Chapter 35
John had scoured every destination in mind and from Henry's list. In just a few hours he had traveled the four corners of the world. Acute hours of jumping here and there, near and far hoping for a fleeting glimpse. A clue bearing the smallest lead to where they may had gone. He had searched through humid rainforests and corner streets occupied by Folding Men. A warehouse that was once temporary housing for one giant ant humanoid was also empty of their presence as was the one he had confronted Ashley for the first time. John even teleported into Helen's research submarine to look for them. No destination was too far to travel, or too odd to look through. The ancient crypts in Scotland were all but an evening snowy venture, barren. Winter had stripped the branches bare leaving its environment to wash out any color of life. The landscape fit the aura of it perfectly and his mood. John didn't like feeling so damn helpless. Not like this. With such a powerful gift it still wasn't enough to bring his family home. But he never gave into thinking the worst. He pressed on. Desperately calling out their names, teleporting all around the Celtic island. Like he had done the world. Where could they be, he wished he knew.
He would continue to search. Yes, every step, every jump there is still hope though he was feeling sleep deprived now, exhaustion haunting. Almost begging him to stop. Teleporting had never been done on this magnitude before. He needed to rest. Just needed to take a breather and think.
Normandy was usually much colder than Old City this time of year.
But not tonight. The open shoreline John was walking along was calm and without its harsh wind or bone icy chill. Only a graceful wafty breeze blowing off the Western Atlantic coast. It was of course cold, but not uncomfortable.
John breathed against the inner lining of his black wool collar and watched his warm breath carry in the moonlight. His fashionable knee length wool coat was buttoned to the collar line. Each deep pocket was filled with a gloved hand as he slowly strolled the frozen sandy tundra. His chin and half his face tucked comfortably beneath its knitted lamb's wool.
The stars against the darkened ether were so intense—twinkling their fiery white lifelines across the expanse of time. John breathed out again raising his light eyes to the sky. The heavenly stars seemed too close for reality—as if he could reach up and take one spirited light to cradle caringly into his hands. Gravity rolled in the crashing waves that kissed the corners of his leather booted soles. A few seconds later the tide pulled back in a waterly lap taking the encroaching wash with it. Like a silvery mirror the water reflected a thin shiny veil even with the partial moon peeking above the distant unseen horizon that seemed to stretch on forever.
He and Helen had taken many walks along this very beach during their time in seclusion. Having lived through World Wars and seeing its mindless fury, it was a nice reminder to come back to it and take appreciation for having survived through it. Twice. Helen had talked about Ashley more when they were here. Their journeys together. Small mother and daughter moments when Ashley was growing up. The more she spoke about her past as a mother the more he realized it was Ashley that kept her grounded through the chaos of Sanctuary life. Why she spoke more of those moments here, he didn't know why. Maybe it represented something to her? Or maybe being in the presence of so much death and suffering opened her heart to what really mattered the most to her.
The unending love for her daughter.
Helen could barely make out her daughter's almost hidden shadow fading in and out around her. In silence she watched Ashley strategically making her rounds again taking up a small patrol along the tall gray walls surrounding them. She wouldn't go far, only scouting out every uneven surface of concrete in search of a weak point for any means of escape. Ashley followed every crevice and shady discoloration embedded within the concrete walls. Every now and again as Helen sat idle with her bundle of electronic wires in her lap, she would hear her groan in agitation then resume her route circling again the small circumference around their location. It made her smile.
The offset glow from the iPhone undoubtedly only giving her a small lit area to work with but her daughter stayed focused on her patrolling path of possible leads to freedom. Ever the constant, battle ready warrior that was Ashley Magnus.
Helen momentarily returned her attention back to the coiled wires between her fingers. Any attempt to ignite some sort of spark had failed. At best she'd believed she had a chance to open the elevator doors by means of forced entry. Energy like electricity can sometimes be stored along the circuit boards. Sort of like dormant genes waiting to turn on. But she had attached every end of each colored wire back and forth then back again into the circuit board. Perhaps it was time for a Plan B. Hope and wait for John to find them. At least that was Helen's plan. Knowing her daughter she wouldn't be surprised if she began chiseling out a tunnel with the broken piece of chair metal.
