Vrin_ Ten Mortal Gods Part 36

"But you don't understand! understand! I can't I can't leave! leave! If I If I leave, leave, Mommy and Daddy won't wake up!" She looked up at the sky. " Mommy and Daddy won't wake up!" She looked up at the sky. "I CAN'T LEAVE!" The rain fell harder. The rain fell harder.

I leaned in closer and s.h.i.+elded my eyes from the deluge. "Come with me! The ambulance is here! They won't let anything happen to your mommy and daddy!"

The scene s.h.i.+fted forward in time and the car was swamped with activity. Lights flashed from the emergency vehicles, paramedics descended the embankment. Constance clutched my jacket and wept. "Please don't let anything happen to my mommy and daddy."

I gave her a hug. "Everything is going to be all right, Constance. I promise I won't let..."

A piercing screech filled the air and my head snapped around. A dark form descended onto the hood of the car. The metal gave way under the weight of its ma.s.sive body. "You do not belong here!" "You do not belong here!" It hissed. It hissed.

Another creature, thin and humanoid, came out of the shadows. "She cannot go with you." "She cannot go with you." It droned. It droned.

Humphrey stepped between us and the creatures. "Take her back to the portal! I'll meet you there!"

The creature on the car opened its deformed mouth and let out another screech.

Humphrey's face snapped back. "Go!"

I pulled Constance by the arm and we headed down the opposite embankment.

Through the wind and rain I heard shouting behind me. "I am a servant of the most high G.o.d!" "I am a servant of the most high G.o.d!" Humphrey declared with confidence. Humphrey declared with confidence. "It is HE you do battle with!" "It is HE you do battle with!"

The air filled with a piercing shriek, but I did not hear what followed, we were in a corn field now, bursting through a flapping flurry of green. I looked over my shoulder. Through the cornstalks I caught a glimpse of a tall gray shape pursuing us. And it was gaining. If we did not get out of the field soon we would be overtaken.

I applied my will to the substance around us and the cornfield morphed into an open air field. Our footfalls echoed on the tarmac. I looked back again-- at an army army of thin shadowy figures. My heart pounded in my chest as Constance pleaded with me to stop. of thin shadowy figures. My heart pounded in my chest as Constance pleaded with me to stop.

"We can't stop! It's just a little farther!"

If I had been alone I could have escaped easily because the memory of Dantra had fully returned. But Constance did not remember yet and s.h.i.+fting through thought quickly would be painful for her.

"This way!" I pulled her into an airplane hanger. It was large, hollow, and empty-- except for a tool table to the right. I s.n.a.t.c.hed a large wrench off the table and pulled Constance toward the other side. Creatures poured into the hangar from every entrance. Constance screamed in wide-eyed terror as I pulled her toward the exit. I pulled her into an airplane hanger. It was large, hollow, and empty-- except for a tool table to the right. I s.n.a.t.c.hed a large wrench off the table and pulled Constance toward the other side. Creatures poured into the hangar from every entrance. Constance screamed in wide-eyed terror as I pulled her toward the exit. "This way!" "This way!"

We burst out of the hanger and were now running across rooftops. The creatures were everywhere now. Constance let out a screech as something dove at her from the side. I twisted and pulled her out of the way. "We're almost there!" "We're almost there!"

But it was too late. We skidded to a halt. We were completely surrounded. I swung the wrench wildly at the tall shadowy creatures. Their yellow eyes burned with hatred, their long thin fingers made clicking noises as they groped closer, and closer. Constance pressed against me. I held the wrench out menacingly, but it was no use. We were toast.

A large shadow pa.s.sed over us and the creatures cowered back. I looked up to see a dark angel hovering overhead. The air from his mighty wings beat down on us.

"LET! THEM! GO!" His voice rattled the rooftops.

The creatures shrank back and I grabbed Constance by the arm and brought her to the edge of the building. She looked down and let out a shriek.

"Constance. Constance! Constance! Look at me! You can do this. I know it doesn't make sense to you, but you Look at me! You can do this. I know it doesn't make sense to you, but you can can do this!" do this!"

She was hysterical.

"Trust me! Everything will be okay!" Everything will be okay!"

She looked down at the water far below, then clutched my jacket.

