Chapter One
2033AC
"Oh my god," said a young woman walking in front of the group. "It's beautiful," she whispered in awe.
"We made it," said Sean seeing the church not far from them. The four men carrying the stretcher stopped and lowered it to the ground.
"We really made it?" asked the young woman on the stretcher.
"Yes Julia. We're in San Francisco. St. Martin's is just a few feet away. "It's still standing," Sean whispered in her ear, "just like you said it will be."
"Did we make it in time? What's today's date?" she asked frantically.
"We are actually a day early sweetie," Sean replied. "It's December twenty third."
"Help me up Sean," Julia requested. "I want to walk the rest of the way. We can stay at the church until it is time."
Sean helped her out of the stretcher and brought her to her feet. "Guys," he said to the other people in their group, "You go ahead and check the place for safety. Start a fire if possible. Julia and I will be right behind you."
As the group rushed into the church, Sean supported Julia with one arm around her waist and the other holding on to her hand. "Are you sure you can make it honey? I can carry you."
"No. You said it's only a few feet away. Besides, I'm just blind Sean, not crippled."
"I know, but you've been really sick most of the time on this journey." He stopped walking suddenly. "There were times I feared you'd die before we get here Julia. I was so afraid. So were all the others. We need you, we love you. Most of all we worry because you're the only one who can open the portal."
Julia turned in his arms, and wrapped her hands around his waist. "I know you're afraid. I know the others fear as well, and yet none of you ever said a word. And for that I am grateful. I don't think I could have dealt with that. I love you sweet brother, and now you need to remember, it is almost over."
"I love you too," he whispered kissing her forehead. "Come on. It's snowing. We have a lot of work to do if we want to open the portal tomorrow."
A warm fire greeted them when they entered the church. Sean helped Julia sit not far from it, than headed to speak to the rest of the men.
"Eddie," he called to one member of the group, "we need to arrange gourd duty shifts. We need to protect this place like a fortress for the next thirty hours. Three people per shift. No more than three hours a shift. I want everyone to get a little sleep before morning."
"Okay Sean. I'll take first shift with Andy and Naomi. Claire, David and Carl you take the second one. Sean, you Donny and Brad can take the third." He looked towards Julia, than whispered softly, "Get your sister to eat something and get some sleep. She's been up for nearly 48 hours. And get the priest to sleep as well. He's been up with her most of the night."
"Are you telling me she didn't sleep at all last night? Why the hell didn't you wake me?" Sean scolded.
"There was really nothing you could do Sean. She was in pain and couldn't sleep. She asked us not to wake you since you've been up with her most nights lately. Phillip and the girls did all they could to help her and ease the pain. You needed your sleep," said Eddie quietly. "She'd be angry with me for telling you that."
His anger subsided and he whispered back, "Probably. God Eddie, She's my twin, but sometimes… sometimes I feel so much older. And I guess I get a bit overprotective of her. You're a good man, and a very good friend. I'm so worried about her, I sometimes forget you guys care for her almost as much as I do."
"Yeah yeah," Eddie mumbled blushing a little. "Andy, Naomi," he than called out, "We take first watch. Get something to eat and get to work."
Sean smiled at them than went back to sit next to Julia. He put his arm around her, and pulled her to him. Her head lowered to rest on his shoulder. "Any pain?" he asked her softly.
"That boy just can't keep his mouth shut," she responded, "And no. No pains today, thank god."
They ate quietly, when Claire approached them. "I spread some sleeping bags for you guys. You really should get some sleep tonight," she said taking Julia's hands in hers.
"Thanks Claire," they said in unison than laughed. "You really didn't have to go to all that trouble. I could have done it," said Sean.
"It's okay. You seem to forget sometimes that we chose you guys as our leaders. I know I speak for all of us when I say; we will do anything we can for you two. We will give our lives for you both. If it weren't for the two of you, most of us would be dead now. You gave us hope when we needed it most." She hesitated for a moment than turned to Julia and asked, "This was a one way trip wasn't it? We are not going back from here are we?"
"I don't know," said Julia. "If we save Derek Rayne and he and his team succeed, than we will all be reborn and our future will be different. If not…than the world will be destroyed again. Either way it is the end of the road for me. I will not make it back to New-York. I'm too tired. If you guys will want to try to get back, you'll have my blessing."
Both Claire's and Sean's faces turned pale. Claire couldn't say anything and Sean just stared at her helpless, and than with a nod signaled his wish to be alone with his sister. She got up and left them.
"Julia, what the hell do you mean you're too tired? I thought we agreed we're going back to New York after this "mission" of ours is over." he said his voice shivering.
