Exodus

by R. J. Wolf

  “What the…” The guard yelled.

  He shoved the smaller man into the hallway and dove forward. Anthony leapt backwards out of the way, and slid across the floor. Daviathan turned his head to the side, but didn’t move, he simply looked at the guard with mild interest.

  He rammed into Daviathan like a linebacker, sending them both flying back into the wall. They collided with such force that the stone cracked and the walls shook.

  Daviathan grunted then smashed his fist into the man’s face like a jackhammer. The guard staggered away, grabbing his face in pain. He growled lowly and shook his head.

  Layers of skin started to fall to the floor, revealing his animal like features. His lips snarled back, exposing teeth the size of dinner knives. His hands stretched into claws like a lizard. His eyeballs sunk in, almost vaporizing into black holes.

  “Ya filthy inbred swine!” The guard spat as he lunged again at Daviathan.

  His claws tore into Daviathan’s arm, raking across his chest. Blood splattered onto the wall as he bellowed in agony. Stumbling backwards, he positioned himself between Anthony and the guard.

  “No more!” Daviathan yelled. “We’ve suffered your kind long enough.”

  The guard rolled his head back and began to laugh. The high pitched cackling echoed down the hallway. “Suffered my kind.” He smirked. “Look around you. We built this; we molded your precious dimensions to our will. We put you here.” His voice growled.

  As Daviathan sat listening, his wounds had already healed. His skin hardened and his eyes started to pulse brighter and brighter.

  “Yes, they are our dimensions. Shame you never asked yourself why we chose to stay.”

  Daviathan surged at him, wrapping his arms around the guard’s torso. With a flash they both vanished. Anthony jumped to his feet. The other man was outside staring into the cell in shock. He locked eyes with Anthony and then tore off down the hallway.

  With a loud pop Daviathan returned. He quickly scanned the room. “Which way…which way did he go? We cannot let him alert the others.”

  Anthony pointed down the hall and Daviathan took off after him. Minutes later Daviathan walked back through the cell door closing it behind him.

  XVII

  “Cut the lights!” Steve whispered.

  Mit dove at the wall, swiping the switch before he tumbled to the floor. He quickly slid behind the couch and hunkered down with the rest of the group.

  “There’s no way someone just finds this place.” Mikey said.

  Nickie looked at him with fear in her eyes. The images of Mr. Clark’s house burning to ashes were fresh in all of their minds. It was a fear they lived with every night, that someone would find them and do the same thing.

  A pair of headlights shined through the window into the living room. A car door closed and they could hear the sound of several footsteps crunching on the gravel outside. A loud thud meant someone had just stepped onto the wooden landing right outside of the front door.

  “Where’s the car?” Mikey asked, looking to Steve.

  “I moved it down by the river.”

  “Good call, but I think we’re gonna need to get to it soon.”

  “Will both of you just shut up!” Mit snapped.

  The handle wiggled back and forth and someone pushed against the heavy door. Nickie shivered and crouched lower to the ground.

  “This has got to be it.” A man’s voice called from outside.

  “Honey! Honey, you took a wrong turn.” A woman yelled back. “The street is called Lakeview Vista, not Lake Vista.”

  “Yeah dad, I don’t think this really qualifies as a luxury cabin.” A young girl said.

  There was a pause and then the sound of footsteps heading away. Mikey crawled to the window and peeked out of it. A man and a teenage girl were walking back to an SUV. Two young boys followed close behind them. A skinny redheaded woman was sitting in the passenger seat smiling at them.

  Mikey turned back to the couch and grinned. “A hot chick, her dad and some rugrats.”

  As the SUV backed down the trail they collectively sighed. Nickie laid her head back and relaxed against the sofa. Mikey joined Steve and Mit in the kitchen where they resumed making their final run through for tomorrow’s mission.

  “God, I’ll be glad when this is all over.” Mikey said as he yawned and rubbed his eyes.

