Chapter 21

Chapter 21

They all went back to the hotel to get cleaned up and changed for the festivities as Ma helps Sam, Danny, and Ted into their little tuxes. Man did they look smart as the ladies came down the stairs in their gowns. They were angels, Ma in her light blue chiffon bell dress, Julie in stunning yellow with white lace around the neck with a blue ribbon in her hair. Anna, beautiful Anna in her light lavender with a pink ribbon tied around her waist. Aunty M dressed in a creamy white chiffon as she took EJ’s hand down to the entryway towards the carriages to take them all to Liberty Park.

The footman at the ready, as they swing the open the doors for the guests of the hotel, all dressed in white and gold trim with golden silver swords down by their side. Even the horses were all decked out in their finniest with a feather bonnet. In the distance, you could hear the music playing as they arrived at the park. In between the clip, clop of the horse carriage train procession as they traveled down 5th and Second Street towards the park with the lights in the trees and the byways; you would think they were the Kings and Queens of England as they headed towards the park.

Ma's eyes sparkled like jewels in the night sky while holding Pa's hand. When they arrived at the park the carriage would stop and the footman would let each of them off the carriage one by one, EJ in his little tux taking Aunty M and Danny’s hand. They waited by the corner until they all arrived before entering the park. Aunty M and Sir Drealin made sure that none of them got lost that night as he accommodates their little group.

He and his wife Mrs. Tina Lenfind, They had five daughters of their own just little bit older roughly the same ages of the boys and a wee one named Delyn. Short for Drealin plus more American she said yet named after his father. EJ thought their daughter Michael was the prettiest as he tried not to blush when he looked in her direction. Richard liked or should say couldn't keep his eyes off Gretchen with yellow curly hair and deep blue eyes that seemed for him to go on forever, as Ma and Pa laughed and nod in their direction every time he smiled and every time she giggled when he touches her hand. “Good grief.” Richard and his women as EJ and Will nudge each other rolling their eyes.

You could hear the violins playing as they enter the room as the ladies glided across the dance floor; it was if they were walking on air with there partners. It was a magical night as the music played on looking around the room at all the people. It was like watching flowers dancing on a pond in all its bright colors.

Sir Drealin was right it was nothing like going to a farmer ho down as they watched Pa and Ma glide across the floor doing the box step, then he doing a slow twirl and bows. It was if he was the prince and Ma was the princess as Julie copies with her fella she found in the crowd.

The boys seem to have two left feet when came down to these types of dances. Until Pa whispered in their ears, “count boys that's how it’s done,” taking Ma by the hand Julie taking EJ’s “1 slide to left 2 slides to the right then back on 3 walks 1, slowly 2, slowly, 3 twirls. Then change it up any way you like, but keep the same count,” he said as he nods his head watches them try it again. After they mastered that part, “now then let’s get the hands right boys.” Taking Ma placing his hand round her back and holding his left hand to the square; “keep your shoulder straight boys now walk. 1, 2, 3 watch the feet twirl. That's how you do the American box step boys,” he replied.

After a few more minutes dancing it was time to begin the night's festivities as the master of ceremonies walked into the middle of the room followed by an ensemble of magical acts. With a loud explosion of lights and whistles all around them the stage walls of curtains fall behind them. Danny, Ted and Sam's eyes went wide when a man entered the room with an elephant swing his trunk, which started to head toward them and stopped as it raised its trunk and roared showing its tongue. While a man put his head inside and gave it a peanut “good elephant.” They saw all kinds of shows that night. Then they danced some more. It truly was for them a night to remember as they climb the stairs to bed with Sam and Ted in Pa's arms and Danny sleeping in Richard lap in the carriage.

Ma's and Pa's making the rounds of the hotel rooms as they put the children to bed with smiles on their faces, of the adventures they had today and the sights they saw of this little town. Ma placing the three little ones in their bed, Sam in the middle Ted and Danny on the outside of the bed giving them each a goodnight kiss before pulling up the covers and turning out the lights “goodnight my three angels goodnight,” Ma whispered to them then closing the door and turning out the lights. Walking Down the hall to the next room to tuck EJ, Will into bed and Robert and Mark into theirs laying a kiss on each of their heads. “Did you have a good time tonight?” She asked.

“Yes Ma, yes Ma’am.”

“I' m glad now sleep my darlings,” she said as she brushes their hair. Gives them each a kiss on their cheeks one more time, then turns out the lights and closed the door. Walking down the hall to the next room where Frank, Richard, and Peter are sharing a room. Laying a kiss on Richard's cheek and tucks him in. “Thanks for staying with us,” she said as she tucks him into bed.

“You’re welcome Ma’am,” he said as she closed the door behind her walks across the hall to her daughter's room and Aunty M room to say goodnight.

Opening the door only finding her daughters in bed smiling, “Aunty M said she went down for a nightcap Ma and will be right back.” Julie said.

Ma smiles watching her daughters brush their hair then climb into bed. Then gently kiss them sweetly, “sweet dream my dear sweet dreams,” she said as she brushed their soft hair. Then closed the door behind them turns out the light went down the hall to join her husband in their room only pausing, but a moment as the shadow crossed her path.

“That's strange!!” She said as a cold feeling touched her arms she turned her head noticing the shadow going towards the boy’s room. Turning the handle of the door of the room the shadows had gone heading down the hall she opens the door and counts 1, 2, 3.4, "5" boys all sleeping sound. EJ slowly turned his head, “everything all right Ma?” the shadow EJ asked

“Just fine son go back to sleep,” Ma turned out the light and closed the door. Ma walks back towards the bedroom thinking “Na, “everything's fine,” counting on her fingers all boys were their supposed be 1, 2, 3, 4...

