Comatose

Prologue

Amy waded through the knee-deep snow, her jeans soaked against her skin. Although she wore a hat, gloves and a scarf, her layers were no match for the bitter cold. Around her, snowy mountains loomed above her as she put the valley behind her. With each step, her heart gathered pace, chills clinging to her spine.
Behind her puffed Bobby, his dark hair pushed back from his face as the freezing wind fought for ownership. Thoughts of how much she loved him kept flashing through Amy’s mind, mixed with thoughts of hatred for herself. The urge to turn and run from this place was overwhelming, but even more so were the consequences of what would happen if she did! For this reason, she kept going, at a steady pace, leading the unknowing Bobby.
The mouth of the cave wasn’t big- it was only just high enough for Bobby to step through without having to bend down. The walls of the tunnel were smooth and a pale blue, brackets hung from the walls bearing dim, yellow lamps. Moths thronged the space around the lamps, each jostling for position in front of the light.
“Amy? Where are we going?” asked Bobby, innocently.
“I-I wanna show you something.” murmured Amy, trying not to meet his gaze.
The two weaved their way through the maze of tunnels, Bobby getting more curious and annoyed at the mystery.
Eventually, they came to a room. It was huge, cavernous and circular, the walls covered entirely with writing; ancient letters from centuries ago. The light from the tunnel cast deep blue shadows around the centre, where an altar stood. Engraved around the base were the same symbols and glyphs. The surface of the altar, however, was bare and a pale red colour.
“What are we doing in here?” asked Bobby, gazing around in wonder.
“I just wanted to show you this place.” explained Amy, stopping near the entrance.
“It’s...err...kinda creepy, can’t we just go see a movie or something?” Bobby frowned.
Just as Bobby turned, every shadow shifted and figures appeared, surrounding Bobby! Bobby spun, wide-eyed at every figure in horror. Chanting rang out around the room, the monotonous droning making Bobby dizzy.
Suddenly, three of the figures sped forwards, charging at Bobby, throwing out their fists, hitting out at Bobby. One of the figures hit Bobby square in the jaw. Bobby cried out in pain, throwing up his fists in a feeble attempt to fight back. Another of the figure kicked out with it’s foot, sending Bobby to the floor. Bobby struggled onto all fours, only to be kneed in the face by one of the figure’s knees. Bobby fell onto his side.
Amy watched in horror as the three figures repeatedly kicked Bobby in the stomach, each kick sending pathetic yelps of pain, his blood beginning to pool around him. Each cry of pain, confusion and fear sent shards of anger and fear through her, tears escaped her eyes. How she wished it would stop, be she knew, all too well that it could not stop! It was almost unbearable to watch, but Amy forced herself to watch.
She felt a hand on her shoulder. Turning, she found herself looking at Dean’s chest. She looked up into his hazel eyes.
“Hey, it’s gonna be ok. You’ll learn to forget him. We all will.” He reassured her, pulling her into a tight hug. Over his shoulder, Amy could see the figures move away from Bobby, who was panting in pain, lying on the frozen floor in a pathetic heap. The figure bent down and took his coat from him, along with his scarf, gloves and hat. All Bobby was wearing was a plain, black T-shirt and blue jeans with black boots. One of the figures bent down and scooped up Bobby’s broken body and placed it onto the altar.
“Come on. Now, we leave.” Dean pulled at Amy’s arm, taking her from the hall and out of the freezing cave.
Chapter 1

7 and a half years later...

“Are we going the right way?” asked one of the students.
“Yeah, the cave’s right this way. I think the central cavern is down this tunnel.” answered his partner.
“I don’t know. The other’s went back towards the village.”
“Only because they couldn’t find spring water- I mean, what type of assignment is this, anyway? Mr.Hallas doesn’t know what he’s on about when he says spring water!” scoffed the first student.
“Yeah, but if we find some and the others don’t, then we’ll get a higher grade!”
“Swat.”
The two made their way through the tunnels, each gazing at the ancient patterns engraved into the pale blue walls. Eventually, they came to a large cavern. Large chunks of ice blocked the entrance, covering most of the floor with a thick layer. The two fought their way onto the ice flows, creating foot prints in the frost.
Dark blue shadows clouded the room, the sound of dripping rythmatic in the background.
“Hey!”gasped one of the students, looking down into the ice. “There’s something down there!”
The other student slid over and followed the other’s gaze.
“What is that?” he mumbled, bending down and touching the ice. Rubbing away the frost, a black blob was just visible. The student bent down and breathed onto the ice, creating little droplets of water scurrying over the surface. The ice flow moaned, a small crack appearing in the ice. The two students backed away, their expressions turning fearful.
“What did you do?” asked the first student.
Silence. And then the crack widened, becoming as wide as the entrance within the space of a second! The crack became two and then three and then four, working it’s way downwards.
The students ran.

He stared into the bright lights until his unused eyes adjusted. He felt nothing; no sense of alarm or knowing, no urge to question or to shout. Not even the faintest pins and needles in his cold limbs. On the contrary! He knew, he just didn’t know how to access that information. It was like it was locked in the deepest, most darkest part of his mind. He didn’t have the key. He didn’t even know where to start searching. Or how to start searching.
It wasn’t that the knowledge was gone- it was still there. Just, locked away.
He looked around the room, the blurred shapes moving, coming into view slowly. Trying to move him legs, he found the energy fleeting and little- it was as though they were but two, heavy lumps of metal. His arms too.
Around him, he could make out through the heavy blur of sleep, huge machines, glaring menacingly at him. Screens, baring figures he didn’t understand. The walls surrounding him were a blank white, gleaming in the artificial light.
“You’re awake!” gasped a woman, appearing from almost nowhere, wearing blue scrubs.
He tried to open his mouth, but his jaw was too heavy. The nurse left the room temporarily, coming back minutes later with a man dressed in a white coat.
The man started to mumble things that he couldn’t quite make out. The man’s mumblings seemed deep and vaguely familiar yet the memory was too far out of reach.
So he lay there, gazing at the man, listening to the incoherent mumblings.

