The Vampire Diaries and its characters are owned by Julie Plec and the CW.
I was first aware of that something was wrong when all the trees started being ripped up and were flying away like they were being sucked up by a vacuum cleaner or black hole. I thought to myself cryptically. Here we go...
I just stood and watched the show. Nothing really mattered and hadn't for so long, so I might as well sit back and just take things in. Looked to me like the cosmic doodoo had hit the fan with a bang. The fan was letting off sparks and everything.
Yet here I was, standing in a forested area near a town whose name I didn't know, taking it all in. One town was pretty much like another when you saw them with unseeing eyes like I did. Time was immaterial too after a while. When you had been lost as long as I had. When you had been dead. Dead, lost and forgotten. Nothing mattered anymore and hadn't for a long time.
That was when I saw a girl who looked around my age standing there looking at me. She started as a tiny speck and morphed to me. If it wasn't for all the trees getting sucked up and everything outing to the dogs I would of been more impressed, She had pretty curly dark hair and skin with piercing blue eyes. She was wearing something flowing and white. She looked kind of peeved about something. She smiled at me. So she wasn't mad at me. There was that. She also gave off warmth and I had been so cold for so long.
"Who are you?" she asked. Looking at me intrigued and earnestly too as if my answer really interested her.
I honestly didn't know what to say to her. It had been so long since I had spoken to another person or had somebody else speak to me. I saw people all the time but that was through the veil. So I just smiled at her as I struggled to find my voice.
I finally choked out my name, which was Nate.
"I know who you are Nathan." The girl looked even more pissed as she continued. "I know what happened to you. I'm going somewhere where I am going to get my comeuppance with a vengeance. I can't help myself but I think I have enough in me to help you. You can help me too by being my anchor until I am strong enough to help myself. I'll come for you then baby. Until then you can have some fun." she told me with out moving her lips.
There was no need for words between us. We communicated just fine. Images and knowledge flooded my mind, blowing it just like the apple computer blew out in '84 when I was 9.
There was suddenly a scorching coldness that blew at me as everything faded not to black but to white. White Darkness.. Then the pain started coming in waves as I was flayed and fried by coldness to my very bones.
The flash faded and I found that I was in an actual town. An empty ghost town. I just sensed that there was nobody else around. I didn't even hear or see any animals. At least on the Otherside I could watch the animals.
Now there was nothing living except for me. At least near by. Towards the west I heard a guy shouting something that sounded like the word Bunny. So there were other people. But I had been around other people before, it didn't matter when they couldn't see or hear you. I was a ghost, a lonely wandering ghost. Yet here I was breathing and I felt a slight breeze from the east. Was I alive? I wasn't used to interacting with other people. I had so much to take in so I thought I would do it in stages. A guidance counselor had said that once to me. Take it in stages.
So, I just went to a swing in a playground and sat. I guess first I should figure out what I was going to do. I was breathing again so I knew that I wasn't dead anymore. But something told me that I wasn't in the real world either.
It was a beautiful spring day here. Where ever here was. I just sat taking everything in, feeling the sun on my face, as I got used to breathing again. It felt nice to feel the heat of the sun on my face after so long. Gonna be a Silver Spring.
You could be my silver spring
Blue-green colors flashing
I would be your only dream
That was when the Sun went dark. The whole day was gone. Just like that!.. One minute I was whisper singing Silver Springs by Stevie Nicks and then the next.., the Sun was eaten by the Moon.
I looked up and just about blinded myself as the sun started to peek back through. All I saw was blackness with flashes of spots, both red and green which danced on my eyelids. Colors dancing..
I got up out of the swing to run and hide. I was scared that I was blind and what if I wasn't the only person out here. Something in my gut told me I wasn't alone and that someone was near by. My sixth sense told me if that I didn't move it, I would get myself killed again straight off.
That was when I ran in to a guy. Smacked right into his chest. I could feel his heartbeat.
"Help me, I'm blind. I looked up into the Sun because of the Eclipse."
I didn't hear him answer me. Which freaked me out even more. I just felt his arms grip mine and push me away which caused me to almost loose my balance.
I started to scream for help as I struggled very much blindly to regain my balance. I was still blind and for all I knew this guy was nuts.
That was when the guy grabbed my shirt and put his hand over my mouth. He was then taking me somewhere. Hopefully to get help for my eyes. Hopefully...
Next I knew he had me in a chair and put something over my eyes. Something cool and wet.
"It will be fine Baby." That girl again. She was still talking to me. Thank God!
The thing over my eyes was a dishrag. I pulled it away and waited for the blackout to go away so I could see.
The first thing I saw a guy before me of about 20 to 25 tops. He was wearing a military button down over a peach peace sign tee-shirt. Now given everything I later learned about Kai Parker, wearing that peace sign tee-shirt was a real poser move.
"Thank You, for helping me." I said to him straight off. Grandma had taught me manners. I had a Grandma who used to watch me when my folks worked. I was so glad I could remember that. Other memories were flashing in my mind too. Including what the girl had shown me on the Otherside.
"You're Welcome.' The guy said before he continued. "First off, who are you?, and what are you doing here?" Okay lemme think Dude.
"You brought me here into this house. Is it yours?" I answered. Dumb, play dumb and helpless which I pretty much was. Thank good I looked younger then my 16 years.
"No." he answered before continuing. "You don't know where you are do you?"
"No, I don't, where am I?" This was true!
"I don't know either. Now where did you come from? I just knew that this Dude was lying.
I was going to answer him anyways when I heard, 'Do not tell him anything.' That girl again. The one in my mind. Was I going crazy?
It was the girl I met in the Otherside. This guy hadn't heard anything so I could tell that I only heard what she had said. Okay I was nuts. So I said the next thing that came into my head.
"I honestly don't remember where I came from." Which was the truth. I didn't really remember much from before the Otherside. I don't even know how long I had been there. Seemed like an eon.
The guy fired right back with, "Hey, I saw you pause before you answered my question." He took a step towards me which gave me the heebie-Jeebies
"I was trying to think of something less dorky to say because I'm spent. My name is Nathan. I don't remember my last name." I answered suddenly tired as if I had ran a marathon.
"Huh, you really have no memory at all. You do look fried. You wanna crash for a while? Nobody lives here. You can if you want to. Let's start over. My name is Kai, Kai Parker."
