Chapter 1
Coward
A
swift slice of the blade almost severs my head. I gasp, ducking with
enough speed to evade the onslaught. I swear this man doesn’t just want
me dead. He plans to wipe my existence from the universe.
His
failed assault leaves him vulnerable, allowing me to kick his shin with
full force. He wails upon impact. A flame ignites in his soul. I’ve
transformed this beast into an all-out monster. I dart away from my
enemy, desperate to find safety. Alas, the blow does not impinge on his
agility. He charges with outrage.
Thankfully,
before he arrives I’m able to rise into fighting stance. I aim my
sword’s tip directly between his eyes. He mirrors my action. We commence
circling each other. How in the world did I get here? I’m no sword
fighter! I’m a doctor for goodness sake.
My
memory blurs with reality. Both become a mesh of the same. The only
thing I’m sure of now is that I’m about to be killed. Not willing to
trust my defensive skills, I lunge forward to stab my attacker. The man
parries this pitiful attempt with ease. He smirks at my naivety.
Casting
my blade aside with his own, he juts forward and clocks my face with
his fist. The intense blow demolishes me. I crash into the hard mountain
dirt. The bombardment hurls my sword across the stadium to vanish into
abyss. It’s not such a big loss. I mean it’s not like I can use it well
anyway.
It’s
as if the world knows my fate. Pitch black sky transfigures into
reddish hues. Blood flows down my cheeks, meshing with my dark mocha
skin. All hope is lost for me. There’s no doubt about that now.
Inhaling
my last gulps of air, I contemplate if death will hurt. The man strides
to my location. He savors his kill with each footstep. A stroke of luck
suddenly arises as I detect a sturdy stone beside my leg. Never
breaking our locked eyes, I maneuver my arm to the rock. Intense
darkness shields my plot. His blissful stride indicates complete
ignorance.
Grasping the stone, I adjust my legs into leaping position.
“Alcott…”
my attacker wheezes. “You’re a dead man.” The words don’t faze me. He
whisks over with eyes blazing murder. Just as he raises his sword to
annihilate me, I hurl the rock at his face.
“Ahhh!”
he wails, dropping his blade to the ground. Immediately upon the smash,
the red sky evolves into a cobalt blue haze. The color alteration
allows just enough light to portray his shock. Eyebrows rising, he
sprints to his abandoned sword. I’m still too petrified to locate my
blade. I don’t even know where to start searching. My chance instantly
fades. He retrieves his weapon in no time.
“You’ve
done it now,” the man proclaims into blackness. What did I think
chucking the rock would accomplish? Perhaps I wanted to show him I’m not
going down without a fight. Either way I’ve done nothing but ensure my
demise will be hell. I guess I could reason with this monster. Despite
that being my only chance, I’m just too fatigued.
He
sprints to my helpless body, excited to end me. Abandoning all
confidence, I can do nothing but accept defeat. I’ve never felt so
worthless in my entire life. Without warning, a high-pitched screech
pierces the night. The man’s blade halts in mid-air.
It
echoes against each mountain. A ghostly hawk dives into the stadium.
With another wail it barrels into the man at full intensity. Blue
atmosphere vanishes leaving a shimmering orange fog in its place. The
hawk’s wings spread wide, enveloping the man’s face in a sea of sharp
feathers. Could this really be happening?
My
avian soldier bombards him. It drills with its lethal beak. The
spectacle floods my veins with adrenaline. I actually thought I was
done. Summoning stamina I rise despite my half-asleep limbs. I stride to
him with new-found fire.
The
hawk senses my approach with a screech. It abandons the man entirely.
With him now vulnerable my clenched fist bashes him in the face. The
punch is far more powerful than anticipated, smacking his body against
the dirt. He’s clearly frantic, cursing everyone and everything that
ever existed.
