Prologue
Terri (May 31, 1993)
"Get that thing away from me now," I shouted, almost throwing my new born out of my arms. I can't breathe! I can't breathe! I can still hear it raining outside of parent's bedroom window where I have just given birth. "What's wrong darling, what happened, tell us what you saw," my mother pleaded taking it away from me. "No, no, no I can't, I can't please don't make me mother please," I asked; through my cries. "Queenie don't use your gift on her dear," my father said, placing his hand on her shoulders. "But how else are we going to help her if we don't know what she's seen. If it has to do with the fate of our grandson we have to know," she responded.
"You're not going to use magic on the mother of my child if she doesn't want you to. Haven't the both of you done enough already," asked Gallo, trying to defend me as he moved closer into my foggy vision? I can clearly see his treacherous nature now. "Get away from me you fucking monster!" I shouted. He backed away from me dumbfounded; he doesn't know that I have just been made aware of his schemes. "What? What did I do? I'm on your side," he told me, still pretending; keeping up his façade.
"Shut up, and be quiet Gallo! Take that thing you put inside of me and go. That's what this was all for in the first place right," I asked, looking deep into his low dark brown eyes. "Enough," said my mother using her gift of command silencing me, along with what little he was going to say. "Terri, my darling, I'm sorry but I command you to show us the vision you received from baby Matthew," she ordered, placing my offspring into his rocker, while removing my will to refuse her. Both of my arms arose and offered my hands to be taken. My mother and father each took one of my hands into their own as Gallo stood staring at me.
Gallo
I'm worried. This amulet around my neck is supposed to keep her from having visions of me. I don't trust Wiccan's, especially not those two, William and Queen. My father told me to keep a close eye on them, but they're sneakier than most of their kind. William's an old white man with a salt and pepper hair, and he's got amber eyes. Queen has wrinkle free milk chocolate skin, pale green eyes, and she's short and feisty like her daughter. My Terri is hands down the most stunning biracial beauty that I've ever laid eyes on. She might not look all that hot right now, but she's got a great excuse for it.
I wasn't supposed to really fall in-love with her, but my heart just couldn't resist. She's got these alluring dark green eyes with a chestnut star-burst that fits her flawless cinnamon color skin, and her voluptuous plump pink lips are my favorite. I wish I could have met her on my own terms, and then things wouldn't have to be so complicated. I don't know what's going to happen from here. I know we're not going to ride off happily into the sunset together, I know that for sure isn't in the cards for us, although I wish it were. Just her, Matthew, and me, is all we would ever need. He looks like me, just a newer innocent version.
More importantly I don't know what the Inquisitors have planned for him. Now that he's here I want to do all that I can to protect him, but I know the Inquisitors aren't going to hurt him. They've orchestrated his entire existence for a special purpose. What that is, I don't know. Sometimes I feel like he's their child and not ours, even though I did promise him to them. "Sleep," I heard Queen say from behind me, commanding Terri when she and William came out of their trance. "What was that all about? What did she see," I sternly asked them? They shared a look together, a look that I don't like. "She saw," William answered as I rubbed my sons head. "What- she saw what," I asked, trying my best not to get annoyed.
"She saw something we can't allow to happen, something that we thought we fixed, but clearly did not," William answered sneering at me. "What are you talking about," I nervously asked; with a puzzled expression on my face? "Don't move! Don't Speak!" Queen ordered, using her gift of Command on me. "This is nothing personal Gallo, it's just necessary," William said as he walked around me. "You won't be able to fathom the magnitude of his power. We would be merciful and kill you, but your father would feel it if you died, and he'd know it was us," he said, ripping my amulet from my neck. "We'll tell him that you ran off because you couldn't face being a disappointment to him. Or something along those lines," he said.
"There will come a day when someone free's you from the exile we are sending you to. When that day comes just know it will be in your best interest to forget about this all, what will be the past, and start a new life somewhere far away from here, this family, and especially him," Queen informed me, pointing in Matthew's sleeping direction. My body is shaking fiercely as I try to break free of her hold, but nothing I try is working. William moved back next to his wife taking her hand. "Outside of time, inside of space, trap this entity here and now, forever in this place," he chanted in a very unrelenting voice.
