"Have you ever heard the story Killer Fears?" Ange looked around the room, her eyes dark, and serious. She held a flash light under her chin.
"Noooo," the children replied hesitantly.
"Two families used to go camping in the mountains together all the time. One family had four kids- three boys and one girl, and the other family had three kids- two girls and one boy. These seven children took off one day down a trail, over a small log bridge, into a slightly wooded part of the camp grounds- seemingly abandoned by campers. The day was cloudy and slightly chilly- it threatened to rain all afternoon. Thunder slowly began to rumble through the sky. The children stopped in a small cave to eat their lunches before heading back to their camps- but the rain came before they were finished with lunch. It was a pouring, blinding rain- one to chill you to the bone and one that pounded heavily against their backs. And slowly it began to hail. They quickly started on their way back, but couldn't cross the bridge. They searched for another way across when they noticed a mansion in a clearing not too far away- surely these people would take in some soaked children for a few hours- until the rain and hail lifted.
'Weeeeeelcome children! Come in, come in ...' " Ange squeaked her voice to imitate the lady who answered the door.
"It was a little old lady and her butler that lived in the mansion. 'Oh I don't know when the storm is going to let up, but you all are welcome to stay for dinner and take some showers in the guest bedrooms we have.' The butler took the children up to their rooms where they could take a nap while they waited, or take a hot shower and let their clothes dry out a bit. The rain didn't let up at all- it continued to pour at the same pace. Dinner time quickly approached and Henry, the butler, went to each of the rooms to bring the children down for dinner. The children sat around a beautiful, long oak table- the old lady sitting at the head of the table.
'So children, would you tell me your names and your greatest fears?'
'Why do you want to know that?'
'Oh I'm just curious- is it too much to ask, especially when I am feeding you and giving you some warm shelter for the night?' "
Ange told about three scary stories- and a few of the other children decided to tell some scary stories too. It was a windy night, and all of the children jumped when they heard a tree outside brush up against the house.
"... the end."
"One more, one more!"
"No no. It's time for bed. Look, it's 9:30! The Professor told me to have you in bed by 9!"
"Ohhhhhhhhhhh." The kids groaned and headed off to their beds. There were only nine teenagers in the house- the youngest of which was 15. They had been waiting in the kitchen, giggling at the ghost stories that were "so lame." When the kids started to clear out, Rogue brought their cookie pie into the TV room and Colossus grabbed the movie. Ange moved and started making the pop corn and Havok helped speed up the process; placing his hands over several bags of pop corn at once, he let a small amount of heat radiate out, just enough to pop the pop corn. They poured the pop corn into a large Tupperware, made for a large cake. They all sat down on the couch, turned out the kitchen light, and began to watch The Shining.
….
ding-dong The door bell rang and a few of the girls jumped slightly. Ange put down her small bowl of pop corn.
"I'll get it- pause the movie real fast." Kitty hit the pause button and Ange got up to answer the door. The kids munched away at the pie and pop corn more now; you can often forget to eat your snacks when you get involved in watching a good movie. Ange opened the door and before she could see who it was, something, someone, fell forward on her. She caught this person and tried to pull him/her in the door- only then was she able to concentrate on WHO this was. But the person was heavy and Ange couldn't support his/her weight.
"Come here quick Colossus."
"What?" He took his time, grabbing a last handful of pop corn before coming to the door. He obviously hadn't caught the tone of emergency in her voice, or he might have hurried a bit more.
"Oh my gosh! Dr. Grey! What happened?"
"I don't know. As soon as I opened the door, she kinda just, well, fell on me. Here, let's take her to her room."
"We thought she was dead!" A few of the other teenagers heard some of the commotion and peeked their heads into the hallway. Whispers went around, and by the time they Jean to her room, all of the teens knew what had happened.
Ange didn't hear Colossus- she was busy starring at Dr. Grey's eyes. "This isn't good!"
. . . . Mean while . . . .
Storm, Cyclops, and the Professor dropped Wolverine and Nightcrawler off at the lab before they headed on to the location of the President- or the site of his believed captivity. They found an old abandoned warehouse with life size capsules inside- meant to cryogenically freeze humans; all were empty. Cob webs and dust decorated the building elegantly. Only a small amount of light was illuminating their path which came from a rather dull, dirty sky light. There was a hall that they could see at the other end of this massive, but cluttered room. As they headed for it, they saw a shadow- like that of a human- that began to crawl up the wall, as though this person was approaching them- yet still out of view.
" One, two, three- wait for she.
Ring ring ring- oh what trouble brings?
One fear became two tears.
what you'll hear is sincere.
No need to worry - no need to hurry.
One, two, three - here is she ..."
A voice echoed through the hall and through the building. The shadow was gone- and by the very end of this odd, and somewhat creepy riddle-rhyme, the Professor's phone rang.
"Professor! . . . Doctor. . . . -ey - . . . . she . . . . the door . . . not doing well- . . . . . unconscious. . . . She's . . . . . Professor? Are . . . there ..."
"Angelina! I can't hear you- you're breaking up ..."
"What's wrong?"
"I, I'm not sure that it's anything. There was so much static. I think one of the children may be sick, unconscious. She mentioned something about a doctor."
"I'll go back to the jet Professor and see if I can isolate her message."
"Good."
Once there was silence again, the same voice echoed out another riddle.
"Like a bird her spirit soars on.
Blazing colorfully in the new dawn.
Tears marked her end,
until no more tears were left to spend.
Her end marked her new beginning.
Bounding again, her world spinning.
