Rise of the Death Walkers (The Circle of Heritage Saga) (40 page)

I could not remember exactly what I did, nor know who I was but I did know one thing. I had to find a way out of this nightmare. To a world where I felt safe again.

Today I heard that voice again calling for me and begging me to come out. It sounded like an older woman and the tone of her voice seemed to trigger a feeling of trust in me. I hid in the hallway and guarded the door where my nightmares lay locked behind. A muffled conversation caught my attention.

“I don’t care what you think Doctor! My granddaughter is not insane!”

“Mrs. White we have tried everything we know, to coax your daughter from her withdrawn state. None of the medications we have tried works for her. She is extremely violent. Her last attack on Mrs. Burdens left the nurse’s aide with twenty-five stitches.”

“Doctor Adams my granddaughter has locked herself within her mind and she will recover but not in this facility you call an institution. You have had her for a year now and you can show me no success. I am taking her back to the clinic on the reservation today.”

“I would advise against it Mrs. White. Your small clinic does not have the same experience handling extreme cases like this. Your granddaughter is lost, her mind is gone and there is nothing you can do about it.”

“Dr. Adams do you enjoy having the ability to reproduce?”

“Wha... Excuse me?”

“Do you want to have children?”

“Of course I do. Anybody would want to have that joy.”

“If you call my granddaughter a hopeless case again, I will remove your scrotum without the use of anesthesia or surgical tools and feed them to my chickens.”

“There is no need for you to get violent Mrs. White. We will have her ready for transport this afternoon.”

The voices faded away and I mulled over in my mind what they had been talking about. The words made no sense to me. What were they talking about? I was distracted by a flash of light and I noticed the door to the room I was guarding was cracked open again. “Why was I here. What was in the room? Slowly I pushed open the door and stepped inside. I relived my nightmare again until blissful blackness again overtakes me. The cycle repeated itself over and over again and it seems when I have a grip on things. The door to the past firmly locked in place. Something would happen and I would go through everything again.

“Jenna, I know you are in there. Come to me and let me help you.”

I knew that voice! I struggled to recall who it was. But the name just seemed outside of my grasp.

“I am here to help you find your way home.”

I felt someone taking my hand. The touch was familiar and awoken feelings of love in me. I still could not see who it was. There was only a ghostly figure that shifted every time I tried to find out who it was. He was guiding me toward that door. I shrank back and he reached for me again.

“I am here to help you Jenna, trust me. I want to help you find your way back to our family.”

Images flashed in my head so fast I have no way to decipher what they were. Slowly I stepped forward and let him take me to the door.

“The key to your release lies behind this door. Don’t worry I will be with you each step of the way.”

The voice was defiantly male. But it was a voice that instead of waking terrifying memories, instilled confidence in me. I let him pull me inside the room and the nightmare began again. This time it was different. It was almost like I was observing myself from afar with the comfort of having a protector with me. His presence with me clarified the images to astounding palpability, but comfort me with the thought that he was with me. I looked at his face and suddenly I knew who he was and began to panic. “Jason? But you left me.”

“Hush little sister and watch. Never forget I am here with you.” He replied.

I turned my attention back to the developments in front of me. My heart raced when Roger struck down my mother the first time. The ugly words he spouted were distorted in my ears. I saw the other me scooting back on the bed, where she was sitting with a terrified expression on her face. “My god,” I thought to myself, “Why doesn’t someone help her?”

I tried to pull away from Jason, not wanting to see what came next. Panic was growing in me but Jason held my hand firmly locked in his.

“You have to watch this little sister. It’s the only way I can help you. Please, let me help you.”

My heart started racing and my breathing increased rapidly. I saw spots before my eyes but none of them were in the location I needed. I tried to close my eyes but somehow my brother made me open them. When the terrifying ending happened, I was no longer watching. I was there, a part of it. I felt the knife slide in and heard his scream when I lifted it. The hot blood erupted from inside him and started gushing all over me. I could hear myself screaming.

“Oh my God Jason, I killed him, I killed him!” I repeated it over and over, my hysteria building and gaining momentum.

