Chapter 3
Sogno
"Do not fear death, but the unlived life."
The man led her down the hall, taking a few twists and turns before he came to a door. A grey medical cart stood beside it, holding a single needle. The man picked it up. "This should make things even more fun." he said, turning so he was facing her. He squirted a little bit of the clear liquid out of the top, making sure it worked than looked at her. "Ready?"
Kate took a few small steps back, her eyes fixed on the needle. "What...what is that?" she asked, wincing internally at how pathetically afraid her voice sounded.
The man kept a tight hold on her wrist, not wanting to have to chase her down. "You'll see." the man told her, his smirk still growing. He looked at the needle, tilting his head to the side a bit, then straightened up and looked at her a bit. He pulled on her wrist slightly, trying to find a good place on her arm to stick her with the needle, then moved the needle closer to her arm.
Kate flinched as he pulled on her wrist. Realizing that she wasn't going to get away, she squeezed her eyes shut, looking away, the arm that he held shaking.
The man stuck the needle in her, making sure all of what was in it got in her. He then put the needle down and quickly opened the door. The room was dark, and held no light switch. "Oh...and don't worry about the side effects...Headache, nausea, dizziness, confusion...That should only make this more fun for you." With that, he gave her a push towards the inside of the dark room. It was completely empty, dark, and there were no signs of buttons, levers, or anything like that on the outside or the inside. What could possibly happen?
As she stumbled into the room, Kate already began to feel one of the side effects - she was horribly confused. She couldn't see anything, just stood in the middle of the pitch black room.
The man shut the door, leaving her in the pitch black. It stayed pitch black for several moments...No lights...no noises...no movement...No nothing. But in the blink of an eye, the scenery changed. It went from pitch black to something else. In the blink of an eye, it was a house. A big one too. And there were no walls from the room...You could go up the stairs...into the rooms...the room she'd been in wasn't even there anymore. The only place that couldn't be gone, was out the door to the outside. The house looked like one that would been seen in a scary movie or a nightmare. It was old, dimly lit, cobwebs all over. The furniture was covered with grayish white blankets, looking like it hadn't been touched in years. There was a squeaking noise, then all of a sudden, someone appeared beside her. "Hello there, Kate." Boone said.
Kate looked around, completely disoriented. She took a startled step back as Boone appeared beside her. "Boone?" she asked warily.
Boone smiled slightly. "Yup. It's me." he said. He stood there looking at her, then in the blink of an eye, he disappeared. There was another squeaking noise and he appeared on the other side of her. "Want a tour of the house?"
Kate jumped, startled, as he appeared on the other side of her. "I..." She shook her head. "This is a hallucination or something. You're dead."
"Am I?" Boone asked her. He turned and walked over to a mirror, wiping off some of the dust. "I don't feel dead. Do I look dead?" He turned to look at her, blinking. "I'm pretty sure I'm very much alive...How about that tour now?" He began to head for the living room.
Kate began to follow him, then stopped, shaking her head. "No. I saw you dead. I was there when they buried you." Her befuddled mind was trying to think through this, but whether from the drug or seeing Boone in front of her, it couldn't seem to do it. "You're dead."
Boone put his hands on his head, then on his shoulders, then continued to feel all over himself. "I really don't feel dead...I think I'd know if I was dead..." He disappeared again, being replaced after a few seconds by a little girl. She stared up at her with big green eyes and an adorable doll baby face, covered in freckles. Curly brown hair fell to her shoulders, bouncing slightly as she walked over to her. "Hi, Mommy."
All that thinking made Kate's head hurt. Or was it the shot? Had the man said something about headaches? She couldn't remember. Suddenly Boone was gone. Kate smiled at the little girl who replaced him - up until she spoke. "Mommy?" Kate questioned, confused. "I'm not your mommy."
The little girl, who looked to be around four or five, giggled. "Yes you are, Silly." she said. "Remember? I'm your little baby." She grinned at her. "Let's go play with Daddy..." she said, grabbing her hand and tugging on it.
