Wish - H.R. Davison (best books to read TXT) 📗

enough though.” She gives a little wave of dismissal as she pulls her dress on over her head.

 

Hating myself I barge out of the room, hearing her laughter follow me out until I slam the door behind me.

 

Kat

 

We walk down a long stone hallway, ending in alcove at the end. Only one torch burns on the wall outside of the shallow room ahead. “Is this it?” Cody whispers.

 

“Yes.” I reply, “It has to be, it’s so dark, I can’t see anything though.”

 

I tip toe down the hall slowly, letting my eyes adjust to the gloom. I stand at the edge of the open alcove. “Mom?” I whisper into the room, “Are you in there?” The stench of rotten water hits my nose, making me gag. I press my hand to my throat to keep what little I had eaten today down.

 

“Kathryn.” I hear her voice say from the center of the room, I cannot see her, but I heard her. I know her voice anywhere.

 

“Mom!” I shout, running into the room, Andy right on my heels. Tears run down my face. I never thought I would see my mom alive again. I feel as if my heart is going to burst from chest with happiness. I think about my dad and how happy he will be to be reunited with her.

 

“Kat, stop!Kat!” An echo of voices calls out from behind me, but I can’t stop now. That is my mom standing in the center of the room. I rush forward toward her. I need to help her. Running without a thought I slam into a body. I back away confused. Stumbling I fall down on my behind into a pool of rancid water. It seeps into my pants, sending a chill through me. Standing in front of me is Mr. Dominic.

 

“Slow down dear.” He says, pointing above his head. “See that glyph up there? It is holding her in place. It is a trap. Be still now while I get rid of it.” I stand there is awe as I watch Mr. Dominic float to the ceiling of the room. With his thumb he rubs a spot back and forth a few times. “There now, that should do it.” He says.

 

My mom collapses on the ground in front of me. I rush to her side, cradling her head my lap. “Mom!Mom!” I ask frantically. “Mom are you okay, talk to me.” Even in this pale light I can see her dirty hair hangs around her face sticking to her dry cracked lips, her eyes are open and wild. Her head lies in my lap and she writhes on the ground. Hysterical laughter erupts out of her mouth, jolting me back from her. There is something wrong with her. She is acting insane.

 

“The dark one, the dark one, the dark one.” She chants between bubbling laughter.

 

“What is she talking about?” I ask the room. Mr. Dominic, Andy, and Cody stand around us in a semicircle, their backs to the open door way.

 

Mr. Dominic hangs his head. “We waited too long I’m afraid. Armaros has broken her spirit.”

 

“What does that mean??” I shout. I am angry, this is not my mother. This is an incoherent mess.

 

“It means I have won.” A deep cascading voice sounds from doorway behind everyone.Andy, Cody, and Mr. Dominic spin on their heels facing the open stone frame. I lay my mom’s head down gently and stand up to get a better look at the man behind the voice.

 

It is a man, a very good looking man with blonde hair pulled into a ponytail at the base of his neck. He is wearing an expensive pinstripe suit and his shoes click on the stone floor as he walks toward us.

 

“Armaros.” Mr. Dominic says to the man, “Let us go, we will not bother you again. You got what you wanted.”

 

“Ahhhhh Eli, yes. I did get what I wanted.” He laughs, “But I want more…” Armaros finishes with a sly grin. He waves both of his hands outward from the center of his body.

 

Andy and Cody fly through the air and slam into opposite walls from each other. I can hear a whoop as the air is pushed out of their lungs with the force of the impact. They are pinned to the wall by an invisible influence, each of them struggling against unseen hands holding them in place. Andy calls out to me. “Kat run!”

 

“Let them go!” Mr. Dominic shouts over Andy, his hands are balled into fists at his side, but he does not make a move forward. Standing his ground he shakes with anger, glancing in each direction in turn at his two children trapped against the walls of the stone chamber.

 

I am frozen in place with fear as I watch all of this transpire in front of me. This man, Armaros, he is the man from my dreams. I can see his face now and it is beautiful but terrifying, his eyes are not red, but a deep blue like the ocean. I am scared of him and strangely drawn to him at the same time. I take a light step forward, concentrating all my will on moving past him, out of the room. His voice halts me mid-step.

