Opportunity

How could I have ever known that this was going to happen? Why is the best question in this mystery? You may not understand my problem so I guess I’m going to have to take you back and recap you on everything that happens.

One night at about 7:54 June 5th 1953, I was getting ready for one of the best nights of my life. I was finally a senior and I got invited to the last party of the year. Of course just like any other guy I went for the women. Now I was mostly going for the one and only Elizabeth Brown. The women of my dreams, and the love of my life. Just like any other guy, I had my best friend their Robert. We had known each other for over Six years now and promised to go to the same college together. Anyways, I was approached by a man. This looked like no ordinary man.

He then pulled out a knife and stabbed my best friend. I started to run out the building, and then my mother pulled up and got out.

I said, “Mother we have to get out of here now”. “What are you talking about baby”? Within that split second I saw my mother’s face go cold. She fell to the ground and soon my big brother ran up beside me.

I saw the knife being pulled out of my mother and the guy turning towards us. I could not see him but my brother must have because he told me to run.

He punched him, though it did no good. He tried again but the guy easily dodged it and stuck the knife right into him. He turned toward me and I could see that in his eyes he was coming right for me.

I was so terrified I started running backwards into the woods. After around five minutes of running I stopped for a second to breathe. I looked behind the trees and the man must have given up.

I sat against the tree as tears started to come out my eyes and down my face. How could this have happen, this was supposed to be the best night of my life and now it is the worst. I lost my brother, my mother, and my best friend. I knew I had to get up and get help. I got up and started walking towards town and just like that the man appeared and grabbed my throat and said,

“Join us or die”.

At that moment I woke up in my bed. I had no idea what happen but my mom came running in and said it was a dream. She turned on the light, but this was not my mom I remembered, this is my adopted mom.

My real mom did die. She did die the way I dreamt it. But I was not in my senior year, neither was it 1953. She woke me up and said, “You can’t stay inside all day, go visit your girlfriend”.

My girlfriend Candice, I forgot all about her. “Can I use the car”? She put her hands on her hips. “You know your father has the car”. I got up shaking my head. I got ready after 20 minutes and started my walk over to her house.

After talking awhile and said that we would meet up another day and maybe go out I left and walked back home.

On the way back home I was walking by an abandoned building where the house looked as if it has been rotting over 100 years. As I walked along the sidewalk there was a noise that came from the house. That noise was a sound that pierced the air. It was a mixture of screams and glass breaking.

I turned towards it and hesitated for a moment until another scream filled the air. I reacted on instincts and ran toward the door.

It was locked, but as another scream filled the air the door opened up. I ran inside just to hear more screams coming from upstairs. The door shut instantly behind me.

I ran up the stairs and around the wall. The last fainting scream could be heard through the last door on the left. I ran into the room and I saw that a lady who looked about in her mid- 30’s was lying on the ground. The door slammed shut behind me but I didn’t notice.

I finally noticed that there was a little boy sitting beside the women and I started to walk towards him. I stopped suddenly when I finally saw a knife in his hand.

There was blood all over it and it looked as if he just noticed I was there because he just looked up and the face of pure happiness was crossed on his face.

“It’s ok; it’s all going to be fine. They are coming for me, they have to.”

I hoped my face didn’t show the confusion. “Who is coming, what have you done”?

The boy stood up and I had the reaction to move backwards because of the knife in his hand. He turned away from me and stared in the corner. I thought I saw the faintest hint of a smile on his lips. As I was looking at him I didn’t see the whole corner starting to turn black until the last minute.

“They are here.”

Again I wanted to know who was here but couldn’t say anything but, “Whom”?

No more than a second passed before a figure started to take shape in the darkness in the corner, and then the figure started to approach the boy. He grabbed the boys forearm and touched it in a way that looked like a snake.

“Your new life begins in that corner”.

I stood there scarred and afraid of what was going to happen next. I watched as the figure motion for the boy in the corner. They boy hesitated at first but eventually he walked to it.

Now there are a lot of things that I deem not to be real but as I watched him go into the corner he disappeared into the darkness.

The figure turned around towards me and walked to me. I felt my heart sink into my stomach as he stopped in front of me. He tilted his head as if studying me then he said,

“Do you want to come”?

I was speechless but as I started to focus on his words I started to ask myself did I want to go? The man got up in my face as if studying me. This was the first time I had seen his face, it looked beat up and decayed.

“What’s your name”?

I felt sick but managed to say, “My name is John.”

The man had put his hand on my shoulder and I tried not to breath.

“Well, John I will be watching you, and when the time is right “I” will come for you.”

The man took one long look at me and dropped his hand. I felt that I could breathe once more. He walked backwards toward the dark corner. Suddenly the shadow disappeared and he was gone. I didn’t know what to do, so I crouched down by the woman lying on the floor.