  “When what is over?” “Steve looked at him and shook his head. “This is just starting. You’ve seen what they can do. You think we’re gonna march in there, snatch Anthony and no one will notice?”

  “I was just saying.” Mikey mumbled.

  “Just saying what? We shot a few cans in the back and now we’re an assault team?”

  “Jesus Steve. Why do you have to be so negative?” Nickie asked as she walked into the kitchen.

  “Are you serious? I’m the only one being realistic. What do we do after this? Where do we go? We get Anthony and then what? If the Brady Bunch found this place, how long before someone else does?”

  “Steve’s right.” Mit declared. “We need to figure out what’s next. We need to find out what’s really going on.”

  “Well isn’t that what Mr. Clark was doing? He left us everything in that box, there has to be something that can help us. Something other than those bottles of cow farts.” Mikey said pointing at the vials of Zaspar that were sitting on the counter.

  “First things first. We get Anthony and come back here then we can plan for what comes next. Let’s all just get some sleep. We’ve got a big day tomorrow.” Mit gave a half-hearted smile and then headed to the room.

  A phone buzzed and he turned around. Nickie ran to her bag and grabbed it.

  “You were supposed to break that damn thing!” Steve screamed.

  “It’s my freaking mom! What did you expect me to do?”

  “What we all did.” Steve shot back. “You knew what we were doing, we talked about this.”

  Nickie raised her middle finger and scowled at Steve. “Hello mom. Yes, yes I’m fine. I told you I’d be back next week. We can talk about it then.”

  Everyone stared at her as she paced back and forth on the phone. Since the night after they first arrived at the cabin, they had already dealt with their parents. They’d all made up random stories, which proved to be easier than they thought.

  Mit’s parents had left for Ireland at the beginning of the summer and assumed he’d be staying with Mikey anyway. Mikey’s parents were fine with him spending weeks on end at Steve’s house and Steve’s parents seemed to never notice if he was home or not.

  On Mit’s orders, after they’d made their calls, they destroyed their phones and threw them in the lake. Nickie had obviously kept a spare.

  “Why? Why would he do that?” Nickie started to yell at her mom. “Well I don’t care. I don’t need Mark to find me. Oh my god mom can’t your just trust me for once, I’m freaking eighteen! Well tell him not to worry anyway cause he’s not gonna find me. I’m not even in California anymore!” Nickie shouted then hung up the phone.

  Mit stared at her in disbelief. She seemed to understand what she had done the minute she hung up.

  “Oh my god, I’m sorry. I wasn’t thinking.”

  Steve grabbed the phone from her hand and smashed it onto the floor. He stomped on it and turned to Mikey.

  “Start packing the car, we’re leaving tonight.”

  XVIII

  Anthony paced back and forth in his cell, feeling more alive than he had in years. He couldn’t sit still for even a minute. Soon he was leaving, soon he would be free. And he knew it this time. Lupercus and Daviathan were more than capable and he didn’t know how, but they were able to move through the facility at will.

  “Daviathan?” Anthony thought in his head.

  “Yes?” Daviathan responded, as clearly as if he was sitting next to him.

  Anthony smiled. He was getting pretty good with this amorphos thing.

  “Have you met my brothers?”

 
“Yes, once when they were very young. Lupercus has been with them most of their lives.”

  “And I’m older than them?”

  “Yes, you were the first to travel back. Anthony, you have much to learn. Our ways, our sense of time, is not the same as you’ve been taught. When we leave here I promise you I’ll explain everything.”

  Anthony sighed and leaned against the wall. He was so confused. Nothing made sense to him.

  “There is another thing.” Daviathan said. “When we leave we will be freeing everyone. They have more than fifty of us here on different planes. You must understand that you can never go back to your old life. You are an elemental now.”

  “What! What about my parents? What about my friends?”

  “They are not your parents and the desires of your friends are irrelevant!” Daviathan raised his voice. “Forgive me, I just wish you understood.”

  “Explain it to me.” Anthony said.

