Dreadmyre

by J A Raikes

  Eva leaned back in her chair though she faced my direction. She nodded along as I spoke, but I could tell she was confused, trying to work through the thought of someone genuinely not being from this place. The whole time, she stared intently at me and rarely blinked. If I could have moved, trust me I would have. Her bright blue eyes were intense, and combined with her striking red hair and lean frame, it felt like she was peering into my soul.

  Several moments passed before she took a deep breath and seemed to have come to some sort of conclusion.

  “Okay,” she said, dropping her hands to her knees and pulling herself forward. “I believe you.”

  Yay. Now I just have to convince her Santa isn’t real, and we’ll be all set.

  Just then, a sound like a bird chirping came from her pocket and Eva pulled out a small square box, nearly identical to the one on the nightstand near my bed. A messorium. She pushed the button on the side and reached up to her ear. I hadn’t noticed it before, probably because her hair was covering it, but on her left ear, she wore a cuff which looked like a mix between a hearing aid and a bluetooth headset. A metal frame rested in her inner ear and laced around the top of her ear, hooking around to the outside of her ear and cuffing onto the cartilage of her ear.

  As she held her hand to her ear, her expression changed again and a scowl crossed her features. A moment later, she pressed the same button and replaced the device in her pocket.

  “I’m sorry, Finn. I need to go. My dad needs me in the workshop,” she said apologetically. Quickly, she gathered herself and climbed off the chair.

  “It was really nice to officially meet you and I’ll be back soon. We’ll talk more and I’ll try to help you figure things out.”

  “Oh, ok. Yeah that’s fine. I’m not going anywhere anyway,” I said, gesturing around me playfully. Eva smiled a small but reassuring smile and then quickly left.

  I sighed heavily and looked around.

  My mind was brimming with questions, more now than ever. I still didn’t really know anything about where I was and started to get the feeling that this wasn’t just a weird trip to a foreign country (go figure, huh?). Everyone I’d met sounded relatively normal and they spoke English, but there was definitely nothing normal about this place. The portal dropped me somewhere that wasn’t where I left and there was no telling where this was. It sounded so stupid to even say “the portal dropped me,” like that was a totally natural thing to happen.

  Thankfully, the people were nice and I was still alive and breathing. That had to account for something, right? Then again, I was talking myself into believing portals and trippy sci-fi dimensional travel.

  I decided that maybe I should just shut my eyes and let my body sink into the pillows in an attempt to get some rest. Oddly enough, I found it less difficult to shut off my brain than I expected. I allowed the tension to seep from my muscles and reached for the promise of sleep behind my eyes.

  Just then, a sudden and excruciatingly loud bang pierced the silence and the entire room shook violently. The tray next to me rattled, slid and smashed to the ground. At once, the world plunged into complete darkness.

  CHAPTER NINE

  My eyes snapped open. I clung to the bedspread and tried to stabilize myself, but as shaking continued, it was so violent that it sent pain rippling out from my spine across my entire body in agonizing waves of what I can only describe as little bits of death. The lights in the room had gone out and any light coming in from outside had also been snuffed out. I couldn’t see anything and I felt as though I was going to pass out from the pain.

  After a few moments, the shaking subsided and an eerie silence fell upon the whole of my world. In the blackness, all I heard was my labored breathing as I strained to hear if anything was happening outside my room.

  “Hello?!” I yelled frantically. “What was that?!”

  As I called out, pain ripped through my ribcage and I gasped at the sudden pain. I bit my lip and took a second to breathe and remain calm, but make no mistake - I was freaking out. Tucson isn’t known for its earthquakes and this was the first time I’d ever been in something like this. My heart was pounding in my chest and the pain was still cascading through my torso and limbs with growing intensity.

  I fumbled around on the bed for the cell phone thing that Gladys had left me, but it wasn’t where I remembered.

