BEGINNING OF THE END

CHAPTER 9 - FOR DICK..

The room went silent, the patter of feet seemed to not exist. Williams was next to speak.

‘Whitey and I go way back. Basic training with me and your father Harry. Served our first tour together, until …’

Harry waited for him to finish, but Whitey was the one to continue the story.

‘Until they kicked me out.’

A now confused Harry asked.

‘Why?’

Williams shouted.

‘Because he turned into a lunatic! Started talking about the greater good, the battle between good and evil.’ Williams shook his head. Whitey spoke.

‘Just because you don’t believe it, doesn’t mean that it’s not the truth.’

Williams started a laugh.

‘Are you kidding me right now?’ you should just as crazy as you did then, worse actually! It’s 30 years later!’

Williams slammed his hands down on the table as he finished shouting. Harry hesitantly spoke.

‘Whitey, what did you mean earlier when you said, the Time is Coming?’

Williams started laughing again.

‘Oh yeah, go ahead and tell him Whitey.’

Harry glared at Williams before gesturing for Whitey to continue. Whitey looked at Williams as he spoke softly.

‘Do you remember our first tour? We were ordered to take the helicopter to Jerusalem, to retrieve the informant and relocate him. We infiltrated the Church looking for the informant. Questioning some of the church goers.’

Whitey pointed at Williams.

‘You sent me and Davis to check out the under croft.’

Williams scoffed.

‘A lot of good that did me.’

Whitey continued….

‘Davis and I headed to the east wing of the church towards an iron door. Davis was the one to hear it first, a humming coming through the iron door. I signalled Davis to be quiet as I opened the door, hearing the clanging of the metal rubbing as the door opened, echoing down the stairs into the under croft. Davis and I made our way down the stairs, the humming turned into chanting. We made our way to the bottom and found the priest and some of his followers, there were candles lit everywhere, and they were circled around a book, chanting.’

Williams interrupted.

‘They drugged you, you were hallucinating. You didn’t even recognize where you were! By the time we found you, you collapsed in my arms unconscious.’

Whitey was the one to raise his voice next.

‘They gave me a special brewed tea a take Davis and me on a spiritual journey to be open to accepting, the Prophecy.’

Williams rolled his eyes.

‘Prophecy, nothing but a crock of shit Whitey. There is no Prophecy, You were drugged so the informant could make their escape! Why can’t you see that?’

Whitey slammed his fists down onto the table.

‘Why can’t you see? Everything about the Prophecy has come true so far! Williams, don’t you see? For us to stop this, we need to find her!’

Harry scrunched his eyebrows together. Looking at both, neither one saying anything to the other. Astrid was the one to break the silence, startling them both.

‘How is one person supposed to stop all of this? We don’t even know what this is or where she is.’

Harry and Astrid waited for a response.

‘She is being looked after.’ Whitey spoke softly. Williams buried his head in his hands, shaking his head in disbelief his head in disbelief. He dropped his hands.

‘You’re telling me, you have captured some woman?’

Whitey shook his head next.

‘The Sect has been keeping a very close eye on her, waiting. The Sect knew the risks of her possibly finding out before she was ready, so they took precautions to bring her up in the world as normal as possible.’

Harry opened his mouth, but words wouldn’t come out. He couldn’t believe this, it sounded barbaric. A Prophecy? The Sect? Some sort of saviour? Sounded like the words of a madman. Is Williams, right? Is Whitey just some crazy old fool? Harry looked at Whitey and Williams, they were staring at each other, neither willing to agree with the other.

What if there’s some truth to what Whitey is telling us? If there is someone out there who can keep things from getting worse and can stop all this, it may be a huge risk, but it also might be the only option we have.

‘Say that you’re not wrong. It what you’re saying has some truth to it, what do we need to do?’ Harry asked, looking at Whitey.

‘We need to find her…’ Williams stated. Harry and Whitey both looked at Williams, astonished by the words that left his lips.

