Sleep Keeper

by Wilcox, April

  I smiled and spotted Orion’s cabin thirty yards away. With all of my new revelations, I was even more eager to see Orion today. I ran to the cabin and threw open the door. Before I could process the scene, I was hurled through the air and crashed against a mirror on the wall.

  “Alexis!” Orion screamed, as shards of broken glass dug into my back.

  I remained suspended for a moment before tumbling to the ground. I stretched out my hands and knees to avoid any impact to my abdomen.

  My eyes darted around to assess the room. Leyland lay still in a pool of blood near the couch. Orion was pinned to a dining room chair, although I couldn’t see any restraints. His head was thrown back and the tendons in his neck and arms protruded fiercely. He clenched his teeth and thrashing about, trying to break free of the hold.

  I turned my head to the right and saw Erebus lurking near the corner, his face snarled like a wild dog. Still on my knees, I met his stare and locked onto his eyes, refusing to look away. I jumped to my feet. I brushed off splinters of glass from my hands as blood sprinkled onto the floor.

  Before I could blink, Erebus was standing behind me with one arm around my neck. Pressure crushed my windpipe. Pain. I tried to gasp for air but my throat was completely blocked. I tore at his arm but it didn’t budge an inch.

  “Let her go!” Orion growled.

  My head throbbed from the pressure and my ears began to ring. Remembering my last strangulation, I turned to the side and jabbed my fist as hard as I could. A sharp pain spread across my knuckles and down the middle of my hand. It felt like I punched a brick wall. Erebus appeared impervious to my assault.

  My vision was blurring and the throbbing in my head became more severe as each second ticked by. I reached up and clawed at his eyes. I felt my finger slip into something raw and wet. He shrieked and released his hold.

  I fell to my knees and sucked in sporadic gasps of air while coughing profusely. My throat was on fire and my head felt like it was going to explode. I staggered to my feet and he yanked me back with a fistful of hair. I let out a scream. Before I could react, I felt something sharp wedged against my stomach.

  Flashes of Mom’s vision came to mind. I knew instantly the severity of the situation and held very still. Orion’s face was blanched with fear as Erebus pushed the knife farther against my belly. I tried to pull away but Erebus’ hold was too strong to budge.

  “Stop! That’s enough! I’ll show you where it is,” Orion bellowed.

  “No! You will tell me, right now,” Erebus snarled.

  “Let her go first and I’ll tell you,” Orion countered.

  “No deal,” Erebus clamored and pushed the knife into my stomach.

  I cried out as the blade penetrated my skin. I grabbed the blade with my hands and tried to stop it from going farther. It slid through my right palm, ripping through the tendons. I grit my teeth while I screamed and bore down harder until I felt the blade scrape against the bone in my hand.

  “Enough! I’ll tell you! I’ll tell you, just stop, please!” he begged with marked desperation.

  Erebus pulled away the knife. I curled up my lacerated hand and covered my stomach with my arms. I wanted to tell Orion not to say anything; that I was willing to die for this world, like I was willing to do before. But this time all I felt was relief that the knife was no longer threatening my unborn child.

  “Well?” Erebus said impatiently.

  “It’s buried at the bottom of Reflection Lake… at the base of Mount Rainier,” he uttered.

  “You better be telling me the truth. I don’t give second chances,” he warned.

  “That’s the truth, I swear it,” Orion whispered in defeat.

  “If I have to come back for you, I won’t hesitate to slice open your lover and her baby - while you watch,” he threatened.

  I knew he wasn’t bluffing. Orion’s face was hardened and the corner of his mouth twitching in anger. Erebus smiled at his victory. With a jerk, he pushed me down and disappeared with lightening speed out of the house. Orion’s hold was released and he sprang to his feet. He ran over and lifted me off the floor in a quick swoop. He gently placed me on the couch.

  “How bad are you hurt?” he asked frantically, while lifting my shirt to inspect my stomach.

  “I’m okay; I don’t think he pushed it in that far.” I looked down at the inch-long gash on my belly.