"Thank You Kai, I will." I told him so relieved that he was going to be a nice guy about it. I didn't understand why he was suddenly so nice. He still gave me the heebie-jeebies
I must of sat staring up at Kai for about 10 minutes. At first he stared back and looked like he was going to say something, probably something snarky but instead he moved around the house looking at me every once in a white as I sat glued to the chair. Before I knew it I was drifting off to sleep.
I wasn't even aware I was asleep. I was in a Library alone putting books on a shelf. Then I heard someone walking towards me. Slowly inching their way to me and I knew that when they reached me they would kill me. I just did. That is when the black shadow shape person sprung out at me and next thing I knew I was in inky black water floating. I wake up in a cold sweat to find Kai gone, or so it seemed.
It was night out when I woke up. I could feel the cool wind, it was definitely Spring. The whole house was dark. I went to turn on a light and Kai lightly grasped my shoulder. Which nearly caused me to jump out of my skin.
"Watch out Nathan, leave the lights out. We have company and I don't want them to know we are here, okay!?" Kai whispered before he continued.
"Nate, do you know what a Witch is or Vampire is?" I nodded that I did. I grew up watching the Hammer and Universal films.
"Yeah that is what we are dealing with, one of each. We have to be careful as they could really mess us up." Kai told me earnestly.
Suddenly a memory played out in my head. A man with totally metal hair springing at me like a loaded gun. Rows of fangs in his mouth, something cold ripping into my neck. The sound of tearing cotton.
"What is it Nate, you look.." I interrupted Kai.
"Kai, I think I was killed by a couple of Vampires. They abducted me and killed me when I was walking home from work. I was then in this strange place where no one could see or hear me for what it seemed like forever."
Actually it was one Vampire and having seen what I saw from the memory made me really try to not think about that. That was one of the first memories that came back. The one that I would rather had stayed gone. It seems to me that it is only the nice memories we lose. The crappy or bad ones never leave.
"I thought I saw you fade in earlier." Kai confided. "It would seem Nate that you are from the Otherside. You know then that we have to be careful. You see I have a Plan, Nate! I am going to need your help. I think I can take out the Vampire. We are going to need the Witch though if we are going to get out of here. You let me handle her."
'You were following me Kai!' I thought before thinking better of voicing that accusation, so instead I answered, "Okay, I really don't know if I am up for taking on a Witch or a Vampire, Kai as they could easily kill us if what I remember from before is true. In fact a Vampire killed me."
Kai didn't say anything to that. I could feel him looking at me in the dark which kind of unnerved me.
I was glad though that he didn't ask me any questions about what happened to me. Because I would of flat out lied. I would lie to my own Mother about that because it is still, even now, just so terrible, what happened to me that night so long ago. Even thinking about it gave me the shakes. Kai noticed.
"Nate, dude; are you alright? Hey, hey your gonna have to chill. I won't let those freaks get you but you are going to have to trust me. When I say jump your gonna have to jump. Okay!?" Kai told me as he started steering me to lawn chair before thinking better of it and steering me back into the house and to the Livingroom sofa.
I sat there for a bit. Until the shakes passed. Kai just sat and starred at me.
"You have been through the wringer haven't you kid."
"I'm going onto the porch to think." I told Kai after that. I think he wanted me to stay put. But he let me go out.
"Yeah, you do that. Just stay chill, okay. Go look at the Stars. I bet you would like seeing those Nathan. Nate? You mumbled something earlier. Was it?" Kai asked. He then looked out the window towards the streetlight." He looked real antsy as if he would rather be somewhere else the babysitting me.
"I don't remember saying anything. My brain is pretty scrambled ." I told Kai in answer to his question.
"Okay Nate, I have to go see what our said Witch and Vampire are up to. Why don't you hang tight here."
"Be careful Kai." I told him as Kai made his way to the back door in the dark.
I played it safe and sat on the back porch. The stars were out, so lovely. Just like diamonds in the sky. Funny Kai would now I would like seeing them. Although who doesn't like looking at the Stars.
After a while though my mind went blank. So I just sat and tried not think about anything really. Images though from what must of been the school I went to before flashed in my head. But those seemed like they were memories that belonged to someone else. Even though I knew deep down that they were mine. Still they were really strange and foreign just the same. I let my mind drift over them. If these were my memories then I had a really crappy High School life. Like John Cusack in Better Off Dead or Cory Haim in Lucas. But I was a Sophmore, maybe Junior?
"Hey are you alright." Kai asked suddenly shaking me which nearly caused me to jump out of my skin. I put up my arms to protect my face.
"Nate, it's me Kai. I didn't mean to scare you. Kai said standing looking down at me as I sat on a lawn chair. He had a smirk on but he grew serious after I put my arms up. I saw that much.
It was dawn by now. I must of dozed off or spaced completely out of it.
'What time is it Kai?' my voice sounded so raspy and old to me. A stranger's voice.
"Just after 6;30 in the am." Kai said by way of reply.
"Thanks Kai. I didn't mean to fall asleep out here. Sorry. So what is the plan today?" I was still in the deck chair in back. Same position as last night.
"Well we can lie low which would probably be best as your showing up Nate has really thrown a monkey wrench into my agenda. Still it is nice to have company. Why don't you lie low and let me finish up my plan." Kai told me as he began to go in the back door.
"Sounds fine to me Kai. I guess I am still finding my feet." I was curious in what his plan was so I added.
"Kai what is your plan? What are you going to do about the Witch and the Vampire?" I called to him through the back door.
"Don't worry Nate, you just relax and let me deal with those two. I've had my eye on them for quite a while. Long enough to see that they are pretty vicious. I'll let you know if I need any help.' Kai told me through the back door before turning and going into the kitchen.
I just shrugged and followed him in. Kai looked at me from the fridge.
"So Nate do you cook? I can cook you up some bacon and eggs if you want?' Kai offered as he moved to the stove.
'Would you? That would be great! Thank You Kai! I really appreciate all your help.' I smiled, which felt so strange as I didn't remember the last time I had smiled. I hoped I still remembered how to, that my smile didn't look all cockeyed or strange.
"You alright, you look a bit peeked Nate?' Kai asked suddenly serious.
'Yeah I just don't remember the last time I was happy about something Kai?'
'No worries Dude. I've had days like that too.' Kai said as he turned on the stove. He still kept a weary eye on me though.
