Chapter 4
During that same sleepless night for Simon, many things happened at Antoinette's house. She spent most of the night on the Internet and in chat rooms talking to her friends to see what she could see. She discovered much about Cascade's present condition from many sources: newspapers, websites, books, old friends, and ancient legends. Now, not only did she know what it was, she knew its history, how it came to be, who it was, and how to stop it. Unfortunately, this problem was much more powerful than she had anticipated, no matter what powers she possessed. The only other problem was that all the evidence that she found was circumstantial, not that the police would be of any help to her on her quest. If what was going on was what she thought it was, she was in need of a little help. "Alas," she said to herself aloud, "I'm going to need the mortals' help. I cannot handle this situation on my own."
Suddenly a voice came from out of the shadows and instantly the electricity went out. "And that is a bad thing because?"
Antoinette screamed and went for her sword, but it was not where she had left it.
"Looking for this?" the unfamiliar voice said flashing the weapon in a ray of light. "I just want to talk and become acquainted. I have no plan of doing any harm."
She quickly found her way to the wall in the darkness and grabbed a sword that had once belonged to her aunt. She had no trouble getting around; she knew the place like the back of her hand. "Show yourself! How am I to defend myself? Do you not believe in a fair fight?" Antoinette knew the voice was immortal, she sensed it.
"All's fair in love and war, my dear."
"And this is neither. Please turn on the lights and show yourself. Let this fight be fair. You know the rules."
"All I wanted was to talk, but I can see that such is not welcomed here. I'll now leave you with my message: Do not meddle in my business. My wrath will be more terrific that you have ever seen," the voice said laughing hideously.
Then, as suddenly as the voice came, it disappeared. The electricity came on as soon as the voice left and the person vanished. At the same time her own sword fell to the floor making a clanging sound like silverware falling. She dropped the other and as she knelt to pick up her own sword, she realized that it was a woman's voice. With this threat, Antoinette knew that the culprit that caused all of the turmoil in Cascade was a woman. From nowhere, Antoinette realized the danger for her patient, she screamed "James!" Antoinette immediately ran up the stairs to his room. She fumbled with the keys as she struggled to open the bedroom door. When she finally got in the room, she had found that Jim had turned on the lights and seemed to be wide-awake.
"Are you okay? I heard shouting. I would've come helped but, my door seems to be locked from the outside," Jim said rudely and angrily. Then his tone abruptly changed. "Unfortunately, I forgot my key to the city. Then I surely could have opened the door and come rushing to your aid." He seemed calmer and sweeter. He sounded more upper class because of the words he used and the way he spoke them.
"Why, yes, I'm fine," Antoinette said stuttering and out of breathe. It seemed as though she had not heard everything that he had said because she barely responded. She was frightened for herself and him.
"Fine. Look, I am sorry about the way I acted before, but that is no reason to treat me like this. You and Simon are making me stay, it is not my choice." Jim said sounding like himself. "I am truly sorry. It wasn't right. I forgot who I was. I often lose my temper, but truthfully." he said unusually apologetic, "this place gives me the creeps and a.you kinda do too, but that is no reason to lock me in here. I am not going to hurt you. I'm a cop for Heaven's sake. I'm in the business of saving lives, not taking them," Jim said.
"It is quite all right, everyone is allowed to lash out every once in awhile. You are looking much better. May I have a look?" She wiped off the mask on his arm and it was healing nicely. Antoinette was pleased, but looking at the clock, she realized that it was late. "It is almost dawn and I have been up all night. If you want, you can take another shower or rest up some more, whatever you wish."
"You look like you need the rest more that I do. Lay down," Jim seemed to be moving back and forth from himself to a Casanova working desperately hard to lure her to him.
"The offer is tempting, but there is too much more to be done before this evening." Without warning, their eyes locked and Antoinette was drawn close to his bedside. She sat on the bed as their faces came closer together, but Antoinette quickly pulled away. "No, not now. There is much to prepare for. I am sorry." She quickly got up and left the room locking the door behind her. She went across the hall to her own room and decided that a much-needed shower was in order.
Jim also took another shower. When he got out, he decided to find some clean clothes. He went through the clothes in the closet. He chose a tight, ribbed, navy blue turtle neck with khaki colored, flat front pants and a wide brown belt. He chose a pair of brown dress shoes to finish off the outfit. He then sat in a chair to wait for Antoinette to return.
After Antoinette got out of the shower, she emailed Simon. She knew that he wouldn't be up at dawn so she then laid down and went to sleep.
Just as Antoinette had fallen into a deep sleep, the telephone rang. "Hello, who is this?" she said half asleep and yawning at the same time.
"This is Simon. I just got your email. How is Jim?" Simon asked.
"Honestly, I am not sure. He needs more time to recuperate," she answered.
"You sound tired."
"It has been a very long night and even us immortals need our sleep."
"I understand. How 'bout we meet at 6:00 pm?"
"That would be perfect, Simon."
"Great, then I will see you at six?"
"Yes. Have a good day!"
"Thank you." Simon said finishing the conversation and hung up the phone.
Antoinette went right back to sleep; she was exhausted.
Immediately after getting off the phone, Simon called the impatient Sandburg and told him to meet him at 5:00 pm to go to Antoinette's house.
Jim, the Casanova, slept in that chair for about four hours. When he finally realized that Antoinette was not coming any time soon, his legs and arms began to grow painfully numb, then limp. The rest of his body would soon follow. Jim could not even speak. Then, out of the blue, everything went black. He was lifelessly slumped in that very chair for the rest of the day.
