The Wrath of Lilly

by J Middleton

  “I’m fine momma.”

  “You want some company.” Smiling.

  “No, it’s alright.”

  She kissed his forehead as he put his head back on the pillow.

  Victoria watched him closely as he laid back down and closed his eyes. Slowly she moved back to the door. With her hand on the light switch.

  “Leave the light own please.”

  “Sure,” she said as she closed the door and stopped. Listening for anything, but there was nothing.

  Vince eyes suddenly blurred with emotion, moisture welling in his confusion. Tears spilled from his eyes as he stared at the doorway. Feeling at that moment his life forever changed because of his dream. Nothing would ever be the same. Everything he knew could be crumbling around him, crashing down to the ground. Like shattered shards of broken glass. He pulled in a deep breath, filling his lungs with air.

  “It’s just a dream,” he mumbled as he pulled the covers over his head. Already wishing the night was over.

  With his eyes, heavy he drifted back off to sleep.

  Victoria opened his door glancing though the crack. She could hear him taking deeps breaths. Easing the door shut, she when back to her room and curled up to Zac. A cold chill went down her spine as she wrapped her arms around his chest.

  Chapter 3

  Vince opens his eyes to the peeking through the blinds. Dust motes floats around the room, catching the few rays of sunlight as they passed though. A low knock was heard.

  “Morning dear.” Victoria walks slowly in the room.

  “Morning mom.” A small smile was across his face. Stretching his hands over his head.

  “Ready for breakfast?”

  “Yes.”

  Victoria closes his door and heads to the kitchen. Zac was sitting at the table drinking his coffee.

  “I’m kind of worried about Vince.” Victoria looked over at Zac.

  “What’s wrong with Vince?” Zac asks.

  “I’m not sure, he had a night terror last night.”

  “Maybe it was just a bad dream Victoria.”

  “Something tells me it is more.”

  “Oh Victoria, don’t be so paranoid. It will be fine.” As soon as the words came out of his mouth Vince burst through the door.

  “Morning son.”

  “Morning dad.”

  Vince looked down at the orange juice as the color of his juice turned red. He blinked and the liquid was back to its original form. Looking up he noticed his father was staring at him.

  “What’s wrong Vince?” Zac said with a puzzled look on his face.

  “Nothing dad.” He smiled as he reached for glass and took a small sip.

  “I’m just seeing things,” he thought.

  “You want to go to work with us this morning. I sure could use a hand.” Victoria said.

  “I don’t think I have a choice, do I?”

  Zac looked up at Vince puzzled at the way he had answered. Vince’s expression on his face was very different than usual. Zac couldn’t think of what would be wrong with him. Silence covered the breakfast table as they finished their plate.

  Vince was quiet all the way to town. Finally, they reached their restaurant. The streets were busy with tourist and local shop owners. Victoria pulled the key out of her pocket and put it in the lock. As soon as she touched the door handle she jerked her hand back, recoiling with shock. It burned, it was red hot. Looking down at her hand she could see moisture forming in the center of her palm before she realized it wasn’t hot. It was ice cold. She gently felt the knob, convinced she must be mistaken, but it was no mistake. It wasn’t just the door knob it was the whole door that was frozen. Zac grabbed the knob and tried to open it, meeting resistance. He braced himself before throwing his weight into the center of the door, flinging it open. The first thing that hit him was the room was freezing. That was surprising because the air conditioner was off, there was no air coming from the vends. Dust floated around the room like a small breeze was blowing.

  The center of the room, seemed to be darker than the rest of the building. The darkness faded before their eyes. Victoria stood there with the door open, with a blank expression on her face.

  The whole room gradually became lighter as they walked slowly inside.

  Vince walked slowly inside. The chairs pushed against the wall and the tables were upside down. He lost his balance catching his foot on a small object on the floor. He bent down and picked up a black, leather button. It was the kind of button you’d find on a heavy winter coat. It wasn’t the standard button you would found down south. It had a small metal stud in the center and seemed to fit a duffel coat. Like the rest of the room, the button was cold. Even as he held it.

  He slipped the object into his pocket of his pants. Turning quickly, he heard a laughing sound that was barely audible. Vince looked up at his mother, he knew she heard it by the look on her face.

  “Why don’t we go see Glenda?” Victoria said with a calm tone in her voice, but Vince could see her expression was different.

  “What’s wrong?” Vince asks.

  “Listen to your mother son.” Zac answered quickly.

  “Let you dad get this cleaned up before we open.” She nods a Zac.

  Victoria closes the door behind her.

  Zac takes a deep breath as steam emitted from his mouth as he exhaled.

  “How did it get this cold?” Zac thought to himself. He rushed over to the safe and opened it. Nothing was stolen. He checked all the cabinets and drawers. Nothing was touched.

  “Who would break in and not take anything?” He thought.

  When he opens the door the chill fades away. The room starts to get hot faster than usual. Beads of moisture formed on his face as a drop rolls down his cheek. Shaking any kind of fear from his thoughts as he put the furniture back in place.

  Victoria walks Vince down the street until he reached Glenda’s bed and breakfast.