  I waited a moment for my eyes to adjust to the darkness. Several seconds later, shapes began taking form around me. I squinted and looked around to try to find the Messorium, but couldn’t make out much in the permeating darkness. Silence completely enveloped the room and the blackness had a disquieting feel. A shiver slid up my spine and I shrugged it off as I continued searching for the Messorium. After a few more moments of scanning the shapes around the room, I spotted it. In all of the shaking, it must have fallen off the bed and slid across the room a few feet.

  I called out once again, “Can anyone hear me!? Is anyone there?”

  Silence responded in kind.

  This is fine. This is totally normal. I bet this happens here all the time! They're probably used to this by now and are all just enjoying some food and coffee and just forgot to let me know that this was something that happened at doomsday o’clock each day. Yeah. That's probably what it is.

  A moment later, I heard a loud click and then a voice in the darkness. It sounded like a 1920s commercial on the radio.

  “Citizens of Emberwall, please proceed indoors. The Proterezar is in session. The Arcmagus will protect us. The Hand will be in the streets to investigate and enforce. For your safety, do not go outside. Do not open the door to anyone. A yellow alert curfew is in effect.” And then there was silence. Another loud click chimed, and the message repeated.

  Okay, if I was confused before, I think dumbfounded or completely stupefied would be more accurate at this point. Perhaps a bit paranoid, too. I tried calling out again to see if anyone could hear me but I was once again met with nothing but silence and the evaporating hope that anyone would arrive to fill me in on the situation. The darkness continued and no sound came from outside.

  Time passed painfully slowly and though I periodically called out in the darkness, I felt more and more alone. The more I sat there, the more I realized the predicament I was in. I didn't know where I was and I had no way of getting ahold of anyone, and I was pretty much unable to move from my spot on the bed. Time was passing way too slowly and I felt as though no one was going to come and get me. Worse yet, that message sounding out in the darkness gave me no comfort that safety was in my immediate future. I knew what I needed to do.

  I reached over and grabbed one of the many pillows on the bed, moving slowly as to not incur any more jolts of pain in my attempts to move my limbs. I took the cover off of the pillow and rolled it up into a tube shape, like a bandanna, and gingerly tied it around my mouth behind my head. I took a deep breath in through my nose and bit down on the cloth.

  With a heave, I pulled myself by my arms to the side of the bed. My vision burst with agonizing pains and I felt like I was dipping my body into a vat of burning coals. Heat and pain seared across my back, my arms and my legs. My chest felt heavy and every moment was a battle to try and simply breathe. I let out a scream, muffled by my makeshift gag, and I bit down hard on the cloth. I pulled myself forward to the edge of the bed. Getting down off the bed was going to be a new adventure in pain and I knew it. Sweat beaded on my forehead and coated my hair. With another heave, I pulled forward and slid off the bed, minimizing the pressure and pain as best I could. I bit down on the pillowcase and allowed myself a moment to breathe, composing myself for the next part. I felt lightheaded and my vision faded in and out from the pain. I don’t remember, but I'm pretty sure I passed out for a moment when I hit the floor.

  Pain washed over me. I felt something cold and sticky under my robe, but couldn’t look down. Perhaps it was good that it was pitch black in the room. At least I didn’t have to look at my own mangled body. I bit down even ha
rder on the cloth and pulled myself forward across the floor, squeaking against the polished marble. I could see the Messorium lying a few feet away and I had to get it. Every moment I spent on the floor was a new adventure in pain, and yet externally, I could feel very little. My legs and my torso had gone numb and I was seriously worried I had just paralyzed myself. Or worse.

  What had seemed like an eternity to get across the floor had probably only been a few seconds, but I finally clawed my way over to the Messorium, spit out my makeshift gag and pressed the little button on the side like I had seen done before.

  “Hello?” I wept into the machine. “I need help. Please…” I was sobbing and in so much pain that I doubt the words were coherent.

  “Gladys? Eva? Giles?”

  Silence.

  “Is anyone out there? I need help.” My voice was weak and my breathing was labored. All I met was silence.

