Chapter 2 - A Dark Place
By the time Carter made it to his car, after bandaging his hand and grabbing clean clothes and toilietries, he emerged on the front stoop of his apartment complex, clean and comfortable. He'd changed into a button-down blue shirt and blue jeans. He assured his Gamma he'd be there in an hour or so.
The amber streetlight in front of his apartment flickered off and on and gave nearly no visibility. Clouds hung low and threatening, an unusual sight in a dark, moonless, late winter Chicago sky. The wind was wicked and pieces of trash, leaves, and debris could be seen racing down the street as though they had purpose . His freshly combed hair was billowing in the wind.
A bright streak of white lighting sliced across the sky like a zipper followed by a roar of thunder that seemed to shake the Earth beneath his feet. As a fat rain drop exploded on his forehead, the water running down the tip of his long nose, made him shiver. He hurriedly ran to his jeep, zipped up the side window, and headed on his way. Carter plugged his cell phone into his car charger and placed the cellphone in the cupholder. After his lengthy conversation with Gamma his cell battery was nearly dead.
The sudden downpour made seeing the roads almost impossible. Were it not for the lights of the oncoming cars and the frequent streaks of lightning, he would not be able to see at all. As he neared an intersection he saw cars lining up and blue lights flashing in the distance. He wondered if someone had had an accident. The rain was so heavy he decided not to get out and see if there was trouble, instead he turned around on the highway to the honks and dismays of the other vehicles around him and headed towards the back roads that led to the Carter mansion.
The rain had not let up, and the weariness of the past few days was beginning to catch up with him. The cold from his defroster was not doing its job on his window, but was acting more as the sandman; its monotonous drone from the compressor lulling him to sleep. Carter turned on the radio to 93 WXRT..
Now I lay me down to sleep
(Now I lay me down to sleep)
I pray the Lord my soul to keep
(I pray the Lord my soul to keep )
If I die before I wake
(If I die before I wake)
I pray the Lord my soul to take
(I pray the Lord my soul to take)
"C'mon Carter, keep it together." he shook his head. "I can't believe I even refer to my own fool self as Carter. " He looked in the rear view mirror.
" It's Dr. Carter to you." he said aloud and clicked his tongue confidently.
"And you are losing your mind."
"Hush little baby...don't say a word
And nevermind that noise you heard
It's just the beast under your bed
In your closet in you head"
Carter turned the radio up and took the sleeve of his jacket and wiped the fog from his windshield. He reached into his glove compartment to retrieve a towel and was surprised to look up and see a pair of headlights speeding towards him. He swerved away, but not before the car broadsided him. Before a scream could escape his lips he could feel the breath stolen from his chest and a feeling that he was spinning.
"Exit Life
Enter Night
Take my hand
Off to never never land"
For a split second he was flying and then a crack in his skull that travelled the length of his spine pitched him into a world of sudden blackness.
