Chapter 8

"St. Michael's med center was broken into late Thursday night by an unknown assailant. Security cameras and the main alarm system all suffered mechanical failures so the assailant was not photographed. One night-watchman was murdered in the break-in but all that was stolen was one sample from one of the blood storage banks. The donator's name has not been identified and there are currently no leads on the assailant..."

Pogue sighed and tossed the newspaper on the small coffee table in front of him. So the dream he had the other night was real. Caleb was alive...and he wasn't alone either. That thought gave Pogue a slight headache. He could clearly remember the dark presence that clouded Caleb's mind. He felt the malice pouring out of it's presence as it brushed against his own mind.

The fact that it was in control of his best friend was even worse.

Pogue sighed and massaged his temples gently. Another headache was coming on strong and he really didn't feel like dealing with it right now. He stretched out on the long couch and tried to focus his full attention on the TV screen in front of him. The channel he left it on was playing some crime drama and no matter how hard he tried he couldn't fully bring himself to pay attention to it. He was too exhausted to follow the plot line and soon he gave up and rolled over on his side away from the TV.

He really didn't want to fall asleep with his headache starting to come on like that but a small part of him wanted too in hopes of seeing Caleb again. That thought alone was enough to convince him and Pogue stopped fighting his exhaustion.

Soon his eyes drifted closed as sleep finally called him.

--

The darkness was suffocating.

It swam all around him, covering all of his surroundings in its depths, making Pogue feel completely isolated and alone. He swallowed deeply, feeling his throat starting to dry from his nervousness.

He didn't know where he was but he had a sinking feeling he wasn't alone.

He closed his eyes and tried expanding his mind, seeing if he could pick up any emotions around him. All at once they hit him, throwing their weight against the side of his head. Pain. Sorrow. Malice. Anger. It was all around him!

He fought against them and tried to seal himself away from their presence. They wouldn't let him. The emotions brushed against him so strongly it was making him scream. The pain was too intense; it felt like his head was being pulled five different ways.

He cried out and fell to his knees. Tears started falling down his face as he slumped forwards. The pain only grew more unbearable. He could feel their dark hands running through his mind, pulling here and there until he felt like his sanity was being stripped away from him.

He cried out once again and forced himself to fight against them. He formed mental locks around his subconscious and used his remaining strength to keep them up. The pain dimmed slightly as he fought against the darkness around him. Using all of his remaining energy he forcibly pushed them all away.

The relief washed over him for a moment. Pogue gathered himself and prepared for the emotions to come after him again but they didn't. He could still feel them there, they surrounded him but they were being held at bay by something. Cautiously he lowered his arms and raised his head. His vision was blurry from the pain and his tears but he could still see what held the darkness at bay.

It was a light, small but it was there. Just by looking at it he could feel its power but he couldn't tell what it was coming from. It moved closer to him, growing bigger with every step until it was right in front of Pogue's eyes.

Don't give up.

Pogue stared at it in awe. The voice was coming from somewhere in his mind. It was familiar, very familiar but it was one he never heard in his head before.

"What?"

The light dimmed as the voice spoke into his head once again.

I said, don't give up. If he feels you in here he'll kill you. But you can't let that stop you.

"I don't understand. Who?"

The one who has reduced me to all of this and he'll destroy Caleb too if you don't stop him.

At the mention of his friend's name, Pogue hardened.

"Where's Caleb!" He growled dangerously.

He's all around you. This is his mind...at least what's left of it.

"What?" Pogue blinked. "This is– but how?"

The light dimmed again.

You're here because I called you here.

On shaky legs, Pogue forced himself to stand. He shielded his eyes away from the white light as he spoke.

"Why?"

This time, the light didn't dim when it spoke. Instead a powerful presence pushed against Pogue's mind, almost knocking him off his feet.

Because, you're the only one that can stop him! He'll kill Caleb and the rest of your Covenant unless you put an end to his retched life!

Anger and disgust pierced the inside of Pogue's mind as the voice ragged, growing louder and louder.

Stop him!

Pain shot through Pogue's whole body as the light slowly started fading out, leaving him alone in the darkness once more.

--

Pogue jolted awake as a severe wave of pain shot through his right shoulder.

After releasing a loud moan he opened his eyes to discover that he was on the floor by the couch. The TV hummed quietly in the back ground but Pogue could hardly hear it over the sound of his frantic breathing.

He sat up gingerly, groaning at the pain from his shoulder. Apparently he must've rolled off his couch in the midst of his mental thrashing. His shoulder wasn't the only thing that hurt; his head felt like it had been ripped off and then sewn back on again.

(Was all that just another dream?)