"I'm sorry Sean." She whispered. "So sorry. But I hope I'll have enough time and strength to send Derek Rayne back to his time, safe and sound. I'm dying. You tried to ignore that, but you know it's true. So it is written and so it will be done. This trip is my destiny and it is the end of the line for me. Opening the portal, twice, will drain what's left of my energy Sean."
"Than we are not doing this," he said. "We are not opening the portal. I am not going to lose you. We'll find another way." He got up to leave, but Julia's voice stopped him.
"I didn't know you to be such a selfish man," she called out.
"Selfish?" he retorted, "because I don't want my sister, who is my better half, to die?"
"What about the rest of the world Sean? What is one life against that? We have no choice in the matter. I have no choice." she whispered. "It doesn't matter if we succeed or fail. I'm dying Sean, we both know that. I'm not getting any better. We have no doctors and the disease is eating at me and the pain is getting to be unbearable. Sean, if we don't do this tomorrow, than the faith of our world is doomed. It will never recover. Mom's journal also says so."
Sean looked at her for a minute than went back to her, fell down on his knees and hugged her, crying into her chest. She caressed his head, whispering soft words of comfort. Eventually he wiped his tears, picked her up in his arms and went with her to where Claire set their sleeping bags. They were farther from the others and Claire even arranged a few sheets she found in the church to close their sleeping area.
Sean laid Julia on the sleeping bags, than lay beside her. "I'll stay by your side tonight," he whispered. "I want what time we have left…" his voice broke and he stopped talking and for the first time in a long long time started praying till they both fell asleep.
Julia's restless movements woke him. She was biting on a piece of wood trying to muffle the sounds of her cries. He looked at her helpless, than went is search of Phillip. He found him sleeping not far from the fire and approached him slowly, tapping on his shoulder. "Phillip," he whispered, "She's in a lot of pain again. Is there anything you can do for her?" he asked.
"I'm sorry Sean," Phillip said yawning, "We are out of pain killers, and sleeping pills."
David walked in that minute saying, "Good, you're awake. It's your watch."
"I'll take your place," said Phillip.
"No. You go and sit with Julia. She's a believer. Maybe praying with you will help."
Phillip got up and went to sit by Julia's side. He took her hand in his and started praying. She squeezed his hand tight. Tighter as the level of pain increased.
Two figures looked in on them. It was Naomi and Eddie. "This is unbearable," said Naomi."
"We're going to the hospital," Decided Eddie on the spot. "We'll try and see if maybe there are some pain killers or something left." He said. "We can't just let her suffer like that. We'll be as quick as we can."
Phillip just nodded and continued squeezing her hand and praying.
They turned to leave and saw Andy approaching. "I'm coming with you," he said.
"Okay than. Let's go," Eddie whispered and they left the church heading in the hospital's direction. The maps they had were old and not very accurate. The distraction all around and the heavy snow, didn't do much to help them. They searched for nearly an hour, before they found it, not very far from church actually. Its upper floors collapsed with the years of abandonment. Only the ground floor was still standing, but didn't seem very stable as well.
"Lets split up," said Naomi. "We can cover more ground that way."
"We are not splitting up." Eddie hissed. "Remember what happened last time we did that? We lost five people. What if there are demons in here, or some other evil forms? No. We stay together. Might take longer but our chances of survival are better."
They started looking around, moving carefully. The ceiling looked like it's going to come down any minute. They found a few chests and cabinets and search them therally. They found nothing. Going on with the search Naomi suddenly realized Andy is missing. "Andy?" she called out. "Dam, we told him not to split up."
"Andy," called Eddie as well. Nothing, only silence.
Suddenly they heard a noise and than Andy's voice calling for them. "Guys, come over here. You won't believe what I found."
The two of them rushed in the direction of his voice. "God dam it Andy. You scared us half to death. I told you to stay with us." Eddie yelled.
"Sorry, I just took a wrong corner. But look what I found." He showed them the bag he found. It was full with medicine. Antibiotics, pain killers, sleeping pills, band aids and all kinds of other stuff.
"Oh god," Naomi cheered. "Let's get out of here and get back to church. Wouldn't want to tempt faith and our good fortune."
As if reading their minds the three of them heard strange noises, and as they looked around, saw they were surrounded. Two demons were running towards them from each side. Andy put his hands in his pockets and collecting some salt he had put in them earlier, he threw it at two demons. Naomi took out two bottles of holy water she had and, threw them to another side, while Eddie took out his gun and started shooting. The demons retreated for a few seconds, giving Naomi time to pick up the medicine bag they found, and than run following Eddie to the entrance to get out. Eddie turned around, only to see Andy being grabbed and pulled back into the hospital. They heard him scream, and Naomi made a move towards him, only to be grabbed by Eddie.