Tortured by the sound of his rhythmic tune, each word is like a bullet ripping through my mind as I hear the cursed words that will seal my fate. I didn't feel anything until the second time the spell was repeated. William held his hand out with my amulet in the center of his palm. This time hearing them chant the curse together, "Outside of time, inside of space, trap this entity here and now, forever in this place." Each word sounded farther and farther away from me until there was nothing but silence and darkness. I am alone!
Matthew (Present Day)
There is nothing here in this white room but a mirror suspended in the air. I know it is a mirror because I am looking at my reflection. It is identical to me, standing at exactly 6'0ft tall, russet-brown skin, thick dark eyebrows and mustache, light-brown hazel eyes, dark hair, mature disheartened good looks, nice 6pk action going on, and he's wearing the same blue pajama pants.
The only thing standing out about this reflection is my father's pendant around its neck, but not around mine. For some reason the black fire opal stone that the silver dragon is cradling began to glow. When I moved, the reflection did nothing but stand there. I don't know why but I feel myself wanting the pendant badly. As I moved closer to the mirror to grab it, the room turned dark, and the reflection faded away. The only thing left in the mirror is the shining pendant still pressed against the glass, giving off the only source of light in the room. As I moved to touch it I began to feel small vibrations in my arm that got stronger as I came closer to touching the reflection.
Right before I touched the pendant, I felt the presence of someone's hands on my shoulders behind me togging me away from it, but it didn't pull me far. I am unable to put my hand down like the mirror is a strong magnet and I am a big piece of metal. It all feels real. Even though I am afraid to be pulled away from the mirror into the darkness, it feels okay, it feels safe. As to the pull of the mirror, it gives me a sense of relinquishing control to someone outside me. However, the pull of the darkness is stronger, and as I fell backwards I woke up. I've been having this dream for the last couple of weeks.
I always wake up drenched in sweat with this pain stacking head ache, and this time is no different. It seems like each time I get a little bit closer to the reflection in the mirror. I don't understand why I keep walking to it, I just can't help it. It looks like me, but I know it's not, even though it is. It's like I don't recognize my own self. I don't know it doesn't even make sense to me. Something is trying to tell me something, I just wish I knew what it is already.
Its six o'clock in the morning and the Florida ocean breeze is refreshing as it comes through fluttering the white curtains attached to the tall floor to ceiling windows. I spend my nights in vacant private luxury mansions or apartments. Often I stay in empty homes that are currently for sale on the real-estate market. Today is the big day that I'm finally going home, and I'm nervous. I'm tired of living this life of not having a life. I know the people who killed my grandparents are still out there looking for me, but I'm tired of running from faceless shadows. I'd rather die than live the rest of my life unsettled and scared. I need answers and I'm going to get them.
Mariah
Owe, how I long to be free. This world of imagination that I live in has grown toxic. My emotions are polluting the atmosphere and there is nothing I can do about it. The trees in my forest are dry and leafless. The air is stale and never changing. Lightning cracks through the sky whenever it pleases. My animals have all fled, and left me with the is no one here to tell me no, because in here I am the highest authority. I am Mother Nature, and I want so badly to roar, but what is the point when there isn't anyone around to hear it? What is the point when it won't matter in the real world? What is the point when no one is around to feel it?
Things were different five years ago when Matthew had a life, before he was forced to go on the run and leave everything and everyone he ever loved behind. I used to find pleasure in watching him have fun, living his life to the fullest, doing all of the things that I have only dreamt of doing. Now he's a lonely miserable wreck.
Not to mention he has been reduced to a classy squatter, but a squatter none the less. I would lay naked on the banks of the pond, with my thick curly untamed black hair as the only thing covering me like I am now. The once free flowing water acted as my television, allowing me to see through Matthew's eyes. If there was ever a time when I was the most envious of Matthew, it would be whenever he was in the presence of Adrian Birdsong, the love of my life. Seeing him was always the highlight of my days.
Only when he was around did I ever feel alive. He allowed me to feel an actual emotion. Everything else that I have ever felt was all fake, nothing but a mere shadowy glimmer of the real thing. However, I find myself slowly forgetting him. His laugh has become mute to my ears, and the sight of him in my mind has become blurred. His bright fiery red ginger hair is all that I can clearly recall. What I wouldn't give to be in his presence. Not Matthew, but ME. I want him to see me, but that is another useless wish that I have added to my list of things that will most likely never happen.