Helen sighed an exasperated hiss letting twisted wires bunch into her fisted hands. God this would have been a lot less trying if Henry was here. Backup power sources were a given and mandatory on his check list of Foss gadgets. She leaned her shoulders back to rest her head onto the cold titanium behind her.
"Oi," came the British lilt of self-defeat.
Ashley paused her patrolling rotation for a brief moment, stopping in front of the chair. Hearing her mother's protested annoyance she guessed the inevitable Magnus plan had failed. She had been wondering how long it was going to take her to end the wiring prospect of escape. With her back to her mother she still felt her mother's eyes watching over her. Like they had been since they arrived here. It made her smile.
"Mom, I know what you're thinking," she murmured just loud enough to let her voice carry.
"Hm," Helen replied tossing her bundle of colored wires down to rest on her crossed ankles. If there was any chance of that Helen reminded herself again, three years would have made any stored energy inert. But it helped pass the time and made her feel like she was contributing part of a plan to get them out while all along trying to reframe from the little voice in her head that was Nikola Tesla; telling her that 'those tiny wires are useless without him and his magnanimous gift'. She could almost see him grinning wildly with hands on his hips protesting her attempts without him.
Releasing a small quick sigh she wiped off her palms along her knees to clean off the grit from unraveling dusty old wires and took to her feet. "What am I thinking," she smiled softly taking her first steps, waving the iPhone's light up towards Ashley as she neared her.
Ashley turned slowly and leaned back into the arm rest portion of the chair. Facing into the light she blinked her tired eyes, squinting them slightly closed then batted away the small light as if it was a tangible force. "You're thinking I am going to disappear on you again."
"Ah," mused Helen in an agreeing nod as she placed down her iPhone onto the seat of the black chair. Taking a stand next to her she folded her arms across her chest and gently leaned into her left shoulder. "The thought has crossed my mind."
"And you're wondering how we will find you if that happens? If only I make it out and find a way to contact everyone."
Helen wanted to reassure her that even though an unknown amount of miles separated them from their Sanctuary home, their extended family is working out possible solutions. "I have all the faith that the boys are searching for us now..." she answered not taking her eyes off her as Ashley stared hard at the elevator doors. "That they have put together some sort of search plan. No doubt Henry is the ring leader of such an effort."
Ashley blinked hard fighting against her lazy eyes. "But what if I lose it? Go all loopy on you again?"
"If it makes you feel any better we'll just stay close. If you have another episode I'll be right here with you," she said softly.
Ashley tried her best to down play her reaction without sounding condescending. "Right. Looks like I got a fast car without cruise control. Peachy."
Helen couldn't help but snort a laugh. As did Ashley. She unfolded her arms and stepped aside to face her daughter. Ashley eyed her expecting some long drawn out speech. Just like the times before she would go hunt down some weird Abnormal creature prowling through sewers or during her mid night Silvio weapons deal. A mother's loving advice she guessed—the forever protective force in her life. It used to bother her growing up. Her mother seemed to have a pulse on her wherever she would roam. It created a rebellious side to her. A craving for freedom which is why she loved her bike so much. It was like having wings and at times during her upbringing she felt like her mother's overbearing nature would only clip them. Funny how youth perceives the bonds of motherhood.
But she was Helen Magnus' daughter with the determination and willful nature that was so inherent. And yet, for some reason Ashley didn't protest with an eye roll or through an aggravated sigh. She let that inner defensive wall crumble down. She wasn't that little rebellious girl anymore. Well, she was still Ashley Magnus but the last few days of her life; days that were linked along the bands of time, suddenly made her aware of the delicate balance of her life that had been weaved so carefully between centuries of hope. She was still coming to grips with that. And her immediate gift of immortality.