  Under my arms and chest, the ground was wet and I was scared that it might be blood or my bowels. A sense of helplessness washed over me. Sweat dripped down my head and face and mixed with my tears. My body shook of its own accord. I was pretty sure the stitches in my left arm had split open because blood now trickled through the bandage down my wrist and onto the floor. The pain shredding my entire body was so massive, I simply passed out.

  Some time later, and I really couldn’t tell you how long that was, I awoke. It was still dark and deathly silent in the room. My face and arms were wet and sticky and my body felt heavy. As I came to, I heard the latch on the door click. The heavy metal frame squeaked as the door open slightly and a dim yellow light cut through the darkness. I heard the door close once again, and quiet footfalls on the marble floor echoing across the room.

  “Finn, it’s me,” a familiar voice called out quietly. I squinted, and a moment later I could see Eva’s shape moving towards me, her light panning around the room. She seemed hurried and out of breath.

  “Eva...” I breathed out. I don't know why but I felt compelled to whisper at this point. Maybe it's because it has been dark for a few minutes or because I was pretty sure there was something scary going on outside. Most likely, it was because I could barely breathe and using my vocal cords took more energy than I really had at this point.

  “ By the Ember!” Eva muttered under her breath when she reached me on the floor. She kneeled down and quickly surveyed the situation.

  “Finn, we have to get out of here,” she said quickly. Her voice was tense, but she seemed to be working to keep her tone level. “You’re bleeding really badly. Dad is going to have to patch you up really soon, but we can’t stay here now. Something is going on in the city and father seems to think that we aren't safe anymore.”

  Eva began trying to lift me, but the moment she pulled under my arms, I screamed in pain and she quickly set me back down.

  “ I'm sorry Finn!” Eva gestured apologetically. “I’m going to need help to get you out of here, so just hang on and I’ll find someone to help us. I don't know who's left in the house but I will find someone!”

  She didn't wait for a response. She dashed off quickly into the darkness and again, I heard the door open and close.

  “No, no….don’t mind me. I’ll just be right here. Bleeding out. No big deal.” I said to the empty room. Sarcasm can be a wonderful tool in desperate circumstances.

  While she was gone, I focused on breathing and trying to stay calm. I knew that if I allowed myself to have a complete meltdown that it would be ten times harder for her or anyone to actually help me. So I just focused on the silence and forced myself to breathe deeply. To my surprise, it actually seemed to be working. I slowly calmed down and the pain lessed just a bit.

  A few minutes later, I heard the door open once again. I looked up and squinted into the darkness to see Eva rushing back to me with a young man on her heels. He was pushing a wheelchair of sorts, though it had a high back to it.

  “Finn, this is Harris Archer. He was one of the guys who helped save you from falling.”

  “Charmed.” I offered, through clenched teeth. He nodded at me and resumed setting up the wheelchair.

  Eva gently grabbed hold of my left arm and Harris followed suit with my other arm.

  She looked me square in the eyes and spoke quickly, “Alright, we're going to have to lift you up onto the chair and then we are going to get out of here. It is going to hurt a lot.”

  Oh super. Just what I wanted.

  I must’ve made some sort of face because she shifted an inch or two closer to get a better grip and by the look she gave, it was clear she thought this was the only solution.

  She continued, “If we don't get you out of here, I don't know what will happen to you. Everyone else has evacuated and it's just the three of us in the house at this point. My father had to leave for the council meeting a while ago, so we're going to take the Network and try and find some shelter for the time being.”

  I wasn't in a position to argue with her. Whereas I was a bit freaked out before with the whole “shaking house and scary explosion sounds followed by complete silence for what seemed like forever,” her tone and the fact that everyone evacuated the house made me think twice about my personal safety.

  Eva nodded to Harris, pulled up on the gag for me and gave me a moment to settle it between my teeth. On the count of three they lifted me into the chair. My face and arms were stuck to the ground from the blood already drying beneath me and it stung as they lifted me. I bit down hard on the pillow cover and tried not to scream wildly. In the longest second of my life thus far, they were able to situate me into the chair and before I knew it, we were rushing toward the door.

