Witness: See Series (Volume 1)(10)

“Why him?”

“Who knows? All I know is that after you were hurt – after your accident – his mood became dim...the nightmares started coming to life around him.”

“You haven’t been here – so how do you know? I’ve been here – with him. He hasn’t said one word about this – no one has.”

“He doesn’t understand what is happening to him. He hasn’t talked to anyone about it.”

“Then how do you know?”

“Nana told me…she has been watching him, seeing him when he has his guard down. Aden saw scrapes on his side when Draven was changing the other day – when he asked him how it happened, Draven thought of the moment, and Aden saw the nightmare before Draven could hide it.”

I pulled my hands to my stomach, trying to block the sick feeling that was taking over every part of me.

“So how do I stop it? By running away? Taking him to a place he can’t be mad? Is that what you’re saying?”

“Right now…right now, all he wants to do is give you the song you’re looking for, make you feel safe enough to go…all he wants to do is keep you safe.”

“Then we’ll go – problem solved.”

Evan moved his head slowly from side to side. “No…he’s made up his mind that you were right, and if he knows that I’ve told you about this – any of this – well, it won’t be good.”

“Then what do we do? Put him in a padded room where he can’t hurt himself - or others?”

“No, Charlie. Stop looking for an absolute – there isn’t one.”

“You said these people you brought back could see like Draven...how do they deal with it? Why did you bring people here with the same problem?”

“They ‘deal’ the same way Draven has so far: with music. They like the idea of commanding the dead – they have it in their minds that if they can control the dead here, then they can control the nightmare they live through…I still fear the worst, though.”

“How can it get any worse than this?”

Evan looked toward Britain’s parked Aston Martin, then back to me. “I found journals that belonged to Britain’s grandfather…journals that say at one time he could ‘see’, that he fought a living nightmare.”

I sat up slowly as a numbing feeling came over me. “What are you saying – Britain is one of us?”

“I’m saying that his grandfather was. Apparently, all at once the nightmares stopped; he never wrote of them again. In fact, when I found later journals, the handwriting was drastically different…he was a new man, a wealthy man that had every desire he could ever want.”

“You’re confusing me, and I’m too tired to put all of this together. What are you saying?”

“All those people…all the people that I came across in the UK that could see…they were afraid of how Draven could see…they say…they say…that those who see like that are bred by the devil…that they must either live through the nightmares or give in and serve.”

“What?! Who says that?”

“It’s just myths…wise tales. I don’t believe them…Draven, your father, these kids that came home with me – they aren’t bred by the devil…they’re just tortured by him.”

“There has to be a reason,” I mumbled.

“I agree.”

“What’s your theory?”

He crossed his arms in front of himself and gazed across the table at me. “My theories and ideas run in every direction. I’m nothing more than a scared parent – looking at my last hope.”

“If I’m your last hope, we’re doomed.”

“Don’t say that,” Evan said as he looked down at the table.

“There are too many loose ends – Britain, whatever’s happening to Madison…I can’t think straight,” I mumbled, shaking my head.

“Those aren’t loose ends; they’re clues, clues that tell me that you’re a triple threat and they’re doing whatever they can to stop you.”

“Triple threat? How?” I said in a desperate tone as I struggled not to get sick to my stomach.

“I have no doubt that you can stop what’s happening to Draven, take this curse, and turn it into a power. Not only can you stop it, but when you gain your confidence once again you’ll have the power to command the dead, and so will he; the power to take the Devil’s Army away – not to mention you have a way to chase the devil to every dimension it can reach…1-2-3.”

“So what do I do?”

“Stay close to him…get him to talk to you about this…let him know he’s not alone…” Evan hesitated, and as he did I felt a cold chill come over me..I felt someone staring at me...I felt Bianca staring at me. Evan’s eyes locked with mine. “Stay calm…hand me your keys under the table.

I fumbled with my bag, then pulled out my keys, reached under the table, and found Evan’s hand. “Take my keys,” he said without moving his lips. I reached my other hand under the table and grabbed his keys. Evan shifted in his seat and casually leaned against the window. “There’s a back exit by the bathrooms. My truck is parked there; take it to my house.” He motioned for the waitress; when she came back over, he held his cup for more coffee. I was trembling; I was too scared to move. Did he really think Britain wouldn’t notice me leaving – even if it was through a back door?