Kate couldn't help smiling down at the little girl. She was adorable. She allowed the girl to pull her along, fighting the feeling that the floor was tilting beneath her.
The little girl headed into the living room, pushing away a cobweb as it hit her. "We haven't cleaned up much since you died, Mommy. Daddy will be happy to see you...He doesn't do much anymore...He just sits there...He doesn't play with me. Why did you die, Mommy?"
But I didn't die... Kate thought. I'm not dead. Unless...had the man killed her with that injection? Was she dead? "I don't know," was the only reply she made. Am I dead? she thought. And then another question: And if I'm her mother, who is "Daddy"?
The little girl continued to pull her along, stopping at a room. The door different much from the rest of the house. It was white, with pretty pink painted flowers on it. "This is my room, remember?" she said. She opened the door to a room that was worse than the rest of the house. It was dark and dirty, covered in dust and cobwebs and the smell was sickening, though she didn't seem to notice. "Daddy! Mommy's here! Are you happy to see her?" She smiled over at the figure that was sitting, leaning back against the wall. Through the little bit of light it could be seen that it was Sawyer. His eyes were closed, his face twisted in a horrible pain. A bloody knife stuck out of his chest, the blood on his shirt dried. Flesh was rotting and it was obvious the body had been there awhile.
Kate took a step back in horror. "Sawyer..." she whispered, tears forming in her eyes at the sight of his lifeless body. Her stomach clenched, and she fought back a wave of nausea. She shook her head. This isn't real...this can't be real... She looked over at the little girl - her and Sawyer's little girl, if in some strange world she was telling the truth. "What happened?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
"You killed him." Another voice said. Jack stepped into the room behind them, carrying a little boy who looked to be a year old. There was no doubt that that kid was Jack's. He was like a mini Jack, looking exactly like him. Light freckles were scattered over his cheeks though. "You killed him...You killed all of us..."
The little girl turned to look at Kate, her eyes growing very sad. "You didn't love me anymore?" she asked.
Jack walked past her. He lifted up the back of the little girl's shirt, revealing where a knife had been stuck into her back.
Kate shook her head, the tears falling freely. "No..." She shook her head desperately. "No..." She met the little girl's eyes, tearing her own eyes away from the knife in her back. "I didn't mean to...I'm so sorry..."
"It doesn't matter if you're sorry. You did it." Jack said. "Look what you did to your son, Kate." He tilted him over, showing her the knife wound on the top of his head. "Look what you did to me Kate." He put the little boy down, who looked up at Kate, and showed her the knife wound in his chest.
Kate continued to shake her head. "No...no, I didn't..." She couldn't look away from the wound on Jack's chest. "I didn't mean to...I didn't mean to..."
Sawyer shifted slightly in the corner. He groaned and pulled the knife out of himself. "You see what you did to us, Freckles? You see what you did? Look at your children...You murdered them...You stuck them with knives...You're other little boy is still in the bathroom waiting for you."
Kate fell to her knees, both from hearing this and from the dizzy spell now affecting her. "Please...I didn't...I'm sorry..." She completely broke down. "I didn't mean to, I didn't know...I'm so sorry..."
"Aiden!" Sawyer called, looking towards the door.
"Yeah, Daddy?" A little boy who looked to be around seven asked. Blood was streaming from the side of his head and he was soaked in water. He turned to face Kate. "You didn't love us anymore?" he asked, his chin quivering. He began to cry, soon followed by the other two children.
"You see what you did, Freckles...Look at them...Aiden, Riley, Noah...Look what you did to all of us."
Kate was sobbing. "No...I didn't, I'm sorry...no..." She looked up at Sawyer and Jack, trying to get them to understand. "I didn't know, I'm so sorry...I didn't know..."
Boone walked into the room, shaking his head at her. "You're horrible...You didn't deserve these people. You killed them then you killed yourself...Look what you did."