 

“I think not Eli.” Armaros chuckles, he points one thin finger at him. Mr. Dominic falls to his knees clutching either side of his head. Tears run down as his face as he whimpers in pain. Armaros curls the finger to his palm making a fist at Mr. Dominic. His tears turn bloody and he cries out in anguish as he falls on his side. One arm out stretched out in front of him.

 

I am now standing alone in front of the dark man from my nightmares. Fear holds me in place. My mother crawls on the ground to my feet, grasping my legs for assistance. She pulls herself up to stand next to me. I grab for her hand to comfort her, but she shrugs me off babbling in another language that I faintly recognize. Is that Latin?

 

“Armaros, reddamtibi.” She shrieks, running at him, her hands outstretched. Her face is pulled into a mask of anger and spit flies from her open mouth.

 

“Mom! Stop!” I shout, reaching out for her, but I am already too late. My hand grabs at nothing but open air. She collides with the immobile form of Armaros. She pummels his broad chest with ineffective punches. Her small frame is dwarfed but his much larger stature.

 

Armaros grabs her by the throat and raises her above his head. Her feet kick out at the open air beneath her. I can hear her voice gurgling threats even as he chokes the life out of her. Armaros whispers words into my mother’s ear. Her eyes go wide with fright and her movements stop. She faces him with her mouth opening and closing like a fish, unable to draw in a breath. His hand squeezes tighter, even in the dim light I can see his knuckles whiten with the pressure.

 

I hear a hum fill the room and slowly the dark room brightens. There is a white light emanating from my mom’s skin. It is a soft glow at first, quickly brightening to a blinding brilliant gleam. I shield my eyes with my arm to block out the dazzling blaze. I look away to keep my retinas from burning.

 

I can see Andy and Cody still on the walls to either side of the room. Cody rests his head against the wall, anger shining in his green eyes. Andy stares straight at me, his face pulled into a frown of sorrow. Although I cannot hear him over the hum I see him mouth the words “I’m sorry” before closing his eyes. Mr. Dominic has fallen to his side, blood pours from his nose and pools around his head. I can see the rise and fall of his chest so I know he is alive, albeit maybe for not much longer.

 

What is Armaros? He is so powerful. No one expected this. My gut wrenches with the sight of my mother’s lasts breaths. This is worse, so much worse than just thinking she is dead. Being here to witness it, to be unable to prevent it is killing me. I feel like my heart is breaking into a million pieces.

 

Armaros is still grasping my mother by her neck. Black leathery wings whip out from behind his back, and his eyes blaze red. This is the man from my dream. I should run and hide, but I can’t. I am transfixed with fear. I can’t leave Andy or my mother behind but I don’t know what to do. I watch helpless as the white light slowly recedes to nothing. My mother’s body hangs limps from the dark man’s bony fingers.

 

He tosses her to the ground like a sack of flour. I watch as she lies there in an unmoving heap on the ground. Tears run down my face. Anguish swells in my chest. I couldn’t do it. I wasn’t strong enough to save my mom. Why? Why would he kill her? What does that prove? The pain of losing my mom for a second time turns to anger and suddenly my paralysis is broken. I sprint at Armaros, intent on killing him with my bare hands. He flaps his black wings. The sound ricocheted off the stone walls. In one swift movement he reaches his hand toward me. My neck snaps back with the force of his blow. My right cheek stings from the impact he inflicted on me. I taste blood in my mouth and my right eye swells shut, halving my vision.

 

I feel my feet being lifted from the ground as his powerful hand encircles my throat, cutting off my air. I kick and squirm to try and get out of his grasp. My fingernails claw at his hand. My lungs burn in my chest at the lack of oxygen and stars swim in front of my eyes. Oh no, I am going to die like my mother. He killed my mom, and now he is killing me. I can’t stop this. I search the room with my good eye for something or someone that can help.

 

I see DJ. He is standing behind Armaros. How can he be here? It must be my imagination. I try to squeak out words, to call for him, but I can’t. My throat is on fire. I hear DJ’s voice tell Armaros to put me down. I think of my dad, my mom, Andy, DJ of all of the people in my life I will miss. I mourn for my own life as the darkness overtakes me.