  “You’ll need stitches. Let me see your hand,” he insisted.

  I still had my hand curled up against my chest in a red soaked mess. He pulled at my arm, but I resisted.

  “Come on Alexis, I need to see how bad it is.”

  I tried to open my hand but the pain was too much. I cried out and kept it clenched tight.

  “You need to see a doctor,” he instructed as he pulled me to my feet.

  “Wait… Leyland!” I directed my head to his body on the floor.

  Orion paused, contemplating the severity of my wounds. I ignored his hesitation and staggered over to Leyland’s limp body, lowering myself to my knees for a closer inspection.

  His chest was sliced open from collarbone to stomach. The laceration was deep; layers of flesh and tissue soaked with fresh blood, still oozed onto the floor. I felt wetness touching my knees as the blood soaked into my pants. His eyes were closed shut, encased with faint purple circles against his pale blood-drained skin.

  “Oh no…” I whispered.

  Orion leaned over and checked for a pulse. “He’s barely alive. We don’t have time to waste. Do you think you can do your thing and get him out of here and into town?” Orion hastened.

  “I can try,” I stammered doubtfully.

  Orion put his hand on my shoulder and I took Leyland’s flaccid hand in my unwounded one. His icy touch sent a shiver up my arm. I closed my eyes and focused on the center of the town, trying to ignore the throbbing pain from my injured hand. I took a deep breath and focused. I felt Leyland’s hand growing warmer in mine. Hot actually… scalding hot.

  I tried to open my eyes but they wouldn’t budge. Orion winced and pulled his hand away. An intense burning pain shot through my lacerated hand. The burning spread from both hands, throughout my arms, and encompassed my entire core. Every muscle of my body strained as I became engulfed in a smoldering heat. I tried to scream through clenched teeth but no sounds escaped.

  Just as before, it ended in a blink and my body fell limp to the ground. I opened my eyes and saw Orion at my side. His lips were moving quickly against his troubled face, but I couldn’t make out the words. All I heard was a high-pitched ringing in my ears. He softly shook my arm but my muscles wouldn’t obey.

  I heard a soft moan as the ringing dissipated and saw Leyland stirring next to me. I gathered all my strength and tried to sit up. Orion saw my attempt and scooped me into his lap in one quick movement. He traced his fingers along my healed hand. All that remained was a faint white scar. He lifted my shirt and inspected the smooth perfect skin where the small incision once was. Orion leaned down and kissed my swollen belly.

  “Leyland,” I mumbled.

  Leyland opened his eyes and pulled himself up. He looked bewildered as he darted his eyes around the room. Orion began to laugh with delight. I felt a light fluttering in my abdomen. I put my hand over my stomach and held very still, trying to feel my baby.

  “I felt it,” I whispered.

  Orion moved his hand to my stomach and waited, “I don’t feel anything.”

  “I felt it from the inside. I don’t think you can feel it yet,” I chuckled.

  “Can someone tell me what the hell is going on?!” Leyland interrupted. He ran his fingers through his serrated shirt and gaped at the pool of smeared blood on the floor.

  “Alexis healed you,” Orion beamed.

  “You can do that?” Leyland asked in disbelief.

  “I don’t think I did it… I think it was the baby,” I rubbed my stomach.

  “Erebus?” Leyland hollered and scanned the room.

  “He’s gone,” O
rion’s voice hardened, “…and he got what he came for. This has to end today.”

  Leyland stiffened. His lip curled into a slight grin that quickly disappeared, “What do you have in mind?”

  “I’m going to kill him. We’ll prepare immediately,” he declared.

  I sat silently, unsure how to respond. I was tired of standing by helplessly watching my life crumble, but I was also petrified of losing Orion. In the end, I knew this nightmare wouldn’t end until Erebus was dead.

  Leyland flashed a wide grin that made me shudder. I think he was going to enjoy this more than the rest of us.

  “I’m sorry, Orion. It’s all my fault,” I sulked.

  “Of course not! This has everything to do with me.”

  “But you told him because of me.”