A million thoughts raced into my head as I felt as if I was just dreaming it or something. No this was real. This was actually happening. The main thought in my head was to call the police.

I picked the phone from my pocket and dialed 911. “911 what’s your emergency?” I thought for a second unsure what to report. “There is a woman here. She is dead with a knife in here chest. Send ambulance quick.”

It was not all a lie.

“Stay put EMT’s are on the way.”

I hung up after saying thanks. I figured I would let my parents know where I am and how long I would be being as they will mostly be asking me questions about the death of the unknown woman that lied dead in the upstairs room.

After a few rings mom finally picked up. I told her what happen. Of course I didn’t tell her about the supernatural thing I saw. She was starting to freak out and said she will be there in a minute.

Cops had arrived first along with the ambulance. They asked where she was I told them upstairs bedroom.

“So what happen?”

I had told them this question about 10 times now. My parents arrived at that moment.

“All I know is I heard screaming, I ran into the house and she was just lying there dead with a knife stuck into her chest.”

The cop looks like he was trying to question if I was telling the truth.

“Any one there besides you?”

Now I was beginning to get angry.

“No, it was just me for the last time!” My father and mother put a hand on my shoulder and back.

A cop came up and handed a wallet to the cop questioning me. He held the wallet open in front of me.

“What about this little boy?”

It was the same little boy that disappeared. I was scared and didn’t know if I should tell them the truth. Would they believe me?

I thought for a moment and then looked at his face. “I told you I seen no one.”

Lies

After the cop was finally done questioning me we got into the car and went on home. There was a huge silence hanging in the air. I finally broke the silence.

“Mom is there a place in the shadows where people come out and kill and steal children?”

It blurted out of my mouth before I knew it. I thought my father would stop the car but he kept going but reduced his speed. My mom turned around in her seat.

“What are you talking about, don’t tell me you are doing drugs?”

I knew this conversation was going to get weird.

“If you are we can help you.”

This conversation had to be stopped.

“No mom, I just wanted a simple answer but I guess that is just too much.”

The rest of the ride home was silent and you could feel the tension in the air. I got out of the car and went into the house. I started climbing up the stairs when I heard my father clear his throat. My mother was waiting for me to turn around.

“Honey, what’s wrong?”

I didn’t know how to reply. I knew this moment was coming.

“Nothing mom, it’s just uh ....”

I did not want to finish the conversation so I went upstairs and fell on my bed and fell asleep instanlyt. I woke up and heard footsteps around the house. I thought about earlier. How could I be so stupid and let them get away? I should of done something or should I have accepted and went with him or what about my mom, my dad, also my brother? I mean what would they of done without me? Also why did I lie to the cop? I should have told him or something, what should I do?

My door finally opened up, it was my mother who poked her head through and knocked.

“Honey, dinner is done. You want to talk about what happen today?”

I was so angry at that moment I got up and walk to the door. She backed her head away from the door.

“Mom I do not want to talk about it so go away. I’m not hungry. I seen someone die today!” I slammed the door in her face and felt bad after I had done it.

I fell onto my bed and fell asleep as I heard her footsteps walk away. What have I become?

The next morning I woke up feeling kind of different. I thought of course I feel different I saw someone die, yelled at a cop and my mom, and also slammed the door in her face. I went down stairs because I was hungry. It was Sunday so it was a little late when I woke up. I went into the kitchen and seen my father and mother eating breakfast. I had no school today.

“Hey son, you want some breakfast?”

I ignored my father because I didn’t want to pull up last night’s topic. I took my keys off the hook and went out and got into my car. I pulled out the drive way but stopped to look at the house. The house that had all the killing happens.

I was trying to make sense of all the things that had happen last night. I got tired of looking at it after a while so I drove off to a fast food restaurant.

I stayed there for a while trying to eat my food as slow as I could. I finally decided to leave and got into my car after paying the waitress. As I was getting ready to start the car when the phone started to ring. I answered it.

“Hello?”

There was a slight heavy breathing.

“Hello John, it’s me Candice. I wanted to know what happen last night; someone said you got into trouble with the police?”

This is what is wrong with girls these day’s they can never get over things they hear also can’t ever get the truth about anything. I didn’t even feel like talking to her so I just hung the phone up instantly. I started the car when the phone rang again.

“What do you want? I hung up on you the first time. Get the hint.”

There was no sound after that but of a small breathing. It didn’t sound like Candice’s.

“Well John, is that how you treat a complete stranger?”

Could this have been him? Was it? What should I say?

“Look John, I know what you told the police and I really do appreciate what you have done.”

This was him. I turned the car off because I wanted every detail in this conversation.

