Peripheral Vision: A Supernatural Thriller(39)
“What are you talking about, I never met you before a week ago!”
“Elizabeth told me all about you.”
“Elizabeth didn’t even know me!”
“You’re wrong. She did know you, Sarah. She met you when you were just a little girl, and she kept tabs on you your entire life. Elizabeth used to tell me that you would inherit everything that was hers and we would carry on what she started, together. A prince and his princess... I've been waiting for you.” Nick reached out and grabbed Sarah’s hand. Almost immediately she saw…
Elizabeth sat with Nick on the sofa with the ugly afghan. Her health was failing-it was quite obvious to Sarah, who now found herself standing in her blue nightgown behind the two, as they sat flipping through a large scrapbook. Sarah leaned over the sofa to get a better view of what they were looking at. Elizabeth turned the page. It was covered with photographs of a young Sarah. She turned to the next page to reveal more of the same. The scrapbook was, in fact, a collection of photos of Sarah through the years, from grade school pictures to her high school graduation. This is your life Sarah, welcome to it.
Elizabeth looked up from the book and caressed Nick’s cheek lovingly. There were tears in her eyes as she cleared her throat to speak. “When I pass, and it will be soon, she will come home to you. Promise me you’ll show her the way. She needs the cure, Nick.”
“I promise. I love her already.” Nick replied in a whisper. There were tears creating new paths from the corners of his eyes down his cheeks.
“And she will love you too. You are a good boy.”
Nick looked at Elizabeth, the only mother he’d ever really known and believed her completely. He smiled and they embraced, and then he carefully lifted her frail body up into his strong arms and carried her up the stairs to her bedroom at the end of the hall.
Nick’s grip increased drastically on Sarah’s hand and she gasped back into her current reality. “I made a promise. Now let me show you.” He spoke quickly and confidently.
“No!” Sarah shouted. “Nick, no.”
“Princess... you have no idea how powerful it is, you can feel their energy course through your veins, a hundred times more powerful than the adrenaline that's going through yours at this very moment.”
Sarah slowly backed away from Nick. “You’re fucking crazy.” She whispered.
Nick stopped and looked at her. His expression was as if she had just slapped him across the face. He cocked his head to the side as if to process what she had just said. “Sarah, I have to save you. I promised.” He reached in the front pocket of his jeans and pulled out a small pocket knife. He flipped it open and moved the sharp blade across the palm of his hand. He smiled and extended his bleeding hand to Sarah.
“Stay away from me, Nick.” Sarah whispered. She turned to run, but Nick grabbed her hand and yanked back on her arm.
“Don’t run away from me, Sarah.” Nick looked as if he was about to cry. He pulled her back towards him, as if to embrace her again, but Sarah spun around and hit him in the side of the face with the flashlight. Blood immediately exploded from Nick’s cheek. Sarah pulled free from his grip and took off running down the tunnel and back towards the crawl space.
“Sarah!” Nick called after her. He was surprised by the blow. He felt his face with his hand and saw blood from his wound. It excited him. He shook his head and ran after her. It didn’t take him long before he was right on her tail and gaining speed.
Sarah felt his hot breath right behind her, but she was close to the odd little doorway just up ahead. She made her legs move faster and soon slid down into the crawl space and jumped out of the small doorway. But when she hit the ground her ankle gave way and she crashed onto the floor. She struggled to get to her feet. Her ankle was already swelling up, but she forced herself to move. Nick was already crawling down through the small doorway as she hobbled to the cellar staircase. As she quickly climbed the stairs, he grabbed her. His grip was like a vice. She tried to struggle away from him.
“Stop it!” He shouted and backhanded her. Sarah flew from the steps and hit the wall, knocking her unconscious.
“Why did you make me do that?” Nick groaned. He squatted down next to Sarah and stroked her face gently. “I’m sorry, Princess. I didn’t mean it.” Nick scooped her up in his arms and carried her up the staircase.
Chapter 12
The End
It was dark. And there was a throbbing coming from deep inside Sarah’s head. She slowly tried to open her eyes. Her vision was blurry and out of focus, but she could make out a tall figure standing in front of her. He was veiled in shadows. Sarah was disoriented, but she knew she wasn’t dreaming anymore. The smells-the smells were stronger here. As the figure stepped closer, she slowly realized it was Nick. He looked sad.
“I’ve been so worried about you.” Nick whispered.
“I had another dream. A bad dream. It was awful, you were in it.” Sarah’s vision was still blurred. The room seemed too misty- too grey. She attempted to move her hand up to her eyes to help, and that’s when it hit her. I’m tied up, she thought in a panic. That’s when her mind let her in on the whole scope of things. She was in the basement, she could smell it. Sarah looked down and saw that she was in fact tied to a chair, but the real interesting part? She was dressed in a white wedding gown.