  “No, I told him because of him,” he corrected and grazed his hand against my belly.

  “Him?”

  “Or her,” he smiled.

  “How did Erebus know about the baby? He said he would…” Leyland began.

  Orion shot Leyland a hardened glare that quickly shut him up.

  “Jeremy…” I muttered.

  “Your brother?” Orion questioned.

  “And Erebus’ son,” I added.

  “What?!” they both called out in unison.

  “I know, it’s a long story, but it’s true. He’s the link between my world and yours.”

  “I don’t understand,” said Leyland.

  “My brother…” I stopped midsentence and held my breath. I felt a heavy weight in the pit of my gut. Something wasn’t right. A surge of adrenaline shot through me.

  “Alexis? What’s wrong?” Orion recognized the panic on my face.

  “Something’s not right,” I whispered and darted my head around the room.

  I felt as if someone was watching me. My hands started to tremble. Orion reached for my hand and it slipped straight through. His mouth opened and his lips were moving but nothing came out.

  I jumped up in bed and snapped open my eyes, peering around the dark room. My eyes had yet to adjust to the darkness but I knew I wasn’t alone. I stretched my eyes open wide, blinking continuously to dilate my pupils. Something shuffled near the bedroom door. I held my breath and focused on its entryway.

  My phone rang in the hall and I jumped. My heart was racing a thousand beats a minute. I ignored the phone and focused back on the doorway. Amongst the shadows, the silhouette of my intruder appeared. I gasped and jumped backwards off the bed, pinning my body between the headboard and wall.

  The floor creaked as he walked out of darkness toward the center of the room. The lights from the courtyard shone through the windows and cast a dim light across the bed.

  “Jeremy,” I choked.

  “Hi, Sis,” he answered with a grin. He circled the foot of the bed and paused.

  “What the hell are you doing here?” I snapped. I tried to sound threatening, but my voice came out shaking with fear.

  There was an uncomfortable pause.

  “Just came to check on you. I was worried about you - and the baby.”

  The tone of his voice made my stomach twinge. I contemplated what my success rate would be if I tried to run.

  He took a step closer.

  I started to move farther down the wall, until my foot tapped against something hard. I reached my hand behind my back and felt the wooden bat that Mitchell had propped between the headboard and the wall the night after Jeremy’s attack. I wrapped my hand around the handle and waited.

  “Next time a phone call would suffice. You can leave now,” I demanded.

  “Oh Alexis, why must you be such a snob?”

  “I must have gotten that from my Dad,” I shot back.

  I could feel the anger throbbing inside of him. I knew I shouldn’t antagonize him, given my current vulnerable position, but I couldn’t help it. Hate bubbled inside and it was hard to bite my tongue. What are each of us truly capable of and what holds us back? There's some part hidden inside all of us that is capable of heinous things. Be it out of revenge for the death of a loved one, greed, envy, or matters of the heart... That evil is there deep inside... waiting, quietly. He had killed my best friend, threatened my child and lover, and supported the devastation of my world. I was infuriated… and wanted the chance to express my wrath.

  “If you weren’t with child, I would teach you to treat me with a little more respect,” he threatened. His hands were balled into fists as he rocked back and forth. He reminded me of a psychiatric patient at Heritage Hill Hospital, gently rocking himself in an ill-fated attempt at self-control.

  “You have never been deserving of anyone’s respect. Why do you think Mom and Dad didn’t love you?”

  “You little bitch,” he snarled.

  I knew I had gone too far.

  He charged with immense speed; unfortunately for him, I was anticipating his assault. I twisted the bat from behind my back and swung with all my strength, aiming for his skull. A raw uncontrolled fury suffocated my fear and replaced it with a hunger for his death.

  He reacted quickly and shielded his face. I heard a loud crack and Jeremy cried out as the bat snapped his forearm in two. Before I could steady my stance for a second swing, he grabbed the bat with his other hand and threw it across the room. It flew farther than expected and shattered the bedroom window.