During that same sleepless night for Simon, many things happened at Antoinette's house. She spent most of the night on the Internet and in chat rooms talking to her friends to see what she could see. She discovered much about Cascade's present condition from many sources: newspapers, websites, books, old friends, and ancient legends. Now, not only did she know what it was, she knew its history, how it came to be, who it was, and how to stop it. Unfortunately, this problem was much more powerful than she had anticipated, no matter what powers she possessed. The only other problem was that all the evidence that she found was circumstantial, not that the police would be of any help to her on her quest. If what was going on was what she thought it was, she was in need of a little help. "Alas," she said to herself aloud, "I'm going to need the mortals' help. I cannot handle this situation on my own."
Suddenly a voice came from out of the shadows and instantly the electricity went out. "And that is a bad thing because?"
Antoinette screamed and went for her sword, but it was not where she had left it.
"Looking for this?" the unfamiliar voice said flashing the weapon in a ray of light. "I just want to talk and become acquainted. I have no plan of doing any harm."
She quickly found her way to the wall in the darkness and grabbed a sword that had once belonged to her aunt. She had no trouble getting around; she knew the place like the back of her hand. "Show yourself! How am I to defend myself? Do you not believe in a fair fight?" Antoinette knew the voice was immortal, she sensed it.
"All's fair in love and war, my dear."
"And this is neither. Please turn on the lights and show yourself. Let this fight be fair. You know the rules."
"All I wanted was to talk, but I can see that such is not welcomed here. I'll now leave you with my message: Do not meddle in my business. My wrath will be more terrific that you have ever seen," the voice said laughing hideously.
Then, as suddenly as the voice came, it disappeared. The electricity came on as soon as the voice left and the person vanished. At the same time her own sword fell to the floor making a clanging sound like silverware falling. She dropped the other and as she knelt to pick up her own sword, she realized that it was a woman's voice. With this threat, Antoinette knew that the culprit that caused all of the turmoil in Cascade was a woman. From nowhere, Antoinette realized the danger for her patient, she screamed "James!" Antoinette immediately ran up the stairs to his room. She fumbled with the keys as she struggled to open the bedroom door. When she finally got in the room, she had found that Jim had turned on the lights and seemed to be wide-awake.
"Are you okay? I heard shouting. I would've come helped but, my door seems to be locked from the outside," Jim said rudely and angrily. Then his tone abruptly changed. "Unfortunately, I forgot my key to the city. Then I surely could have opened the door and come rushing to your aid." He seemed calmer and sweeter. He sounded more upper class because of the words he used and the way he spoke them.
"Why, yes, I'm fine," Antoinette said stuttering and out of breathe. It seemed as though she had not heard everything that he had said because she barely responded. She was frightened for herself and him.
"Fine. Look, I am sorry about the way I acted before, but that is no reason to treat me like this. You and Simon are making me stay, it is not my choice." Jim said sounding like himself. "I am truly sorry. It wasn't right. I forgot who I was. I often lose my temper, but truthfully." he said unusually apologetic, "this place gives me the creeps and a.you kinda do too, but that is no reason to lock me in here. I am not going to hurt you. I'm a cop for Heaven's sake. I'm in the business of saving lives, not taking them," Jim said.
"It is quite all right, everyone is allowed to lash out every once in awhile. You are looking much better. May I have a look?" She wiped off the mask on his arm and it was healing nicely. Antoinette was pleased, but looking at the clock, she realized that it was late. "It is almost dawn and I have been up all night. If you want, you can take another shower or rest up some more, whatever you wish."
"You look like you need the rest more that I do. Lay down," Jim seemed to be moving back and forth from himself to a Casanova working desperately hard to lure her to him.
"The offer is tempting, but there is too much more to be done before this evening." Without warning, their eyes locked and Antoinette was drawn close to his bedside. She sat on the bed as their faces came closer together, but Antoinette quickly pulled away. "No, not now. There is much to prepare for. I am sorry." She quickly got up and left the room locking the door behind her. She went across the hall to her own room and decided that a much-needed shower was in order.
Jim also took another shower. When he got out, he decided to find some clean clothes. He went through the clothes in the closet. He chose a tight, ribbed, navy blue turtle neck with khaki colored, flat front pants and a wide brown belt. He chose a pair of brown dress shoes to finish off the outfit. He then sat in a chair to wait for Antoinette to return.
After Antoinette got out of the shower, she emailed Simon. She knew that he wouldn't be up at dawn so she then laid down and went to sleep.
Just as Antoinette had fallen into a deep sleep, the telephone rang. "Hello, who is this?" she said half asleep and yawning at the same time.
"This is Simon. I just got your email. How is Jim?" Simon asked.
"Honestly, I am not sure. He needs more time to recuperate," she answered.
"You sound tired."
"It has been a very long night and even us immortals need our sleep."
"I understand. How 'bout we meet at 6:00 pm?"
"That would be perfect, Simon."
"Great, then I will see you at six?"
"Yes. Have a good day!"
"Thank you." Simon said finishing the conversation and hung up the phone.
Antoinette went right back to sleep; she was exhausted.
Immediately after getting off the phone, Simon called the impatient Sandburg and told him to meet him at 5:00 pm to go to Antoinette's house.
Jim, the Casanova, slept in that chair for about four hours. When he finally realized that Antoinette was not coming any time soon, his legs and arms began to grow painfully numb, then limp. The rest of his body would soon follow. Jim could not even speak. Then, out of the blue, everything went black. He was lifelessly slumped in that very chair for the rest of the day.