As she followed her mother's hovering gaze carefully looking over her face she noticed they looked different. Her blue eyes seemed more heavy. Perhaps with empathy. But she wasn't sure.
"You will learn," she encouraged honestly keeping her voice easy. "John is a testament to his gift. As is Nikola, as was James and Nigel."
Ashley was so preoccupied with their situation she hadn't even noticed Helen's past tense when speaking about James.
Ashley was quiet for a moment as she lowered her eyes thinking about the Vampire that had made everything possible. Seconds later she looked back to her mother. "Nikola. Oh yeah, our Mr. Button pusher to your Back to the Future device," she smiled. "Remind me to hug that skinny man next time I see him."
Helen offered an endearing nod. She would never forget what Nikola had done. Nor let him forget it either.
"But maybe the guys won't have to wait much longer," Ashley said obviously enthralled about something.
Helen's eyes focused harder on Ashley's expression and immediately noticed the glimmering spark in her daughter's blue eyes, the— 'I know something you don't know' look. Helen flashed an inquisitive smile. She could tell Ashley was inwardly impatient, almost mirroring a youthful face; one that was seconds away from revealing she had broken something fragile, old or massively large. She had something important to tell her.
Ashley parted her lips into a grin and paused before she spoke, slacking her jaw in her proud realization. Helen bit down on the corner of her lip in attempts to not let out a building giggle. The youthful smile gracing her daughter's face changed slightly to reflect innocence in excitement. One similar to her most favorite, most precious facial tick Ashley would give her when she was very young. The, 'I made something for you or I have a surprise for you' grin.
Ashley flushed a proud grin with cheeks wide. "Goosebumps."
"Goosebumps?"
Helen watched her blue eyes dance with life as if they were filled with pages upon pages of stories to tell. Again, it was a kind reminder of the early days in Ashley's life when she would literally bounce on her little toes wanting to share her experience of a fascinating event that occurred while feeding or taking care of one of the docile Abnormals in their care.
Ashley continued. "It's happened every time I teleported and didn't realize it until now. Goosebumps," she smiled once more with the recognized sensation. "I get them after I teleport and even before."
Helen immediately went into scientist mode, calculating why this could be happening. It didn't take long for her to theorize a reason. Being a member of The Five and studying both Nikola's exploits and John's reaction to the Source Blood; she surmised the most plausible cause. "It may be some sort of release of the static charge that accompanies the teleport. We still don't understand the varying physics that cause such a transfer of atoms to a dematerialized state. But it could well be an electrical surge of sorts."
"I knew you would say that," Ashley stated raising her left arm to study the skin on her forearm intently. Blue eyes detailed the length of her exposed skin from the edge of her white scrub sleeve down to her fingers. "And most of the time I get some sort of flashback before the teleport. It happened with Gregory and back at home. But not every time like when I jumped into the past."
"I think that the more you start to remember the less the flashbacks will cause your unstable teleporting. But we'll find a way to manage it," Helen reassured her. "I will get Henry to create a tracking bracelet for you to wear. That way we'll have a location on you if this happens again."
Ashley rolled her fingers along her knuckles and closed her hand in a loose fist. "Tracking bracelet huh."
"Ah, but Henry is a master craftsman," Helen added. "I'm sure he can make it stylish."
Ashley glanced down to her pale wrist and imagined what the tracking device would look like. "Has to be black or red. If it's pinky pink I'm chaining him into the SHU."
Helen gave a soft squeeze to her shoulder as they giggled in unison. She then turned and reached for the still glowing iPhone behind them. "There might be a small chink in the armor for such a plan." Helen sidestepped around Ashley to push herself up to sit on the edge of the chair. "Henry has control now."
A sutured eyebrow rose. Ashley turned to completely face her mother. "What," she asked excited at the possible truth of Henry finally gaining control of his Abnormal abilities. "My Henry overcoming the big bad inner wolf!"