"Sorry I am not much company Kai." I felt compelled to offer up. I could tell that I was being a real drag.
'Sometimes I'm not fit to be around either Nate. I can understand. So, has your memory came back at all?"
"No. just bits and pieces. It is a real jangled mess in my head right now." I replied sitting down at the kitchen table.
'Maybe you just need some food in you. When is the last time you ate?' He asked reaching for a pan as he did so.
'I honestly don't know Kai.'
'I'll fix you some eggs then?' Kai told me with a smile. His eyes weren't smiling though. they were well, like like Charles Manson. Now who was Charles Manson?
Looking at Kai as he cooked I thought that from the tone of his voice just a bit earlier that I was really starting to be a pain. Which was a valid response I guess when dealing with someone with a shoddy memory, someone who was an emotional mess. A person, who couldn't even recall when they ate last.
Thanks Kai, that will be fine. I like them scrambled, please.' I added smiling at him. Kai grinned back at me as he cooked but it didn't reach his eyes. Still it never did with him, that was just Kai.
Suddenly the smell of eggs cooking reminded me of...Mom.. Just then the image of a woman with faded blond silvery hair in her 40's swam before my eyes. She wore big circled glasses. She had to wear them to drive as she was near sighted. She has shiny hazel eyes. Not like mine.
'Hey dude, what wrong?' Kai was suddenly inches away from me. He looked horrified.
I was crying. I had a Mom and that I would probably never see her again. I wonder if she ever found out what happened to me when I didn't come home from work. From smiling to tears. I couldn't remember the last time I had cried or smiled before. Not since I don't know when.
'My.. Mom...' I could only say to Kai. What was there to say. I just leaned my head into the table as the eggs began to burn.
'Shit! Your eggs are burning Nate! Damnit!'
'I'm sorry, here let me help you Kai. I am so sorry.' I repeated like the class dunce. I just sounded so hokey to myself even.
No, sit down. I got it. Nate, I said sit down! NOW!" Kai said in a steeled voice that meant business before he continued in that same cold and steely voice.
"I really don't need this you know Nate, NOT when I am so close. I really don't! Kai was suddenly furious. It was a cold fury too. He looked like he wanted to... bash my head in.
I sat quiet as a mouse or a deer caught in headlights. Frozen. Kai was pretty scary when he got mad. When he was angry.
"The next time Nate I tell you to do something, you had better do it! You could get killed or worse, get me killed. As I said before I really don't need this hassle."
I was still frozen in the blast of Kai's cool down from his rage. A thousand rebuttals formed in my mind but I seemed be missing my tongue.
What is both hot and cold? Rage! Curse my random thoughts..
After Kai was done spewing, nether of us spoke for a while.
Kai soon left after giving me a look. I also went out. Kai hadn't ordered me to stay put after all. Well he had but Kai kind of scared me. Maybe it was best I avoided Kai.
I remembered that there where no animals to watch. Here it was nothing but silence. So I watched the clouds. Next thing I knew I was following one. It looked like a ship. A Pirate's Gallion in full sail. It was pretty epic.
I had gotten to the corner of the street when I felt that I was being followed. I turned to confront who ever it was only to see Kai.
"What are you doing out here Nate?" Kai asked me, clearly tense.
"Kai know I am a royal pain, I don't want to slow you down. I just feel so lost and confused." I told him. Something told me that I was just used to wondering from being on the Otherside.
Kai took a good long look at me before he spoke.
"Nate, I'm sorry I was angry earlier. I have a lot on my mind. You will just have to take my word for it that I know what is best. I know that you have been through a lot. You don't know how dangerous those two can be. How manipulative. I need you to go back to the house."
The Witch and the Vampire. Seems to me that Kai wanted them to think that they were alone here. Which made sense but some feeling in my gut didn't jive right with what Kai was telling me.
"Oh." What else could I say though. That is when we heard shouting. Sounded like a married couple bickering to me. That was them.
"Is that them, Kai? What are their names?" What were their names? The Witch and the Vampire who shared this place with Kai and me. They didn't sound dangerous. They had issues communicating, yes; but Kai and I did as well.
Kai didn't answer me at first. He just picked me up in his arms and carried me to the nearest house. He kicked open the door and slapped me down on the sofa.
"Their names are Death to us both. Stay put and stay quiet, Nate." Kai took off out of the door after saying that. Leaving me in that silent living room. Now that freaked me out. When Kai got mad, he got really frightening.
Kai had closed the door when he left. I looked at my surroundings. It was a working class two story house, probably built in the 1890's. It was in good repair for being about 100 years old. Upstairs with two small bedrooms that belonged to a lady and her daughter. The daughter was a teenager.
She had a few cassettes in a neon yellow zip-up case and a Walkman. I had one of those too. Some of the bands she listened to I had never heard of. I tried Pearl Jam, they were okay. The lead singer sure was pissed about something to do with a kid named Jeremy. The girl also had a Cyndi Lauper Cassette. I played All Through The Night on the girl's Walkman.
We have no past, we won't reach back
Keep with me forward all through the night
And once we start the meter clicks
And it goes running all through the night
Until it ends there is no end
Keep with me forward all through the night.
Now Cyndi Lauper I knew quite well. Grew up listening to her and watching her Videos on MTv. The girl had some VC Andrews Novels. I settled in to read Heaven. Better then the Mom's Harlequin Romances. I just planned to wait for Kai to get back.
While I was waiting I saw that the teenager of the VC Andrews Novels had a mixtape with David Lee Roth's Just Like Paradise. Now I had to listen to that. So I kneeled down and let the cassette tape play.
I got the itch
And a restless soul
She gone with the wind
Gonna go for broke tonight
And that's all night
Now that song was totally awesome.
"He's not coming back Nate. If he is then that is even worse. He might get mad again and kill you next time." The girl, from the Otherside again invading my mind. Maybe I was schizophrenic
'Who are you?' I asked in my head.
I am you, but apart from you Nate. You are my blood and I am yours. Go to the Witch. Go to Bonnie. She'll help you. Beware Damon Salvatore and Kai. He will not like you for going behind his back. Kai doesn't handle betrayal well.
What is your name?
I am with you, but far from you.
'Oh, okay.'
Sounds to me if I leave then Kai will probably want to kill me and if I stay then he will. Any suggestions? Should I stay or should I go. Just like the Clash. But she didn't have anything to add. I was back on my own.