‘So now you believe me?’ Whitey asked.

Williams shook his head.

‘I don’t know what to believe. I know that I have not seen these creatures in the entire time I have been on this earth. I don’t want to believe that they’re Aliens and they sure as shit aren’t any animal I have seen. Whitey, if this is what might help, then for now I will have faith. That’s all you are going to get from me.’ Williams grabbed the bottle of scotch from behind his chair, a couple of glasses and sat down. He slid a glass to Harry, Whitey and Astrid.

‘There’s a cabin outside of Mournstead, about 10 kilometres from town. Take what you need from here, but I need the three of you and only the three of you to go. This discussion will not leave this tent, and as far as anyone is concerned, you speak directly to me and to me only. Any questions?’

Williams poured everyone a double shot, neat. He slammed his immediately, pouring himself another right after. No one said anything for a moment. Everyone sat in silence, one by one slamming their drink, Williams pouring a second round for everyone else. Harry took the glass, threw the warm liquid down his throat, stood up and shook Williams’s hand.

‘Better get going before it gets dark.’

Everyone else slammed their second round of drinks and headed out of the tent to get the van ready.

‘Is Ashley meeting you at the Airport or are you guys sharing a meter Taxi together?’ The woman asked as she put some extra socks in a duffel bag.

‘She’s going to be at the Airport. Are you going to be okay mom?’ Amelia asked worriedly. Her mom nodded.

‘Yes, it’s just that you are going to be so far away and away from meeee…me...”

Amelia hugged her mom, squeezing her tightly.

‘It’s just for a few weeks’ mom, I’ll be back before you know it and besides, Ashley will be there along with ten other students. There’s going to be plenty of adults there with the tours and everything else. Please don’t worry so much.’

Amelia’s mother squeezed her daughter tightly, snuggling her face into her shoulder.

‘I’ll never stop worrying.’

Amelia rolled her eyes, letting go of her mother and grabbing her duffel bag. She walked down the hall into the living room and threw her bag onto the couch, heading into the kitchen. Amelia grabbed a glass out of the cupboard, her mother sitting in a chair next to the counter.

‘Would you like something to drink mom?’ Amelia asked as she poured herself some juice. Her mother shook her head.

‘How have you been feeling lately Hunny?’ Her mother asked as she watched her gulp down some juice. Amelia giggled.

‘I have been feeling fantastic mom, why?’

She shook her head.

‘Just curious, there’s been a stomach bug going around and just want to make sure you are well enough to be on a plane.’

Amelia just about shot juice out of her nose as she began to laugh.

‘Are you sure you’re not just trying to find a way to keep me here?’

Amelia and her mother laughed as Amelia grabbed a paper towel to wipe her face. As Amelia rinsed her glass out and set it on the counter, there was a knock at the door. Amelia went into the living room to see who it was, and her mother stood up and walked over to the sink. She turned the faucet on and started washing the few dishes that were from earlier.

An ambiance of silence flooded the room, her heart pounding in her chest as her adrenaline was starting to rise.

‘Mom?’

Amelia placed her hand on her mother’s shoulder, starling her.

‘Mom did you hear me?’

Her mother stared at her blankly as she shook her head. Amelia smiled.

‘I said that James is here.’ Amelia watched her mother smile and squeezed her hand before walking out of the kitchen with her. As Amelia and her mother walked into the living room, James was standing next to the coffee table, waiting to greet and hug them both.

‘Hey! There she is!’ James threw his arms around both, squeezing them in the biggest bear hug he could.

‘Okay okay, you both are making this a bigger deal than it needs to be.’ Amelia slipped away from the group hug.

‘I’m starving and plane food sucks, I’m going to make myself something to eat before we go, do either of you want anything?’

Both James and her mother shook their heads and began talking. Amelia left the room and walked into the kitchen, standing close to the doorway, listening. Something always felt different when he was around.

James stood close to Amelia’s mom.