Homeward bound, she lifted her eyes,
Rising again she took to the skies.
No more sorrow to be had.
Confusion first, then be glad.
All is well, all is good.
Her fate was simply misunderstood."
"Who are you?" The Professor tried to probe the mind of this one who continued to whisper echoing rhymes.
"Welcome to my humble abode.
Walk a little closer- come down the road.
Forever sentenced to see in riddles and talk in rhymes,
Being in two places all at one time.
I am the one known as Prophet."
Prophet came into view out of the dark hallway. He was tan, had black hair with white tips, a thin white line tattooed across his eyes- which were black, with an oily rainbow glimmer to them. He wore a simple, long, long navy blue silken vest, and worn khaki pants. As soon as he had come, he left. As he had mentioned, he could bilocate, see present events, anywhere in the world, and he could see near future events. They came to him randomly in visions, at which times his eyes would turn from a solid black (with the slight oily rainbow shine) to a glazed grey. He spoke slowly with a slight accent.
"Professor ..." Storm had the message "decoded." The whole team had ear pieces on, allowing them to communicate when they were apart, but in close range. "I have the message decoded. Come quick, I think we better leave." The Professor and Cyclops returned immediately to the jet.
"Listen:
'Professor! Ummm, Dr. Jean Grey - ah, she, she just walked through the door. But she's not doing well- she's mainly unconscious. She's all right- she'll be ok. ... Professor? Are you there ...'"
Cyclops sat down in his chair, eyes wide- as if the air had been knocked right out of him. They were all so shocked. Nothing was said by anyone. Storm just started the jet and headed for home. Thank God the Professor remembered about Wolverine and Nightcrawler; they could have easily forgotten about them.
"Wolverine, Nightcrawler- we're on our way to pick you up."
"What's the hurry?"
"You'll find out when we get there."
….
"Wow, sounds serious. I wonder if they found the President."
"I don't know and frankly I don't care. I'll be glad to be out of this creepy place." Wolverine looked around one last time before they exited the lab to meet the jet.
….
"So, what's the big news? What's up with him- looks like he just saw a ghost!" Wolverine was referring to Cyclops, who returned a deadly glare for Wolverine's comment.
"I believe the best way to tell you, is to allow you to listen."
Wolverine and Nightcrawler listened while Storm flew the jet back to the school.
….
Ange was pacing impatiently and nervously on the "X-level" where the lab, outfits, and Cerebro were located, and where the jet was docked. The basket ball court opened, and wind whirled in and around Ange, tangling her hair and forcing her to shut her eyes. She continued to wait impatiently until the court was closed and the gate was open to the jet. She combed out her hair with her hands as best as she could and turned quickly to the exiting X-Men. Cyclops went rushing past Ange, and Storm followed not far behind. The others walked at a pace faster than normal, but they didn't rush- how you could rush to welcome someone home who you weren't quite finished grieving!
"Cyclops- wait, please!" Ange called out, hoping to catch him before he got into the elevator. They had to chase after him, but they did catch him.
"Let's listen to what she has to say first," the Professor suggested, and reluctantly, they all complied.
"Tonight ... we," Ange stumbled, not sure how or what to say. Though she never knew Jean, she was just as shocked herself. "We were watching the movie- the door bell rang. When I opened door, Jean literally fell. I caught her- but I mean, I couldn't support her weight. Colossus took her to her- your- room. I, ahhh, I..." Cyclops waited no longer and they all rushed to the elevator, Ange followed. "Most of the children don't know- this is confusing for us adults and I didn't want to burden them with this just yet. It's a small school though, they will all know soon enough as it is." She spoke as they waited for the "blasted elevator" to hurry up. The "ding" of the elevator let them know that they had arrived at Jean's floor. They rushed to her door, but slowly and quietly opened it.
"Um, one other thing. One our way to bring her up here, and for few minutes while she lay there, well, her eyes were open even though she seemed to be unconscious- and they kept flickering back and forth between her natural brown and, and, fire, almost."
They all entered the room and starred at Jean who lay comfortably on their bed. Her breathing was normal and the Professor didn't seem alarmed about her health. They just watched her breath a few more moments, plenty of confusing questions and thoughts running through their minds.
Ever since Cyclops listened to Ange's message for the first time, he couldn't help but think back on what Prophet said. Even what he said before the phone ever rang; he knew. He remembered the last time he saw Jean, her last words to him. He wondered if she remembered him, and what she remembered at all. He wanted to know how she had survived and what had taken her so long to return. He hoped and prayed that she still loved him, that she recognized him.
Cyclops sat down by the bed and fell asleep holding Jean's hand. The rest of the X-men returned to the Professor's office to discuss the other events that had happened that night.
"What did you find Wolverine?"
"The lab was filled with pictures- mug shots and candid shots, of people- and files on them. Most were mutants. It was like they were stalking them. They had the oddest, weirdest, most insignificant details on some of them- down to their favorite ice cream flavor and favorite color- even the names of their pets. There were x-rays as well. We couldn't get a good look at the whole lab. But through a small window in the door, it would seem as though part of the building was a psychiatric ward."
"Mmmm. I couldn't sense anyone else in the warehouse. The Prophet's bilocation confused my senses a bit." He took a long pause. "Everyone get some rest. It's been a long day. We'll announce Dr. Grey's return in the morning. It has been a busy, confusing, and tiring day for us all."
Nightcrawler lowered his head reverently and made the sign of the cross. They all existed.
Wolverine sat out on the front porch smoking a cigar. Nightcrawler meditated on the backyard lawn, Storm went to her room, and Ange went to sleep.