This time however I was not alone. Jason was with me and rocking me, held in his tight embrace. “I know baby I am so sorry I left you alone. I am so sorry I could not be there to prevent this from happening.”

“Jason he was going to hurt me again. I had to do it, I had to do it. He hurt momma and he was going to hurt me bad again.”

“I know baby. I am so sorry.” Jason replied. “Mimi and Grandpa Sam you can come in now.

The door opened and two elderly people walked in. Something clicked in my mind and I broke out of Jason’s arms and flew into Mimi’s arms. “Mimi I heard you trying to help me, but I couldn’t reach you. I love you Mimi, I love you.”

Mimi’s voice was quavering as she replied. “My angle Jenna. I tried to find you so many times but you were hiding from me. Lost in your mind.” Her hands stroked my hair as she cried on me.

I looked over at my Grandfather who also had tears streaming from his eyes. He turned to Jason and said. “You did a fine job Pasche, but you need to rest too. I believe there is a young lady who is dying to spend more time with you.” He turned back to you. “As for you little lady. You haven’t greeted me properly.”

I freed myself from my grandmothers arms and leaped into his. “I love you Gramps.”

I turned to watch Jason walk out the door and my heart sank. He was leaving me again. “Jason?”

“I will be back baby. I am just a little tired.” He said to me as he waved. A pretty girl with long black hair pushed him out of the room.

“Who was that?” I pointed to the back of the pretty girl pushing Jason down the hall. I could still see them through the partially open door.

“That’s Katie. Your brother Jason’s fiancée. “ Gramps replied.

I was confused. I knew who I was but I had lost all sense in time. “When are we?”

“Excuse me?” Gramps had a confused look on his face.

“What date is this. What year.” I felt reality slipping from me and looked from Mimi to Gramps.”

“Don’t worry your pretty little head about that right now Jenna.” Mimi said. “You just focus on doing what I say and we will deal with everything else later.”

I freed myself from my grandfathers arms and looked down at myself. My brown hair was filthy and oily. I saw evidence of scarring on my arms and even saw a few fresh scratches. I flipped my hands over and notice the condition of my nails. They were short and stubby. One nail had even been ripped off of my finger.

I looked over to Mimi and asked. “Can I take a shower? I feel like I have been wallowing in filth for years.”

Mimi laughed and started shoving Gramps toward the door. “Out with you, old man. Your granddaughter needs some privacy now?”

“Fine, old woman.” Gramps grumbled. “I use to change her as a baby and now I get banned from the room.

“I’ll old woman you useless bag of bones. She is seventeen years old and she does not need an old bag of bones leering at her while she showers.” Mimi retorted.

Gramps opened the door and walked out grumbling, “Should have never given her shoes to wear,” because of his exile from the room.

I looked over to my grandmother and said “Thank you.”

“Not a problem Jenna. Will you need help or can you do this alone.” She asked.

“I can do this myself but please stay here, I may need help with my hair when I am finished.” I answered. I went into the bathroom and turned on the shower. When I looked into the mirror I realized for the first time just how disheveled I looked.

My hair was clumped together with the oily substances that floated around in the air, wherever you go. My face had healing scratches on it and it shined like I had been soaking it in vegetable fat. My arms were filled of fresh and healing scratches. My own recollection of myself I had been a bit on the chubby side at thirteen but none of the hefty attributes I once had remained at seventeen. My figure was that of a normal seventeen year old female who either played sports or was on the cheerleading team.

I removed my clothing and jumped in the shower, which had by now reached the temperature I desired. I let the water cascade over my body and reveled in the feeling. I could feel the tension begin to seep from my body and my muscles relaxed. When I was relaxed I began to apply the first layer of soap and during this process I began to sing. I always enjoyed singing when I was younger and this habit seemed to be still with me. I heard the door open and peeked out through the partially open shower curtain. I was surprised to see Mimi standing there and not moving.