  “Mom why do you always take me here every time something unexplainable happens?”

  “Oh Vince that is not true. We just have so much to do that’s all.”

  Victoria opens the door and seen Glenda standing in the foyer.

  “How is my favorite guy today?” she smiled and walked to his side.

  “He is great!” Vince hugs Glenda.

  “Are you going to stay with me today?”

  “Yes, mom and dad wants me stay here after what happened this morning!”

  “What happened?” She looked surprised.

  “Someone broke in our restaurant.” Victoria quickly answered.

  “Really? Who would do that?”

  “No one broke in because my dad had to break the door down to get in, and besides, it was cold as ice for a few seconds before it went away. All the chairs were pushed against the wall. No one took anything. How’s that a break in?” Vince says before Victoria could speak.

  “Vince don’t be scaring Ms. Glenda. You are over reacting to the situation.”

  He reaches in his pocket and pulls out the button, and flips it in the air.

  “I found this on the floor. It is a funny looking button.”

  “Why didn’t you tell me you found that?”

  “Because you were in shock with what was going on.”

  “Now Vince that isn’t true.”

  “Come lets gets some coffee and we will talk about this.” Glenda interrupted them and lead the way to the kitchen.

  “Vince don’t be filling Ms. Glenda’s head with crazy things now, she has enough on her mind.”

  “Yes momma.”

  Glenda looked over at her she could feel something wasn’t right. Looking at the button she knew it was old, and they stop making that type many years ago.

  “Thanks for the coffee I have to get back and help Zac.” Victoria said as she kissed him on the head.

  “I will be fine momma.”

  “That you will.” she said as she walked out the door.

  Victoria hurried down the side walk
weaving in and out of a crowd. She stopped suddenly as she noticed a two-story building. Blinking several times trying to focus on this structure. Her breathe became short as she realized the house was built were the old potion shop was demolished. The building looked new with stone walls wrapped all around the dark oak window frames.

  Victoria walks slowly towards it. She seen a tall gentleman walk out the door and stood in front of the doorway. Large frame and possessed a more than average, height. He appeared to have a captivating charm about himself. There was immediate aura around him that was hard to resist.

  One could easily discern the fact that he held a wealthy background by the kind of clothes he was wearing. Black cotton, black colored crepe trousers and black shirt. His pale unwrinkled, soft skin was shining from afar. She was so smitten by his appearance that she totally became oblivious to the fact that he was staring at her. In fact, he had been doing that this entire time. It almost seemed like he was aware of what was happening.

  There were no signs of movement from him as she got closer. He just stood there, looking in her direction as if he could see right through her.

  Victoria was contemplating whether she turns around, but her senses compelled her towards his direction automatically. Her thoughts phased away as she slowly moved towards his direction. The gentleman remained the same. With his head, down and both his hands in his pocket.

  Instead of stopping in front of him she passed him right up and kept walking. She could sense his gaze on her while she moved away. Walking faster as she took a left around the corner. Just when she finally thought he was gone. She suddenly heard a deep voice.

  “Hello.”

  Victoria froze.

  “I’m sorry. I didn’t’ mean to scare you.” He smiled.

  Victoria couldn’t believe he was talking to her. What did he want? Why did he build a shop there? Did Lilly send him? Questions stormed her mind. She naturally started to panic. His piercing blue eyes instantly besotted her.

  “I am new to this town. I had just set out to explore this place a little when I saw you pass. I thought I would introduce myself to you,” he added.

  She calmed down, mentally and pretended what was happening was completely normal.

  “Hi, I’m Victoria.” She grinned.

  His smile was like an angel’s and was a rare kind that seemed so genuinely sweet that it immediately brought about a rush of warmness to her heart. His lips were full and almost perfect.

  “So, do you come this way often?”

  He interrupted her trail of thoughts.

  “Well, sometimes.” She replied.

  Her facial expressions took sudden pauses every time he spoke. Her weak smile and the nonchalant gaze made it even more obvious of how his spell was working on her. Even though, he appeared to be very modest about it, he didn’t care at all.

  For some reason, she couldn’t stop admiring his beauty. His face was the gorgeous kind that made you stare. She could feel an attraction. The kind that exists between a hummingbird and nectar. How powerless is the fragile bird when it comes to feeding?

  He had bewitched her very soul. She didn’t possess normal thoughts anymore. She was afraid yet a sense of melancholic longing had been ignited in her heart. A longing she didn’t understand.

  Everything was quiet, even the breeze stopped. The last thing she heard was distant birds singing in normal time. The kind of eerie melody that had never been heard before. The skies covered in gray clouds covering the sun. Her heart started hitting her chest so hard that she almost feels like it would rip her body apart. Frozen in her step. She wasn’t sure whether she was fading away or the world just seemed to have been disappearing. Her brain had stopped functioning. A glisten of cold sweat hung on her brow. Her eyes were wide and watery. As quickly as she blinks he had disappeared.

  Standing there in a daze, she couldn’t remember where she was, are how long she had been there. Moments later she realized the street she was on.

  “Where did he go? What just happened?” Confusion filled her mind. Victoria started walking towards her business when she noticed Zac standing in the doorway.