"I promise you, it's okay. You can can do this." do this."

She took my hand and squeezed her eyes shut. "I trust you."

Together we leaped into the void.

The water was frigid, frigid, and a frenzy of bubbles surrounded us. I pulled up on Constance and kicked hard until we broke the surface. Then with great effort, and a lot of coughing, we made our way up onto the sandy sh.o.r.e. It was still dark, but G.o.d's love was stronger here. The portal was close. and a frenzy of bubbles surrounded us. I pulled up on Constance and kicked hard until we broke the surface. Then with great effort, and a lot of coughing, we made our way up onto the sandy sh.o.r.e. It was still dark, but G.o.d's love was stronger here. The portal was close.

"Thomas!"

I looked up the beach. Humphrey was standing in front of a sheer cliff. "This way!" he hollered.

When we reached him, he placed his hand on the rock face. It shuddered as the portal opened, then the three of us stepped through.

"Man, am I glad to see you!" I said, grabbing Humphrey's arm.

"It was easy to get away once you took Constance," he said.

"We wouldn't have made it if you hadn't sent that angel."

He gave me a puzzled look, and a grumpy response. "I didn't send an angel."

"Well whoever sent him is okay in my book." I turned toward Constance. Her eyes were wide, her expression, one of awe.

"What is is this place? It- it feels like church. Is this Ethral?" this place? It- it feels like church. Is this Ethral?"

"It may take a little time." I grinned. "But it will come to you."

She looked at Humphrey, then back to me. "You know." She gave a small chuckle. "I don't even know your names."

"Well, I'm Thomas," I said, "and grumpy grumpy here is Humphrey." here is Humphrey."

She smiled.

He grumbled and walked away. "We have work to do. I'm supposed to take you to the overlook."

Constance and I looked at each other. "What's the overlook?" she called after him.

"Just follow me and you'll find out." Humphrey took another step, then froze in his tracks.

"What's wrong?" I approached and circled around him, but he gave no response. I looked back at Constance. She too had frozen.

Before my confusion could completely take hold, I found myself caught up in a familiar force which drew me toward the gray porous ceiling high above. Humphrey and Constance grew smaller and smaller until I could no longer make them out next to the crystal fortress far below.

CHAPTER 31.

THE URGE.

001001011001110.

I found myself in the darkened hallway of my old college dorm, searching for something, but I couldn't remember what. An unknown impulse drove me forward.

"Hey, Thomas, wait up!"

I turned to see my friend Stephen rus.h.i.+ng up the hallway, with a stack of books precariously balanced in his arms. "You were supposed to get me," he said, attempting to push his gla.s.ses up with his shoulder.

I a.s.sisted him with a poke. "I'm not going to cla.s.s."

"What are you talking about? We have finals."

"I'm not interested in that anymore," I said. "There are more important things."

He stared at me. "Have you lost your mind?" mind?"

I smiled. "No, I think I've found it."

"What exactly have you found?" found?" He put the books down. He put the books down.

"I'm not sure, but it's peaceful." I turned and began walking through the shopping mall, pa.s.sing shop after shop, with Stephen following close behind.

"We have plans," he said.

"I know, and we can continue to move forward. I just don't think it's important to put so much weight on making a buck. Too many people will get hurt."

"What? Have you gone lazy on me?" Have you gone lazy on me?"

"It's not the hard work that bothers me, Stephen. It's what we're working toward. I don't want to waste the talents G.o.d has given me on the selfish pursuits of money and comfort."

Stephen came to an abrupt stop. "What are you talking about? You gonna become a monk monk or something?" He kept talking, but I took no heed, I'd found what I was looking for. or something?" He kept talking, but I took no heed, I'd found what I was looking for.

The heavy metal door creaked open, revealing a huge locker room. I left Stephen standing in the corridor, his mouth gaping.

The place was filled with football players preparing for a game, but I wasn't interested in any of that. I walked past them into a row of lockers, then continued on through more lockers, past aisle after aisle, then into a huge shower area. Drawn to the other end I entered back into more rows of lockers, row upon row, until suddenly I found myself surrounded by a group of cheerleaders.

I looked down and noticed that all I was wearing was my underwear and a pair of slightly tattered wolf slippers. I looked back up in a panic. Fortunately for me, the ladies took no notice.