Suddenly I knew that I had to move or get swept away. I had no idea where they had gone or how to avoid Kai on the way. I guess I would have to figure it out as I went.
I went out the back door and stuck to the trees. I took the Walkman and the tape case. That made me a sneak thief. But the owner wasn't using it. Had never used it. This wasn't a living place I was in but a dead place. I don't know how I knew that but I just did.
I stumbled round for a while. Then I saw an image. So random that it had to be planted in my mind. Belle's Market... I know there was one and I knew that was where I had to be.
There was a Belle's Market! Said Market looked deserted at first. I was smart and skimmed through the trees and along the building. I darted in and it was dead and still in there. I still sensed and knew someone else was nearby. That I wasn't completely alone. Music was playing's. Rock music, which was weird as most supermarkets I knew played generic 70's music. Real Lounge-y Disco.
That someone I sensed was probably Kai. The Witch Bonnie and the Vampire Damon seemed pretty oblivious to me. If they were here I would of heard them. They weren't hiding or sneaking around. They went everywhere out in the open and spoke to each other aloud. Yet Kai had us both whispering and hiding like a fugitives. Why was Kai hiding and spying on them. He said they were dangerous but I didn't get a danger vibe from them like I did from him. Still Kai hadn't hurt me either? Why was I here. I had this feeling that I was out of place and out of time. I didn't belong.
Still to be fair I had never been close to Damon or Bonnie and my sixth sense had failed me before with disastrous consequences for me. So I would Play it safe.
Kai might be lying but what if he wasn't?. Maybe they were? I was torn. Kai was or could be dangerous. He hadn't struck me or anything like that. But I sensed he would if I made him mad enough. Plus the girl had warned me. The one who was in my head, even when I was deader then dead.
I took off my shoes and snuck towards the woman's restroom after slithering in the front doors. Hopefully Kai wouldn't have a reason to go in there. If he did I could lie, but something told me that Kai wouldn't believe me and that I would be in really big trouble with a capitol T if he found me here instead of the house where he had left me.
As I was opening the door to the woman's I heard an abrupt movement. I quickly slithered in. Thank God I was so skinny and slight so the door hadn't opened that much to admit me. Luckily whoever made the abrupt movement seemed to have went to towards the front of the store. I was dead still.
I must have waited frozen in place for about 15 minutes before I relaxed and sat on the floor with my back against the wall.
I suddenly felt worn out so it should of been no surprise that I drifted off. What my Grandma would of called cat napping which was strange as when I was younger I could never sleep in the car yet I seemed to be doing it now.
The restroom went black and fell away. I was asleep again.
I was on a sidewalk, walking home. I stayed to help Brenda shelf some books at the Library and it was getting dark.
That was when I saw the Firebird coming up the street.
It was a Firebird Trans Am, just a couple of years old. Probably an '89. Black as Night.
"Hey kid, you need a lift." It was a British Person! I was so excited that I didn't even think why a British Person would be in Bridge Port Iowa.
"Is that a Trans Am Firebird?!"
"Yes, it is a Loan." The guy seemed really cool and nice. He had long teased out heavy metal rocker hair.
"Yeah, totally! Thanks." I said as I made my way to the passenger side to get in. I was star struck. He looked like Eddie Van Halen.
As I opened the car door blackness engulfed me...
I didn't want to see anymore of that.
I awoke with a start back in the Restroom at Belle's Market. I froze again to make sure no one was near by. I was covered in sweat. Plus I had slobbered all over the floor when I had slept. I was afraid to grab a paper towel to clean it up because I couldn't afford to make any noise. My life was an absolute mess.
Suddenly I heard voices. Damon and Bonnie.. Kai, he was talking to them.
I got up and charged out of the restroom into a firestorm.
I ran out see that there was a fire in one of the isles. The Witch was standing there looking down on someone on the floor. It was Kai! I went to see if I could help him. Kai was more or less my friend.
"So Kai wasn't alone. Who are you?" the girl asked. She looked just a couple of years older then me. Maybe 20 tops.
"What the hell did you do to Kai?"
"Your friend there tried to kill mine." She wasn't too happy. But neither was I.
"You mean the Vampire. Vampires are Dangerous! I know from personal experience. One killed me." I shot back. Vampire loving b***h
"What? You were Murdered!? Were you on the Otherside?" Now, she was amazed..
"Yeah, until it got sucked up into smithereens."
"Do not tell her about me Nate." That girl's voice again in my head.
'As if..' I thought.
"How did you get here then?" The Witch asked.
"Yeah how did you get here?" That was the Vampire, Damon, who echoed the Witch, or Bonnie's question with his own. He went right to Kai of course. Probably to feed off of him but the Vampire just lifted Kai up and over his shoulder.
"Hey where are you going with him? You PUT Him down now." I screamed at the Vampire as I started looking for a weapon.
We had better put out this fire. If we're gonna stay. The Vampire told the Witch.
They had a point there. My good sense kicked in. Calming down really helped.
"We really just want to ask him some questions. You can come with us. We really want to ask the both of you some questions." Bonnie offered, consolatory now.
'I bet you do.' I thought.
"Alright but you keep that Vampire away from me." Far away!'
"Okay, fair enough," the Vampire said. Before he continued, "But you don't answer our questions then I am getting up close and personal."
"Put him down. We not going anywhere with you." I shouted back defiant again. That Vampire was so snarky. I mean just looking as him I could tell that the snark was strong with this one.
"Damon!." Bonnie, trying to defuse the situation.
"Come on Bonnie! He thinks he has a choice."
"I do and I am going to exercise my said choice." There suck on that blood sucker.
Before I could say anything else the Vampire was in my face staring directly into my eyes and telling me I was going with them.
"Get out of my face. I am not going anywhere with you." I told him pissed beyond belief. I had said for him to keep his distance.
Damon!" Bonnie yelled at her Vampire friend. Then to me clearly consolatory, "I'm sorry, really. We can't force you to come but I hope you change your mind. Sorry about you friend but he attacked us. He almost killed Damon. My name is Bonnie Bennett by the way and this is Damon Salvatore."
"My name is Nathan but you can call me Nate." I replied. Now I felt really awkward and kind of an ass at the same time.
"Ah Bonnie, I think we had better go." That was Damon who said that. He was starring at me as if he knew me or was scared of me.