This
universe approves of my frenzy. A bright yellow atmosphere appears. He
hops back up in no time. This monster’s not going down easy. I panic
once more as I still remain weaponless. Delving into the shadows, I
inspect the darkness for my blade. All I can locate, however, are
patches of dirt with occasional pebbles and weeds. If I don’t find it
fast, I’m out of all options.
Scrambling amongst the gravel I make no progress whatsoever.
“Where is it?!” I moan into the murk. I cringe as a raspy voice responds.
“Gone,”
the man wheezes into my ear. I wail in utter horror. Turning to defend
myself, I realize it’s too late. He stomps my torso into the dirt with
ease. I can do nothing but cough out all my strength.
“Hiss…”
my ears detect to the right. What could this be? The man shares my
confusion. His beady eyes scan the ground. A rattlesnake barrels through
the gravel, slithering my sword amongst its coils. My terror transforms
to hope as I lunge for the blade and creature. Grasping them both, I
block the man’s attack. The serpent hisses at the man with a glare. Its
allegiance must lie with me.
I
can’t help but grin as he leaps back in bewilderment. Though I’m just
as clueless, I smirk at the circumstances. Venom spewing amongst its
fangs brings him to insanity. He slashes the reptile, chopping it into
two slimy halves. The tragic killing of my new friend charges my nerves.
I spring up determined to end this evil once and for all. Our blades
clash in metallic uproar. Both of us lose all balance.
I
attempt to jab his chest. Yet, he detects this in my eyes. He grasps my
arm like a grappling hook. My skin stretches until blood rises. His
strength surpasses any I’ve ever seen before. Despite every force in me
saying to keep fighting, the grim reality is impossible to ignore. My
life might actually be over.
Chapter 2
Death Lurks
“Please!
No!” I whimper like a mule. I’m a complete fool ashamed of this
behavior. Despite how much I plead, no mercy is shown in return. The
man’s blade twirls along the gentle gusts. It accelerates every second.
My heart beats with unstoppable energy. How does it not burst out of my
chest?
I
close my eyes, waiting for whatever fate may be dealt. I’m certainly
not strong enough to battle anymore. This man has conquered me.
“No!”
I howl across the living room. I plummet off the shaggy tan bedspread.
My body smacks the fuzzy carpet, causing my head to throb like crazy.
Inhaling a few deep breaths, I attempt to discover what happened. The
view of my apartment and blaring television reveal the obvious. Another
idiotic nightmare overtook my subconscious once again. I can’t summon
the strength to rise. I truly thought my life was over. Tears cascade
down my cheeks. My eyesight blurs into a watery mesh.
This has to stop.
Sunbeams
delve through the blinds causing me to squint. At least morning has
arrived. That’s the little blessing in this. I knew I shouldn’t have
fallen asleep with the television on. I can be such an idiot sometimes.
My limbs still shake as I raise myself off the floor.
“Dr. Alcott!” Antuna’s shrill voice wails from outside the door, “are you alright in there? I heard a thump.”
“Yes,”
I call. “I’m fine. The table just fell over.” Despite my attempt to
appear calm, my breathing is still rough. I hope the white lie will
suffice.
“Oh,” she shouts. “Well, breakfast is ready!”
These
night terrors have haunted me for quite some time. You’d think I’d get
used to them after a while. However, it proves more the opposite. Every
night just gets worse. With death lurking so close in the household,
there’s no mystery why I’m paranoid.
“I’ll be down in a minute!”
My
head gets extremely woozy. I slump onto the bed. Staring at the ceiling
fan, I wonder why this keeps happening. Does everyone else go through
this? Death has always horrified me. People say you grow out of these
fears. I, however, just seem to grow back into them.
The
fan twirls round and round. Anybody else would just see a household
appliance. My brain transforms the blades into knives waiting to slice.
If I stare long enough, I might even convince myself it's true.
Breaking from the trance, I whisk out the door. It slams shut behind me.
“Hey Dr. Alcott!” my patient, Gari, stammers whilst devouring bacon. “How did you sleep?”
“Wonderful!”
