Chapter 10: Between Life and Death

I could no longer feel anything, and I could no longer see the world around me. The only explanation that I could even begin to think of was that I had been trapped within a pitch black abyss, and that the darkness engulfing me was completely inescapable. Inside my mind, I begged and pleaded for the slightest sign of life. For anything that would give me any sort of indication as to where I was. The same three thoughts played on repeat in my head. "Where am I?! How did I get here?! What happened to me?!" Yet each time these questions were asked, I always got the same response.

Silence.

Nothing seemed real to me, but as time marched on, I began to hear something new. Something that wasn't the sound of my own frantic thoughts.

I heard music. The sound was soft, but it was unmistakably the melody of a song. And as my brain began to process the sound, the darkness around me started to become a dull gray. Then from dull gray it slowly transitioned to being impossibly bright.

Gradually, I thought to move my body and testing the waters, I started off with moving a finger. When I could feel the movement of my finger, I slowly attempted to open my eyes. Bit by bit I opened them, the bright light above me offered a welcome change after being left within the dark for so long.

It was a minute before my sight adjusted to all that surrounded me, but when it did, I felt that I was lying on my back. That I was looking upwards at a white ceiling. I decided to lie still for a brief second, feeling the coolness of the metal table that I was lying on beneath the palms of my hands.

As I lay there, I silently wondered to myself. "Am I alive? Why can't I remember how I got here?" I took in a deep breath of air and releasing it slowly, I thought. "Well...at least whatever that was...at least it's finally over."

Then from within the almost near silence of the room, I heard the faint sound of a man speaking to himself. "The current date is August 26th of the year 3064 A.D. The subject, Jonah Turner, continues to exhibit signs of revitalization. At this rate, I am estimating that she should be fully healed and awake within the hour. As of right now, I have been keeping these observations to myself. Since the progress has been slow going over the course of the last two days. However, I feel that I will have to confide my full findings with the remaining members of the A.X. soon enough."

I couldn't tell who had been speaking, but I had heard them mention my name, was it possible that they knew something that I didn't? While thinking these thoughts, I caught the sound of footsteps moving through the room. Eventually the steps ceased, only to begin again, this time coming towards me. As I heard them drawing closer, I braced myself, making sure that I was ready to either fight or to take flight.

When the sounds of the person stopped, it seemed to be permanent this time. But when I exhaled, thinking that I was safe, a man's face appeared directly above me. The sudden appearance made me scream out in fear, but as I took a second to look, I realized that I knew the man. He had short brown hair that had a slight curl at the ends. Powerful blue eyes looked at me from behind a pair of reading glasses. His face was smooth, apart from a few wrinkles around the corners of his mouth, which was currently set in a grim smile. "Oh? So you're finally awake?"

I fished through my memories, and once I had a name to go along with the face, I whispered. "Father Wordsworth?" Slowly I sat myself up on the metal table, and looking down at my legs and torso, I saw that I had been dressed in a simple white shirt and a pair of long pajama pants. "Father Wordsworth...what happened to me? Where am I?!" I inexplicably felt myself growing angry, and it confused me since Father Wordsworth, who was known as Professor within the A.X., hadn't even done anything wrong.

The Professor held one of his hands out in front of his chest, obviously calling for a time out. "Now hold on, Jonah. I know that you must be feeling anxious right about now, but there is no need to go and lose your temper. So calm down, and I promise that I will tell you everything that I know." He grabbed a chair from another table that was a few feet away and placed it next to where I sat. As he took a seat, he stated in a matter of fact tone. "In addition, however, I need to ask you a few questions of my own. Do you understand?"

Nodding my head, I complied with his wishes, and taking a deep breath, I calmly repeated the same questions that I had asked earlier. "What happened to me? Where are we?"

Satisfied by my change in temperament, he began to inform me of the things that I had asked about. "Two days ago, you were attacked. We have an eyewitness who can directly tie Noelle Bor to the scene of the crime. Jonah..." He looked at me, and I could tell that he was being extremely serious when he asked his question. "Is there anything, that you can think of, that could have made Noelle wish to harm you?"