All of a sudden, all of them began laughing sick laughs. They stood up and looked at her. As they laughed, the flesh began to peel right off of them, melting onto the floor. It was followed by their blood which began to cover the room, and then their bones which began to turn into dust.
"I didn't...I didn't mean to..." Kate's entire body shook, then she watched in horror as they began to melt in front of her. "No..." she whispered, then louder, "no...", until she was screaming. "NO!"
Their laughs got quieter until there was once again no more noise. The scenery changed once again after a few moments. This time they were in the park. Sawyer, Aiden, and Riley were there. Sawyer was sitting on a park bench as Aiden swung on the swings, and Riley played in the sand. There were two men off to the side, whispering and occasionally glancing at them. One held a suitcase and began walking over to Kate.
Kate's head spun as the scenery changed and her mind tried to focus. Even though she could make no sense out of any of this, she couldn't help but feel relieved as she saw Sawyer, Riley, and Aiden, apparently alive.
The man stopped beside her. "Hello again, Kate." He took off his dark sunglasses and looked at her. Once again, it was Boone. "You shouldn't have shot him, Kate...Now he's going to get his revenge."
Right as Boone said revenge, two gunshots rang out, one hitting Sawyer and one hitting Aiden. Riley got up and tried to run, but Jason caught her, holding her up by the back of her shirt.
Kate screamed, startled, as the shots rang out and Sawyer and Aiden were hit. "Let her go!" she screamed at Jason, trying to get him to release Riley.
"Let her go?" Jason asked. He shrugged and threw her on the ground, making her scream out in pain. He knelt down beside her, holding her down as she squirmed and held the gun to the front of her head.
"No!" Kate screamed. She grabbed his arm, trying to pull him off of Riley. "Stop it...please, just stop it..."
Jason pulled the trigger and the little girl's body went limp. She died with her eyes glued to Kate, her face twisted in pure horror. Jason smirked and looked at her.
Kate screamed as the gunshot rang out, unable to tear her eyes away from Riley's small, limp body.
The scenery changed again, and this time it was a beautiful living room in a gorgeous house. Jack was lying across the couch, playing patty cake with Noah. He looked more happy and relaxed then he had ever in his entire life. He smiled and glanced over at Kate. "We could use a third person."
"Mommy." Noah said with a laugh, clapping Jack's hands together and looking at Kate.
Kate stumbled towards them, disoriented yet again by the sudden scenery change. Against her will, she felt herself begin to relax. She sat down on the couch.
Jack looked at her frowning. "You look kind of out of it." he said, placing his hand on her forehead. "I hope you're not getting sick again." He looked at her, then glanced at the clock and sat up. "Let's head to bed, Hun." There was a loud noise outside, but Jack didn't seem to notice as he stood up, holding his hand down for her.
Kate noticed the noise, and a worried look appeared on her face as she took his hand. "Jack, something's not right," she said, desperately trying to make him understand. "Something bad's going to happen."
Jack frowned and looked down at her. "Kate, everything is fine." he assured her, shifting Noah in his arms a bit. "Are you feeling bad again, because I can give you some more medicine before we go to sleep."
Kate shook her head. "I'm fine, Jack, listen to me. Something bad's going to happen - to you and Noah both. You have to trust me." She met his eyes. "Please, Jack..."
Jack gave her a confused look. "Nothing bad is going to happen to anyone." he said. "Look...Buddy will make sure of it." He nodded to a German shepherd the was sitting on the floor scratching his ear. "Come on." He began heading upstairs.
Kate couldn't argue with him any more. She followed him up the stairs, dreading the horrible thing that she somehow knew was about to happen.
Jack headed first into the nursery. "Say night night, Momma..." he said, holding him to Kate. "Gonna give her a kiss?"
"Mommy..." Noah said, kissing her cheek.
Jack smiled and lied him down in his crib and headed for his own bedroom.
Despite herself, Kate began to think that maybe Jack was right. Maybe nothing was wrong at all. "Goodnight, honey," she told Noah, smiling slightly, before following Jack toward his room.