I’m surely getting good at this lying thing. Besides, I have to be as
positive as I can for this little guy. I may not have many chances left.
“What about you?”
Antuna
glides past the wooden table. A fresh plate of delectable eggs is
deposited. I take a seat next to Gari. Eying the plate, I can’t help but
be hypnotized.
Sizzling
bacon lies next to wheat toast. Slimy jelly oozes off onto the plate.
The sheer sight makes my stomach grumble. I do not hesitate. Plunging my
fork in, I shove scrambled eggs into my mouth.
“It
was awesome! I had a great dream about ice cream!” Gari chirps beside
me. At least someone’s having good dreams around here. Given the current
situation, his blissful attitude shocks me; a more correct statement
would be, terrifies me.
“Gari,”
Antuna chimes while washing dishes. Her cheery tone is complete hokum.
Anyone can see through that. This woman is about to collapse. “Would you
like to go explore the beach today? I’d like to spend some time with
you.”
“Sure,” Gari says with nonchalance. “I’m going to die soon; might as well have some fun.”
Antuna slams the dishes in the sink. The clang of metal jolts my heart. A tsunami surely approaches.
“Don’t
you dare joke about that!” She twists around with fire in her glare.
Gari’s too frightened to respond. I also freeze with wide eyes. “You’re
not the only one affected here!”
“I’m
sorry,” he stammers. He lowers his bacon strip back to the plate.
Antuna circles back to the sink as if afraid to make eye contact.
She
begins washing the dishes. Seconds of utter silence ensue. Nobody knows
the proper thing to say, and no one is going to attempt it. The rush of
sink water drowns out all thought. Suddenly, Antuna drops the plate
once more. It bangs against the sink. She doesn’t seem to notice the
crash. Tears barrel down her cheeks as she rests her head in her palms. I
can’t watch this sight any longer.
Chapter 3
The Horizon
“Gari,” I state with a grin. We need to dash out of here, and fast. “Let’s go take a walk to the cliff.”
“Okay.” Gari’s tone suggests complete relief.
Both of us dart out the door without hesitation.
This
type of behavior is not new to me. I’m a doctor; I’ve seen all types of
people around deathly situations. Antuna and Gari are actually more on
the tranquil side.
I
have been residing here for roughly a year now. Being a live-in doctor,
I really take my work home. Perhaps now the work takes me with it.
Long
story short, Gari is going to die. His little body can’t stand the
trials and tribulations of this universe any longer. Nothing I can do
will change that.
After
a few minutes, we reach the magnificent cliff view. Billions of people
are scattered across the sandy beach below. It appears as if I’m looking
at an ant hill.
Of
course, heights aren’t my favorite thing in the world. My mind starts
to become hazy. Flashes of plummeting to my death enter my mindset. My
trembling feet barely have the strength to step back.
Seagulls
soar in the distance, off to their next destination. Many dive bomb the
people hurling food to them. Once one finds out about the smorgasbord,
the whole colony bombards. Seagulls aren’t the most courteous of
creatures.
Right
below us, a pelican thrusts its beak in the ocean to catch some fish. A
big gulp indicates a successful venture. The waves crash against the
shore, bringing the many surfers in.
Gari then begins to speak, almost startling me.
“I
probably got like a year, huh?” he states with eyes glued to his feet.
“It’s a little scary, but I guess I’m okay with it. You’ve worked in a
hospital. What have the people there done when they knew they were going
to die?”
“Well,”
I attempt to give the best answer I can, “some of them are really
scared, and some are just… excited. Another cool thing is that, usually
just down the hall from where someone dies, there’s someone else being
brought into this world. I don’t know exactly what I’m trying to say
here,” I continue into uncharted territory, “but it just is supposed to
happen, you know? So, don’t worry.”
“Yeah,” he stutters. “I just…don’t think I’m ready for it to end yet.”