  He pinned me against the wall and struck the side of my face with the back of his hand. My head flew to the side, but I kept my balance. My jaw ached from the impact. The scene was bringing flashback from a nightmare long ago - I shook my head clear of the memory and jabbed my knee hard into his groin, but he blocked it with his knee and seized me by the throat, lifting me partially off the ground.

  I clenched at his broken arm with both of my hands and twisted in opposite directions.

  He shrieked and released my neck.

  I fell onto the ground, my socks slipping on the hardwood floor.

  He leaned over me and I flipped to my back, kicking him in the face. Pain shot through my foot from the impact of his nose and teeth.

  He winced and clutched his face in agony. Blood splattered across my pants and onto the floor. I scooted back a few feet and stumbled to my feet. The blood soaked into my socks helped me gain stability.

  He wavered in the center of the room with one arm tucked into his chest and the other hand cradling his nose.

  I knew this was my chance to run past him and escape, but I couldn’t bring myself to run. I thought about what he might do later if I let him go. Would he ever stop tormenting my family? I wasn’t willing to take that chance. I surveyed the room for something to use as a weapon, but nothing looked injurious. I glanced at the lamp on the other side of the bed. It looked like it was made of some type of metal. It looked heavy enough.

  Before I could make my next move, Jeremy charged again. I turned to my side and he rammed into me, grabbing a hold of my shoulders to take me down. I took several steps back to soften the impact and twisted my torso.

  He lost his grip and fell to his knees.

  I scurried back several feet more, into the bathroom. I pulled open a drawer and spotted the shears I used to cut an old pair of jeans last summer. As Jeremy rose to his feet, I leapt forward and swung the shears, aiming for his neck. He jumped back just enough for the blade to miss his neck and slice into his chest. They slid in only an inch and stopped as the metal hit bone.

  “Oh, now you are dead!” he growled and punched me on the side of my face.

  Pain spread across my cheekbone and over my eye. I fell backwards, but caught myself on the edge bathroom sink. Fresh blood soaked into my eye. My vision was dancing with flashing lights. He came closer and I lifted my foot. I kicked him in the stomach, hitting him with all my strength. He merely stumbled back several steps and quickly corrected his stance. He paused, hunched over, glaring at my with a fiery rage that left me petrified. I knew there was no going back for either one of us now. I thought about my baby and how reckless it
was to let my chance to escape slip by. He only needed one good hit to destroy my world and kill my child. I was so foolish.

  Suddenly, I heard siren’s blaring in the distance and moving closer at a considerable speed. Jeremy whipped his head toward the window then back at me. He took a step closer, then hesitated and looked back out the window. The sirens grew louder and it was obvious where they were headed. Without another thought, he turned and fled out the front door.

  I lowered myself to the ground and waited as the sirens turned the corner near my house. My hands were trembling as the delayed panic set in. I covered my eyes and began to sob. Part of me was relieved he was gone, but the other part of me knew this wasn’t over and was disappointed that I failed to end it. Orion was hunting a heinous monster and I couldn’t even take down my pathetic brother. I felt completely useless.

  I placed my hands on my stomach, “Are you okay in there little one?”

  “Police! Ma’am, you all right?” a stern voice called from the bedroom entrance.

  I jumped at the sound of his voice. I was so caught up in self-pity that I didn’t hear anyone enter.

  “Uh… I think so,” I stammered.

  The bright lights flickered on and momentarily blinded me. The officer leaned down as two more entered.

  “Was there an intruder?” he asked.

  “Yes, he ran when he heard the sirens,” I answered as I squinted.

  The second officer spoke into his transmitter and quickly left the room.

  “Do you know his identity?”

  I hesitated.

  I couldn’t finish him if he was behind bars and from what I discovered about Mitchell’s murder, he could still get to me.

  “Ma’am?”

  “Um, no, I don’t know who he was. I couldn’t see his face very well in the dark.”

  “Is there anyone else in the house?”

  “No.”

  “We have more questions for you. Let’s go into the living room, where you’ll be more comfortable.”

  He helped me to my feet. With my tight shirt and cotton pants, he noticed the small bulge protruded from my stomach.