Meanwhile, outside the hospital room, Jack stood next to the door, waiting for his mum to come back with coffee. He didn’t even know why he was still here! He should be at home, studying for his Geography exam. Not standing outside some random guy’s room.
The clacking of footsteps signalled his mother’s arrival. He looked up to see a tall, dark-haired woman coming towards him followed by a small, blond girl. The woman held two cups of coffee. The girl held a bottle of Coke.
“Anything?” Jack’s mother asked, stopping and peering through the blinded window into the room.
“No.” murmured Jack, taking the coffee from his mother. “A nurse and a doctor went in a minute ago, but they ain’t come out yet.”
“Is he awake?” asked Jack’s sister, Sarah.
“Dunno.” grunted Jack, sipping the coffee.
“How did you find him again?” Sarah pressed, eager for information.
“Do I have to repeat it? I’ve already told, like, fifty people already!” snapped Jack.
“Oh, please! You haven’t told me yet!”
Jack gave in. “Fine. Me and Jamie were in the caves looking for spring water for Mr.Hallas, when we saw something in the ice. I breathed on the ice and melted it. Once all the ice had melted, there he was, lying on this altar thingy. So, we called Mr.Hallas, who took him here.” finished Jack, rolling his eyes at Sarah, who giggled.
He loved his little sister. They were practically inseparable.
The door opened and all three of them turned and looked, questioningly at the doctor.
“Is he ok?” asked Sarah.
“He’s fine. He has several minor injuries- bruising and cuts, but apart from them and his loss of memory, he’s fine.” explained the doctor.
“Loss of memory?” echoed Jack’s mother.
“We think he was frozen in the ice for around a decade, maybe less. He has no memory of who he was or why he was there. Nor does he have anything that can identify him. We also think that the ice provided the right conditions for cryogenics. We think that he hasn’t aged since he was frozen. We also think that his cuts and bruises have also been frozen. They look as though someone had beaten him before he was frozen. Anyway, it’s only a hypothesis. We don’t know anything for sure yet.”
“So if he has no memory, does that mean he doesn’t even know his name?” Sarah whispered, shocked.
“No, unfortunately not.”
“What’s going to happen to him?” Sarah frowned up at the doctor.
The doctor paused. “Well, he can’t stay here forever. We’ll probably send him on his way...”
“But he has nowhere to go! He has no home! No money! Not even a name!” cried Sarah.
“I’m sorry, but...”
“He can stay with us!” confirmed Jack’s mother, defiantly interrupting the Doctor.
“What!” gasped Jack, astonished. There was no way they could let a stranger stay in their house! They shouldn’t even be waiting here for him anyway! “Why? We don’t even know him!”
“Jack! Don’t be rude!” snapped his mother.
Jack looked down. How could this be happening? What would his friends at school say?
“You can go in and see him if you like.” suggested the Doctor.
Sarah opened the door, followed by his mother. Jack, however, stayed outside, looking in through the window at the pathetic figure that lay in the bed.

Chapter 2

Sarah thought he was handsome. He was sat up, strands of dark hair falling down onto his forehead. He had a big build, his biceps visible beneath his white T-shirt.
“How are you feeling?” asked Sarah, sitting closest to his bed.
“Great, thanks. Who are you?” his voice was calm, as if nothing had even happened to him!
“My name’s Sarah.”
“My name’s Lucy, Sarah’s mother. My son, Jack is outside.”
“Hi.” he answered, looking at the two, innocently.
“So, I hear you can’t remember anything.” started Lucy.
“Yup.” he agreed
“So, I suppose you need a name.” said Sarah glancing at her mother for approval.
“I guess so.” he agreed again.
“What about Adam?” Lucy suggested.
“Nah! What about Sam?” Sarah looked at him.
He smiled back at her, holding her gaze. “Yeah, I like Sam.”
“Sam it is!” chirped Lucy, laughing. “So, Sam, the Doctor says that you can go in a few days.”
“Yeah, I don’t quite know where I’m gonna go yet...”he started, looking down, frowning.
“Look, we’ve told the Doctor that you can come home with us for a while until you get sorted out.” explained Lucy.
Sam looked up at Lucy, surprised. “Really?”
“Yeah, it’s no trouble.” reassured Lucy.
“Thank you so much! I can’t thank you enough!”
Sarah leaned in and placed her hand on his. “It’s ok, really.”

Jack watched as his mother and Sarah left the room followed by Sam. Over the past few days, Sarah and his mother had been visiting Sam more times than he’d felt comfortable with. They’d even named him! And now, this stranger, someone who they’d just found in a random cave was going to live with them! They didn’t even know him! It’d be different if Sam knew who he was, then at least someone would know if he was a killer or a druggie or something! At least he’d have an identity!
Jack followed them from the hospital and out into the snowy street. Sam didn’t have any possessions, apart from the clothes he was frozen in. He’d been given some of Jack’s father’s old clothes, which Jack wasn’t particularly happy about.
The atmosphere in the taxi was icy. Jack stared at Sam, as if trying to find some clue that would suggest Sam was lying. Sam ignored him, looking over at Sarah.
Jacks house stood alone at the end of the road. Behind it was the vast snowy valley that led right to the cave entrance. The house was down a long drive- it’d been given to the family by their father, who had died from a stroke. The house had been in his family for years and only now was it actually being lived in. It was huge! There were about 5 empty bedrooms, one of them to be given to Sam. Jack’s mother had often talked about renting the rooms out, but had never gotten round to it.
When Sam left the taxi, he stood, gazing in awe up at black stone pillars, the black tile roof and the evergreens that surrounded it. Moss clung to the cold, stone walls. Snow coated the porch and the windowsills as Sam followed Sarah, leaving footprints behind him.
Jack stared at the footprints as if Sam had burned stains onto his home.
Inside, there was already a fire blazing on the lounge fire place. The whole of the ground floor was lounge and dining area. The kitchens were to the side of the house and in the back was a conservatory which backed onto the valley.
Beth, the house cleaner was busy with her back to the four, dusting the mantel piece, above of which was a huge, Victorian-styled portrait of jack’s grandfather.
“Hi Beth!” called Lucy. “We have a guest; he’s staying with us for a while. Could you please make up one of the spare rooms?”
Beth turned. Jack turned to Sam, who was gazing, not in horror but in wonder at Beth’s face. One side of her face was distorted and scarred; when she was young, she’d had acid thrown in her face, leaving her scarred for life.
“Yes, of course. Who’s this, then?” she asked, coming over. Jack kicked off his boots and threw his coat over the banister. He started to climb the stairs, but still held onto the conversation.
“Well, the truth is, we don’t know. Jack rescued him from the ice flows in the caves and Sam had no memory at all!” explained Lucy, putting a hand on Sam’s shoulder. Jack felt a stab of jealousy.
“Well, then, Sam, I hope you feel very comfortable here.” smiled Beth, turning and making her way past Jack and up the stairs. As she past, Jack noticed something in her expression, whether it was just the scars, or something more sinister, he didn’t know.

Chapter 3

Sarah took Sam’s soft hands and pulled him up the stairs. Jack had gone to his room, so Sarah had said she’d give Sam a tour.
“These bedrooms are all empty.” She explained, gesturing to the rooms on either side of the corridor. “This room’s my room.” Sarah opened a door. Sam stood in the entrance. “Come on in!”
Sam stepped over the threshold and sat on the bed. “It’s nice in here.” he commented.
“It’s not much.” mumbled Sarah, looking around at the blue walls, the many bookcases that housed her many books. She loved books! One day, she hoped to publish some of her own work. “Anyway, come on, I’m gonna show you your room!”
She took Sam’s hand and took him from the room. Out in the corridor, she felt Sam’s hand slip from hers. She stopped and turned to see Sam gazing at one of the family photos framed on the wall.
“Hey, we’ll find your memory. Don’t worry.” Sarah put a hand on his arm. He felt so strong, so sturdy, yet his skin was cold. Too cold. Like ice.
“Thanks.” he mumbled. They carried on until they came to the end of the corridor.
“This is your room!” Sarah stepped aside to let Sam through.
The room was about as big as Sarah’s. There was a bed in the middle, beside of which, Beth was fumbling with the sheets. A lamp stood on a bedside table. There was an empty wardrobe and the curtains were white, torn in some areas.
“Mum says you can have some of Dad’s old clothes.”
“I don’t know how to thank you enough.” whispered Sam.
“It’s ok.” Sarah took his hand. Sam looked down at her. His eyes were a pale blue colour, yet so deep, Sarah felt as though she could swim in them!