Under different circ.u.mstances, I might have explored this unique and rare opportunity, but regretfully, I left the scene of scantily clad women and headed toward the bathroom stalls. There were more urgent needs to attend to.

The graffiti laden door swung open-- but to my utter amazement and despair, the wall behind the toilet, was missing missing The stall was wide open. I could see out into the shopping mall. Across the way, an old woman sat staring at me, her shopping bags nestled neatly against her leg. The stall was wide open. I could see out into the shopping mall. Across the way, an old woman sat staring at me, her shopping bags nestled neatly against her leg. This This was not going to do! I stepped out and checked the next stall. It was the same. I checked the next, and the next... was not going to do! I stepped out and checked the next stall. It was the same. I checked the next, and the next...

Only when I turned to consider one of the sinks as a possible solution to my problem, did I realize, that I was dreaming.

I opened my eyes and with a grunt, rolled off the mattress. I grabbed my robe, and headed for the bathroom.

My next stop was the kitchen. I wasn't hungry, but that had never stopped me from snacking before. I helped myself to a piece of chocolate cake, then walked over to the door leading to the patio. Someone was sitting on the edge of the pool. I slid the door open, walked over casually, and squatted down.

"Cake?"

"No thanks," said Rebecca.

"Having trouble sleeping?"

She swished her feet in the water. "I had a bad dream."

"About what?" I took a seat beside her.

"It was weird. weird. First I was in a funeral parlor, and you were..." She looked over at me. "You were dead. --But I wasn't sad, because I knew you were okay." She paused and furrowed her brow. "Then I followed what I think was your First I was in a funeral parlor, and you were..." She looked over at me. "You were dead. --But I wasn't sad, because I knew you were okay." She paused and furrowed her brow. "Then I followed what I think was your ghost ghost across this really across this really long long white bridge until you disappeared into a wall of swirling smoke. Beyond the wall, I could hear people being tortured, screaming for mercy." She shuddered. "Then I woke up." white bridge until you disappeared into a wall of swirling smoke. Beyond the wall, I could hear people being tortured, screaming for mercy." She shuddered. "Then I woke up."

"--Wow."

"I told you it was weird."

I put my arm around her shoulder. "Yeah, well, you've been dealing with a lot lately and-- dreams are always weird."

"I know, but it was still unnerving." unnerving." She studied my face. "So why are She studied my face. "So why are you you here? You have a bad dream too?" here? You have a bad dream too?"

I smiled. "You don't want to know."

"What?" She returned my smile.

"Well, I was trying to find a place to go pee."

She laughed.

"And all I could find was a stall that was wide wide open to this shopping mall. Everyone could see me." open to this shopping mall. Everyone could see me."

She laughed harder, then put her head on my shoulder.

We sat for a time staring at the reflections in the pool, and an overwhelming feeling of grat.i.tude washed over me. I had lost so much, but had been given back far more than I ever could have hoped for. It made the loss almost bearable.

"It was hard for a long time," Rebecca said, breaking the silence. "But after a while I was able to let you go. Then it was awkward when I found out you were awake." She lifted her head up. "Don't get me wrong, I was happy you were awake. But I had built a relations.h.i.+p with a silent sleeping father. You were everything everything to me, because you were a fantasy." She looked thoughtful. "It was to me, because you were a fantasy." She looked thoughtful. "It was that that fantasy that shut out my stepdad, and when I heard you were awake, I wondered if it would shut you out too." She shook her head. "How could you possibly live up to the expectations of a foolish little girl?" fantasy that shut out my stepdad, and when I heard you were awake, I wondered if it would shut you out too." She shook her head. "How could you possibly live up to the expectations of a foolish little girl?"

I squeezed her. "Oh, honey..."

"I missed missed you, Dad. And I hope we can start fresh. I want to know who you you, Dad. And I hope we can start fresh. I want to know who you really really are. I want to replace the fantasy with something are. I want to replace the fantasy with something real." real."

"I'd stick with the fantasy if I were you."

She scowled playfully.

"I'm serious. I'm not the saint your mother is. You deserve a better dad than me."

"I don't need a saint, Dad. I need you, you, the father G.o.d gave me." the father G.o.d gave me."