That
shatters my heart. Reality punches me in the face. Life certainly isn’t
fair. His foot plays with a nearby pebble, kicking it back and forth
between flattened grasses. I’m terrified of death, yet this little guy
is the one who has to face it head on.
“You
know,” Gari continues, gazing at the ocean waves. “When I look out at
the horizon, I just feel like there’s an adventure for me to go on. You
know? Maybe something out there waits for me. That feeling comes every
time I come up here. I just don’t want death to take that away.”
“It
won’t,” I spark back. There is no millisecond of hesitation. Though I
am not quite sure where I am going with this, something tells me I’m
right.
“It’ll be that adventure.”
Chapter 4
The Obscure Incantation
As
I enter the hospital, the bustling chaos overtakes me. Each doctor,
nurse, and patient purposely carries out their task. I look in awe at
their determination.
I
discover that I am not really needed anymore. My main job is away with
Gari now. Even so, I have too many friends here not to return. A lot of
people aren’t exactly mentally there, but they love seeing me, and I
surely love seeing them.
One
elderly man upstairs has no roommate. Many have been saying he's lost
his marbles. Perhaps being alone that long can cause that. For a while
now, he has been ranting on about ancient magic. Secret scripts and
books flood his conversation. The man literally thinks he can bring back
the dead! His utter belief in this stuff frightens the other patients.
This man is very well known. Few in the hospital haven’t succumbed to
his rambling.
He
goes by Mashilto. This man has actually surpassed ninety years. That is
certainly an accomplishment on its own. Nonetheless, he remains mobile
and social as well. He is always very kind to me. I certainly enjoy
spending evenings talking to him. He always has something interesting to
say, even if most of us didn’t believe it to be factual. I keep him up
to date on Gari and everything going on with him. He seems almost overly
interested. Empathy is surely present in those shimmering eyes.
“Dr. Alcott, how are you today?” Mashilto yells with gusto as I arrive with some lunch.
“I’m wonderful Mashilto! How are you? What have you been up to?” I ask with a bright smile.
“Oh, I’ve just been watching my game shows.” He grasps the remote firmly. “Learnin’ lots a’ new stuff!”
“That’s awesome! Game shows are pretty entertaining.”
“How is that little boy you is lookin’ after?” Mashilto inquires.
This
brings my mood down a bit. Gari’s health has been decreasing
dramatically. I am in no good place to talk about it. Not that there
would ever be a good place to talk about it.
“He’s not…as good as I would hope.” I look at the floor tiles. “But I guess I can’t change that.”
Gazing
back at him, I detect a slight twinkle in his eye. Here we go. Knowing
what is undoubtedly coming, I regret my choice of words.
“Can’t you?” Mashilto replies. He shuts the television off. His mystical tone indicates where this is going.
“What do you mean?” I say. I’m aware his mental state is pretty much lost. What harm would humoring him cause?
“Well,
look at this here masterpiece.” He points toward the floor to the left
side of his bed. I maneuver around to get a better look. There lies a
gigantic old book entitled, 'Altering Fate'. The enormous tome appears as if it has lived longer than he has. The cover is very durable. Many pages are crammed inside.
Just
as I reach down to pick the monstrosity up, the sky outside flashes. My
heart jolts as light explodes. I stop and peer out the window. It
looked practically like a lightning burst, yet there is no storm. No
clouds float in the sky either. Dashing over to the window, I check to
discover the source of the explosion.
Everything
seems to be completely normal. Blackness stills the atmosphere.
Whatever that was, vanished. Could I have imagined that? I will admit
that is a little creepy. Mashilto doesn’t seem to notice the flash, or
doesn’t even care to mention it. He then continues…
“Please take it; if what my mother says is correct, you can save that little kid.”
“I
wish that were true, Mashilto. But I doubt even this book can save him
now,” I respond in hopelessness. It’s really kind of him to want to save
Gari. That’s what we all desire. He is even willing to attempt this
magic book thing. Crazy man or not, I know it is the thought that
counts.