  “I will tell you what I can until Lupercus returns, but then we must prepare to leave.” Daviathan said and then paused. “We are elementals Anthony. A proud race and as I’m sure you’ve guessed, not of this world. You, you are special, like your brothers. We are powerful indeed, but our power is derived from one another. The more of us there are, the more powerful we become.”

  Anthony sat down against the wall. He felt dizzy, the room seemed to spin. “But I’ve seen you. You move in and out of cells and what you did to that guard.”

  “Only a few of us elders have ascended to the point that we retain our core energy when detached from the others. Most elementals are not much more powerful than a human when alone. This is what makes you so special. Your power is unlimited.”

  Anthony considered him for a moment. He knew that Daviathan thought what he was saying was true. There was so much conviction in his voice. But unlimited power was not Anthony.

  “I’m not who you think I am Daviathan. I’m not some super alien. I can’t control anything that is happening to me.”

  “Is there any wonder? Your brothers together are only half as powerful as you, yet they’ve been trained in our ways from the beginning.” Daviathan sighed. “Anthony, a war is coming. You are the key, if you can’t believe in yourself this world that you call home will be lost.”

  “A war…” Anthony started, but Daviathan cut him off.

  “Shh, someone is coming.”

  There was a screech and Daviathan suddenly stopped talking. Anthony waited for minutes in silence.

  “Daviathan. Daviathan are you there?”

  Anthony felt a whoosh and the walls shook. He shivered and when he looked up Daviathan and Lupercus was standing in front of him.

  “We leave tomorrow.” Lupercus said as he looked to Anthony and back to Daviathan. “The fools plan to transport him. I fear we are too late to stop them from obtaining the key.”

  “The key.” Anthony repeated.

  “Yes, we guard the portals to all the planes between our worlds. These wretched dogs managed to steal a few and crudely bore shallow holes like these pathetic cells they’ve created. Only an elemental can truly open the gates between the multiple dimensions.”

  Anthony dropped his head. He was overwhelmed by everything. His whole world had been turned, spun, dropped on its head and then kicked back to him. Worst of all, none of it made sense.

  “What does the old woman say?” Daviathan asked.

  “She believes they are close. It will happen soon Daviathan. We must awake the others.”

  “How long will it take to prepare him?” Daviathan asked.

  “It is difficult to say. I sense that his powers have fully matured, but learning to control them may prove difficult. He is different. His time among the humans has tied him to them. His powers are unwavering, but his desire to control them is strongest when in the humans’ presence.”

  “What are you preparing me for?”

  “The salvation of this world.” Daviathan replied.

  “There is one other thing.” Lupercus said as he stared at the ground. “The proximas…I can’t seem to locate them.”

  “What do you mean Lupercus? Are they not at the compound?”

  Lupercus sighed. “I…it is complicated.”

  “What have you done?” Daviathan demanded.

  “They have grown strong Daviathan, stronger than I ever imagined. We cannot keep them restrained forever.”

  “What did you do?!”

  “I sent them after the lost portals.”

  “You did what!” Daviathan’s voice boomed, vibrating the air. “Lupercus, you of all people.”

  “What would you have done? We must restore the portals, time is running out.”

  Daviathan glared at him. “Have you been to the compound?”

  “Yes, of course.”

  “I don’t understand.” Anthony interrupted. “If you could leave at any time, why were you still here?”

  “We were looking for you.” Lupercus gazed at him, his fiery eyes ablaze. “I must admit I’d given up hope, but Daviathan was certain he’d find you. Escaping would’ve revealed our true power.” Lupercus looked to his old friend and smiled.

  Daviathan sneered back at him and turned to Anthony. “We knew they were trying to harvest the blood of an ascended. We allowed ourselves to be captured in hopes that they would find you for us. Our powers are quite limited without the others.”

  “But…they’ve killed people here. I’ve seen it.” Anthony stammered.

  “The death of any is tragic indeed, but the sacrifice was well worth it. In the end, your life is much more important than any of ours.”