"He sure did. We even discovered more HAPS. In England no less," she voiced with much enthusiasm. "But I know there is so much he wants to tell you. I'll leave the rest for Henry."
"Seriously! Holy crap that's awesome!" Even in the dark light Helen saw her daughter's bright eyes beam with sibling pride. "What's next?" She countered just as quick as her first response. "Let me guess? Henry has a girlfriend too?" Ashley giggled humorously at her own quip. If she only knew.
"As I said Henry has much to tell you. I have no doubt the two of you will be locked in conversation for weeks to come once we get back home. It may well become impossible to pry you two away from each other. We all have so much to share with you," she ended smiling. She just couldn't wait for Ashley to learn of her new Sanctuary and the decades filled with meticulous planning to hold its wonders, beauty, and the sacred secrets hidden within its walls.
"Here," Helen encouraged with a light tug at Ashley's wrist. "Take a load off, up you go."
Ashley hesitated for just a brief second then agreed to rest her legs. She had been on her feet for quite a while. "Sounds like a plan," she grunted as Helen helped her to sit up beside her.
"Careful," Helen noted as Ashley gingerly slid sideways into the back rest. She could see Ashley's grimacing, obviously still hurting from their fall from midair.
Huffiing through a little smile Ashley sighed, "Ah it's nothing. Me and Henry used to sling climbing rope around the entry chandelier and swing down from the top of the stairs. I've busted my butt more times than I can remember. This is a cake walk." Keeping a smile she pulled in her knees sideways to fit comfortably. Once she relaxed she exhaled a laugh letting her arm fall to her lap. "By the way, welcome to the love seat from hell."
"You took the words right out of my mouth," Helen agreed as she too laughed. She loved Ashley's comical spirit which had been so apparant in her youth. Even before Ashley could mutter her first words there had been this intuitive nature that she possessed. Laughter in the Sanctuary had been a blessing between them both. And it was also her daughter's giggles that was missed so much.
Ashley wrinkled her nose. "Seriously mom? Why did we believe we could open those elevator doors?"
Helen smirked cheekily as her lips lifted the corner of her mouth. "I was betting on luck"
"Luck," Ashley giggled nonchalantly leaning her head back into the chair. This was going to be fun she thought. "When have you ever bet on anything." It was an innocent question.
Helen raised her eyes to her question. "Horses."
Ashley returned a curious glare, confused. "Horses?"
Helen smiled as she admitted her once occasional pastime. "It's true."
"Why have I never heard of this?"
"It was ages ago. John and I would bet on the races back when we lived in London." She paused. Then spoke again. "The first time around," she laughed. After all; they had lived through history twice. "Every Saturday morning at the Chelsea racing track. It was during our courtship days."
"Courtship? Oh that's epic," Ashley told her jokingly rolling her eyes. "Why can't you just say dating."
Helen mused at her daughter's jovial attitude. "It was the 1800s," she defended warmly, "dating wasn't really a modernized word of the time. John had to call on me; by coming to the door to ask permission from my father. I always stood behind the door listening, watching John fidget. It was monumental."
"Ha! I would have paid big money to see that." Ashley spoke through a wave of giggles. "Gregory must have had him squirming in his pants."
"My father was veryintimidating. He was a very gifted surgeon of his time. One of the best. Not to mention his overprotective nature over me."
"I always wondered where you got that from." Ashley replied in a low voice flashing a goofy smile.
"Ah, well my father wanted to know every detail of our plans for an outing. He would greet John at the door, allow him entrance and offer him a cup of tea. I would stand just outside the door watching my father play at John's nerves."
Even in the low light from the iPhone Ashley could see the love pouring from her mother's blue eyes. She really had never stopped loving John Druitt.
"So how long did it take for Gregory to actually trust dad?"
A slight shrug lifted Helen's shoulders. "To this day I don't think he really ever did. John and I had our ways of outsmarting him. So we thought. We didn't always arrive at our promised destinations."