"What Dude? DO you know me? DO you know the Vampires who killed me." I challenged.
Bonnie gasped and looked at Damon horrified.
"Damon, did you kill him!?" She asked with a shrill note to her voice.
"NO! Lots of Vampires in the world. I had noting to do with what happened to you, kid." Damon said equally horrified. Seemed he was telling the truth but he could be lying. But something told me he wasn't.
"Bonnie, I can't compel this kid. I think we had better go. This kid might of been the one who told Kai to Vervain the bottles." Damon told Bonnie, his eyes glancing my way.
"What? NO!" I had no idea what they were talking about but I had a suspicion that was what Kai was doing when I came in earlier. They could both see that I was telling the truth. I hoped. Now the shoe was on the other foot.
"What is compelling?" I really wanted to know what he meant by that. My inquiring mind wanted to know.
That is when we noticed the fire again. The sprinklers kicked on but some them didn't work so we all had to run and find a bucket.
After we extinguished the fire. I said I would go with them after all. I couldn't think of anything better and they seemed alright. Kai was still out so Damon carried him as we set off towards a Convertible in the parking lot.
The Convertible was a 69 Camaro by Chevron. Where had Damon found this?
Damon put Kai in the back and I sat with him. Bonnie and Damon were upfront.
I hoped I was doing the right thing trusting them. Bonnie seemed trust worthy.
"So Nate why are you and Kai stalking us." Damon Salvatore didn't waste any time.
I played dumb. "I didn't know we were stalking you."
Bonnie turned to look at me. "Nate how long have you been with Kai?"
"For a day or so." That was the truth.
"Did you see anyone else come from the Otherside?" Bonnie asked. The only vibes she gave me were good ones so I answered truthfully.
"No! At least not that I saw." Another truth. Was there anyone else out there from the Otherside? I wondered.
We then turned and pulled up to a big Mansion. It was really fancy. It looked like it had been built or redone in the 50's. That was all I noticed. At first.
"Wait, I've changed my mind. We're not going in there with you. At least not until Kai wakes up. " I know I sounded fickle saying I would go with them and then changed my mind but that house gave me the creeps. It had a bad air about it.
Damon looked at Kai and then at me. He looked as if he was going to say something when Bonne interjected.
"That's fine I don't blame you." Damon on the other hand did. I could tell by the exasperated look on his face.
Kai saved me from answering. He was starting to come around. He opened his eyes and looked around then flashed a smile until he saw me.
"I see you didn't waste anytime, huh Nate."
"Hey Kai, He came to your defense back at the store." Damon was the one who said that which threw me for a complete loop.
"Nate, why were you hiding back at the store? Why weren't you with Kai when he attacked us?" I wasn't aware Bonnie had seen that.
"I was attacking Damon! I wanted for you to use your magic. Wait a minute! Nate was at the store!" Kai asked looking directly at me.
"I actually went there on my own. Kai told me to stay put. I wanted to see you and Damon close up. I went to the store to get something to eat and fell asleep in the bathroom. My sleep schedule is all messed up after being on the Otherside.." I offered weakly hoping they would buy my excuse.
"So you weren't stalking us but Kai was." Damon again looking at Kai. Before he shared a look with Bonnie.
Tell them Nate about Kai wanting to use Bonnie to get out of his Prison. It was the girl again. I really didn't want to throw Kai under the bus like that so I kept my mouth shut.
"I just wanted to test the limits on Bonnie's magic." Kai replied. Damon and Bonnie regarded his answer with suspicion.
That is when my head started to hurt. Now, I hardly ever have headaches. The pain began to shot through my head in waves causing me the double over in the seat. I seemed to be getting a full out pounder. I heard waves crashing against the shore at first, until I realized it was the girl screaming at me. That is when I started seeing colors. They started as bright red specks at first that grew into circles and then into bloody splotches.
"Hey kid, you okay?" It was Damon who asked.
"Are you alright." Bonnie was next. Kai didn't say anything. He just looked at me as if I was a stranger. Seems Kai wasn't my friend after all. That was my last coherent thought before everything went black.
I was in a black void and then I was in a full white out.
I was in a house. Someone was screaming. Suddenly the scream was cut off. I saw a girl with dark hair usher two little blond kids through a door. The next I saw a bunch of images flash before me. Images of Kai murdering his family. For a second I didn't believe what I was seeing but I knew. What I was seeing what the truth. Kai had killed his family and this world or mockery of a world was his prison.
I woke up on the sofa with an overwhelming coldness lingering in my bones. I had a lot of work ahead of me, a lot of planning to do. But the girl from the Otherside was with me. Even though she was faraway.
Bonnie was the first one to see I was awake. It was just her and me in a very posh looking Livingroom in a vile house.
"What happened?" Time for me to play stupid.
"Nate we were just going to ask you the same." Bonnie looked concerned but ever so slightly suspicious too. She probably had a feeling in her gut that something was off or that something had changed. I must remember never to underestimate her.
First find out about what Damon did, why does he think this is his own personal Hell? I will whoever you are, I will.
"I guess I got overheated, Bonnie. Where is Kai and Damon?" Me with a slight frantic tone to my voice.
Damon is out front. Kai is somewhere around."
I fixed my face in a slightly anxious guise. Wasn't really that hard. All I had to do was remember the terror I felt on the night I died. I was so innocent then. Now I felt as old as Methuselah.
"What is it Nate?" Bonnie asked slightly concerned now. Here it comes. Kai deserved everything he was going to get. This is where the tears started. They weren't crocodile either. All I had to do was think of Joey Parker. he was only 11 or 12 when his older brother Kai bashed his brains in.
"Bonnie, Kai frightens me. Damon too. Bonnie, why does Damon think this is his personal Hell? I heard something Damon said to Kai when I was on the sofa.
"What did I say, Nate." Kai Parker in the flesh. Damn Him!
I didn't reply. Instead I slowly started to shake as if I was cold. Bonnie instantly noticed me shivering. She touched my forehead to check if I had a fever. I was too cold and dead for that.
"Oh my God Nate you! freezing! Let me get you a blanket." I gave her a frantic look. She looked from me to Kai.
"Nate when did Damon say this was his own personal Hell?" Kai moved towards me but Bonnie stopped him with a glance.
Damon came in. He took in the scene. "Smooth move Parker. Why don't you back up."