“You
listen here!” he explodes out of nowhere. It shocks me so much I even
trip over a floor tile. Mashilto yelps in the same haunting voice…
“This
book works! My mother wouldn’t have given it to me if it didn’t. I’ve
never had the courage to ever try it, but something tells me that little
Gari deserves another chance.” He bursts into tears. His knees shift up
to catch his falling head. I’m used to this kind of behavior daily from
patients. Something, however, is peculiar about this man.
“I’ve
lived far too long in my opinion, Alcott. That kid deserves more than
what he’s got. Please just give it a chance.” His rage startles me so
much I’m speechless. That outburst took a lot out of him. His eyes fade
shut. The man abandons the world, dropping into slumber. The eerie
hospital room terrifies me.
I’ve
never seen him get like this before. My heartbeat still races. I
continue to stare at the man. Mashilto survived so long, irregular
behavior is normal from time to time. The things he rants of, however,
do make sense. I can fully understand where he is coming from. Despite
the obvious insanity, I guess I owe it to this man to take a glance at
this thing.
“Alright, I promise I’ll look at it,” I reply. His snores indicate I am merely speaking to myself.
The
weighty book is difficult to lift. It’s as if I’m lugging around a
boulder. Dust clouds each page. For all I know, there could be ten
million pages in here! Whoever wrote this thing needs a hobby.
As
he snoozes on his bed, I decide to sit down and sift through it. A lot
is written in languages almost prehistoric to me, while much is in
English. Maybe this thing is a sort of a Rosetta Stone type deal. Why
would they bring together such varying languages? I’ll give Mashilto one
thing; this book certainly is creeping me out.
Perusing
through, I realize there is much I can’t decipher. I’m definitely no
archaeologist or whatever. The pictures of deities and spirits frighten
me. Other images contain various witches hurling things into cauldrons,
to gods arguing around a table. They are very elaborate drawings. Why in
the world would people take so much time to create this stuff? Thinking
of the illustrator startles me. I’m playing with some messed up people.
Perhaps I shouldn’t do this alone.
Suddenly,
I reach the chapter Mashilto had been raving about. This chapter reads,
'Bringing Back the Dead.' It is surprisingly in English, despite the
odd languages preceding. Skimming through, I detect only vague ideas
about the process. You apparently have to go to a secluded area at
night. A specific inscription or chant must be recited ten times. The
statement is…
'I challenge fate, to change its course, for what it’s done, needs to reverse.'
It
must be deliberately chanted, also with eyes fixed on a shining star.
Any star will do, but the reader must view one star and one only. That
is very weird and oddly specific. I can’t imagine the reasons. After
that, the only statement left in English is that 'it' would then begin.
What 'it' is, neither I nor even the authors of this thing know. Neither
could the translator in the book it seems. That is right where the
English part ceases.
Everything else seems to be printed in some ancient text. Beyond that is nothing but unknown gibberish to my eyes.
It
is getting really late now. The light above Mashilto’s body swings.
Even that renders chills in me. I’ve got to get out of here.
All
of this supernatural stuff is freaking me out. Of course, I know it to
be fiction. Mashilto doesn’t seem to think so. It can be kind of
horrifying being alone with someone who puts that much faith into magic.
Despite my best judgment, I lug the book home with me. I need something
scary to read. What could it hurt? Plus I think it would break his
heart if I didn’t.
Heading
back to Gari and Antuna’s place takes some time, but that is okay with
me. A long drive can be enjoyable. It is certainly relaxing. It also
feels wonderful to have some alone time. As I rumble down a now secluded
dirt road, something incredibly spooky happens. All the tranquility is
gone. I’m shaken to my very core.
Out
of the darkness, there is a sudden whisper in my ear. It comes out of
nowhere, causing me to swerve the car. I almost cause a deadly accident.
The voice sounds like that of a very old person. Are they right in the
car with me?! The voice wheezes one word…
“…Alcott…”