It was just before dinner and Sam was stood at his window, staring out into the valley, he could just make out the entrance of the cave in the distance. The tiny black dot spooked him somehow- it was as if it knew him. As if the cave knew him, but Sam didn’t know it. There was no doubt about it- he’d have to go down there sooner or later!
For now, he was nobody.
It felt strange, having nothing. No name, no age. No purpose. Only now, questions were really beginning to surface. Why was he frozen in there? Who was he? How long ago was he frozen in there?
Yet, Sam was beginning to see no point in asking these questions. The answers were there, just really far out of reach! Too far.
“So Sam! How you bearing up?” said Jack, announcing his entrance.
“Fine thanks.” answered Sam, turning from the window.
“Nothing coming back to you yet? No sudden flash backs or anything?” smirked Jack.
“No.” answered Sam, truthfully.
“You know, strangers aren’t really welcome in Riverdale these days. People are talking. We don’t know who you are. You could be a killer for all we know! You could be the next psycho in town! And what’s worse is that you don’t know that either!” ranted Jack.
“I...I...” Sam didn’t want to apologise, yet didn’t know what to say, either. It was true.
Jack turned to go, but stopped at the door. “Oh, and stay away from my sister.”
Sam stared after Jack as he left the room.

The Doctor said that he’d visit every week to check up on Sam and to try therapy to see if any of his memories would come back. Doctor Richardson sat opposite Sam at the dining room table, looking down at a pile of papers.
“So, Sam, I’m going to take some of your DNA and see if it has any matches. In the meantime, I want to run a few tests.”
Sam nodded.
The tests weren’t bad. They didn’t last very long either. It was things like memory tests- looking at cards and then the Doctor taking them away and Sam answering questions about what was on them. Sam was ok with these, he found them easy. It was the tests where the Doctor would ask him to try and look back into memories before the hospital. Every time, Sam found himself looking at blank space. He hated these tests.
It was 11:00 when the Doctor finally left with a promise of a visit the same time next week. Jack and Sarah were at school and Lucy was working in her office. Beth wasn’t around, so Sam took the opportunity to go for a walk in the valley.
Expecting it to be cold outside, Sam pulled on his boots, coat and scarf, but, stepping outside, he found he didn’t really feel cold. In fact, he felt just right- not warm, but not too cold! Sam pulled off his coat and scarf and left them on a table in the conservatory.
The valley was larger than Sam had imagined! He watched as a throng of black birds skimmed the knee-deep snow beneath white, fluffy clouds. It was so...peaceful!
The mouth of the cave wasn’t big- it was only just high enough for Sam to step through without having to bend down. He ran a hand over the pale blue walls, feeling the soft heat from the walls climb up his arm. It was as if the cave was welcoming his return.
Sam’s vision began to blur. Flashes of sharp mist clouded his mind, a pounding headache started to pummel at his skull. Blurred shaped flittered across his vision, colours, moving.
Sam’s hand fell from the wall and his vision cleared. Sam gazed down the tunnel. He was suddenly scared; there was something in here. Something unknown. Whatever it was, it scared Sam.

Chapter 4

“What do you think of Sam?” asked Jack, leaning against the doorway.
“I think he’s a nice boy. Very polite.” replied Beth, looking down at the papers on her desk.
“Ok, so what do you really think?” Jack came into the room and sat on the bed.
“I-I don’t want to talk about it.” Beth mumbled.
“Oh, come on! There’s something about him! Something weird!” pushed Jack, dipping a hand into his schoolbag and taking out a piece of paper.
Beth said nothing.
“There’s an old story about those caves, isn’t there? There’s a curse or something! But the strange thing is, that there’s no record of it on the internet. None of the teachers know anything about it. Nor does mum, but you...you know it, don’t you?” Jack looked down at the piece of paper. He pushed it onto the desk, in front of Beth.
Beth looked at it. “Not now. Sam is in the house.”
Jack glanced out of the window at a tiny black figure making it’s way into the conservatory.

The walls of the train station were blank, white tiles. There was no door, no way out. The platform ended, but there was no rail line. There was just...black.
Sam sat on one of the white benches, gazing out into the darkness. He was so...tired! However hard he tried to sleep, he couldn’t. It was so cold! Although he didn’t know where he was, he felt he’d been here before.
Bobby? Bobby!
Whispers echoed around the walls. Sam looked around. Who was Bobby?
Bobby! It’s you!
Sam stood and turned. Something was with him. A girl’s voice.
I love you, Bobby! I’m so sorry!
The voice turned to a scream.
Sam’s eyes snapped open. He was no longer in the train station, but in his room, in bed, bathed in sweat. That dream had been very weird! Who was Bobby? And who was that girl whispering to him?
Sam sat up and glanced at his clock. 4:57.
Sam got up and went to the bathroom to splash water over his face. Looking up in the mirror, he thought he caught a blurred shape in the corner of his eye. Looking again, he saw a girl. She was small and blond, her face tear-stained and fearful. Sam whirled around, his heart picking up pace. The girl, however, had gone.

Later on that morning, Sam sat on a bench outside gazing at the valley. He wanted to go back to the cave, but he didn’t want to go alone.
“Hi Sam!” chirped Sarah, sitting down next to him. “Aren’t you cold.” She touched his bare arms.
“Not really. Hey, what’s down in those caves at the end of the valley?” Sam pointed to them.
“I don’t know, I’ve never really been down there.” she replied. “I bet Beth will know! Why don’t you go ask her? I have to go to school. I’ll see you later.” she smiled, squeezing his hand before leaving.
Sam watched her leave, sadly.

Chapter 5

Amy stood before the ten men who were all dressed in suits and ties, glaring angrily at her. Amy quivered beneath their stare, looking down at the floor.
“Why?” barked one of the men. “Why? After all that we told you, after all that we did! You know what this could mean!”
“I’m sorry.” Amy whispered. “I just couldn’t do it. I just couldn’t forget.”
“That’s not good enough!” the man snapped. “You have to stop! We know this isn’t the first time you’ve done this. We’ve been watching.”
“You’re putting us all in danger!” added another man.
“I know! I’ll stop!” pleaded Amy, dreading the consequence.
“The council has decided to give you one more chance. No contact. No dream walking, or else...”
“No! I will, I promise! Just don’t do that!” cried Amy, on the verge of sobs.
“You need to forget him. Clear?”
“Yes!”
“Good, now leave!” ordered the man. Amy hurried from the room. She couldn’t do this. She just couldn’t! 7 and a half years was too long. She’d counted each day since it happened, since she had condemned him. She hated herself more than anyone! She’s apologised to him over and over again, but Bobby had changed. Just as they said he would. And they were so convinced that this was the best and only way! It was unspeakable what Bobby went through that day! No wonder he’d changed! She hated to admit it to herself, but Bobby wasn’t Bobby anymore. At least, not her Bobby.
She spotted Dean down the hall. When she approached, he stood and opened his arms out for a hug. Amy sank into his embrace. Dean was a good friend, but just a friend. Nothing more. She only loved Bobby. Dean was the only person who had remained trustful since the day. He didn’t know how much she appreciated it.
She pulled away from Dean’s hug and, once again, the burning temptation to tell him of her last two dream walks resurfaced.
“I need to talk to you, urgently, but not here. The airport, tonight at midnight. And bring a bag of clothes and essentials. Trust me.” she whispered.
“Of course.” without question, Dean disappeared down the hall to pack. With no idea of where they were going or what they were going to do, he’d just trusted her. Amy admired him so much for that!

Midnight...