"Damon, why do you think this is your own personal Hell?" I asked before Kai or Bonnie could catch me in my lie. These so called people deserved nothing but lies. Lies were the only currency they understood. well maybe except Bonnie, they all seemed to use her. To Leech off her. Oh Bonnie..
Damon froze.. Kai could see I hit a mark with Damon and now he was too intent on finding out now why Damon thought this was his Hell to question me.
"Damon why do you think this is your personal Hell?" Kai asked Damon, Kai's eyes large and expectant like my brother's were when he was watching Rambo on the VCR back in '86.
That's right, drink it up Kai. Your turn is coming, quite soon now. My Tapestry was taking shape. Coming along quite nicely. I kept my hands over my mouth, blowing on them so none of them could notice my grin. Focus Nate, focus! I had this sudden urge to laugh and laugh. I guess I had a case of the giggles.
Damon finally broke down and told us this story about his nephew Zach, who was also his uncle. Damon's brother Stefan was living with or mooching off of Zach. That is what it sounded like to me. Fitting that Stefan was a Vampire, that is what they did. Mooch off people. Like giant leeches..
Seems Zach met and fell in love with a woman named Gail, who ended up pregnant. I had a dark suspicion where this story was going. Considering how I met my end I didn't need to be a mind reader to see what was going to happen to Gail and her baby. This why Vampires were Monsters..
I ran from that room like it was on fire.
"What Nate, you asked!" Kai shouted after me as I ran.
Kai Parker, I'm gonna wipe that smug smile off your face if it is the last thing I do. That was the last coherent thought I had. Because after that I saw the visions of what happened to Gail and her Baby. I gagged and screamed. Just the image of Damon Salvatore ripping into her throat...
At least the baby made it. The last image I had was of that tiny baby fighting for it's life in an incubator. This is my gift or my curse. I saw things, I was a seer.
After that I really didn't want to back to that digesting house to face those disgusting monsters but my task was set before me.
Help me whoever you are, give me strength for you have set me alone amongst monsters... Who are you. Whoever you are I wish you left me on the Otherside. Anything is better then this.
Of course I went back into the Salvatore Boarding House. Figures it was a boarding house. That way they get more victims to feed off. I had a job to complete. I just gave myself 10 minutes to chill out. I wondered if Kai, Damon and Bonnie where comparing notes about me. I was going to find out as it was time to poke and prod again. Kai was next.
First, I sought out Damon. I had to be on his good side if he had one. I needed him to at least tolerate me or things would get messy.
Damon was with Kai and Bonnie in the Dinning/ Kitchen area.
"Damon, I'm sorry I asked you about this being your personal Hell earlier." I smiled at him but even I could tell that my smile was pretty weak and more of a grimace. I wasn't sorry at all but the trick to lying was that I was sorry about a lot of other events in my life and I thought about those instead when I apologized. The only thing I was sorry about with Damon was that he had so long to victimize innocent people.
Damon honestly didn't know what to think of my apology. I didn't give him a chance to think on it too much.
"Damon, we have to do something about Kai. Look at this" I said holding a Newspaper.
"Yeah, so Kai did the stupid crossword." Damon said throwing the newspaper down. I preserved.
"Damon, look at the lead story."
Damon reached down and picked up the paper. I could see him reading about the massacre of the Parker Family in Portland OR, Kai's Family.
"That's Kai, this isn't your Hell, Damon! This is Kai's. He's a Pyschopath. Where's Bonnie?
Damon went up to Kai.
'Hey Kai, seems that Nate found out about your Family." Fight, fight. It would be so easy for me if you both fought to the death and killed each other.
Kai had been standing in the hall. Bonnie was making her way down the stairs to us.
I was right behind Damon.
"Kai! You Murdered your Family!" I waved the newspaper and hit my notes just right. Shocked and horrified.
"Nate?" Bonnie asked, backing away from Kai into the stairway.
"Run Bonnie, run!" I needed high drama. Kai obliged. Kai was very stupid. He grabbed Bonnie and began syphoning her magic. He was aiming to do something.
"What are you dong to her, Kai?" I needed to expose Kai for what he was. Another form of Leech. He was no better then a Vampire himself.
"Alright everybody chill." Damnit Damon, stop interfering. I knew he would be trouble.
Kai let go of Bonnie. That is when he shot flames from his hand!
I went to her. Bonnie was really weak. I didn't help her up. She needed to suffer. See Bonnie, this what you get running with this kind of crowd.
"I think you had better go Kai." Perhaps Damon wasn't so useless after all. That's right lay down the law.
"Haven't you done enough Kai." I chimed in. I should of kept my mouth shut.
"Have I done enough Nate, seems to me that you are one doing things." If looks could kill I would be back on the Otherside. If only I could be.
"What do you mean Kai. I didn't murder my little brother, who was only 10, a 14 year old sister or a 16 year old brother." There suck on that you Murderer.
"I'm about to murder a 16 year old boy again if you don't shut your mouth Nate."
"Alright we have had enough Kai." This was Bonnie. "I think you had better go." She continued.
"No Bonnie, we might need him to help us get out of here." Damon wanting to get back to his precious Elaine,Elena; his girl friend..
"We'll keep him tied up. That way he won't get into any mischief. If he will not help us, we will use a heated fire poker to persuade him." I didn't know I was speaking aloud when I said that. I surprised by the way Bonnie and Damon were looking at me. I realized that I should of kept my mouth shut. I shrugged my shoulders. Come on what did they expect. Kai was garbage. So was Damon, with Bonnie just a step above.
Kai had a strange look on his face. Sort of like he admired me and then it was followed by a smug expectant look. Something blew in my mind having Kai look at me like that.
Stop looking at me you freak! You try to look all righteous and smug after what you did to your family. How DARE YOU. That is when I threw a stool at him. I so wish I had a gun so I could of blown that smug look right off of Kai Parker's face.
"Nate! Are you..? Bonnie was shocked at first then she tried to put her arms around me. I didn't need her pity, I didn't want it. I wanted to gauge out Kai's eyeballs.
"Bonnie, I wouldn't do.." Kai didn't get to finish.
"Shut up Kai! What did you do to him. I want you to leave now! No Damon, we'll find our own way with out Kai." Bonnie said with her hands on my shoulders. She took her hands away and started rubbing them to warm them up. Because I was cold and I burned with a cold fire.