I stepped out and wrapped a towel around me and walked up to Mimi. She was staring straight ahead and was not moving. When I looked at her it almost looked like she was in a trance. “Mimi?” I waved my hand in front of her eyes and she did not react. I grabbed her shoulder and shook her a little. I was close to losing control of myself when she still did not move. I did not know what to do so I ran out of the door and into the hallway screaming. “Gramps! I need you in the bathroom!”

“Coming.” I heard him say, so I turned back and ran to the bathroom again. Gramps rushed into the room after me and headed straight to the bathroom. “What happened?” He asked me while trying to get Mimi’s attention.

“I am not sure Gramps. I heard the door open and looked out through the shower curtains. I saw Mimi standing there staring ahead. I tried to shake her out of whatever happened to her but I could not.”

“Think Jenna, this is very important. What where you doing before you saw your grandmother standing here.” Gramps requested.

I stood there for a moment trying to remember what I was doing. “Well I was soaping myself and singing in the shower before I heard the door open.”

Gramps looked thoughtful for a moment and shook Mimi again. This time Mimi reacted to Gramps. She looked confused seeing him standing there. “When did you get here Sam?”

“Amanda, What is the last thing that you remember before seeing me here?” Gramps asked.

“Well I heard Jenna singing in the bathroom then I opened the door and walked in. After that I do not remember anything until I saw you standing here Sam.”

“Hmmm. I don’t know what to make of this. I have never heard of someone who could cause this kind of reaction from a simple song.” I saw Gramps and Mimi exchange looks and then Gramps continued. “This is not important right now we can discuss this later after I do some researching. For now just finish your shower and we can then get you home to Sally.”

“Why Aunt Sally? How come I can’t go home to Mom and the boys?” I asked. I was confused.

“Oh dear lord,” gasped Mimi, “You don’t know yet.”

“Know what?” I was even more confused and I reviewed my last sequence of memories before the long period of disorientation. “No no no nooooooo,” I realized what they meant. My mother was dead. “He killed her. My God that monster killed my mother!” I was shaking uncontrollably.

“Calm down love. We are here for you.” Mimi said trying to sooth me.

“Calm down?” The light began to flicker as I got angrier. The drops of water on the sink began to vaporize. “That monster killed my mother and you want me to calm down?” A crack appeared in the large bathroom mirror and slowly began to move to the center of the mirror. I was beyond being consoled. “Calm down I will show you calmed down!” The sink basin shattered and sprayed a fountain of ceramic pieces all over us. I could feel the pieces as they sliced into my left arm and the left side of my face.

Gramps looked at Mimi and nodded. When Mimi moved toward me I looked at her and I could feel the force emanating from me. She was flung backwards into the other room. Before I could turn back to my grandfather, I felt the prick of a hypodermic needle being stuck in my arm. I felt betrayed because I had trusted my grandfather. I felt the darkness creeping on and sunk to the floor. Gramps helped me to the floor and stretched me out.

“What is happening Gramps?” I asked confused at what just had happened.

“We will worry about that later Jenna you just rest now.” His voice sounded like it was full of sorrow.

I tried to reply, but whatever he had injected me with was working fast. The last thing I remembered was his face above me and he was smiling at me. Then the darkness took over.

Chapter 2 - Decisions

When I saw my wife being propelled thought the air, I knew I had to do something about Jenna and quick. Since I knew some of the things my offspring were capable of, I had a dose of diazepam with me. I generally tried to be prepared when dealing with the emergence of the talents my offspring had. I lay Jenna on the floor and then went into the other room to see what condition Amanda was in.

“Amanda are you ok?” I reached down and offered my hand to her.

“Yes Sam. I am Ok. I am just feeling foolish for not seeing this coming. Thank the spirits of our forefathers. That girl shows all the characteristic of an Enchantress.” She took my hand and pulled herself up.

I tried to dress the various places where she was bleeding but she pushed my hand away. “An Enchantress? I have never heard of this before. What is it?”

“Shows you, you old fool! You are not well versed in the history of our tribe from the female point of view.” Amanda scolded. “There has been only one Enchantress in our line since the beginning of our breeding program. Around eight hundred years ago a woman was born who was considered to be an abnormality.”