Chapter 40
'Raina, is that you?'
I groaned and opened my eyes. I looked like I was in the same place, just laying on the grass besides Cal. My eyes widened and I searched for my mother. Where was she? Where had she gone?
'She poisoned us…' I began.
'Yes,' he replied. His reply, even in my thoughts, were strained.
'Are you all right?' I moved toward him, but was hit by a stream of pain. It left us both breathing hard and he was holding his side.
'Don't…move.' His teeth chattered. It was a terrible sight. He still had his knife in he pouch and I noted it. We could use that just in case something came.
I heeded his words. It seemed that the more I moved, the less energy and the more pain was inflicted on the both of us.
'How are we going to get out of this then? What's happening?'
'It's….that thing….' He replied.
'That thing? What thing? The only thing I saw out there was our betraying mother!'
'No…that's not our mother…it's…it's possessing her. Or something…'
I was silent. Could that really happen? There was so much I didn't know. So much I didn't even think about before…
'I think it's our father.'
I looked over at him. It took a lot of energy to even turn my head.
'It's him. He's doing this to her. After all of those dreams of her…he must of known she was trying to contact us. She didn't want to hurt her but she didn't…'
'Didn't want her to get in the way,' I nodded. 'That makes sense. Of course, why wouldn't he just have her kill us now? What is he waiting for? I thought he wanted to rule forever...'
'He has to know…'
'Know what?'
'What this is all about. What this has been about all along. He has to know who is his ally and who….'
'…is his enemy.'
This all made sense now. Why he hadn't just killed us off from the start. I'm quite sure he's known long enough.
'How are we even supposed to know?'
'I'm not sure…they never told us much. The only person I ever got information out of was…'
Gabriel….
'Gabriel! Where's Gabriel? What happened to him?!' I spun around, scanning the trees. 'He was right behind me and then I ran off because I heard mothers voice and…well I heard him following me!'
Cal's eyes widened. 'You think he followed you? He was walking right into a trap! She wouldn't keep him alive…would she?'
I was silent, afraid of the answer that lingered on my tongue. Instead I instinctively tried to get up. Cal grimaced at my effort. 'Don't move!' He hissed. 'We're in a different world right now ok? If he's back there…he's got to defend for himself!'
'But he doesn't know….different world?'
'Dream world Raina.'
I nodded. Right. Of course, that's where we were.
'Are we the only ones that can connect through telepathy?'
'Who are you going to try and contact?' he asked. 'I really don't think it'll work.'
'I'm going to try anyway all right?'
He nodded. 'All right.'
I lay down and closed my eyes. 'Hello?' I called out there. 'Anyone there?'
'I am,' Cal said sarcastically. It was amazing how he could manage to be like that while in so much pain. I scowled.
'Be quiet!' I warned.
He was silent. I could tell this did mean something. He did want to know if it could work, probably even more than I did. He wasn't looking so well.
'Hello?' I called again. 'Please. In this world? In other worlds. Can you hear me?...'
I tried for several hours to get anyone to hear me.
Cal was lying on the ground, stiff in pain and trying to breathe as little as possible. I'd glanced down at him from time to time to ask if he was all right. He'd always nod. I couldn't do anything about it. It pained me to see him like this. Not just because I could literally feel his pain, but it seemed like he was in such a worse state than him and I felt like crying as he lay on the ground. How long would it be like this?
'Raina…' he said after a long while of my attempt to try and reach someone. It wasn't working, I knew and he knew, but it had to. Just had to work….
'What is it Cal?' I asked.
'I…..are you still there?'
He was facing towards me and practically looking at me. 'Of course I'm here. Why?'
'I…., I think I'm losing my sight. I can't see!'
I looked over at him. 'What are you talking about? You can't see?'
'Everything is going black Raina? What is this?!'
He began trembling and shaking. He was practically jolting, like something was overwhelming him, shocks erupting through his body.
'Cal!' I screamed. 'Cal, I'm coming! What's happening?!'
No answer.
'Cal!' His body wrenched from the ground them carelessly plopped down again. What was happening? What was possessing him?
'Gaaaaah!' he cried out. He was squirming. He couldn't say anything, but his eyes managed to flicker at mine. 'Help,' they said. 'Help me….'
I just had to do something. I managed to get beside him, holding him tight. I didn't know what to do. I just held him and cried. It was taking everything out of us.
Suddenly there were screams in my own ears. Some screeching, not coming from Cal, I knew, but something else.