“Amy?”
“Dean!” Amy turned to see Dean heaving a bag on his shoulder towards her. “I’ll tell you on the plane. We’re going to Riverdale.”
Dean’s face saddened slightly. “Why? Tell me now, Amy.”
Amy stopped. She had to give him some reason to trust her. “Fine, our flight is in an hour. Come on.” Amy led him to a small cafe and got them both coffees.
“So, my last two dream walks to Bobby’s dream were different.” explained Amy, sitting opposite Dean.
“They’re always different, Amy.” murmured Dean.
“I know, but this was different from the usual ‘different’”
“If you say so.”
“So, the time I went to see Bobby before last, he was different. He didn’t know me. It was like he had no memory of the train station or anything! He didn’t know who I was!” Amy looked at Dean, waiting for a reaction.
“Why’s that?” Dean asked, generally confused.
“I think I know, because the next time I went to the train station he wasn’t there.” Amy waited, letting it sink in.
“Holy crap!” Dean mumbled, suddenly fearful. “Do you think...?”
“I think he’s awake. We need to go to those caves!”

Chapter 6

Jack made sure that Sam was with the Doctor before going to see Beth.
“So, you gonna tell me this story?” he asked.
“Come on, let’s go for a walk.” Beth pulled on her coat and left the room, followed by Jack.
Once out and away from the house, Beth began the story. “The caves at the end of the valley were not there by the work of nature. They were built for a purpose.” She glanced sideways at Jack, who was trudging through the snow, staring at the ground. “Two centuries ago, a group of psychic monks found out about a prophecy. There was to be a boy. He would be responsible for great destruction. So great that the world would be beyond repair. The monks set to work and eventually came up with a plan that would restrain the boy and keep him from doing harm. It would not kill him, but as long as their magic had it’s hold upon him, then the boy’s fate would be prevented. There was much controversy about whether the boy was conscious of the evil he would commit or whether it would be involuntary. Nevertheless, the monks waited. For two centuries, there was no sign of him. Those caves down there were built to hold the boy and the evil inside him. As long as it was undisturbed, then it would be ok and the boy would not escape. That’s the story. That boy who you found in there may not be the one, but no one from Riverdale saw anyone enter or leave the caves. Until your geography assignment, that is.”
Jack and Beth came to a halt in front of the cave entrance. “So, you’re saying that Sam could be evil.” concluded Jack.
“I don’t know whether he is evil or not. But the circumstances under which you found him are out of the ordinary. I have my suspicions.” replied Beth.
“Hm.” grunted Jack. So there was something wrong with Sam! Now it was just a question of revealing it! Getting proof! Despite his determination, however, some small part of Jack still wasn’t entirely convinced- something was just not quite right. There was more to this than met the eye.
His mind never left the topic, even when he was one his way back to his house and up the stairs to his room.

Sarah looked down at Sam’s hand. How she longed to hold it, but she knew she couldn’t. What would everyone else think? More importantly, what would Jack think? She saw the way he looked at Sam- filled with hatred, loathing, envy and disgust.
“I’m getting these dreams. I’m in a train station. There’s no way out, and there’s no railway either. I’m sitting there. I’m cold and tired and hungry and I feel...I feel...deceived. Like someone put me there and I hate them. I feel as though I’ve been there a long time. Too long. Then, I hear the whispers. A girl. I recognise her, but I don’t know who she is. And she calls me Bobby.”
Sarah looked up at Sam, who was gazing towards the caves. Each step seemed to take an age. There was an air of reluctance about Sam today. He hadn’t wanted to go up to the caves alone, so Sarah had been all too happy to go with him.
“You should tell the Doctor this.” she suggested.
“No. I want to figure this out by myself. I think Bobby could have been my name.” Sam glanced sideways, pulling up his sleeve.
Sarah gazed back down at his hand. Sarah frowned. There was something on his arm. Something red and ugly- a scar. It looked new.
“What’s that?” Sarah reached for his arm.
“What’s what?” Sam looked down at his arm, confused. “I’ve never noticed that before!”
“Does it hurt?” Sarah asked, tracing the ugly line with her finger.
“No. Oh well, come on.” Sam dismissed it and carried on towards the caves.
Sarah followed Sam into the caves, watching his movements. Sam traced the ancient patterns on the frozen walls with his fingers. Every so often, he would stop, grimace and grasp his forehead.
“Sam?”
“I sometimes get these flashbacks...or I think they’re flashbacks. They’re kind of flashing images of scenes. Sometimes they’re blurred, sometimes they’re people, faces, words.” Sam explained.
“Do you think they’re memories?” asked Sarah.
“I don’t know, but there’s something in here. Something...I don’t know what it is. It scares me.”
“We’ll find out. You’ll fund what you’re looking for. You’ll see!” Sarah reassured him, taking his hand and pulling him further down the tunnel.
“What types of things do you see?” asked Sarah as they walked, their footsteps echoing around the tunnel.
“Sometimes it’s people. Men, all dressed in black. Other times it’s the faces of a girl. She’s sad- I don’t know why, but she’s whispering. I can’t make out what she’s saying, but her voice, I know it. Most of the time, it’s these tunnels. I’m walking through them and I’m cold. I’m trying to follow someone, but they’re just out of sight.” Sam spoke, his voice ringing out.
“Why is it that you never feel cold, but your skin is like ice?”
“I don’t know. Maybe because I was frozen for so long.”
There was a moments silence between the two.
“You know, I don’t blame Jack for being this way towards me.” Sam looked down at Sarah.
“Oh, he’s just like that.”
“And how’s that?”
“Over protective. Untrustworthy. He likes to be certain about things. I guess, with you, nothing is certain.” Sarah finished.
“Nothing?”
Sarah looked into Sam’s eyes. They were so...empty.
The two slowed to a stroll when the tunnel widened out. They rounded a corner and found themselves standing in the entrance to a huge room. The cavern had a domed ceiling and it was circular, the walls covered entirely with writing; ancient letters from centuries ago. The light from the tunnel cast deep blue shadows around the centre, where an altar stood. Engraved around the base were the same symbols and glyphs. The surface of the altar, however, was bare and a pale red colour.
“I think this might have been where Jack found you.” gasped Sarah, stepping towards the altar in the middle. Hunks of ice still dotted the place.
Sam followed, making his way around a large chunk of ice towards the altar. “I remember this place.” he mumbled as he touched his chest. Sarah recalled what the Doctor had said about his minor injuries and how it had looked as though someone had beaten him before he was frozen.
Sam looked down at the altar, solemnly. Sarah put a hand on Sam’s shoulder. They looked at each other, and the moment became special. The ice seemed to melt away around them. Sarah gazed at Sam’s eyes, feeling that she was taking up all the empty space. She felt the pull- the invisible force that seemed to be pulling the two together.
Sam bent down and then they were together, the connection complete- joined in more than just physical contact, but something else...something more.
His arms were around hers. She savoured the embrace and, for a fleeting moment, it was not just Sam kissing her, but Sarah was returning the gesture.
When they paused and pulled away from one another, the ice became frozen once more and their feet landed on earth once again.