  I felt light-headed and thirsty, but I shoved those thoughts away given the urgency to get out of the house seemed a bit more pressing at this point. Gently, I lowered the gag from my mouth using my good arm and attempt to help navigate. The dim glow coming from Eva’s light was mildly helpful, as shapes and figures in the darkness gradually came into focus. The halls were lined with massive statues or suits of armor or metal casts of body parts that I assumed Giles used in his work.

  I tried not to think too much about the decor (though my curious side was teeming with questions), but instead focused on the task at hand. We needed to get out of the house.

  We rushed down the hallway, Eva leading the way. Harris was pushing my wheelchair quickly and trying to avoid any of the obstacles that had fallen down during the earthquake. Soon, we rounded a corner and were stopped by debris littering the hallway. Art, machines and tables were all overturned, scattered and broken throughout the hallway.

  “ Cogspit!” Harris blurted, his voice deep and rumbling. “There’s no way I’m getting him over all of that in this chair.”

  “We will just have to find another way around then,” Eva replied, coarsely.

  We turned around to head back the other way and I noticed out of the corner of my eye something in the window where we had rounded the corner.

  “Hey guys…” I said, lifting my arm to point toward the window. “I'm not from around here, but typically folks freak out when something tall and black with glowing blue eyes is staring in the window.”

  Their heads snapped to look at the window and something I can only assume was a curse left Eva’s mouth and they both took off running, Harris pushing me and Eva darting through the debris on the ground.

  “We can take the service lift to the subterrain from the back of the kitchen if we’re quick,” Eva called out over her shoulder to us.

  Harris grunted an approval and continued pushing. I tried to help push the wheels with my hands, but I couldn’t keep up with how quickly they were turning without wincing in pain and instead found myself slowing us down. Harris batted at my arm and ran on with renewed speed.

  “I’ve got this Finn,” he said between breaths. I nodded and pulled my hands into my lap and continued to stay on the lookout. I turned my head to look back at the figure in the window, but thankfully it was gone.

  I breathed a
sigh of relief and called out, “That thing is gone!”

  Just then, the window next to Eva exploded inward with a shower of glass and a humongous black creature burst into the hallway. Its eyes burned bright blue in the darkness and its wings unfurled like a bat, stretching across the wide hallway. Eva screamed and was shoved aside in the blast. The light flew from her hand, skittered across the floor and went out and darkness flooded the hallway. Without hesitation, Eva righted her steps and didn’t stop running. The creature flew down the hallway and grabbed at her with one of its long, sinewed arms. She ducked and pivoted down a corridor to her right just as the creature reached out. In its trail, tendrils of darkness followed it. Somehow, it seemed even darker than the house.

  Harris turned the chair to follow Eva, throwing out one hand to slam the door behind us as we entered the new hallway.

  “How big is your house?!” I called out to Eva.

  “Right now, too big!” she called back over her shoulder, panting through breaths.

  We heard a bang on the door behind us, but the solid metal and oak held firm against the creature.

  Eva continued to weave through debris and other obstacles as Harris navigated the wheelchair like he had been doing this his whole life, no problem. We shot through two more rooms and then a third where we ended up in a smaller kitchen with a workstation in the middle.

  “There!” Eva called out and pointed to a smaller door in the back corner of the room, near a pantry.

  The pair dashed to the door and she yanked on the handle. It opened effortlessly and Harris pushed me into a freight elevator. Eva and Harris piled in behind my chair and pulled the metal gate down behind us, then mashed the button marked with an illuminated arrow pointing downward.

  As the elevator lurched into motion, there was a loud thud and a screech that echoed through the kitchen. Before we were fully in motion, the creature flew into the kitchen and locked eyes with us. It barreled towards the lift door and yanked on the handle.