Jack put his arm around her and headed into their room. He shut the door a crack, having it open enough that they could hear if Noah cried. He yawned and stripped down to his boxers then began to get in bed.
Kate sat down on the edge of the bed. "Jack, I...I think something's wrong with me." She looked over at him.
Jack frowned. "What's wrong?" he asked, reaching to wrap his arms around her.
Kate leaned into him, closing her eyes as his arms wrapped around her. "I don't know, I just...I have this feeling like..." She hesitated, then continued. "Like this isn't real."
Jack kissed the top of her head, holding her close. "Baby, it's probably just from being sick yesterday and this morning." he said. "You're fever went down pretty fast so it's probably just giving you a weird feeling." He slid his hand under the back of her shirt, rubbing her back and shoulders. "Let's just get some sleep and then in the morning things will be better."
Kate nodded slightly, trying to erase the images of all of them dying, of them getting captured in the first place, from her mind. She wanted nothing more than to believe him. "Okay," she said softly, closing her eyes.
Jack nodded his head, kissing the top of her head again. He reached over and turned off the light, then slowly lied them down, holding her close as he closed his eyes. There was another loud crash and he sighed. "I think Buddy is into something." he muttered, beginning to get up again.
A panicked look spread across Kate's face, and she grabbed his arm. "Jack, no...I told you, I think something bad's going to happen...I don't think it's Buddy."
Jack sighed. He raised his arm slightly and kissed her hand. "I didn't take the trash out. He's probably into it...It's just Buddy, Katie..." He rubbed his eyes and stood up, turning the light back on.
Kate wanted so badly to believe him. "You're probably right," she said, "but just let me come with you. Okay?" She said it like she knew she was being ridiculous, but she couldn't help it.
Jack nodded his head. "Come on." he said, reaching his hand out for her's again.
Kate took his hand, not letting go even once she'd stood up. As they began to walk toward the door, Kate hoped with all her heart that she was wrong.
Jack headed downstairs with her and into the kitchen where Buddy was eating the trash. "See?" he said. He then frowned. "Damn dog." Keeping hold of her hand, he gathered it up with his free one and opened the door, tossing it outside. He turned to look at her with a smile, not seeing as a man stepped up behind him.
A relieved smile spread across Kate's face as she saw Buddy eating the trash. She smiled back at Jack, but the smile turned into a look of fright as a man stepped up behind him. "Jack-"
Jack raised his eyebrows. He turned, but then turned back and frowned. "What?" he asked, not seeing the man.
Kate didn't understand why he couldn't see him. "There's a man standing behind you," she told him, panic beginning to creep into her voice. "I can see him."
Jack turned and looked again. "Honey, I don't see anyone." he told her. He shut the door, the man stepping in as he shut it.
"Jack, he's right there..." Kate was starting to get scared now, not only because she could tell the man wasn't good, but because Jack apparently couldn't see him.
Jack looked around his kitchen, then frowned at her. "Come on...Let's go back to bed now..." he said, beginning to head for the stairs again.
Kate began to follow him, her eyes never leaving the man standing in their kitchen. Why couldn't Jack see him?
Jack slid his arm around her. He walked upstairs, the man following right behind them. "I was thinking if you're okay tomorrow we take Noah to the beach..." Jack said. "We haven't been there in awhile..."
Kate nodded, not really paying full attention. Her eyes stayed glued to the man. "Jack, I don't know if there's something wrong with me, or not, but I see a man standing right there." Her voice shook slightly.
Jack looked at her and turned again. He stopped, knowing she wasn't joking. "Kate..." he said slowly. "Close your eyes and count to five, then open them and tell me if he's still there."
"I'm going to kill him...and there's nothing you can do..." The man whispered. "I'm going to murder him right in front of your eyes..."
A chill ran up Kate's spine at the man's words. She closed her eyes and counted to five, then opened them again and looked at the man, then at Jack. "He's still here," she said, her voice shaking worse. "Jack, you need to get out of here, he says he's going to kill you..."