Ma faces panics as she turned into a spin, spinning around, mouthed the number 5, as her hands begin to shake. Opens the door she flipped on the light counting boys in the room, screams, as she opened the door of the room finding one of the boys missing. And the other boys in a deep sleep, “EJ was gone.”

She runs over tries to wake the boys to find out where he’d gone to. They won't wake up their face's pale. She screams for Wayne and Kollie as they rushed into the room seeing Martha in a panic and the boys face pale and as if in un-wakeable sleep, unable to wake them, Martha in tears. “He's gone, was here one minute gone the next, now this,” Ma cries as she pointed to the spot where he was. Shaking like a leaf. Wayne running up downs the corridors of the hotel searching, pounding on the doors, Kollie on the phone to the front desk, of the hotel. The hotel was in a panic looking for the missing boy.

Not far from the Ronda view where Aunty M was, she could see her old friend Sir Drealin running towards her Yelling “Madam, lady Margaret comes quickly please, you must hurry,” he said as he carried a letter in his hands. “Morgan... Morgan has stolen him,” he said as he waved frantically pointing down the street to shadows that are way in the distance. “Hurry before it's too late,” he screams... Morgan screeching and laughing,

“Stolen who?” Aunty M replied as she leaps gathering her skirts flying over the gutter.

“Your nephew the wee one EJ,” he said Aunty M opens the letter ripping the seal in a flash.

You were warned and now he is mine forever as it should be, I have taken the boy, catch me if you can. For you no longer have power over me and wasted enough of my time. For I am faster than any thief and cleaver than any fox my dearest Margaret for the Darkness must live once more as the heavens begin to fall.

Join me or die like the rest, for the time is coming where I shall rule once more, for he is my Dark Prince and his flesh is mine forever. Seek not the light for it hides among you as we grow strong so does my power as the worlds collided into darkness, for he bares new fruit as I reign once more.

                 .-Lord Morgan.

“Why that no good,” she shouts angrily. Aunty M falls too her knees looking into the shadows yells with all her might “HOW!” dare you take him!” Pulling out an IOU out of her purse then turns around yelling for all she worth, “alright, I am calling in a favor Mr. Golden Eyes,” she said as soon as she ripped a corner. A flash of light appears before her and figure walked towards them from the shadows, the air grows cold and then sickly warm.

Margaret hands him the IOU's he nods and smiles. “I take it you found me, my bride?” He said.

“I have,” she replied looking him straight into his eyes, “but first my nephew needs you,” as she hands him the letter from Morgan and his family pointing the direction of his where a bouts.

“I see,” Mr. Golden Eyes said frowns at the letter. “Arise my dear child and be comforted your request shall be granted with cost,” he said as he smiled.

“For I am sickness and health, death and life, I am light against the shadow,” he said as he looked towards the hotel. “And this betrayer of light is mine to hunt once more, for he has left more than just a calling card,” as he screams into the shadows after Morgan. Aunty M rushed into the hotel finding Wayne and Martha in total despair over the boys as they slept with pale white faces in a deep sleep as one is still missing. The girls crying in each other arms, scared for their lives watching their brothers sleeping pale faces and parents in total distort.

Kollie was able to give Martha something for her nerves and calm her down not leaving the boys side for instance as Aunty M shows them the letter from Morgan and that everything was being done that could be done for their missing son.

* * *

 

Somewhere in the recess of time where the shadows lurk, there is a rhythm of life to all things as there is on the other side of a coin or a street. Some may say you must have the bad to experience the good or there would be none to behold, what the bad is unless you have already experienced it pre-hand. At this moment in time, Morgan has and is disrupting the balance of time as it should be. By kidnapping a boy out of his element for his own purpose, for time has its own purpose, not his.

“Shush, be a quiet child,” Morgan said covering EJ's mouth with his bony hand as he steps back into the shadows for more cover from being seen. Gold Eyes lurking here for the missing child sending off his scouts throughout the darkness, EJ squirming trying to get lose from this madman, he can barely scarcely breathe with this hood over his head. This place seemed somehow familiar to him in his mind as his fingers touch the walls and feet feel the floor. Can it be? As EJ mind searched back into his mind, is this the looking glass before he entered the doorways of time? 

He tries to lift the hood covering his eyes as the man Morgan before him watching over him notices. “Yes child, you do remember this place as you know there is no way out,” he whispered as he smiled with his crooked teeth and his gleaming red eyes, “now be quiet.”

EJ could hear soft footsteps running past him as the room itself grows colder around him. Morgan grabs the child running deeper into the shadows of time along its corridors. “MORGAN! what have you done?” A loud voice echoes through the hall of this place as the floor trembles beneath EJ. “Where is the boy MORGAN?” As wings with bated breath beat in the hallways search for the missing boy, somewhere in the corners deep within its halls.  The footsteps are getting closer to where they are as EJ tries to escape the man holding him prisoner.

The air is black and thick as if he could walk on it yet holds him still. This man Morgan shivering against EJ’s body as the footsteps are getting closer.  He tries to call out for help, but no words come out of his mouth. EJ frozen against Morgan icy cold chest no heartbeat would or could be heard. Aloud noise with a piercing thunderous crack of light that surrounds his entire body with a sharp thrill and searing sound of pain. “MORGAN! Releases the boy!” Golden Eyes said stretching forth his hand as the light engulfs them both.