Chapter 4: Death's Sweet Embrace

Frank ran his fingers over the jagged gushing hole in his chest. He submitted to the inevitability of his death. He'd seen enough chest wounds in his day to know that he was up shit-creek without a paddle. Fighting back the mind numbing agony, he reached into his pocket and pulled out a strip of tasty wintergreen gum. He had always loved gum.

When ever things got mucked up, gum always seemed to center him. He could think of nothing he'd rather have at time like that. Simple pleasures he muttered to himself. Frank found himself calm, not filled with rage, not cursing his horrible luck, not screaming in agony. Knowing your future has a very calming effect on you. He knew he was going to die, and that was all there was to it, no reason to get too pissed off about it. He slid another stick of gum into his mouth, This is definitely a two stick moment he thought to himself. He sat there, enjoying his gum, waiting for the reaper to come. Just before he submitted to the darkness, something distracted him from the relative peace of his death.

Alex walked up and knelt before. He held out a blood soaked hand, she smiled at him. No thanks, maybe later her loss, Frank thought to himself. Alex was holding an extremely old looking book that was bound in some kind of freakish leather. She grabbed Frank by the back of the head and looked at him. Don't die, okay, I just need you to hold out for another 40 seconds or so, can you handle that? Frank nodded. Might as well fulfill this last request, Frank thought. Alex closed her eyes and lowered her head. She was silent for a moment. Frank thought she was praying for him, that made him feel pretty good. Then, something happened that Frank immediately wrote off to pre-death hallucinations. Blinding shafts of light fired out of the floor like geysers of red energy. Frank tilted his head to side slightly. he said.

As Frank watched the air was filled with a swirling mass of small red orbs. The orbs started to spiral in a pattern. The formed a giant whirlwind that pointed directly at the wound in Frank's chest. To Frank's utter disbelief, he felt the orbs entering him. Energy like he had never experienced surged through his body. At that moment he felt like he knew everything, he was everything, he was a majestic eagle soaring on the currents of infinite creation. And then, as abruptly as the feeling appeared, he felt it fade. The agonizing pain in Frank's chest faded with it.

Tentatively, Frank's fingers ran over the spot where he was shot. The wound had disappeared like the memories of a dream. The bullet hole didn't feel as if it had been healed, it felt like more like it had never existed. He ran it through his mind, the shafts of bright red energy, the swirling mass of red orbs, he had been dead, six feet under, just wasting time until the reaper came, and yet, somehow, here he sat, blood coursing through his veins.

He looked up and saw Alex smiling at him. It became too much. Frank, the 25 year veteran of carnage and loss, the man who felt that his heart had been permanently hardened, broke down and cried. He cried like a baby, great heaving sobs that made his chest ache. He curled up in a ball as the emotion flowed out of him like a river. All the joy, all the confusion, the sensation that everything he believed in was a farce, it all came gushing out like some giant crashing tidal wave.
Alex picked him up and took him in a warm embrace. Hey big guy, everything's gonna be all right She felt tears begin to well up in her eyes. Frank sniffled slightly, all of his emotion expended. He broke Alex's embrace and stood up, and tried to collect himself. Alex reached out and patted him on the shoulder. I know this has gotta be tough to understand she said. Frank looked her straight in the eye. What did you do he said earnestly. Well, i healed you Alex said, blushing slightly.

You... brought me back, gave me life? Alex was full on blushing now. She shrugged slightly and nodded. Well then I owe you Frank said. Owe me what?. Everything.... my life Alex was speechless. After a few seconds of heavy silence alex spoke. I guess you wanna know don't you?. Frank looked at her blankly, unsure what she meant. She held out the book. Touch this. Frank still didn't quite understand, but, he trusted her. He reached out and paused for a moment, his finger hanging over the sickly looking surface of the book. Something felt evil about it. He threw caution into the wind and touched it.

The instant his finger grazed the surface he felt 2000 years of disturbing knowledge force it's way into his mind like some renegade rifle round. The cold stark reality came ripping through his psyche like a mac truck. When his eye's opened, he knew. Alex could tell instantly by gazing into his deep brown eyes. Please tell me this is some freakish parlor trick, this can't all be real even as he said it, he knew it was all real, as real as the sun rising or setting. I think you know it's real, we all do.

Just then, Michael walked up, supporting with a very weak looking Dr. Edwin. Michael reached out his hand for Frank. Frank looked at him shocked. I...know.. you.. somehow? Michael cracked a little smile, Spooky isn't it? Frank shook his head in amazement. You should know my slightly damaged friend here as well Frank eyes widen ever further. Dr. Edwin Lindsey, I'll be damned Both Michael, and Dr. Lindsey laughed out loud. Although they couldn't see it. A great darkness formed on the horizon. It coated the unwitting denizens of humanity with a thick sickly membrane of impenetrable blackness. Despite this, A single ray of light shone brightly, The group of chosen grew to meet the impending darkness.