I shook my head. "No. In fact, Sister Noelle had been the one who ended up helping me to train so that I could hopefully further improve my combative and defense skills."

Showing me that he understood, the Professor went on to say. "It saddens me then to inform you of this then, but Sister Noelle has passed away."

"That's impossible..." Shock took over my body, and without actually speaking my thoughts out loud, I silently asked myself. "What drove Noelle to attack me? How is it that she's now dead?"

Father Wordsworth quietly retrieved a sea foam pipe from one of the two pockets on the front of his navy blue cardigan, and with it in hand, he placed the mouthpiece between his teeth. Taking a few long draws off of the device before he began to speak. "I feel as though I should go ahead and mention this, but...not only have you been unconscious for the last two days, but when Noelle attacked you she inflicted a very serious, fatal wound on the left side of your neck." His full attention fell upon me. "Jonah, you died in Father Nightroad's arms that day."

It felt as though my heart had stopped. I brought my hands up to cover my ears and argued. "No! That isn't possible! If I died, then tell me, how am I speaking to you right now?!" I lowered my hands and started to grip the side of the metal table until my knuckles turned white.

With a gentle shrug, he kindly explained. "Just after you were brought in, I took a sample of your blood. And upon further inspection I was able to find some bizarre organisms." The Professor looked at me square in the eye, whispering as he did so. "Since then, I have taken several more samples...and in each sample those same organisms have been present."

I didn't want to believe a word that he was telling me. There was no way all of this could be real! He was lying! So shaking my head rapidly, I asked the first thing that popped into my mind. "Where is Father Nightroad?"

Taking another draw off of his pipe, he told me. "He's grieving. He's been in mourning since the moment that you died." He removed the pipe's mouthpiece from his lips and blowing out a cloud of smoke, he sighed. "Abel has been in great distress since he lost you, along with the knowledge of Noelle's betrayal."

Unwilling to take it anymore, I jumped from the table, and landing on my bare feet, I instantly noticed how unsteady my legs were. However it didn't matter to me, so as I chose to ignore my weaknesses I commanded my limbs to be strong. There was something more important that needed my attention. Something that I had to make right. I couldn't simply stand by idly as someone that I cared for hurt so needlessly. "Professor, I'm going to find Father Nightroad! I need to let him know that I'm okay!" With a smile and a wave, I ran past the middle aged priest, yelling over my shoulder as I got closer to the room's door. "Thanks for everything!"

Just as I exited the room, I heard the Professor ask a single question. "Could it be possible?"

Ignoring his inquiry, I ran as fast as I could. With every step that I took I pushed myself to quicken my speed. I had to find Abel. I had to let him see for himself that I was alive and well. In my haste, I ran past groups of people, and despite their looks of disapproval, I simply whispered under my breath. "I'm sorry."

The farther I travelled, I began to feel a burning sensation deep within my lungs, and when I finally decided to stop running, I found that I was standing outside of a small house of worship. The building's exterior was made up primarily of pieces of white stones, and holding it all together was a clean layer of mortar. As I walked up the stone steps to the entrance of the church, I stood on the tip end of my toes and peered through a window that placed in the door itself. Looking through the reflective sheen of the glass, I only saw my own green-yellow eyes staring back at me, but then cupping my hand around the side of my face, I squinted both of my eyes.

Silently scanning the interior of the building, I made the decision to enter once I saw that there were lights on inside.

Upon entry, I saw row after row of pews, and looking at the flooring I noticed that it had a black and white checkered pattern. Moving from the floor, I turned my gaze upwards. Beautiful stained glass windows, that were each decorated with ornate designs, left me feeling speechless. I watched in awe as the sunlight that was filtered the multicolored glass died and were reborn as sunbeams. At the head of the room stood a white pipe organ. Then finally, sitting in one of the pews that was closest to the organ, I saw the long silver-white hair that I knew belonged to Abel.

Seeing him before me, I breathed a sigh of relief. I had found him, and soon the pain that had taken over his heart would be alleviated. With a smile, I slowly began to approach the front of the room. My foot steps barely making a sound, and when I was a few feet away, I took another deep breath before whispering. "Father Nightroad?"