“Look, come by the abandoned house. I want to show you something. I think maybe you will find it a tad bit “Interesting” come quick, goodbye.”

I hung up and turned the engine on and flew down the road. I pulled up beside the house. I walked onto the porch and saw that there was blood leading into the house. I started think of the other day and what I saw. I stayed up all night wondering if I made the right choice.

I backed off the porch not wanting to go in there. I started to leave when a knock above the house caught my attention.

In the window I saw the man. He was staring at me and waving me to come in. I walked in the house and once again the door shut on its own.

I had the thought to wonder how it did that. I walked up the stairs and into the same room I had been in before. When I open the door, I never in a million years would have seen this coming. I looked into the room and took in my surroundings.

I saw the man by the window still looking out it, I saw the once little boy in the middle of the room with a knife to someone.

The little boy laid the girl on the floor revealing her face to be Candice. I watched in amazement at the little boy sitting on the floor now with the knife to her throat. Finally the silence was broken by the man turning and saying,

“John, nice of you to show up, now here is my “proposal” for you, you come with me and be my apprentice and you little girlfriend will live to see the next minute.”

I was in total shock. I figured they wanted me for something. I knew this was going to happen but not like this, not with Candice. I loved her; I did not want to see her put into the middle of this.

“Alright, just don’t hurt her.”

I saw the man nod to the boy and he rose to his feet and retreated back into the shadows that now plagued the wall.

“Welcome John, to the Immortals. May you find your new family, loving and caring?”

I did not want a new family. I didn’t want nothing from this family that I wanted nothing to do with.

“I love the family I got now.”

Once again the man got closer to me. “Come into the shadow, and meet your new family.”

I figured that if I refused he would kill me. I see that happen all the time in the movies, always trying to be the hero. Not me I will just take it. I walked over to the shadow that lurked at the corner. I took a deep breath not know what was there, or would I see this place again.

I walked in it and closed my eyes. Within a mere second I felt me leaving earth. I opened my eyes to see a bunch of people gathered in a circle who wore a robe like clothing with a hood over the top of all of them so you could not see their faces.

“John, this is the Immortals, and may you find “Immortality.”

The Immortals

I have never seen so many people in one place at one time.

“Why does everyone wear hoods?”

The man laughed and I realized I never got his name.

“Well, first let’s get to the introductions. My name is Chief, and this is my son Insane.”

A little boy appeared behind his father, he looked about the same as his father but you know younger.

“Why do you have the name Chief?”

He turned away from me to look at no one in particular.

“I will talk about that another time, for now someone show him his room and tomorrow give him his clothes and equipment for practice.”

I wanted to go home but I knew that even in the movies they always found a way to get out but in the end they would end up dead so I chose to stay because there was no such luck in this place that I would be getting out of here anytime soon. I soon found myself being led to my room by a random person. The door shut behind me when I entered, and the room looked quite cozy. The bed felt soft, the carpet felt clean, and the air felt purified. The walls however looked evil and I knew I would not get much sleep as they were pitch black as the night. I figured I would say something about it tomorrow so I walked to the bed and sat on it, I took my shoes off and lied down and found myself asleep quicker than I intended.

I dreamt of my family, and my girlfriend, not knowing if I would ever see them again. It all made me feel sick to my stomach and soon I woke up with Chief and Insane looking at me.

“Get these on.” Chief said in a quick response to me waking up.

I got up and put the clothes on. I had a robe without a hood on it. I walked out of the house and found that Insane and Chief had already left. All who stood waiting for me is the little boy I had seen at the abandoned house.

“I’m ordered to take you to the Parade ground for our training.”

I wanted to ask the boy a lot of questions. I figured he wouldn’t answer them any ways. We walked around a beaten up path and after what seemed like a 20 minute walk, we finally made it to the place.

A guy nearby was shouting what seemed like news. Like a herald I thought. I started to eavesdrop on what he was saying,

“Everyone be concerned. There is a traitor among us. He is an assassin and anyone who captures him will be given a week of free food. Also the time is 9:25.”

Could I have been here that long? What day was it? Were people looking for me?

“Hey is it p.m. or a.m.?”

Finally the boy stopped. “It’s p.m. Now enter the building.”

After looking at the gates we finally went in. A guy was standing there beside Chief.

“Ah John, nice for you to finally make it, I’d like you to meet Mike. You two should get to know each other but don’t get too comfortable. You two will both be put through a series of test; if you pass you will become an Immortal and live in our society. Of course if you lose you know the alternative, death. Now any questions?”

We both shook our heads. “Good, now if you will please Sir. Mike, make your way in, good luck because you going to need it.”

I saw the slightest hint of a smile come upon his lips as Mike went into the huge double doors and then they shut. I had a funny feeling that Mike was never going to be seen again.

