Chapter 2

A Chapter by Shep

Chapter 2

The winds howl, as the storm blew wickedly around the house. Ma and Aunty M walking the halls passing each other, “everything alright?” Martha asked as Aunty M looked into the rooms upstairs of the farmhouse...

“Just fine Martha came down for some warm milk,” she replied watching the shadows on the walls. Martha looked up the foot of the stairs towards the boy’s room listening to the wind or anything out of the ordinary. “Martha he’s fine. It’s been months since…” Aunty M looked at the passing shadows that hung on the wall thinking just for a minute she thought she saw something. “Now go to bed, you need your rest dear.”

“I know,” as Martha headed up the stairs towards EJ’s room.

Aunty M pats her hand, “trust me dear he’ll be alright.”

Martha sighs hung her head, “I just worry that’s all, he’s been through a lot,” once more looked up towards the boy’s rooms.

Aunty M wrapped her arm around her, “if it makes you feel any better. I’ll check once more,” she said rolling her eyes.

“Thanks.”

Aunty M climbed the stairs looked into his room where EJ is sleeping gave Martha a nod then walked down the hall to her room closed the door. “Margaret,” as the shadows stirred in her room whispered her name.

“Who’s there?” she asked as Aunty M searched the room listening to the voice speaking softly. Aunty M felt the room go cold tried to reach for the door as the shadow leaped the room laughing.

“Don’t play coy with me, Margaret, you know who I am,” as the shadow of a man stood by the door beckoned her to come closer.

“You can’t have him, Morgan,” seeing his red eyes glaring back at her from across the room.

“Why can’t I?” he asked as he laughed. “He belongs to me” as he hissed at her. “I know his flesh, and soon he will be mine forever,” as he laughed his eyes bearing down upon her.

“No, I won’t let you,” as she reached for him screaming, “EJ run!” She reached the door followed the shadow down the hall. Will and Robert hearing Aunty M screaming jumped out of bed towards the door seeing the shadows leap across the hall towards EJ’s room.

Will and Robert running down the hall towards the room yelling, “run EJ, run!!” as the shadow made his way past them.

EJ leaped towards the door as it closed locking him in the room Will and Robert pounding on the door trying to open the door, seeing a flash of light from underneath the door. EJ screaming, “No’ leave me alone,” as the shadow hissed towards him trying to wrap his arms around him. A doorway opened behind EJ as he falls through the opening screaming, “Help me!” Then there was silence as the doorway closed behind him trapping inside the strange room behind the looking glass.

Morgan confused only for a brief moment, on how the boy opened a doorway into the looking glass screamed. “Come back here boy,” with a wave of his hand Morgan opened his own doorway after the boy.

Inside the bedroom of EJ’s room, Robert and Will pushed open the door watching the shadow of Morgan leap into the strange open doorway to another world as it closed behind him. The boys were stunned as they looked around the room as the wind blew, the lightning flashed about them in the room as if in a raging storm was inside the house is taking place in his room. “EJ,” they screamed, “where are you?” searching the room as the wind beats hard against them drowning out their voices.

* * *

Morgan inside after the boy ran down the corridors of Time, “I see you boy,” as EJ ran further down the hellish walls feeling his way. Shadows leaping against the walls chasing him further down the corridors of Time behind the looking glass.

EJ screamed, “Leave me alone,” crying for all his worth as he tries to find a place to hide. His heart pounded as he ran, the air was thick as his ears rang with sounds of footsteps coming towards him. Seeing another doorway open, EJ leaped towards it as it begins to close. Then watched it close behind him as he leaped into the shadows of some nearby bushes. Hoping to hide from this mad man that is chasing after him as well as old memories rushing through his mind; as the old man struggles in the boy's mind to stay calm seeing the advents of his life change before him. But the spell that death put on him hinders him blocking his way back to his reality.

The hard wind blew in the trees as the creaked and moaned. Morgan leaped towards the same doorway screaming after him, “You can’t hide from me boy,” Morgan searching the boy's scent in the air with his red glowing eyes, focusing on every detail around him. “Your flesh gives you away… boy,” as he laughed. The air crackled as it shook the very foundation around him. Giving him away as Morgan searched the nearby bushes and tall weeds.

