turned to the sounds of his shoes moving across the floor.
Danny grabbed his backpack from the counter and headed to the living room. “You too.” He reached the front door.
Joseph stopped him before he left. “Your grandfather would have been very proud of you Danny. He loved you so much.” He felt like he needed this, so he said it. He knew his friend very well. He had his memories. He felt his pride. He felt his love.
Danny smiled. “Thank you Kenny.” And he left.
He heard the door close. He’s such a good boy Joseph. You did him well. He stood up.
He walked to the counter, straight to the coffee pot, and poured himself another cup. He took it black. He was about to return to the table but a knock came from the door of their apartment, so he stopped. He turned to the door.
He saw nothing. He couldn’t see anyone’s thoughts coming from the door. This was unusual. He didn’t expect it. He instantly feared what it meant.
“Who is it?” He asked as he let the fear turn his brown eyes blue. He felt his power. He felt his strength. He felt the air in the room as it turned.
He then heard the door open.
A woman’s voice came next. “Hello Kenar.”
I’ve heard that voice before. He did. He couldn’t place it, but he did recognize it. He just couldn’t place it with a face.
“How do you know that name?” So few did. He has had many names, but that one—well that one was the first. It was also the most important of the rest.
“It has been a long time, now hasn’t it?”
“Who are you?”
He heard several footsteps come inside his home. He could make out four maybe five sets of them. They all came towards him.
“What do you want?” He felt the air around them turn. He grabbed it with his mind, and pulled the air towards him, but then, everything stopped. A pinching feeling struck him in his left bicep and it made the feeling of the air vanish just as fast as he felt it. He then felt his mind turn cold. It then turned almost blank.
“What have you done to me?” He saw nothing. He felt nothing. Even Danny’s mind vanished quickly from his thoughts. They have blocked my power somehow. How could they do that? He didn’t know. It became hard to think straight.
The footsteps came to him, and then he felt two firm sets of hands grip both of his arms.
“Who are you people?” He did fear this. There were so very few who could block his thoughts like this, and none of them were people. Some were worse than others ever were.
The woman’s voice turned gleeful, and yet stayed serene. “We are here to take you home Kenar. We need your help.”
He then heard a crashing sound coming from behind him. It sounded like dishes breaking. It sounded like wood smashing. It sounded like they were tearing his place apart.
“What are you doing?”
The woman’s voice came closer towards him. “Oh just making sure your young friend knows something happened to you.” She had to be only a few feet from his face. He could feel her breaths on his skin.
She smelled stale. She smelled familiar. She smelled old.
“He has nothing to do with this. He has nothing to do with me.” He had to make sure of this. Danny was human. He knew so little. He made sure of it.
The woman laughed. “Oh we are not going to harm him Kenar, just let him know that you have been harmed.”
He didn’t like the sounds of this. “You want him to find me.” He knew of the him he was talking about finding. He figured this much. It made complete sense.
Her voice turned serious, almost sounding dogmatic too. “With the drug inside you, you will not be able to tell him how to find you. He must find you. So much depends on him doing it.”
He now knew what this was about—somewhat anyway. Again, it made sense. “Kalima will no
t fall for that. Besides, he doesn’t even know where I am.” He felt his head getting dizzy. He felt his mind beginning to wander within his own fear. It started to strike him hard. He had never felt such a thing before, and he feared it. He feared it more than his own blindness ever did.
She laughed again. “I take it that your young friend does know something about finding him. You have spoken to him before.” Her voice seemed further away. She must have moved back to towards the front door.
He shook with this. How does she know this? He couldn’t fathom it. He felt true terror for what it meant. No one knew his thoughts, how could they?
A man’s voice now spoke and it came from behind him. “It is done El. The message has been left.”
He now was truly afraid. “What message?” He also felt totally lost too.
She now sounded like she was just outside his front door. “Why the message to help him find you of course. It is only something he would know. And he will know it.”
She sounded so smug to him. She sounded worse than that.
“Bring him.”
That was all he heard. He suddenly felt weak, and it was hard for him to stand. He then saw nothing but an overwhelming blackness that seemed to consume his mind. He saw, felt, and heard nothing after that blackness came.
He must have passed out. He just didn’t know that either, and then, it would have been too late.
It was.
18
They drove out from Glasgow and headed south. It felt surreal being there again. It felt almost empty knowing what happened at the end times. It felt overly quiet. It still felt stilted. It still felt overwhelmed by a dreaded fear.
When the car stopped, Sharlia stood out first.
Robert looked around the area. The area looked serene. Trees lined the road on both sides of it. The trees stretched out and just ahead of them, he saw a small stream flowing from the road. Memories can fade often, and when they do, one places themselves in a lot more of them in ways that mean more than they did. It’s a way of making someone feel important. It makes them feel needed. Even with knowing this about the mind, he did remember the area somewhat. The trees looked different, with some long since dying and decayed, but the area—the very core of it—looked exactly as he remembered it.
The Puppets and the Strings (A Werewolf's Saga Book 7) Page 10