This isn't the life that God planned for me. If it is then I must deserve it. I must have been a terrible person in my past life. What could I have possible done to earn a life like this, living prisoner in someone else's mind? Or maybe this is all just a sick mistake. Why did God only kill my other brother? I remember there being three of us, but there is no third person here. If I could only find the answers to these very questions that I have been asking myself for years now, I think I would finally be able to find some shred of piece. Not knowing is driving me crazier, and I no longer have anything to distract myself with.
Matthew has fallen asleep, because the Sun has set in my ethereal plane. Oh no! The full moon is out, Matthew is dreaming. I dipped my finger in the pond creating ripples in the murky water. He has been having this same dream for many nights now, and each time I have to save him. I reached into the water and tried my hardest to keep him away from that dark entity in the mirror. It takes all my strength and might to keep my fully grown brother at bay. Finally he began to fade away, as he wakes back up. When I tried to pull my arms out of his dream, I couldn't. Than I felt a pair of hands pulling me under from the other side. Before I had a chance to let out a full scream I was submerged, falling endlessly into a dark abyss.
Michael
I shot out of the mouth of the volcano that I call home, up into the eruption column like a bullet. Spiraling out of the ash plume, I opened my huge bat like Dragon wings and ripped straight into the clear air. I crave for blue skies and the feel of real wind beneath my wings. What I wouldn't give to feel the warmth of the Sun against my back. My sky is always dark red as if I am forever trapped in an eternal sunset. Beautiful hot lava is gushing down the side of my volcano. This is some of my finest art work.
I see all of the dinosaurs are out and about roaming around looking for food, and so am I. Even though I don't get hungry, I still like the sport of hunting, and besides its something to do than sit around and go crazy. Matthews life has become even more depressing than mine. I honestly feel bad for the poor guy. I can't even bare to watch his life anymore. No one ever told him that he couldn't have a life. I will give my brother one thing though, he's got great taste in whores. However, like my brother I only have eyes for one girl, but it hurts in my chest when I think about her.
"Come and see," I heard an ominous voice say off in the distance. It's happening again. Every volcano in the valley began to erupt, shooting toxic smoke and scorching debris into the air. Everywhere I turned the dinosaurs began to drop dead. "Come and see," it repeated. "No I shouted!" taking off faster into the sky at super sonic speed to safety, dodging everything like a swift razor. This is the first time it's been able to do this.
Nothing doesn't happen unless I want it to. So I'm really freaked out now if I wasn't before. Whatever it is-is growing stronger. But suddenly I hear a woman screaming. I turned around to look, and sure enough as if she fell out of space a naked brown girl with a lot of hair came crashing into my world. Something in me said I need to save her, so I reversed my flight pattern and headed to her rescue. As I approached, she appeared to have everything in control, nose diving gracefully in the air. However, once she got a look at me things took a turn for the worse.
She looks familiar, actually she favors me a lot. Could it possible be? For some reason she panicked and began to spiral, spinning through the air like a drill. Bringing down a tornado the likes of which I've never seen before with her. She somehow managed to disappear into the air itself. The tornado is ripping through the valley, totally dominating everything. I think I see her standing in the center of the massive violently rotating column of air. This is my world, who does she think she is?
Okay missy, two can play this game. I flew up way beyond the clouds, above the storm. Now I'm looking down, eye to eye with the tornado. I plummeted down from the sky with the hopes of getting close enough to grab her. Immense radiating heat encased my body as I burned through the dense dark clouds. Of course she sensed me coming. It only took one look from her to stop me completely in my tracks. I'm not surprised because it's what I would have done.
She held up her hands and gently carried me down to her cooling me off. She looks wild with power, and I see so much hurt and anger around her gorgeous serene silver moon eyes. We are now both standing, flouting face to face in the middle of the tornado. "Brother," she said, starring me in the eyes. "Sister," I replied, not breaking contact with her. I held out my hand and she looked down at it like she didn't know what to do with it. Instead she embraced me with a hug. When I placed my arms around her an electric jolt of magnificent energy rushed through us. The colossal tornado collapsed sending a pulse through the entire realm, shrouding it with glittery dream smoke.