  “What took you so long?”

  “I was only gone a few minutes.”

  “Victoria, you were gone a few hours.”

  Victoria walked in and looked at the clock and it was two hours later.

  “There is no way? I just left Glenda’s. This can’t be right?”

  She turned and looked at Zac with a bewildered look on her face.

  “Well where were you.”

  “I told you at Glenda’s”

  “Victoria I call her and you left their two hours ago.”

  She couldn’t understand what was happening. All she remembered was walking by the shop.

  “I am telling you I didn’t go anywhere else. All I did was walk back and..” she froze as the memory of the gentleman came back to her.

  “And what Victoria!”

  “A gentleman stopped me a few building down from the new shop.”

  “What new shop?”

  She grabbed his hand and pulled him out the door.

  “That one?” she pointed.

  Zac’s face went pale as he stood there staring at the over large building of stone.

  “When did they build that?”

  “I don’t know it wasn’t here a few days ago.”

  Staring at the craftsmanship of how it was built. This was not an ordinary building. The materials were out of the 1800’s.

  “Did you go in?” His expression of disbelief.

  “No! I didn’t!”

  “If you didn’t go in then, where were you?”

  “Zac I told you I walked back from Glenda’s” she paused for a moment. “A man stopped me a few feet from the building and spoke but after that I walked back.”

  Her mind was growing restless. Victoria tried her best to hold back the flow of tears.

  “What’s going on? Was I gone two hours. Why can’t I remember?”

  “Stay here.” He snapped.

  “Where are you going?”

  “Just stay here.” He snapped.

  Zac walked out the door and slowly moved closer to the new building. A flash of lightning echoed through the streets. Clouds of gray became darker. He advanced forward as the wind started to blow. The hair on the back of his neck began to stand up. Stopping a few yards from the building with his heart pounding out of his chest. He froze not wanting to move forward. Staring at the building of stone. He couldn’t remember the last time he seen anything like it.

  He watched the doorway but there was no movement. Lightning struck, the wind swirled around him. Quickly he approached the front of the building. He reaches for the door knob when he hears a loud, rumble from the sky.

  “Hello?” Zac yells as he knocks.

  He hears a faint voice. As he stood there in silence no one answers. He looks at the door knob. It had an old-fashioned design. He grabs it and tries to turn it. The door was locked.

  Turning around confused and angered he starts to walk off. A bolt of lightning flashes again in front of him. The brightness and quick sound made it as if it wasn’t too far away. Zac turns around the door is halfway open. Looking inside he sees a light emitting from the room. He hesitates as his pulse begins to race. Taking a step inside.

  “Hello?” He says again as he pushed the door all the way open.

  The air around him was thick and musky. He takes another step forward. His heart jumps as the door slams behind him. Trying to catch his breath he continues to walk forward as his eyes adjusted to the darkness. He noticed a flickering light in a far corner of the large room. Moving a few steps closer he noticed orange and blue flames of a candle. This place was eerie and smelled of mold. The smell was so strong it almost took his breath.

  Turning his head, the dim light shown a large cloth draping over an object on the wall. Slowly he moved towards. His footsteps made an echo throughout the room. He stopped suddenly as he sensed someth
ing behind him. Goose bumps formed on his arm, his heart started to pound hard. Slowly he turns around as a dark shadow was standing in a distance. Trying to focus on the dark image but the light from the candle was to dim to show its true features. The shadow was tall as it remands still. He blinked several times to focus on the figure, but still he couldn’t see. Zac didn’t move as he stared straight into the dark figure. He took a deep breath.

  “Speak your name?” The shadow says in an angered, demanding tone.

  Zac jumped back at the sound of the deep voice.

  “My name is Zac. I was looking for- “

  “Why are you here, Zac?” The shadow interrupts. “You are not welcome here. Your kind is a nuisance.” The Shadow speaks.

  “My kind?” Zac spoke up.

  “Leave now Shadow hunter.”

  “You don’t know me!” he yells.

  “I know more than you think Zac! Leave!”

  Zac stood there in silence as he reached for his blade and noticed he didn’t have it. Taking a few steps backward as his eyes never left the figure.

  The dark figure moved a few steps forwards when he seen his eyes glowed a deep red.

  “Who are you? Why are you here?”

  “Foolish one, the real question is why are you here?”

  “It is not important.” He yells.

  Zac could feel his body being lifted off the floor and being forced across the room.

  “Get out!” The shadow yells. Zac reaches out his arms hoping to grab something to hold on to. Finally, he fell to the ground inches away from the front door as it slammed hard. Jumping up he grabs the knob to turn it and it was locked once again.

  “This isn’t over? I will find out who sent you. Face me I command you.” Zac yells through the wooden door.

  The door opens and eyes are seen in the deep darkness of the room.

  “Do not come back here Shadow hunter are I will destroy you?” The door slams shut again as Zac stood there with his heart racing.

  Turning away from the building he stares down the room and notices an old building was placed on the parking lot next to the gift shop.

  “What is going on here?” he thought as she hurried back down to his business.