Chapter 7

Sam and Sarah left the caves in high spirits, holding hands all the way back to the house. Sam felt good, holding Sarah’s hand. It made him feel as though he had found something, as though the huge hole inside his was filled. Suddenly, memories didn’t seem to matter as much as they once did.
However, Sam’s feelings of elation were short-lived when they reached the house. They were met by a very angry Jack, who immediately came between the two.
“What were you two doing?” Jack barked, angrily, squaring up to Sam.
“Jack, this has nothing to do with you!” cried Sarah, trying, unsuccessfully to pull him away.
“What were you doing at the caves? What were you doing to my sister?” Jack gave Sam a hard shove. Sam stumbled back a few steps, looking confused and shocked.
“Jack! Stop it!” shouted Sarah.
“No Sarah, you don’t understand! He’s not right! There’s something wrong with him!” Jack turned to Sam and glared at him for a few seconds. “What’s that on your lips?”
“Jack! Just leave! It’s none of your business!”
“You! You and my sister!” Jack stepped forwards and swung his fist at Sam, hitting him square in the face, leaving Sam stumbling backwards, a trickle of blood dripping from his nose.
“Jack!” screamed Sarah, lunging forwards, putting herself between Jack and Sam.
“You leave my sister alone! Don’t you dare touch her!” yelled Jack.
“No, Jack! You leave me alone! You can’t control me, Jack. I’m 16, I can do what I like!” snapped Sarah.
“But you don’t know him! He could be a murderer for all we know!”
“But we don’t know that for sure! Anyway, whatever he was, he’s not anymore! Trust me, just leave it.”
Jack glared at Sam for a moment. And then he turned and headed towards the house.
“Ignore him.” said Sarah, turning to Sam.
“I don’t belong here.” murmured Sam, more to himself than to Sarah.
“Don’t say that. Of course you do! And I’m going to help you get your memory back, no matter what!”

Amy stood in the train station, gazing around at the blank tiles. Once again, she was totally alone.
“Bobby, where are you.” she whispered as she turned to the wall and walked right through it! She felt herself leaving the dream and surfacing from unconsciousness. She found herself staring at the ceiling of a hotel room. In the twin bed next to her lay Dean, snoring softly.
The clock next to her bed read midnight. They had gotten to Riverdale 12 hours before and had slept since. It was time to go to the caves.
“Dean! Wake up!” Amy shouted, only causing Dean to stir. She pulled on her clothes and pulled from her bag a torch. Turning it on, she shone the torch in his face. Dean stirred and moaned, awaking under the harsh light.
“Wha...”
“Come on, we have to go!”
An hour later, Amy and Dean were marching through the valley, headed towards the caves.
“You know, maybe it was just someone else’s dream. You might have stepped into the wrong one.” suggested Dean.
“No, I know my dreams, especially ones that belong to Bobby. It was definitely his dream. And he wasn’t there.” argued Amy.
“But if he is awake, then won’t he be back there every night?”
“Not necessarily. It depends on whether he has a dream that night, and how deeply he is asleep. I think that he was only in the train station for so long because the council put him into a deep sleep in the first place.”
“But what if his sleep has merely lightened.”
“No, I’d still feel his presence.” Amy looked back at Dean. If Bobby was awake, that meant he was alive. And then there was the matter of his memory. If he didn’t remember Amy or anything that had happened, then maybe he wouldn’t turn evil. There was hope for them yet!
Amy only hoped that the council hadn’t followed them.
The mouth of the cave loomed ahead of them. Dean hesitated before following Amy inside, but soon followed.
“Do you know where you’re going?” asked Dean, looking around the tunnels, the hint of fear upon his face.
“Of course. I haven’t forgotten.” replied Amy, walking briskly ahead of Dean, who was struggling to keep up.
Amy continued to march through the tunnels until she came to the huge, circular room. Words escaped her as she stood in the entrance, staring wide-eyed in a mixture of shock, horror and confusion.
Dean came up behind her, panting. Amy heard him gasp in shock, obviously thinking the same.
Amy stepped into the empty room. She remembered what it had looked like the last time she was there. The place had been totally frozen over; ice flows had created a thick layer across the floor, totally covering the entire room. It had made the room inaccessible, including the tunnels that had led to it. And now...
The place was empty. No ice. No Bobby.
And that meant one thing. Bobby was awake.
“We have to find him. And get him to the council.” mumbled Dean.
“No!” cried Amy, turning to Dean. “No. We can’t take him back to them. They’ll just freeze him again.”
“Amy, look. I’ve gone along with you so far. I’ve come here with you, I’ve defied the council by coming here under their radar, but now, I think it’s time we played by their rules. Bobby is dangerous. If we escape with him, then they’ll kill us!” argued Dean.
“There’s still hope for Bobby.”
“There’s no hope for him.”
“There is! Look, if he’s lost his memory, then...maybe he won’t change! He changed in the train station, but that was because he was aware of what was happening to him! He was experiencing emotion that created the right conditions inside him for the required change to take place!”
“He’ll still change. Even if he’s not aware of it. And who’s to say his memory won’t come back?” Dean took Amy by the arms. “I know you love him. I can see how hard this is for you-”
“Hard?” Amy interrupted, on the verge of tears. “This has gone beyond hard! I had to watch my boyfriend be beaten and then frozen for 7 and a half years! Hell! I had to betray him! You have no idea how dead I feel inside! If I can save Bobby, even if there’s just a tiny spark of hope, that’s enough for me! You didn’t see him change. You didn’t see how he was. You didn’t stand there and watch as he became angrier and angrier!” Amy paused, fighting back tears. “He...he told me he could never sleep. He was so tired! It was in his eyes! He was so cold! He told me he could never forgive me, that the longer he spent there, in that place, the more the hatred and anger would grow. He became...violent...threatening...”
Dean pulled Amy into a hug as she burst into tears. Sobs shook her body as she quivered in his arms.
“So, even if there’s only the tiniest bit of hope, I want to try and save him. Don’t make me try and stop you.” Amy whispered.

Chapter 8

The atmosphere at the dinner table was icy and hung thick over the four people like storm clouds. Sarah and Sam sat opposite each other, whilst Jack sat next to Sarah, looking from Sarah to Sam, angrily. Lucy sat next to Sam, looking down at her food.
“I want him out.” snapped Jack, suddenly breaking the uncomfortable silence.
“What?” gasped Lucy.
“I don’t want him in the house anymore!” Jack slammed his hand down on the table.
“Jack!” gasped Sarah.
“I don’t want to hear anymore of this!” barked Lucy.
“What? You can’t be serious!” argued Jack.
“Jack! Sam stays! This conversation is over!”
Jack just glared at Sam.

It was later that night when Lucy appeared in his doorway. Sam was sat on his bed; he wanted to sleep but he couldn’t. Lucy came over and sat next to him, sighing. Sam glanced at her. Her face was pinched slightly and almost tired-looking – a very different image from what he’d first seen in the hospital.
“Jack is so over-protective. Not just of Sarah, but me too.” She uttered. “I’m sorry. I think we’ve somehow got used to it over the years.”
“That’s ok. I can understand why.”
Lucy looked at him; her eyes glittered with something that looked like fondness. Or pride. Or disgust.