"We have to help him," she cried out.
The abrupt silence said it all.
"It's too late," Eddie whispered holding on to her. "He's gone." He grabbed her hand and they started running as fast as they could through the snow back to church. They heard someone running after them, so they picked up the pace, not even looking back. Knowing the direction of the church, they arrived at it in twenty minutes. Both rushed in and called the others to lock all doors and windows.
"What happened?" Asked Sean after he and the others made sure the doors and windows are secured.
"We were attacked by demons in the hospital," answered Eddie. "We lost Andy," he said. "Demons got him."
"Dam," said Sean. He looked at Naomi and saw the medicine bag in her hands. Taking it out of her hands, he kissed her cheek and said, "Thanks." He looked at Eddie and added "To both of you."
They nodded and Eddie pulled Naomi to him and hugged her. She pushed him away.
"There was nothing we could do," he said. There were too many of them."
She looked up at him and collapsed crying into his arms. He pushed her to the farthest part of the church, away from the others. He hugged her tight, whispering, "Naomi please, if Julia hears you crying, she'll know something is wrong. She needs to be calm for tonight."
Naomi just nodded and sat down on one of the still standing benches of the church, Eddie sited himself next to her.
"Phillip," said Sean as he approached the priest and his sister. "Look what the guys found," he said handing him the medicine bag.
Phillip opened it and awed. "Good god," he whispered, than took out a syringe and a small vile of morphine. He injected Julia the drug saying, "this will help you my sweet child."
Julia opened her eyes and looked at Sean. "Who did we lose?" she asked him.
"Andy," he replied not surprised she knew.
"Phillip and I will say a prayer for him," she whispered. She closed her eyes and began to pray Phillip doing the same. "Wake me up by five PM," she told Sean feeling the drug work the pain away.
They've been working all day. When Eddie and Naomi returned, everyone took a moment of silence to pray for Andy's soul and than continued working. The men worked on building the little ramp and the door frame Julia asked for, saying, they have to contain the portal's size, so it will not grow and maybe pull in unwanted elements as she called them. They drew the signs she asked them to on the door frame.
The closer it gut to five PM, the louder the noise of the demons outside grew. Everyone tried their best to ignore it, but it was almost impossible.
Refreshed from her free pain sleep, Julia woke as soon as Sean's hand touched her. Claire came in with a small bawl filled with warm water and helped Julia wash her face and hands. "Are you ready?" she asked her.
"We still have a few hours." Julia answered. "I'll be ready when the time comes."
When Claire left, Julia pressed her palms together and whispered a few incantations. Suddenly the demonic sounds disappeared. When Sean came in to help her out of their sleeping area and join the others he asked, "Are you responsible for this sudden silence?"
She just smiled.
"I thought we agreed you wouldn't use your powers unless it is absolutely necessary. You need your strength," he whispered.
She just smiled again. "Let's have Christmas eve dinner," she said when they were with the others.
Donny found some wine in the church, and the girls cooked what was left of their food on the fire. And they all sat down around a small table and celebrated Christmas as if there's nothing wrong with the world. When Julia suddenly said "It's time," they were all surprised to see it was almost eleven PM.
"So have you decided who is going through the portal to get Derek?" someone asked.
"I'm going," said Sean.
"No, you are not," she answered. "Phillip? I wish you to go through. Derek knows you. He'll trust you. He will not trust someone he doesn't know."
"Than I'll go, Julia." Said Phillip.
"You will only have sixty seconds to go back and forth Phillip. You have to get to Derek before the house explodes."
"I'll make it," he said. "I will not fail you Julia."
She smiled and reached for him. He came closer took her palms in his hands and kissed them. "I will not fail you," he promised again.
"Stand by the frame Phillip," she instructed him and he did so.
She sat in front of it and started chanting.
"Hear me, hear me," she said. "It is on this day, Christmas Eve that I ask this portal to open to a time long past. A time of great loss that must be corrected. A time of the loss of an innocent. It was not his time or place to die. I beg the powers that be, hear me now. In god's name and the power of light."
"In nomine domine," said Phillip just as she instructed him earlier.
"Hear me pray, hear me speak," continued Julia. "In god's name so it will be done."
A light flickered in the middle of the door frame and as Julia continued to chant so it grew as well. "It's working" whispered Sean.
"Open the door to this forgotten time. Thirty three years have now since gone. It is this moment in time we wish to recap. It is this moment in time we need to extract."
The light grew and soon it filled the frame. "It looks like…"
"Crystal," finished Julia Phillip's words. "You can go through now Phillip, and hurry. You've only got sixty seconds."
Phillip put his hand through and then went completely in disappearing from sight.
7