"The apple doesn't fall far from the tree huh." Ashley hinted. "Remember when I first got my bike? I would tell you that I would be meeting Silvio for like updates on tech stuff and new weaponry?"
Helen knowingly smiled "I do."
"Yeah, well that wasn't always true," Ashley admitted with a trace of self-guilt.
"Ashley Emilie Magnus. I'm shocked." It was Helen's best attempt at pretending this was new knowledge.
Ashley raised her eyes. "You knew?"
Helen gave a gentle tap to Ashley's knee. "I'm your mother. It was my duty to know where you were. At all times."
"But. How?"
"Henry would follow you."
"You had Henry on babysitting duty," she asked. Surprised.
"I knew from the moment you were born, if you were anything like me. I'd have my hands full."
Ashley looked away shaking her head. "Wow. I'm embarrassed."
Helen couldn't stop smiling. "Don't be. Just look at Henry as being your back-up."
"Back-up? Aw man," Ashley protested. "I never dated bad guys. I could always take care of myself."
"Henry and I just wanted to make sure you were safe. Comes with the territory. You are my only child and Henry is your big brother in a sense."
"Yeah and after my boyfriends met him I really never saw them again. That's why I had secret dates. Jeez I can barely count the number of guys I've dated on one hand because of that. God I'm gonna kill Henry."
Helen raised her shoulders in an innocent shrug.
"It wasn't like I was going to elope or anything. I'd just take my boyfriend up to Dead Bridge. That was the cool thing back then. Seriously? You had Henry after me for just that."
Helen shook her head again giggling, "Ashley, as long as I knew you were safe I could go about my work without worrying about you."
"So that's why you were always up whenever I got home. Like at 3am? I thought you were just working. You were waiting on me?"
Helen bit at the corner of her lip. "Could you blame me?"
Ashley didn't know whether to laugh or not. So she turned her attention back to Henry. "That doesn't mean I will let Henry get off scot free. Man when I see him again I am going to ring his neck Homer Simpson style. He never told me he was on stalker duty."
"Did you know he would bring a taser with him?"
A tilt of her head forward Ashley glared her annoyance at Henry's preparedness. It was almost corny. "Good lord. He was that worried?"
Helen counterd in Henry's brotherly defense. "He was just that protective over you."
Ashley let that simple thought settle deeper into her heart. Knowing him he must have never let her out of his sights. Knowing now that he had always been close by, warmed her heart even more. "Aw crap," she admitted softly. "Maybe I should let him off easy."
"Your call."
Ashley thought for a second. Too many variables. "The jury is still out on that. If I find out he had binoculars, all bets are off."
Helen laughed at the image of younger Henry blinking through a pair of binoculars from inside the van from a neighboring street.
"Jeez mom, knowing him he probably had some freaking self-created Foss man telescope."
Laughter ignited again and Ashley thought for a split second that her mother was going to giggle her way off the chair. She couldn't remember seeing her mother laugh so hard. Or mayber she could? Biggie had once found himself locked out of the Sanctuary. Naked.
Helen would never admit how much fun she was having right now. Both of them smarting off as if they had never lived a day without each other.
When Helen finally found her breath she continued on Henry's behalf. "He is quite resourceful you know."
"Henry's hard core," Ashley said keeping her hand over her stomach as she tried to gain her breaths from laughing so hard. "I wouldn't put in past him."
Beep. Beep.
Beep. Beep.
"Bloody ages!"
Ashley's focus fell to the IPhone as it beeped a warning sound. "Crap! Battery is dying."
As soon as she let her last words trail off into silence a flash of white burned deep behind her eyes. As if tiny piercing needles were stabbing just out of reach. Opening her eyes again to the dark room she found it lit, like a dimly lit bulb had turned on exposing most of the vacant basement. Edges of the chair flickered in gray light as did the ashen floor beneath them. Her eyes surveyed her surroundings as silvery shadows pulsated within the dark. What had been dark. All was eerily lighted in a way that was now so unnatural. She rolled on her side off the chair and then stood to face her mother.