He gasped and froze as I spoke, then turning towards me, I noticed his face had a ghostly white hue. The eyes gaping at me were filled with fear and doubt. Tears silently fell onto his cheeks as I looked at him, and opening his mouth, he finally spoke. His voice sounding so broken. "Is this how I am to be punished for allowing her to meet such a grisly fate? Is this the Hell that I am to be faced with and forced to live in for not being able to save her? God, please forgive me...I understand that I got there too late...I understand that she was my responsibility...but please...I won't be able to bear it if her ghost haunts me..." Sobbing, he looked away from me.

I could feel my heart shattering into a thousand tiny pieces and taking a few small steps closer I whispered. "Father Nightroad...I'm not a ghost." For a moment, I stopped to consider my words. "Father Wordsworth told me that he found something within my blood. He thinks that in the end, it saved my life..." Closing the gap between us, I knelt down next to Abel and reaching up, I began to wipe away his tears. "You needn't cry anymore, Father." Thinking back, I remembered the words that I had said on the night we had met. "Trust me, Father Nightroad, like I trust you."

Hearing these words, he finally turned back to look at me. His winter blue eyes now containing a faint glimmer of hope. "Jonah?"

I smiled and nod my head.

Abel quickly got to his feet and before I could act, he pulled me in close to his body. It felt as though he were attempting to protect me from an enemy that only he could see. As I gently began to wrap my arms around his torso, I could hear him whispering to himself. "Thank you! Oh Lord...thank you!" He pulled himself away from me and held me out at an arm's length away from him. "I thought that I had lost you forever. What happened? Why would Noelle attack you like that?"

Sadly shaking my head, I gave him the only answer that I could. "Father Wordsworth asked me the same thing, and...I'm sorry, Father. I'm afraid that I don't remember."

Looking at me, he quietly asked. "What's the last thing that you can remember?"

Searching through my memories, I thought out loud for him to hear. "Training with Sister Noelle...and that's it."

He smiled at me before pulling me back into a tight embrace. "It's all right, Jonah. It really is."

We eventually resorted to sitting down in the pews, and for a time, that's all we did. We simply sat in silence, enjoying one another's companionship. However, after a while, I looked down at the floor and asked. "Father Nightroad, what exactly did you see when you found me?"

Sighing deeply he whispered. "I saw you lying on the ground in a pool of your own blood...all the while Noelle simply stood there laughing. She stood by as three monstrous creatures circled around you. I didn't know what they were, nor did I care. At the moment...all that I felt coursing through me was a white-hot rage that was consuming me." He shook his head before continuing. "Something within me broke that day." Dropping his gaze down to his hands, he told me. "I'm not sure about what it was, but when I saw her behaving the way that she was...when I saw her laughing as you laid there bleeding to death...I shot her. I shot Noelle along with those monsters. Jonah, did I do the right thing?"

I wanted to reassure him that he had. "What you saw, couldn't have possibly been the whole story. Something else must have happened to her. If I start to remember anything else from that day, then you'll be the first person to hear of it."

Abel smiled. "Thank you." Silence fell over us once more, but a few minutes later he asked. "Earlier you mentioned that the Professor informed you that he found something in your blood? Did he give you any other information about what it was?"

Shaking my head, I replied. "No. If there was anything else about it that he knew, he didn't say. And besides..." I felt myself blush, my words coming out as a whisper. "I kind of left in a hurry once he told me that you were mourning my death. I couldn't just sit there and continue to let you think that I was gone." I felt Abel wrap his arm around my shoulder, and as I rest my arm against the side of his chest, I wondered out loud. "Could it be possible that he had more that he needed to tell me? And to think, I ran off before he had the chance. Should I go back and talk with him?"

Feeling his movement, I looked over and saw him nodding. "I'd say that's the best thing that you could do for now. Hopefully you'll learn more about whatever it is that saved your life."

We both stood up and giggling, I joked. "Who knows, Father? Maybe this is the ability that you said I had...the one that would be mine and mine alone."