  Anthony fumed. “No! No it’s not. I don’t want people to die for me. I’ve lost friends and it was never worth it.”

  “Anthony, the fate of this world is tied to yours. Can anything be worth more?” Lupercus asked with pleading eyes.

  XIX

  Mit’s head bopped side to side, rubbing against the leather seat. He cracked an eye open and yawned. The car hit another bump and Mikey slammed against him.

  “Mikey. Mikey! Jesus, get off me.” Mit complained.

  Mikey rubbed his face and let out a crackling snore. Nickie glanced in the backseat and smiled.

  “Having fun boys?”

  “Shut up!” Mit shot back.

  They had crossed into Wyoming a few hours earlier and the sun was just starting to rise. Nickie had offered to help drive, but Steve was operating like a machine. From the small cabin in Utah until now, Steve had driven without a break.

  “We should be there pretty soon. How long do we have?” Steve asked.

  “The email said eleven o’clock.”

  “Good we have time. Stop somewhere, I gotta pee.” Mikey said, jumping up from a dead sleep.

  Mit elbowed him in the side and pushed him across the seat. Steve tried to hide a smirk and Nickie giggled.

  “I’m not sure when the next gas station is.” Steve announced gazing out of the window.

  On either side of the long winding road there was nothing, just rolling hills and emptiness. It snaked up ahead like a river, disappearing into the horizon.

  “Ugh! I swear Steve; I’ll pee on the seats. You find me something.”

  Steve whipped his head around and glared. “Even the threat of peeing on sweetness is enough to get you killed. I like you Mikey, but not that much.”

  They drove straight for another thirty minutes before a little blue sign appeared, announcing an upcoming gas station. As Steve pulled off the road into the shabby, tin roofed store Mikey was already opening the door and trying to jump out.

  “Grab me some coffee.” Nickie yelled after him.

  Mikey grunted and disappeared into the store.

  “Guess I should get gas while we’re here.” Steve said, stepping out of the car.

  Once he closed the door, Mit leaned across the seat and tapped Nickie in the shoulder. She turned around and raised her eyebrows. Mit motioned for her to come closer as he moved in towards her ear.
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  “Are you okay with all this?” He whispered.

  “All what?”

  “This, the plan. Those aren’t toys in the trunk Nickie.”

  “I know that.” Nickie rolled her eyes.

  “So you’re okay with this? You’re okay with shooting people, killing people.”

  Nickie leaned back and sighed. She looked directly into Mit’s eyes when she spoke next. “For Anthony, yes.”

  “You don’t even know him!” Mit yelled.

  Steve bent down and looked in the window. Mit grinned at him and he went back to pumping gas.

  “I do know him and I wish you guys would stop telling me that.”

  “Get serious, Nickie, you dated for like a day.”

  Nickie shook her head in frustration.

  “Okay.” She sighed. “I…I can’t explain this and it sounds crazy Mit. But I feel like I’ve known Anthony my whole life. When you guys came back without him something inside me died, but later on I could feel him. I knew he was alive. And now it’s like something is pulling me towards him. There is nothing I wouldn’t do, nothing…not for him.”

  Her door swung open and she turned around. Mikey was standing in front of her smiling. In his hand he held a steaming cup of coffee.

  “As you asked my lady.” Mikey grinned.

  “Thanks.” Nickie said as she grabbed the cup.

  Mikey slid back into the back seat and pulled a crumpled bag of chips out of his pocket.

  “It’s snack time.”

  “If you drop even a crumb in sweetness, you’ll be walking.” Steve declared as he stepped into the car.

  With a roar the Camaro cranked up and they headed down the road. Mikey crunched on chips from the backseat and as soon as he finished the last one he fell back into a coma.

  The air started to heat as the sun rose higher and higher. They hadn’t been on the road for long when Nickie jumped up.

  “There! Right there, it’s Amstere Lane.”

  Steve slowly turned onto the dirt road, cautiously looking around. He pulled off onto the side and stopped

  “How far down?”