Helen drew in a nearly breathless gasp and dropped the phone to the cold floor launching the battery and back casing to scatter.
Complete darkness.
Ashley stepped back hearing her mother's breaths beat heavily. She wasn't quite sure what had caused her mother's reaction but she guessed it had all to do with her. She brushed her fingers over her eyes again, more diligent this time making them water heavily. In confusion Ashley called out to her. "Ah, mom."
"Ashley," came the submissive whisper. Ashley immediately didn't like the tone her mother was using. Too much fear was heard in her name. She curled her injured arm inward and took another step back, blinking her eyelids closed then opening them once more and squinted slightly.
Helen had already slumped down from the chair to take hold of her daughter's forearm. Was it a defensive measure to have the upper hand if Ashley went Cabal on her? Ashley tried to pull away slowly but fingers slid down around her small wrist. Ashley locked eyes with her mother finding them as wide as she'd ever seen them. Something wasn't quite right.
"Do you know who I am," asked Helen in the most fragile of voices. Quietly. In the barely spoken voice.
What a weird question. Why on earth was she asking her this. The thought started to make her even more uneasy. Seeing the sense of distant sorrow in her mother's face she let her arm fall to her side slowly. Helen kept hold to her and she wasn't about to let go. Ashley didn't move, she only wanted to assure her that she was no threat for whatever reason her mother believed.
"Um, why are you asking me that? You're scaring me."
Helen was motionless as a statue afraid of releasing her hold on her daughter. Could this be another potential adverse effect of teleporting or something else. Carefully she asked again. Guarded in her words. "Please just answer the question..."
Ashley didn't hesitate and exhausted her reply rather loudly to make it very clear she was still in control. Helen heard the aching desperation to prove herself the moment she spoke her first words. "You are my mother! Born in England. You time traveled to the past and created a kickass invention and saved me. And we are currently residing in the biggest dump in history! Not to mention I really wish I had a pair of ruby red slippers so I can tap our way back home!"
Helen only kept still in lingering silence watching Ashley give her a slow nod ending her words. Helen tried to speak but words failed.
"Mom!" Ashley yelled in a forceful plea breaking her from her apparent shock. "What's going on?"
Fragile seconds felt like minutes and Helen found herself feeling trapped in a moment that held her greatest fear from over three years ago. But this time Ashley was completely lucid and expressing her usual cognitive nature. That very thought kept Helen's heart from sinking deeper. Helen forced a small smile to line her lips hoping that whatever was keeping Ashley in the here and now would not cause her to slip away. They both had come so far.
Searing amber retracted very slowly and pulsed randomly, circling the miniscule edges of Ashley's blackened pupil. A moment later the color encompassed fully around her iris, flickering like a soft flame. "Mom?"
"Your eyes are yellow," came the unsteady whisper and Ashley could feel her mother's hand shaking nervously around her wrist.
"Whaa," came Ashley's shock. Her face became neutral as the words floated in her head. Did she hear the words right? She forced a breath, grappling with a hopeful explaination. She raised her eyes. "Okay, calm down , I'm fine. This just explains why I can see everything."
Suddenly Helen saw her daughter's furious eyes shift her sightline to survey the spaces behind her. Ashley pulled her mother towards her so she could guard her to whatever she was sensing. "What was that," Ashley spatted offensively. Like a vigilante hunter she was ready to pounce. Helen tried to step in front to protect her but Ashley pushed her back. Both of them paused and listened to the dead silence of the facility's underground. Blue and amber eyes peered through the thick expansive blackness. Helen held her breaths, listening to the dripping pipe and its soft echo resonate in the distance. The sound carried but that was all she could make out.