I could tell that he was intrigued by my notion, but placing a hand on my shoulder he warned. "That may or may not be true, but let's not test this theory of yours until we know for sure."

Together we headed in the direction towards the morgue, which was the last place that I had seen the Professor. The entire way, I kept noticing Abel watching after me with a protective eye. As we got closer to our destination, I began to call out. "Professor? I found Father Nightroad and I told him what you said. Professor?"

In the entrance to the morgue, we waited. There was no sign of Father Wordsworth, but as we took a few steps into the room, we looked around. Craning our necks trying to catch a glimpse of the Professor. Finally Abel tried calling out. "Professor, we're here to speak with you!"

At this, the Professor poked his head out from behind a corner. "Oh? Father Abel and Jonah, so it was the two of you making all of that ruckus?" He walked towards us and sat down in the same chair he had earlier and looking at me, guessed. "I can only surmise that you're here to learn more about what I told you?"

Abel and I both sat down in chairs that were placed across from the Professor's, and as I nod my head, I replied. "I am. Professor, is there a way for you to find out what it is that you found in my blood? It's left me feeling rather...curious. After all, those who are dead don't normally come back to life."

Sitting deep in thought, he pulled out his pipe, placed the mouthpiece in between his teeth then nodding his head, spoke. "I have a few theories. However, the one that seems to be the most plausible to me at this time, will require you to give me a fresh blood sample." He went from looking at me, over to Abel. "I'll need blood samples from the both of you."

Father Nightroad looked confused. "Why do you need to have my blood, Professor?"

Blowing out a puff of smoke, the Professor met Abel's question with assurance. "If my theory is correct, then all will be answered soon enough. Now Jonah, I'll get a blood sample from you first." He got up from his seat and seeing me do the same, he told me. "No need to go anywhere. I'll be right back." He proceeded to walk over to a cabinet that had been hung u on the back wall. Opening the cabinet's door, he began grabbing miscellaneous medical supplies and replaced them back into a medical basin. After a few minutes had passed, he came back over and rejoined Abel and myself.

I leaned forward, trying to catch a glimpse of the conglomeration of supplies that the Professor had collected. In the silence, I watched as he pulled out a small needle, a rubber tourniquet and an empty glass vial, which was still sealed.

With the vial in his hand, Father Wordsworth passed it over to Abel and instructed. "Here, you can go ahead and get this ready while I sterilize the site."

Abel nod his head and began to break the seal on the vial.

The Professor reached over to the basin and grabbed a white cotton ball and a bottle of antiseptic, and as he opened the bottle he told me. "Now that you're fully awake, this may sting a bit." He poured some of the antiseptic onto the cotton, and gently grabbing hold of my wrist, he extended my arm out and began to disinfect the skin in the crook of my left arm.

The disinfectant was cold on my skin, but it didn't bother me too much.

When he was finished with the cotton ball, he set it aside, along with the bottle. Then taking hold of the rubber tourniquet, he tied it around my lower bicep. "Okay, now make a tight fist."

I did as I had been told and clenched my hand closed.

Nodding, he picked up the needle from the table he had set it on, and carefully removed the protective sheath from the needle itself. Then slowly, he stuck the needle into the vein beneath my skin.

As I watched the needle pierce my flesh, I noticed a tiny pinching sensation. Yet again, it didn't bother me much.

Once he was ready, the Professor reached over his shoulder. "Okay, Abel. I'm ready for the vial." The instant that he felt the smooth, glossy surface of the vial against the palm of his hand, he wrapped his fingers around it and quickly slid the vial where the plunger for the syringe would have been. The last thing that he did was untie the tourniquet and calmly said. "And relax your hand."

As I unclenched my fist, I watched as dark red blood immediately began to fill the vial.

Blood had filled about half of the glass tube before I saw the Professor pick up a fresh cotton ball and gingerly pulling out the needle, he pressed the cotton ball over the tiny puncture wound. "All right, all you need to do is hold this here for a few minutes."

With my fingers pressing the cotton ball down, I asked. "Is that everything?"