Sam, once again, found himself in the train station, alone. He was glad that the girl wasn’t there, she scared him. He ran his hand along the cold tiles, gazing out into the black chasm.
“What is this place?” he whispered to himself.
Sam’s stomach still felt heavy from dinner. Even since then, he’d felt this sinking feeling inside him, as if not only Jack, but everyone wanted him gone. He didn’t belong there.
After a while, Sam’s surroundings started to fade to black and Sam felt the familiar feeling of waking up. He arose from the surface of sleep, heavy with grogginess to find a face close to his.
Shock immediately gripped his limbs. Gasping, Sam tried to hit out, but found that the person was pinning him down! Sam became a little more awake.
“Jack!” gasped Sam.
“You’re over, bastard! You’ll get out, or I’ll kill you.” he hissed.
“Jack!” Jack got off Sam and went over to the door.
“Leave.” he ordered.
Sam got out of bed and looked around. Moonlight shone through the gap in the curtains, falling upon Jack’s angry face.
“No.” murmured Sam, not moving.
“Leave now.” Jack pulled something small and black from behind his back and pointed it at Sam. Sam quivered in fear. “Or I will.”
“Sarah-”
“Forget her. If I ever see you here again, I’ll kill you.” Jack gestured with the knife.
Sam bent down and pulled on his boots. “Where am I gonna go?”
“Anywhere but here, now fucking get lost!” snarled Jack.
Sam saw no choice but to leave.

Once out of the house, Sam stood in the back yard, gazing up at his bedroom window where Jack stood, glaring down at him. Sam took one more look at the dark silhouette and turned, wading through the snow. All he had to do was wait till morning, then Lucy and Sarah would realize what had happened and come and find him. Hopefully. He just hoped jack wouldn’t get to them first.
Sam saw nowhere else to go but the caves. It seemed simple, in a sense. It was where he’d been found- the closest thing to a home he could think of.
Surprisingly, the caves were warmer than he’d expected. The icy wind outside hadn’t causing him much of a hindrance, but he was glad that he was now in general warmth rather than the mild cold. Sam thought it strange that such a thing affecting other people more than him; it was almost as if he was accustomed to the cold. This made sense, but, somehow, Sam still couldn’t quite get his head around it.
Ignoring the lingering feeling of unease, Sam wondered through the tunnels, deliberately trying to avoid the central room. Moving through the pale blue shadows, Sam’s vision blurred slightly. Flashes of dark figures filled his head, images he didn’t understand gathering in his thoughts.
Somewhere through he fog of his headache, Sam found himself lose track of where he was going.
Sam froze. The pounding lessened. Sam strained his ears for the faint sound he’d heard not a second earlier.
A girl’s voice. It sounded like sobbing. Another male’s voice echoed through the tunnels. Fear and excitement thronged in Sam’s stomach.
Trying to clear his head, Sam took deep breathes and began to follow the voices.

Amy stood up from where she sat, leaving Dean leaning alone on the floor.
“What is it?” he asked, standing.
“Ssshh.”
Silence. Amy listened. Footsteps echoed through the tunnels. They weren’t alone. Amy waited. A shadow appeared on the wall, the person still out of view.
“Who’s there?”
Amy gasped, tears suddenly streaming down her cheeks. She had to clamp a hand over her mouth to stop her from screaming!
“Amy.” mumbled Dean from behind her.
She ignored him and continued to watch as the shadow came closer and closer. And then he was stood there, gazing in confusion at her and Dean with his empty eyes.
“B...Bobby?” Amy stammered, not taking her eyes off his face.
“Who are you?” Bobby asked, stopping, warily. “Do you know me?”
“You...you don’t remember.”
“No.”
Amy’s heart sunk, however she knew that this was a good sign. Maybe he wouldn’t turn after all!
“It’s me, Amy.” She murmured, hoping he would remember, but knowing otherwise.
“Amy? You’re from my dream.”
“Yes! Your dream.”
“Amy.” Dean put a hand on Amy’s shoulder. “Careful.”
Sam took step forwards. “If you guys know me, you have to help me!”
Amy said nothing and just looked at him.
“Sorry, we can’t do that.” explained Dean, when Amy remained silent.
“What?” Sam looked disheartened. “But, you have to. I have to remember.”
Amy paused, the stepped out of Dean’s reach. “No, Bobby. We can’t help you. You won’t understand, but we can’t.”
“At least tell who you are.” Sam looked at Amy.
Amy remained silent, gazing into Sam’s eyes. She realized just how long it was. She stepped closer to Sam, so that their faces were close. She could feel his breathing on her face. Touching his face with her hand, she reached in and kissed him.
She’s waited for this moment for 7 and a half years, but never dreamed that it would be like this! With the kiss came memories, some of which weren’t hers! The dusty love she’d had for Sam had just got stronger- a hell of a lot stronger!

Chapter 9

Sam didn’t expect this, but it was something more than just a kiss. He felt a love for this girl that he didn’t know, although the familiar feeling that it knew him returned to him.
But then, something even more amazing happened.
Images formed in his head. He was no longer in the caves, but he was in a flat, lying in a double bed, watching the figure of the girl in the mirror as she showered in the bathroom. And then she was next to him, waves of pleasure and temptation washing over them. And then he was hot and wet, skin on skin. The image changed and he was sat on the end of a pier, gazing out into the open sea. He could feel something coming, something huge. Memories flashed by his eyes, not one staying long enough for him to close in on it.
The cold of the tunnels returned to him again and Amy was pulling away from him, worried.
“What was that?” Sam asked, suspecting Amy had done something.
“You’re remembering.” She replied, solemnly. “We should leave.”
Amy pushed past Sam, followed by Dean.
“What?” Sam snapped in annoyance. “You’re just gonna leave? You can’t do this!”
“Sam. I’m sorry, but if you remember everything, then things will happen that will mean more than just you...” Amy began.
“Amy!” hissed Dean.
“Dean,” Amy turned to Dean, lowering his voice so that Sam couldn’t hear. “I can’t leave him like this. I...I have to tell him.”
“No. We don’t know what could happen. Besides, the council might find out if he does! You know what that could mean to all of us!”
Amy paused. If she didn’t make him remember, the she’d go home, leaving Sam with all the questions. It would be a replay of before; Sam would hate her for leaving her clueless and not giving him answers. If she did make him remember, the there was a strong chance of Sam turning and the council finding out, which meant that Sam would either kill them all, or be frozen again. But she’d have her Bobby back. She’d have a chance to apologise and explain things. Bobby would no longer be clueless and, maybe he would even forgive her! It came down to a choice between being selfish or doing Sam a favour. In this case, however, the selfish option could go one of two ways. It would either save Sam or condemn him.
Play safe or risk.
“Dean, I know you’re against this, but this could be that last time I have to give him answers. Either way, he’ll end up frozen again. I don’t want him to hate me, like last time. I can do it differently! I can have my Bobby back again!”
“Amy, no.” Dean caught hold of her arm. Amy looked at him, pleadingly.
In the moment of silent screaming, distant shouts and yells echoed through the tunnels. Amy, Dean and Sam froze, listening intently. Voices.
“Someone’s here.” mumbled Dean, letting go of Amy.
The voices got louder slightly. Sam edged towards the voices, trying to make out what they were saying.
“I think I recognise them.” gasped Sam. Realization suddenly gripped him and he sped off in the direction of the voices. Amy and Dean immediately followed.
Sam jogged through the tunnels, not really sure where he was going, yet stopping every few yards or so to listen for the voices.
Eventually, the three turned a corner and ran into Sarah and Jack!
“Sam!” Sarah launched herself at Sam, throwing her arms around him.
“Sarah, get away from him!” growled Jack from behind her, staring daggers at the two embracing figures.
Amy glanced back at Dean, warningly. Her eyes floated downwards, eventually making contact with the knife that Jack was clutching. Amy prepared herself.
Sam and Sarah pulled apart, taking each other’s appearance. Amy saw something in Sarah’s eyes- something she recognised. Somehow, through the cloud of unknowing, she felt a connection to this girl. It felt alien in her veins.
“Don’t ever leave like that!” gasped Sarah.
“No!” Jack hissed, moving forwards sharply. The movement itself was a threat; Sam could feel it in the creaking of rock beneath them. The very caves knew him and knew the threat present.
Amy looked down, Dean following her gaze and simultaneously moving between Jack and Sam.
Cracks sped towards the five of them, angrily charging across the icy floor. Rocks tumbled down around them as the floor gave way. A shower of flesh and stone fell to the ground, screams raining down.
Then all was calm. The calm after the storm.

