Witness: See Series (Volume 1)(42)
“How come what you’re saying isn’t making me feel any better? How come I feel like this is a bad thing?”
Madison looked down, hiding her eyes from me. “It can be. We just have to hope that Draven never forgets who he is – that he doesn’t submit to what’s calling him. Because if he does,” her eyes met mine, “there’s no telling what he could be cable of. You’ve given power…more power than you could ever imagine, more than your mom gave your dad.”
My eyes grew wide, and my body tensed. “My mom?!”
Madison’s serious expression fell, and sympathy filled her face. I knew she regretted letting that last part slip. My mom was always a touchy subject – both of my parents were – and putting them in the middle of what I was going through was almost more than I could take.
“Your power, the reason you can see like us, has nothing to do with your dad. She can see, Charlie; your dad didn’t teach her how to – she always could…just like you.”
I shook my head as angry tears glassed over my eyes. I slammed my palms against the steering wheel. I was furious at my mother. My entire life, she had not only kept me in a glass box but hidden who she really was from me. I’d barely managed to overcome the fact that not only could she always hear my father’s music, but she saw him…she knew all along and said nothing – making me feel like what I could do, the curse that allowed me to hear the sinister pleas of the darkness, was abnormal. Now, after all of this, Madison was telling me that she was just like me...just like me...that she could have made every moment in my life easier just by telling me that? Making me feel somewhat normal?!
“I don’t understand,” I said, as a pain in my heart took my breath way. “How do you know?”
Madison let out a quiet sigh. “I asked Nana…she never said a word…she just let me see her. I saw your mom telling her that she was at war with herself because she knew your dad was dangerous, that he could end who she was without even trying – make her forget, be blind – and how she feared that meant she’d lose Kara. Your mom was sick with guilt because, even though life as she knew it could end, she couldn’t stop herself. She was utterly in love with your father, and blindness seemed like a far less sacrifice than not having him in her life.”
“What are you saying - that my dad was meant to blind her like an escort? I thought you just said that people like us couldn’t be blinded? That we were the power?”
“Charlie, there is no book, myth, or even an old wise tale that could tell us what we really are or what we can do; we’re learning every day. At that time, your mom had no idea that she was powerful enough to love your dad and stay aware. Their love was so strong that it brought darkness and light to a standstill.”
“Is that what Evan meant when he said that my mom could make my dad forget? Is that why all of you think I stop this darkness from overtaking Draven?”
“Yeah..I mean, it was hard for your dad because the more he refused that dream world and power that was calling him, the more fierce it became. It was as if the darkness knew that with your mom at his side, your dad could have control over both realms - and that evil couldn’t allow him to forfeit that power and submit to the light…a life of peace.”
“He lost his battle…those nightmares caused his death…I don’t know…I don’t know what to do.”
Madison reached her arm around me, and I leaned into her. I just wanted to crawl in a hole and forget who I was, what was happening all around me. It was a lie…everything I was ever told was a lie – a lie that was right in front of me every day. Why – why would she not tell me?
“I think the fact that your gifts – the way you see, the way your mom sees – are a testimony that the light is where the true power is.”
“How do you know a part of what my dad is – isn’t inside me? That I couldn’t be just as dangerous?”
“Your dad is within you…I think that’s why you see it all…the bad, the good, the emotion – every part of a life. You can see more clearly than any one of us.”
“This just doesn’t make any sense…how is Draven dark? Was his mom dark? If she was dark, how was my mom friends with her?”
“She was bright…I thought about how the bloodline didn’t make any sense, how it didn’t flow with what I’d found about escorts, and I all I can’t think is that either Draven is a young soul…that this darkness is about to tempt him for the first time...or…or he’s an old soul that’s fought this battle and won. He never submitted, so, when he lives again - he has no memory of his past lives – he’s given to another family.”
I leaned away from her and looked at her like she was insane. “Are you hearing what you’re saying? Past lives? Old soul – young soul?! I think you’re letting your imagination run wild; this is getting out of control.”
“I know it sounds crazy…but honestly, Charlie, what about us isn’t crazy?”
My eyes left hers and slowly searched the street around us; the sun was out, but there were still shadows…they were silent. I remember noticing that it was quiet when I stepped in my garage, but I think I thought that was because Madison had already helped the ones around us. The last time I heard them was last night, when I told them to give me time…I’d never been able to keep them silent this long – and quite frankly, the silence was terrifying.