Ashley's eyes seemed to pierce the darkness with its fiery glow. Like a small little light her iris' fickered in the dark. The unnatural glow exposing almost an infantile light source allowing Helen to see the miniscule spaces of her surroundings. Blinking quickly she thought her eyes located multiple shifting shadows near the water tank. It was so hard to make out anything and Helen had to look away from stationary objects just for her peripheral vision to catch all outlining shadows. Especially the ones she believed were standing near the tall testing tank. For a brief moment she felt she was reliving her encounter with the violent palefaces.
Shadows moving. Were they shadows? Or just her eyes playing tricks against the dark?
Helen leveled in a slow breath continuing her blinding glare over towards the water tank. Her eyes had adjusted somewhat to the darkness and she could barely make out pipes lining the walls and the metal grated shapes around the water tank; odd foundations filling the surface of concrete that could misrepresent objects in the darkness. But Helen's awareness was sharp and she continued to scan the large open room in search for any threat.
"I thought, I heard a voice," whispered Ashley as she felt the rhythm of her heartbeats pound hard in her chest.
Warm air hissed into Ashley's ear as Helen whispered low. "Do you feel that.."
"Shhh," Ashley cut her off, hushing her to silence.
Helen froze keeping a firm grip to her daughter's arm. She listened and she too stared out into the hollow darkness. There was a subtle and very faint hum of air encompassing around them. Ashley noticed it too and for a second she thought it was traveling around them. Ashley didn't like that. It was different, unwelcomed and uninvited. It gave her goosebumps.
Goosebumps. At least that part felt familiar. It wasn't the first time she felt the similarities. But with this there was another odd feeling pushing the boundaries into her senses.
"Show yourself," Ashley threatened raising her good arm to a guarded form as she made a tight fist. "I'm so not in the mood for drama today!"
Still no voice answered back in the cold, damp heavy air.
The soft hum of flowing air continued to linger its false melody and Ashley listened closer to the hidden noise. She desperately tried to focus her eyesight on any shifting or contorting bend of light. Chameleons have been known to camouflage their scales to manipulate surrounding environments. This she knew too well. Sewers and creatures. Creatures in sewers. She had walked down this road before—a solo mission she ventured on after their trip into the protected crypts of Scotland.
Soft small thuds, echoed in the obtuse distances of the black room - continued lively drips from an open pipe. Falling drops of water splashed onto the floor but failed to yield anything else of equal recognition. Ashley intently listened for a few more seconds, holding her breath as the repetitive rhythm of the leaky pipe sounded; her pulsing heartbeats so loud now she could feel them ringing in her ears.
Drip thud, beat. Drip thud, beat.
Slowly she tilted her head back closer to her mother's face. She spoke her words slow and calm as she could make them. Helen followed her lead and lowered her head to listen.
"I swear, I heard a woman's voice," Ashley softly whispered.
Helen gripped her fingers tighter around Ashley's wrist in acknowledgement. What the hell could be living down here. The only thing Helen believed it to be was some bastardized remnant of a Cabal experiment gone wrong. Something that has been living down here since the last day John made his presence here.
"There it is again," blurted Ashley in a deep growl of frustration.
Helen felt Ashley shift closer into her, eyes flaming yellow as she pinned her sightline ahead of them. God Helen wished she had a loaded weapon. Better yet, she wished John was here.
Teeth grounded onto her jawline as Ashley felt the surge of a voice speak again; a distant whisper gaining decibals inside her mind.
"Thank you Ashley. Welcome to your rebirth—"
And there it was. She almost could feel the cooling breeze on her face as it tossed her hair wildly under the moonlit night on Easter Island.
"Trust me," Ashley quickly shouted in a promise. But she didn't have time to explain. Ashley stepped back into her mother, turning around to close the smallest of distances between them. Closing her eyes to the impending moment now reassured with a safe arm slung around her mother's shoulders, the last proof of habitation in this place was a brilliant swirl of demateralizing matter. Phasing its delicate gift into a blur of rippling scarlet.
Ashley's only lingering thought as they disappeared from the darkness was, There's no place like home.