Silence...
A calm, rythmatic dripping provided backing to the distant sound of falling stones.
The five of them lay amongst rubble, recovering from the fall, trying their best to push back upwards to consciousness. That last of the tiny pebbles fell from the floor above, their tiny voices echoing around the huge central cave.
The sound of muffled scuffling came from beneath a huge mound and pieces of mangled ice fell from the top of the pile. Amy pushed chunks of ice from her legs and stood, wincing from the pain. The room spun and her vision blurred, but ignored it, looking around for Dean and Bobby. She spotted Dean immediately. He was half-covered by a huge chunk of ice. Pink stains dotted the cool blue. Amy hurried over to find his legs buried beneath the ice. Amy tried to lift it off him, but when she caught sight of what lay underneath she stopped and gasped.
The bloodied remains of Dean’s legs lay, crushed and mangled. She continued to heave the ice off him and sent it crashing to the side, causing several other lumps of rock to fall.
“Dean?” Amy tried to wake him, only to get a low grunt and then nothing. She watched him slip into a painful sleep; the type of sleep that some people don’t wake up from.
Amy refused to let this worry her- she knew that Dean was stronger than that- and proceeded to search for Bobby. She stumbled over the ice flows until she came across a dark figure beneath the rubble. It was moving, struggling, splitting into two.
Amy pulled apart the rubble to find Jack and Sarah both coughing and spluttering form the shock.
Disappointed, Amy managed a relieved pause before frantically turning, her eyes darting all over the place.
“Bobby.” the word was but a whisper, numbed by both the cold and fear.
“Sam!” screamed Sarah, joining Amy’s frantic searching. It had vaguely occurred to Amy that her and Sarah were looking for two different people. Whatever it came down to, Amy knew that Sam couldn’t last forever.
“Oh my God!” murmured Jack when he caught the sight of Dean.
“Leave him! Find Bobby!” ordered Amy. Jack didn’t move. He looked towards the exit which was partly obscured by rubble. Amy paused. Leave! Go on! Leave! We don’t want you here!
He had intended to kill Bobby. He was the last person Amy wanted to talk to. She ignored him and kept looking.
After a long time of pulling boulders out of the way, Amy’s hands were starting to bleed. Jack had stayed to try and persuade Sarah to leave with him. She hadn’t been swayed so he’d sat on a rock and watched.
It was when Amy spotted a pale hand sticking out from a lump of rubble that everything started to speed up. When she’s first laid eyes on it, words had escaped her, the worst possible thoughts clouding her judgement.
“Sarah! He’s here!” Amy screamed, attacking the rubble in rage and fear. When Sarah joined the fight, Sam’s head was now visible.

To Sam, everything was silent. Through the thickness, he felt something. Something breaking. As if cracks were appearing on a tall, brick wall. That’s what it felt like.
Through the cracks, he could see images. Wisps of knowledge wavered through and Sam knew. He just knew. Not everything, but it was a start: he is Bobby Clements. He is 18 years old, raised in St. Luke’s Orphanage. His parents were dead and his only friend was a girl. He couldn’t quite put his finger on her name.
Sam! Sam!
Sounds started to ring in his Sam’s ears.

Amy heaved rock out of the way, trying desperately to find some sign of life from Bobby. Yet, as she started to uncover what Bobby was lying on, realisation wriggled in her stomach. It was a slow process, but eventually, once most of the rock was clear, the sharp, definite form of the altar was visible. The pale pink surface was dark beneath Bobby’s body and the symbols were also visible where the rubble had fallen away around it.

The cracks were getting bigger. More and more light was escaping, bathing Sam’s face in it. It felt good, but there was something about it he couldn’t quite put his finger on. It felt...almost...relaxing yet fearful, angry yet content. It felt like...everything. Everything Sam had ever felt was behind that wall: Amy Meminger was his best friend in the orphanage- they’d grown up together. And then he felt something for her that he hadn’t felt in years. He...did he...love her? It was the same kind of feeling he got when he was around Sarah.

Chapter 10

Bobby’s eyes burst open. Amy knelt beside him, relief flooding through her. Gazing into his eyes, she noticed something different, however. They were...less empty. She couldn’t shake the feeling that he was more Bobby and less Sam.
“Amy?” he murmured, sitting up.
“Bobby? You remember?” Amy didn’t know whether this was good or bad.
“Bits and pieces.” He replied, “like the orphanage.”
Amy smiled. “St. Luke’s orphanage for the specially gifted.”
“Yeah. Dean was there.”
Amy couldn’t help but laugh. “Do you remember anything else?”
Bobby frowned for a moment. “Yeah, everyone who went there was...different. They could do things. You can go into people’s dreams.”
“I can!”
“And Dean...he...oh, I don’t know. But, why was I there?”
Amy didn’t answer.
“We need to get out of here.” Sarah broke the momentary silence and started marching towards where Dean lay.
“Leave him, he’ll be fine.” Amy looked at Sarah and Jack. She started to help Bobby to stand and began to make for the entrance. She was sure Dean would understand.
“Wait, I’m getting more.” mumbled Bobby at the door. Amy looked at him, worriedly. There were only certain things she hoped he wouldn’t remember. “Are we, I mean, were we an item?”
Amy smiled and nodded.
“And something else happened, something I don’t know about. A secret. You’re keeping it. I think I picked up on it, but never talked to you about it.”
Amy looked away. Shit!
“And something else. It’s not all there, but it’s big.”
Amy’s blood ran cold. She stopped and turned to Bobby. “Block it out. Please!”
“Why? It’s why I was frozen, isn’t it?” Bobby frowned.
“Just leave it alone! Please.”
Sarah and Jack stopped up ahead and looked back at Amy and Bobby. Amy glanced sideways at Sarah, whose gaze had gone beyond them, to the central room. Amy turned to see a tall figure coming towards them.
“Amy?”
“Dean!”
Dean strode towards them on brand knew legs. It was as though he’d never even been crushed! Sarah gasped, her and Jack started in disbelief.
“He’s remembering, isn’t he?” he was talking to Amy, but his gaze never faltered from Bobby.
Amy nodded. “I’m sorry.”
Silence fell for a moment, until Bobby broke it. “What happened in that room? Why did you lead me here, Amy?”
Amy’s eyes widened.
“Amy, we can’t let him remember! We have to either kill him, or send him back!” Dean stepped between them.
“No!” yelped Sarah.
“Wait, wait a moment!” Bobby closed his eyes, touching his forehead. “No! It can’t be... Why did you do that?” he looked up at Amy, his expression twisted in pain.
“I’m sorry!” Tears streamed down Amy’s face. “I had to, it was the only way! I tried to apologise, I tried!”
“There’s something you’re not telling me. You know too!” he turned to Dean. “Tell me!”
Everyone paused.
“They told us to keep it from you, or else it would speed up the process.” explained Dean, when Amy remained quiet. “They said you’d become angry. You wanna know why you never had a gift like everyone else? Because it was something so great that it would eventually destroy the earth. They were going to do something earlier, when you were a child, when you first came to the orphanage, but they couldn’t. They wanted to at least give you a chance. They thought there was a chanced it might not happen. But it started to. The orphanage no longer exists because you destroyed it when you didn’t get your own way.” Dean paused to give Bobby a chance to take it all in. “So they built this room so that you would always be contained. But, apparently it didn’t work. It was Amy who visited you while you were comatose. She said you became more and more angry. In there, you could do no damage. And then you woke up, thanks to someone,” he turned to Jack and back to Bobby, “and Amy said you had no memory. It only makes sense that if you remember everything, then you’d probably become they way you were back then.”
Bobby paused, not sure what to say. Dean was right. All these memories were real. There was something in him. Something he couldn’t control.
“So kill me.” mumbled Bobby.
“What?” cried Amy.
“If I’m as dangerous as you say I am, why haven’t you killed me already?”
No one moved.
Bobby tried to stand back from the situation, but it was like his mouth was acting for him. At just the very thought of what Amy had done, an unknown sensation stared to tingle in his throat. Something stirred within him, white hot, boiling up to the surface and over the top. It sent painful ripples of pain pounding against his skull.
Jack twitched slightly, as if he was trying to stop himself from moving towards Sam. It momentarily crossed Sam’s mind that the only person who would do him justice would be the person who, so it seemed, hated him the most. The person whom had loved him previously remained still, obviously not wanting to finish what she started.
Sam turned away, his head filled with muddled facts all trying to be processed all at once. It was enough to give anyone a headache! He leaned against a clump of jagged ice, trying to clear his head.
“Bobby?”
“Sam?”
Who was he? He was neither of these people, yet he was both! It angered him!
“Who am I?” He looked up at the two girls. Both their eyes were glassy and sad- the look of someone who was in love.
The confusion was overwhelming. His vision started to blur. Milky streaks and dark stains clung to the edge of his consciousness. He was going...going...