"Kate, if someone was there, I'd see them." Jack said, looking concerned. He looked down at her. Something was wrong. He didn't know what to do. "Katie, let's take you to the hospital and get you looked at." he told her softly.
"You can't run...It won't work...Our game will go on and on...He's going to die...You're going to cry...and then the tables will turn...So hug him tight now...You won't see him again...Better tell him you love him...This is the end..." The man whispered.
Kate felt herself begin to shake, but she couldn't stop it. She looked up at Jack, her face showing that she was terrified despite her efforts to conceal it. "Jack, I...I love you." And she did. Maybe not in her old reality, stranded on an island, caught between two men, not knowing which she loved, or if she loved either, but here, in this reality, she loved him.
Jack looked at her. "Sweetie, I love you too...Now let's get you to the hospital and find out what's wrong...I'll call Marc to watch Noah, okay?"
"How do you know if this is reality or fake...Do you think things will be okay...Can the hospital fix what's not even wrong...Can you hold on to the one thing you long...You have five minutes that will be his last...Do what you want...because when it's gone, it's the past..."
Kate caught his arm. "Jack, wait." She paused for a second. "I could be crazy, I could be hallucinating, I don't know. All I know is that this man I'm seeing keeps saying that he's going to kill you, and we have five minutes." She hesitated again. "So give me those five minutes, okay?" she asked, her voice thick with unshed tears. "And after that, if nothing happens, we'll go to the hospital, all right?"
Jack looked at her and sighed. What could five minutes hurt? "Alright, Hun." he said, nodding.
"You're lucky he listened...That he didn't go...five minutes could have been wasted...even if he doesn't know...He's going to leave you...better hurry with what you want...Because when he's gone...it's you I get to taunt..."
Kate's heart ached with wishing that this had been real, that everything else had been simply a bad dream. But she knew it wasn't - the man's arrival had proved that. With tears welling in her eyes, she looked up at Jack, then gently wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed her lips to his.
Jack closed his eyes. He wrapped his arms around her and softly kissed her back.
"Four minutes left...Times almost out...he's going to die...and you'll cry and shout...You wish it was real...but you know that it's not...Things will spiral downwards...better pray from my gun there's no shot..."
Kate continued to kiss him, her eyes closing and one lone tear slipping down her cheek. She tried to tune out the man's creepily rhyming words.
Jack put one of his hands on her cheek, catching the tear. He stroked her cheek with his thumb.
"Three more to go...Anxious right now...Soon they'll be two...Oh how you'll miss him oh how...You lucky I let him last all this long...I could have shot him...but wouldn't that be sick and wrong..."
Kate broke the kiss, just barely, tears beginning to stream down her cheeks. "It's not enough time," she whispered. "I'm so sorry...I love you..."
Jack put his other hand on her other cheek. "Listen to me...I'm going to take you to the hospital and they're going to make you better and we'll be fine..." he said.
"Only two more...After that will be one...Isn't this waiting...oh so much fun...It's going to be over...He's going to fall...And once he does...It'll be the end of it all..."
Kate wished with all her heart that she could believe him. "I love you..." she whispered again. She put her hands on his, one on either side of her face.
"We're going to be fine..." Jack told her. "We're going to go to the hospital, then we're going to go to bed...and then tomorrow the three of us are going to have fun on the beach."
"The last sixty seconds...Now fifty-nine...You know it's going to end...even if he tells you it'll be fine...Give him a hug...hold onto him tight...You'll never forget...what happened this night..."
Kate listened to the man, wrapping her arms around Jack's neck again and pulling him close, hugging him fiercely. "I love you," she whispered again.
"I know you do...I love you too." Jack whispered. A gunshot rang out and Jack fell to the floor, moaning in pain.
Kate fell to her knees, sobbing. She cradled Jack's head in her lap, stroking his face and hair. "I love you..." she whispered one last time.
Everything went dark again, and the room came back into view. Once again, there were no lights, no sounds, no movement, no sign that anything she just saw ever even happened.