‘How are you doing Debbie?’

She shrugged her shoulders, looking down the hall for any sign of Amelia.

‘How do you think James? I knew this day would come eventually. Been preparing for it for the last 18 ½ years.’

James took one of Debbie’s hands in his, but she yanked it away.

‘Don’t, you are here for one reason only, Amelia. Let’s just leave it at that.’  Amelia stepped away, James grabbed her by her arm and pulled her close to him. Whispering in her ear.

‘There are rumours about you Debbie. They say you’re switching sides.’

Debbie whispered with a sharpness in her tone.

‘Who wouldn’t assume such a thing? I must play a role as a ‘Loving’ mother. People are always going to question my motives. Maybe you should set people straight or they might think you have some sort of involvement!’ She snatched her arm out of his and James grabbed her hand.

Amelia stood in the kitchen, confused.

‘Why would James be here for her? There was always something off about him, especially the older she got. Not that he was creepy, but she had the sense he was always waiting for something to happen with her.

Glass shattered in the other room. Amelia came around the corner from the kitchen, her eyes catching the blood spilling from her mother’s forearm.

‘Debbie! You should learn to be more careful! Amelia, grab the keys your mother is going to need stitiches.’

James had one of his handkerchiefs around her hand, putting pressure on the wound. Amelia quickly grabbed her mom’s car keys and a couple of towels, then they all headed out the door.

45 minutes later, James and Amelia are in the waiting room while Dees arm gets looked at. James was reading one of those home improvement magazines as Amelia paced, waiting for her mother.

‘It’s just a few stitches.’ James licked his finger, turning a page of the magazine. Amelia sat in a seat across from him, her leg bouncing nervously.

‘I just don’t like hospitals.’

James peered over his magazine, staring at Amelia. Just as he set his magazine in his lap, a nurse arrived.

‘AMELIA?’

She stood up, the nurse not giving her a chance to ask, she spoke.

‘Your mom is just finishing up, just needs to sign some discharge papers and you’ll be all set. Now her arm will be in a sling for the next 48 hours, she did ask for your help with getting dressed.’

The nurse then waved her hand for Amelia to follow her. Amelia to follow her. Amelia walked into the room to see her mother struggling to get her shirt on. Amelia quickly ran to her aide as the nurse stepped back out to grab paperwork. As the door latched shut and Amelia finished helping her mother. Debbie moved around her to peer out the window of the hospital room door.

‘Mom are you okay?’ Amelia asked, her tone soft and confused..

Debbie continued to look out the door as she waited for the nurse to come back. Debbie quickly moved back over to Amelia, holding her hand. Leaning her head against Amelia’s shoulder. Before Amelia had the chance to ask, the nurse from before, knocked on the door and entered with some paperwork in one hand and a clipboard in the other.

‘Your discharge papers are here,’ as she held up a pack of papers.

‘This one is your prescription for your pain killers. You can pick those up on the first floor.’ she pulled out another form.

‘This is a list of symptoms, if you get any of these, please don’t call, just come straight to the emergency room.’ The nurse then grabbed a blue pen out of her shirt pocket and handed it to Debbie. ‘Doctor Kelvin will be ready to assist you with any problems.’

‘Bring your forms to the front desk when you’re done. Also don’t forget to set an appointment for a follow up to get those stitches removed.’

With that, she left them. Amelia turned to her mother.

‘Mom, what the hell is going on?’

Debbie was quickly signing paperwork, ignoring Amelia’s question. Amelia’s face burned red as her temper grew.

‘Are you going to ignore the fact that I heard you and James talking about me?’

Debbie stopped what she was doing and looked up at Amelia. Amelia continued.

‘Why is James here mom? What’s going on?’

Debbie quickly signed the last few documents, clipped the pen to the board and set it on the hospital bed. Debbie then stood up, walking back over to the door. She peered out the window, making sure no one was coming down either side off the hall. She then locked the door.