"Bonnie, I didn't do anything to him. I want to know how he knows about my family. Nate knows their names and ages and he didn't learn that from this newspaper." Kai looked at me again. This time he looked cold and remorseless. I went just as cold and remorseless.
"They told me, Kai. On the Otherside. Their waiting and watching for you..." Chew on that Kai..
"Huh, really now. You can tell them they got me shaking." I give Kai this, he didn't scare easy.
"Okay Bonnie and I am are going to bed. We have had enough! Kai, you and Nate can work out your issues outside of my house."
I didn't want to work anything out with Kai. I thought I had said enough.
"Damon you had better check on Bonnie through out the night. I wouldn't trust Kai."
Damon just looked at me. I looked right back at him and matched his stare with one of my own. Damon narrowed his eyes.
"I'll do that Nate."
""You had better Damon. Bonnie is the key. The only way you are gonna get back to your precious Elaine, Elena or what ever she is called."
"Hey how did you know about her?" That is right, sweat a little Damon. If Vampires could sweat.
"Someone on the Otherside told me about you both. I think it was Anna and Pearl, or Rose. You remember them. Don't you, Damon. I bet you do. Good Night."
I left Damon to stew on that. I walked out the front door.
"Look at you, Nate. Acting like a boss. Who are Anna and Pearl?"
"Kai, I don't have anything to say to you. Your siblings do. I'm not talking about the ones who escaped either."
Finally, I was out of that house and I was alone again. Away from those disgusting people. Back in 1987 I watched a movie called Ruthless people with Danny DeVito and Bette Middler. Well, they had nothing on these sleazebags.
That is when I turned back. I was stupid just like Lot's wife. Lucky for me, I wasn't turned to a pillar of salt. I just saw Bonnie looking at me from the doorway, she was deep in thought. I gave her a contrite look for the jangled events of the evening, but I wasn't sorry. I just walked on down the drive. All in all I had accomplished my objective. I had been a bit messy about it but I had split them up. Tomorrow I would work on Bonnie.
It was shaping up to be a clear and starry night. How nice after the lovely Solare eclipse. I would need to find somewhere to sleep. Somewhere nice and quiet where I could think.
"Come on. Help me out." But the mystery girl was silent. I was alone and on my own.
I had a lot to think about. I could stop Bonnie and Damon, or I could help them. Frankly I didn't care if they ever got back to where they came from. They weren't from my world. Now the boy I used to be would of helped them. That Nate tried to help people and be kind. That Nate had been murdered and probably left to rot in a ditch. That innocent boy had been been dead a long time. No wonder I had such a problem remembering my life from then. I guess I had been dead too long. That kid didn't exist anymore, to me now he was like a dream that never was.
I did stop though and wonder what life was like in the future that Bonnie and Damon came from. That question came up unbidden, bubbling up from the dark fathoms of my mind. Perhaps that Nate, that boy wasn't gone after all even though I was very far from that kid I used to know. That Nate who spent his summer days at the library reading about other people when he wasn't working there, because he refused to live in the world he was in and had trouble communicating with others. Perhaps even then he was aware of a power to reach into other people and see their deepest darkest secrets.
I had a sense that I was being followed, which pulled me from my musings. I started walking down the street anyways. I really didn't care anymore. Just like the Phil Collins song. I was suddenly so tired and worn out. I chose a big ranch style sprawl of house. The whiteness of the siding shone out of the darkness. I kept to the front door. It wasn't locked so I went in.
I was confronted by a dark living room. It was a large and open living room. Not at all like the houses I had been raised in. It was posh and fancy. A preppie type house, right out of excessive 1980's. Everything was kind of new age and really cheesy to my eyes. Nothing had the patina of age to it. I went and sat on a big white or grey sofa.
Even the Carpet was white. Who are these people? I let my head rest in my hands as I let what had happened to me wash over me. I had a lot of options to weigh.
That is when I heard the knock at the door. 'Go away Kai'. I thought irritated. I was about ready to speak it aloud and I heard another knock and Bonnie's voice on the other side of the door. Asking if she could enter. I slowly got to my feet.
"Bonnie." I said, opening the door in neutral a tone, which she strangely took as abrasive. I tried to give her a smile to reassure her, but it was only a ghost of a smile. Even I could tell it was more of a smirk, less of a smile. Seems I had forgotten how to smile. I didn't want to flash her my teeth as then she would probably register that as a leer. So instead I said nothing, I just stood there silently regarding her as I waited for her to explain herself.
Which to her credit she did. "Nate, I just came to see if you were alright? You can stay with us if you want."
"Bonnie how about you stay with me instead. I know you and Damon are sort of roomies but I really don't like the idea of you staying with that Vampire but you are a gown woman so the choice is yours." I told her in a tone which even to me sounded old and tired, cold. That is right, I really could care less about you, Bonnie.
"Damon is alright. I just worry about you being by yourself Nate." she said as she regarded me, I could see she was trying to make my features out in the dark.
"Bonnie, what year did you and Damon come from?"
I could see she was taken aback. But she answered me. "2012," she replied.
"Bonnie that means I have been living or existing to be more precise by myself for about 21 years. So I'll be okay."
"Sorry, I didn't mean to imply." She didn't finish. Bonnie just stood there and took a good long look at me.
Bonnie then repeated, okay, in a whisper as she turned and walked away.
"I'll walk you home Bonnie." I said walking to catch up.
That is when Kai Parker suddenly loomed before us. I could see how Kai had managed to kill his whole family. He certainly knew how to move silently. I moved to pull Bonnie to me. It was a gut reaction! Kai saw and smirked at me. I didn't bother to let that effect me. I just starred at him without a word, totally deadpan. He was the first to look away.
"Kai." Bonnie said greeting him, moving away from me slightly but not towards Kai.
"Hi Bonnie. I came to talk with Nate here." Kai told her jerking his thump towards me." He had his backpack with him.
"Kai, why don't you leave Nate alone until tomorrow." Bonnie said answering for me which kind of pissed me off a bit. I could answer for myself. I just chose not to answer. I just stood there silently meeting Kai's stare.
"Nate is seeing me home Kai. I think he will being staying as I don't think he is up to answering any of your questions." Bonnie, answering for me again. But I was suddenly too tired to mind. I wanted to speak for myself and tell Kai to go Fuck himself but I honestly didn't care anymore. I used to hate to cuss too. But, I guess my morals were rotting in that ditch with my old body.