“Chief let me go in there with him, he will die in there!”

He gave me a funny look that seemed he was confused on how I knew that.

“How do you know?”

I had no intention on standing there and wasting time. I tried to push by him but failed in attempt as he just pushed me back.

“Chief please let me help him.”

He just shook his head and snickered a little.

“I’m sorry John but the boy chooses his fate if he survives or not, plus to my knowledge he was the one who wanted to join he asked and I gave him the opportunity, now sit down and wait your turn.”

I felt like I was a child, I felt like I had to obey to be told what to do. Useless I thought, and then I remembered a time when I was useless.

I was six years old. We was in are old house, my old family. A man had appeared out of nowhere with a robe with a hood on him. I ran into the room and saw my mom had been beaten to the ground by this man and had turn toward my big brother. My brother was 16 and he had a knife in his hand. My brother charged toward the man with the knife pointed right at him, but oddly enough when my brother was two feet away the man disappeared.(Now when I was young I thought that was impossible but now I look at it as it could have been one of the Immortals) The man had reappeared behind my brother. I wanted to scream look out but the words were stuck in my throat. The man put his hands around my brother’s neck and broke it. My brother fell to the ground lifeless and everyone I knew was now dead. I couldn’t move but then I turned toward the man, he was right behind me.

“I will be watching you, and when the time is right I will be the one to come for you.”

I still hadn’t seen the man’s face but suddenly I knew who it was; Chief.

The man disappeared into the shadows. How could I forget all this, it has to be Chief there is no other person I can think of. All the evidence points’ right to him, could this be the same guy?

“Have I not seen you before?”

Chief turned around once again with a confused look but I seen the slightest hint of a look that he knew.

“What are you talking about, the only time I seen you was the other day, now sit there and shut up!”

I knew he was lying and I vow to get to the bottom of it, to find my family’s killer and to kill him myself. He haunted my dreams and my past, and maybe even my present. I sat there for what seemed like hours

“Ok, John it’s your turn, now go show them what you are made of so we can get out of here and put you on your first mission.”

I had to ask him, I needed to know.

“What happen to the boy?”

I saw his face start to turn pale.

“He didn’t make it.”

I felt angry for Chief not letting me go in there. I knew he would not survive it. I had a feeling and he was to blame for not letting me to help him.

“Do you remember 10 years ago, a middle age woman with two boys? One was 6 and the other was 16.”

His face seemed to change a little, more to a confused look than anything.

“Yes I do, the boy charged at me with a knife in his hand and I had no choice but to put him down. I was ordered to kill everyone in the house, But as I looked into the little boys eyes. I could not bring myself to kill him.”

I had my answer finally after all these years I stand face to face with my family’s killer. What should I do? Forgive him, kill him right here and fright now? Who am I to decide the fate of a killer, but if I let him go what does that make me?

“Um, do you remember what the little boy’s name was?”

I could see the look of him thinking really hard, tilting his head in an awkward position.

“No, I can’t say I remember, but I hope the kid is living a good life and he better be thankful for me letting him live.”

I thought this was funny and I accidently begin laughing out loud. I knew it was me and the anger took over and I ended up saying,

“I had a good life until you showed up, and to set the record straight, I am not thankful.”

His normal smile faded as he took in what I was saying. His face was drenched in horror and sorrow.

“I’m sorry, I had no choice. You know that, and if I knew who you were I would have never made you come here.”

At that moment the doors started opening again. I looked at him with the most hatred ever created.

“I will come back for you. You better not be here or I swear I will kill you.”

I started to walk into the arena, as I walked my Chief he grabbed my arm.

“I can’t change what I have done, but I can make it up by giving you a family to love, please.”

I pushed his hand off me.

“You heard what I said, be gone before I am done. I will hunt you down until I know you are dead.”

I walked on into the arena and the doors closed behind me. Chief shook his head and mumbled, “Why, John Why?"

Footsteps closed in from behind him.

“Father, we must go now, I have seen the future. That prisoner will kill you.”

A smile crossed his face.

“Another day John, another day we will meet and we will settle this.” Chief turned toward his son. “Let’s go.”

Chief and Insane walked only the path but soon Chief could no longer resist.

“How would he kill me?”

His son looked at him with a confused look. “Why would you want to know that?”

He shrugged and said, “You know, to see if he would come back at me the same way.”

Insane didn’t want to say anything about the death of his father. It hurt him just seeing it happen in his head.

“Father, truthfully it doesn’t matter. Only that you are safe and we get out of here before …..”

A large roar from the stadium interrupted Insane’s sentence. Chief looked out over the arena. “He has won, and now the true game begins.”

Impressum

Tag der Veröffentlichung: 17.06.2012

Alle Rechte vorbehalten