EJ huddling, shaking not more than a few feet from him, daring not to make a sound as Morgan passed by him as he leaped once more towards the doorway before it closed completely.

“I see you boy,” he replies as Morgan tried to reach for him, scraping his arm with his boney finger's as the drops of fresh blood fell on the ground where he stood moments ago. Morgan laughed. “There is nowhere you can run to boy,” as he chased after his prey. “For you are mine forever,” laughing chasing EJ through the shadows of time?

A loud cry is heard, somewhere calling his name, “EJ where are you?” is heard if from long distance as another shadow crossed his path whispering…. “Do not be afraid EJ,” a hand reached forth toward him, “for I am a friend and come in your need.”

Standing in front of him was the young man he has seen years ago shielding, shining like a beacon of light. “I am the beacon and the guide and have cometh to guide you to safety.”

EJ seeing Morgan not far from him EJ turned seeing the doorway of his room dives for it leaving the young man as the door closed behind him once more. EJ could hear a scream as the door opens, Again Morgan tries to grab EJ with his stretch forth hands. “No, he's mine.”

The young man stepping into Morgan’s path of the door, “you can not touch him.” As the young man blocked the closing door, reaching his full height as Morgan stands in the doorway between him and EJ. “For I am his guide, the warning before the tide and you will not.” The young man raising his hand towards Morgan, “touch him for he is mine and is bound to me, as the light flashed and loud thunder. A scream is heard as the door vanished out of sight.

* **

EJ huddled under the bed as he shook with tears strolling down his cheeks with fear, not seeing his family searching the room for him. The room in disarray as his brothers moved the bed seeing him huddled under the mattress Robert yelled down the hall, “Ma we found him,” as EJ looked at Will and Robert as they sigh with relief helping him off the floor. Aunty M helping Ma up the stairs, EJ running into her arms crying, shaking.

“Shhh now,” as Ma soothes her little boy as his brothers help Aunty M straighten his room and put him back to bed. Ma sits on the bed beside him rocking him back to sleep. “Shhh now,” as the lightning strikes the sky and the wind howls around them. “Sleep my son, sleep,” as she brushed his hair with her hand.

Aunty M walking back to her bedroom seeing the small drops of blood on the floor looked back towards EJ’s room. Whispering, “I hate storms,” leaving her door open watching the lightning touch the sky over the mountains.

EJ sleeping peacefully now in his bed, Ma pulled the covers over his shoulders looked down seeing the long gash on his arm and blood now dried. “Where did that come from?” As she traced the mark then rubbed the dry blood away from his skin. “Must of have been an old wound,” shaking her head covering his shoulders, softly tucks him in leaving the room.

Everything ok dear?” Wayne asked watching his wife crawl back into bed.

“Yes dear, just a bad dream again that’s all,” she replied as she snuggled up to him to get warm. “Goodnight dear,” fell asleep in his arms.

Robert and Will across the hall took turns watching over EJ as he sleeps, looking down the hall looking at the shadows as they hung silently once more. EJ’s eyes shut tight in fear as if they were after him still as the lightning flashed and the loud roar of the lightning as it strikes across the sky. EJ stirred while he looked to see who was in the room, seeing Will or Robert. “Just me EJ,” they replied as they sat in the chair with a quilt over them.

EJ closed his eyes and nods as they stir around the room taking turns. EJ sighs a with relief whispered, “thanks.”

“Hey, that’s what brothers are for… you know that,” as they whispered back. As the storm subsides passing through the night, EJ sounds asleep at last. The rooster crows his musical sound C**k doodle do as the boy's yawn. Robert in the chair stretches, “oh my back,” as he stands to shake EJ awake with a soft nudge on the shoulder.

“I know, just another few minutes,” EJ says as he yawns scratching his arm where the wound is. Seeing the dried bits of blood falling away. “Man does that itch,” scratching at the red wound on his arm.

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