He retrieved the lid that had been taken off of the vial, which now contained my blood, from Abel, and laughing said. "Almost. It's Father Nightroad's turn." Replacing the lid back onto the vial, he reached over and disposed of the needle that had been used on me. Then taking the second vial, he gave it to me and turning his attention to Abel, he said. "Just do as Abel did and remove the lid. Now I'm going to need you to remove your overcoat and for you to roll up your sleeve."

I broke the seal on Abel's vial, and watched as he shrugged off his overcoat, and as he neatly set it on the floor next to his feet, he began working on the buttons that fastened the sleeve of his cassock. As he managed to undo the buttons, he rolled his sleep up so that it was now between his shoulder and elbow. When he was done, he looked over at me and smiled nervously. "Believe it or not, I don't like needles."

Not hearing Father Nightroad's words, the Professor immediately set to work the moment that Abel's sleeve was out of his way. He poured the antiseptic onto a cotton ball and rubbed it on the skin. As the cold cotton touched his arm, Abel reflexively shivered. After he was finished with the cotton, he exchanged it out for the rubber tourniquet and tying it around where it needed to be, he instructed. "All right, Abel. Make a fist."

At the request, he complied and watched as the Professor removed the protective covering from the needle. Carefully, the needle's point was lined up with the vein, and when he was ready, he poked the tip into the skin. Abel flinched and quietly whined. "Ouch. That hurt."

The Professor sighed. "You're an adult, Abel. You will survive. Okay, Jonah." He looked at me and I gave him the vial that I had been holding onto. After he put the vial where it needed to be, he undid the tourniquet. "And relax."

I watched as Abel relaxed the muscles in his left arm, and as blood began to fill the vial, the pulse that pumped through my veins picked up in speed. I began to feel an uneasiness in the pit of my stomach, and it forced me to look away.

Abel, who saw this, asked me with much concern within his voice. "Jonah?"

I shook my head, trying to play my actions off completely. "Sorry, Father. I just felt a little nauseous. Don't worry."

By this time, Abel's blood had filled the second vial to the half way point, and pulling the needle out, the Professor pressed a new cotton ball against Abel's skin, just as he had done to me. Then with the vial in his hand, the took the lid from me without a word and put it back into place. From the table, he picked up my vial of blood and went to the back of the room.

Abel looked over at me and shaking my head, I gave him a wry smile and followed the Professor. At the back of the room, I saw him grabbing petri dishes from an open drawer, and as he set them up in a straight line on the counter top, he whispered. "So the moment of truth. Jonah, I'm going to add a drop of your blood into the first petri dish, then I'll add a drop of Abel's into the second. We're going to watch and see how the two samples will react indiviually. And then based on the results, we'll act accordingly."

Both Abel and I nod our heads as if we had actually understood what the Professor was talking about.

With a firm grip on the first vial, the Professor removed the lid and poured a small portion into the petri dish. We all watched and waited to see if anything happened, but when it didn't, he exchanged the first vial for the second. Taking off the lid, Abel's blood was poured into the second dish. And immediately, all three of us noticed the result. Abel's blood acted of its own free will, and it seemed to be agitated by something. It began to creep towards the petri dish that contained some of my blood.

I watched in horror as Abel's blood continuously made attempts to attack my blood. "What is this? Professor...what's happening?"

As I asked my questions, Abel chose to remain silent.

The Professor then turned to me, and said. "It's exactly what I theorized would happen." He turned back to the blood samples and pouring more of my blood into the third and final dish, he topped it off with some of Abel's blood.

Unrestricted, Abel's blood began to consume mine.

Gasping, I looked at Abel and asked. "Father Nightroad? What does this mean?"

Refusing to witness any more of the events occurring on the counter, Abel turned away and whispered, remorse coating his every word. "The Crusnik's nano-machines that are found in my blood are being drawn to something that's in you...and the Crusnik only desires one thing...that thing is known as the Kudlak Bacillus."

I could feel my eyes growing wide, and grabbing hold of Abel's hand in desperation, I begged. "Kudlak Bacillus?! Father...what does that mean?!"

Abel looked at me, with so much sadness in his eyes, and quietly he whispered. "Jonah...it means that you are at least half Methuselah."