Chapter 11

The world suddenly sped up, as if in fast forwards! Screams sped by, followed by ice, being pushed against the raw coldness. Looking down at his arm in a rare few seconds of silence, the skin was red and marked. Blurred images races past again and now there was a deep grumbling. The Earth groaned in pain, ice shattered in huge, heavy chunks. A bright light blinded him, but as soon as his eyes adjusted, he saw a huge expanse of flat snow. There was so much...space, yet the air that filled it was riddled with screams and pain and torture. Bile rose in his throat.
His will seemed to escape him- he didn’t know what he wanted or where he was.
The next few moments were rare and wet.
Shadows surrounded him, one in particular running behind him brandishing something that glinted in the sunlight. He tried to scream, but the shadow was upon him and in the heat of the moment his anger was so great, his limbs flipped out. The involuntary action resulted in the shadow being flung away.
Stepping back for a moment, he failed to see the snow slowly turning pink beneath him. The ground came up to meet him with a hard thump.
And the shadows were upon him once again...choking him...

“Bobby!” screamed Amy in a terrified frenzy. She rushed to his side and knelt down in the pink snow. Sarah was silent and remained where she was; a couple of metres away on her front, trying her best to prop herself up and crawl to Bobby. Amy glanced at the bloody mess that was Sarah’s body and then around, her eyes searching for Dean.
“Dean! Help!” Amy managed before her voice caught.
“Oh my God.” His voice was like dead stone sending shivers up Amy’s spine. Looking up, she saw the back of his head. He was facing the huge gap that used to be one of the mountains that surrounded the valley- and the one that housed the caves.
“Dean!” she screamed.
He turned and saw Bobby, coming to Amy’s side.
“Help him! I know you can!” cried Amy, consumed with despair.
“I...I can’t...Amy...”
She looked back down at Bobby, grey eyes searching. Whatever had happened to him, it wasn’t happening now. The knife protruded from his chest, angrily. A huge, crimson clouds spread out over his shirt.
It was when his grey eyes dulled and stared, unseeing that Amy’s body twisted and tightened, consumed by the huge hole that had been there for 7 and a half years.
But there was still one more thing she could do that was within her power. Summoning the last ounce of strength she had left within her, she turned to Dean, clutching the front of his jacket.
“I have to sleep. I have to get him before...before he...I have to do it, one last time!” she stammered, her heart beating almost as fast as she was thinking.
“But Amy...ok.”
Amy sat on the ground. Dean sat next to her and pulled Amy’s shoulders, gently down onto his lap.
There, Amy sank into unconsciousness; a trick that became easier with use. She felt herself becoming lighter and then floating through dreams, searching. Amy had done this so many times- she knew exactly what she was looking for.
The train station was empty when she got there. Amy sank onto one of the benches, looking around, sadly. She hadn’t known what to expect, but she’d thought Sam would be here. Maybe he had already left. Maybe he’d never been here at all. Maybe he really was dead!
Something then happened that Amy could not believe. A train came. It was white, like the rest of the station and it just seemed to come out of the black abyss like smoke! The carriages were empty, yet illuminated by bright, white lights.
Out of the corner of Amy’s eyes, something moved. Amy turned to see Sam.
“Amy?”
“Bobby!” she cried, running to him and hugging him. Bobby hugged her back, a sensation she’d missed so very much!
“I remember, Amy. I remember everything! I forgive you!” he whispered.
Amy sobbed. “Thank you!”
Bobby pulled away from Amy and went over to the train. Before he stepped inside, he took one, last look at her. Stepping though, the doors slid closed behind him. Amy gazed at him through the windows.
The train began to move away. Amy watched Bobby’s carriage as it eventually disappeared into the dark.
And then she was alone once more.


Epilogue
The fact that a mountain had just suddenly disappeared didn’t make the Riverdale newspaper. The police found it too bizarre and the reporters seemed to lose interest once they found out that their jobs were at stake.
Although the past few events had gone unnoticed by almost everyone in Riverdale apart from Jack, Sarah, Amy and Dean, it didn’t change the fact that Jack had still murdered, not only one person’s loved one, but two people’s loved one. Amy and Dean meant to return to the council where they would be informed of Bobby’s death, but not before Sarah had managed to persuade them that she didn’t belong in Riverdale. Although Dean was adamant that he didn’t want Sarah to tag along, Amy still felt the unknown connection to Sarah. She found it hard to get to grips with the fact that Sarah had lost Bobby (or Sam to her) too.
The events that took place while Bobby was having his ‘episode’ (as they’d come to call it) were still a blur and not one of them, not even Jack, knew actually how Bobby had destroyed the mountain. Dean had used his power to heal both Sarah and Jack.
Jack refused to believe that it wasn’t entirely Bobby’s fault; in fact, he dismissed all explanations made by Amy completely. He stuck to his theory that Bobby had, in fact been a psychopath and should never have been found in the first place.
Lucy was just sad that Bobby had died. Her original wish to put up a headstone was rejected. Amy, Sarah and Dean thought it more appropriate that they leave no evidence of Bobby behind- which is why they took his body back to the council.
Sarah and Amy both came to an agreement that it was actually Sam whom Sarah loved and Bobby whom Amy loved.
That fact that Bobby and Sam were the same person was never mentioned in the conversation.
The train station remains unvisited by Amy, although it is still there. It is all she ever dreams about.
But it is just a dream. It doesn’t mean anything.

Impressum

Tag der Veröffentlichung: 11.09.2011

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