"You heard her Kai, I really don't feel up to answering your questions after the day I had. I'm pretty beat." I just said that when Damon was suddenly with us. He just showed up out of nowhere. Vampires were such freaks. Just the idea of him moving that fast made me suddenly nauseous.
'Go away Damon.' I thought rapidly. It would seem I mouthed that too as Kai broke out into a laugh and Damon froze. Bonnie was going from me to Damon taking everything in and getting ready to interject herself when suddenly it dawned on me that I didn't need any of this.
I turned on my heels, saying as I started walking away. "Damon will you see Bonnie home. Night..."
I walked briskly back to the house I had just claimed as my own when Bonnie called out, "Are you sure you'll be alright?"
"Yeah, bye folks." I turned waving towards them before turning back around and walking into my new house. I heard Kai say something to Damon and Bonnie as I headed to the sofa and passed out.
Let Kai come.. I thought as sleep rapidly flooded came over me. But something told me that Kai wouldn't come to pester me with his stupid questions when he could hang out with Damon and Bonnie and bother them.
Third Person Narration
Nathan awake with a start from the deep sleep he had been in. His dreams had been a jumbled mess, images that flickered across his subconscious at break neck speed. Nate took a moment to steady himself. For a split second Nate had no idea where he was, then everything he had been through came flooding back. Being beaten and drained to death and left to rot in a ditch and then all those years of aimless wondering on the Otherside. Then being forced to interact with these freaks. To be fair though Nate thought to himself it takes a freak to know a freak. Nate was a self aware individual. He knew he was a freak and that Girl choosing him for this mission tended to confirm his self diagnoses.
Suddenly there was a hand on his shoulder and Nate found himself face to face with Kai Parker. Sibling killer extraordinaire.
Hyia Kai, what do you want?" Nate said trying not betray how freaked he was about being caught unaware by Kai.
"Actually, I was going to ask you the same thing." Kai said as he put his left hand on Nate's other shoulder, causing Nate to stumble a bit from the weight of Kai's hands on his shoulders, pushing Nate down. Nate tried to push back. But Kai made two of Nate. So Nate crumbled and fell on to the sofa. Kai stood over Nate.
"Why are you really here Nate. Who sent you here."
"I'm here to punish you for murdering your family Kai. I was supposed to also offer you a way out of this loop."
"Oh really?" Kai said surprised now. But suspecting that wasn't the case. Nate hadn't really been that much of a help.
"Yes really, really. But you see Kai, I decided a piece of shit like you doesn't deserve to live after what you did." Nate with a strange glint in his eye.
NO... Nate could hear the girl, the girl whose name was Qetsiyah, screaming inside of his head but he didn't care anymore.
Nate decided that he really didn't find Kai Parker charming at all. Nate was sick of his bag of tricks. Nate had known two faced posers like Kai his whole life. Guys who ignored kids like Nate, pretended they didn't exist when they weren't bullying them. Psychopaths were just bullies. Nate didn't think Kai had any depth to him. Nate knew a poser when he saw one. That is all Kai was, a shallow poser. Something from the Breakfast Club echoed in Nate's mind but he mentally waived the image aside. The truth was that Nate was extremely bitter about being murdered. Here he was supposed to help a murderer too. The irony of ironies was not lost on Nathan.
Kai regarded to kid on the sofa. Something told him to leave but he had bullied people like Nate before, his younger siblings, kids at school. Nate reminded him of this kid named Leon as matter of fact. There was a look in Nate's eyes as he looked up at Kai though that kind of unnerved Kai. His sister Jo had that look too after Kai had ripped out her spleen. Kai found it extremely infuriating.
"So Nate, you decided that I am a piece of shit and don't deserve to live. Really, and here I thought we were friends." Kai in a pretentious tone of voice that made Nate giggle.
'He's nuts.. He's totally insane.' Kai thought as Nate looked up at him laughing hysterically. That look was worse then the look in Jo's eyes. This kid was totally bonkers.
That was when Nate stabbed Kai with the butter knife that had been on that Sofa since the 1994 Prison World had been created. Nate didn't even think as he stabbed Kai either. A remnant of thought told Nate for just a split second that what he had done was really stupid and that there would be consequences, but Nate didn't care anymore. He just kept on laughing and laughing.
He thought it was hysterical that Qetsiyah was going to let lose someone like Kai Parker on the World. She must really be getting desperate. Nate also knew that Qetsiyah had it kind of rough being lied to by Silas and Amara. But Nate didn't think that was any excuse for setting someone like Kai loose on the world to achieve your aims. He needed to stay locked up so others could be safe.
Nate suddenly knew why he had come to this place and that he was really working for something else, more important then Qetsiyah. Nate was working for himself. For the kid he used to be and for others like Kai's family who had their lives stolen away by a selfish monster..
Nate kicked and connected with Kai's shin bone. Nate then jumped from the sofa and screamed as loud as he could so that hopefully Damon heard him. Then the insane giggle bubbled back up. Nate just couldn't stop anymore. he just kept on laughing. I sound like a Hyena.
Nate then ran swaying back and forth towards the Kitchen. He frantically started rummaging through the counter drawers looking for a knife as blinding pain shot through his head.
"Qetsiyah" he thought as he frantically looked for a knife to defend himself with. But there was no knife to be had, at least not by him. Only that laughter because it was all so funny, it really was. Nate just couldn't stand it. One big cosmic joke indeed.
But Kai had a knife. The first Nate knew of the knife was when he felt a stinging pain burning across his throat. Then all Nate heard was screaming. Qetsiyah screaming. Nate couldn't scream as when he tried all that came up was blood. he was still laughing though. It made his blood bubble. The last thing he felt was the cold linoleum of the kitchen floor. The burning pain too. But Nate had felt that before.
Kai looked down at the inert body of the boy on the floor. Visions of his siblings in similar positions dancing through his mind before he turned it off. What Kai couldn't turn off was the reaction of Bonnie or Damon.
They showed up just as Nate was bleeding out on the kitchen floor. Bonnie would of screamed but she was to worn out from sprinting to see why Nate had screamed. Damon didn't really feel anything at first. The questions or ponderings would come later. He just picked up Bonnie and ran.
Kai suddenly knew that getting Damon and Bonnie to help or even work with him would be a lot harder. He would of kicked Nate's body but it was gone.
Finis...