Imaginary Darkness by Dean Henryson - HTML preview

Chapter 33

 

“What’re you saying?” Jeff repeated louder.

As Laura just kept staring at him, his heart beat inexplicably faster.

His eyes traveled the living room, checking for any missed vulnerabilities. The room was well lit so that nothing but darkness could be seen outside. But someone could be watching them right now from one of the windows without any of them noticing. He had an indelible urge to draw all the drapes closed as fast as possible.

She finally answered, “That maybe you’re asleep right now.”

He laughed, looked at her, then laughed again.

Laura appeared serious.

“That’s impossible.”

“You sure?”

“What do you mean?”

She asked, “What do you think I mean?”

“I don’t know.”

“Do I have to spell it out for you?”

“Yes,” he said, annoyed.

“You are in that same hospital. Maybe we all are.”

“We’re all here.”

“Where is here?”

“Here is here!”

“Is it?”

“I’m starting to really hate this existential, mystical talk of yours, Laura.”

“Remember at Bartholomew’s when I asked, ‘Would you believe in something you couldn’t know?’ You answered that you could.”

He shook his head, despite remembering.

“This world that we know, is it really ours?”

“No more ridiculous questions.” He headed for one of the windows and drew the curtains closed, feeling only slightly comforted. He walked to another window to do the same.

“What’re you doing?” asked Charlie.

He had forgotten this wasn’t his house. He should have asked permission first. But he felt so exposed. He had to act fast. “We need to make sure no one’s watching us. It’s dark … outside.”

“Are you afraid of the dark, too?” Tina asked, eyes wide. She looked spooked yet comforted.

“I’m beginning to be.” He smiled at her, trying to ease her fears. She had been through a rough few days. Maybe he should speak of his concerns away from the children, but the girls were just as much a part of this as anyone and had to be present. They could offer help, more memories, and answers. “I’m sorry I didn’t believe you before, Tina.”

“It’s okay.” She looked down. “It was hard to believe.”

“Just like what I’m saying is hard,” Laura persisted.

“No. What you’re saying is impossible.” He pinched himself on the arm. Sharp, hot pain stabbed into his flesh. It lingered there. His fingernails had made fading indentations on his skin.

She frowned at him.

The area around the pinch turned reddish. “I didn’t wake up. What if the girls were the ones dreaming? Maybe the dark took them somewhere and made them dream together. They just dreamed me there because they needed me.” But with those words, Jeff couldn’t help feeling guilty. He desired to avoid the mistake he had made with Tina earlier. He didn’t want to be so closed minded that he couldn’t accept the truth.

“This is all too weird,” Charlie said, swatting his large arms through the air. “I can’t understand.”

“Welcome to our world,” Laura replied evenly. She appeared deep in thought for a few moments. “So why do the girls still have real puncture marks on their arms from the needles that supposedly were just a shared dream?”

“Why do they have marks at all?” Jeff asked. “Shouldn’t there be no marks, except in the hospital world? That’s where the injections took place.”

Charlie speculated, “Unless both worlds are real.”

“But how could that be? I was asleep in that world while being chased by a bum in this one.”

Charlie’s round face elongated. “Unless that was a different time, maybe like time traveling. Or parallel universes, the same but different times.”

Laura shook her head. “The marks are just undeniable memories,” she explained, “pushing through the unconscious into this dream.”

Jeff rushed to the remaining four windows in the living room and closed the curtains. As he shut out the darkness—the unknown—he felt a calm wash over him. But it was quickly followed by claustrophobia, because they were confined. They were trapped here for the duration of the night, unless they dared to venture into the dark.

He looked at his watch: 11:58 p.m. Six hours until daybreak.

Charlie moved to his daughter. “Look, I’m just glad my Tina is back safe.” He placed a hand on her shoulder. “Let’s focus on how we can keep the girls here.”

“We need to know where there is,” Laura pressed, “and where here is. Maybe we all need to get back there.”

“I know where here is. It’s with me!” Charlie said, exasperated, his face reddening. “I wasn’t at this hospital.”

“Dad, we didn’t check all the rooms.”

“I’m sorry, pumpkin. I didn’t mean to yell. It’s … I just need to know what’s happening.”

“We all do,” Laura said.

“What if this neighborhood has a blackout tonight, Charlie?” Jeff asked, his words trembling. “Do you have a generator?”

“A generator? Who do you think I am?”

Laura suggested, “Why hide from darkness at all?”

Someone knocked on the front door, startling Jeff. “Are you expecting anyone?”

“No,” Charlie replied. “Unless it’s the police. I called them after I hung up with you to let them know Tina had returned. But they didn’t say they would come by.”

Jeff moved to the front door. It had a peep hole. He looked through the thick glass. It was too dark outside to see. “Is there a light for the front porch?”

“It’s burned out,” Charlie replied. “I’ve been meaning to replace it, but I’ve been so busy with work and all, I haven’t had a chance.”

His breaths and heartbeats swirled faster together. His arms tingled. He didn’t want to lose the girls again. Memories of his sweet daughter, Bianca, sizzled against his conscious.

He didn’t know what was beyond death. Though he grew up in a Christian home, attending church regularly under his mother’s demands, he never really had strong faith in God or religion. When he lost his daughter, all his remaining faith vanished. What was beyond life was unknown to him. He imagined simply darkness, emptiness, nothingness. As terrible as that belief was, he couldn’t believe in a God that would kill his seven-year-old angel.

He couldn’t handle anyone in this room dying, so he fumbled with the security chain to engage it to crack the door open with some degree of safety.

“Just open it.” Laura’s voice was tired.

“We don’t know what’s out there.”

“We won’t know till you open it.” She moved next to Jeff.

“All risks aren’t good. Calculated risk is best.” He turned around. “Charlie, do you have a weapon in the house?”

He answered, “A gun.”

Jeff wasn’t even sure a gun could kill a shadow creature. But he turned to Charlie and asked, “Where?”

“It’s on the top shelf in the living room closet. But I don’t want it around the children. It’s loaded and dangerous.”

The door vibrated with hard knocks that sent Jeff flying away.

Laura undid the security chain and swung the door open.

Darkness, thick and coagulated, leaked into the well lit foyer, a jut and jab here and there. But the lights kept it out, for now.

“Hello?” she asked, fear quivering her voice.

Jeff wondered, why is she afraid? Isn’t this what she wants?

Silence.

No kid would be playing pranks like knock knock gingerbread or ding dong ditch this late. Something else was outside.

The girls hugged each other, and Charlie stood protectively in front of them.

Jeff had gained true empathy for the girls during the past two days. Darkness holding monsters seemed entirely plausible now. Maybe this was the road to the hospital: belief and fear. Perhaps with these, monsters could materialize. Though he wasn’t sure he wanted to be dragged there, even if the hospital held answers. The girls were safely back here. There didn’t seem to be a good enough reason to leave now.

“Hello?” Laura called louder.

“Oh, for Christ’s sake,” shouted Charlie, “who the hell is there? Show yourself.”

But the creature would not come forth. It would not speak. Perhaps it enjoyed elevating their fear as a chef might elevate temperature to cook tasty, moist treats.

“Shut the door,” Jeff blurted.

“Maybe we should turn out the lights,” Laura whispered. “Maybe it’s shying from the light.”

“Good!”

“We need answers,” she said, irritation steeling her voice. “Remember what I told you about the dark.”

“We don’t need this. We’ll find another way.”

“What way?”

“I don’t know. There has to be another way.”

She looked troubled. Then she sighed. “Maybe just one light.” And before Jeff could react, she flicked off the foyer light.

Darkness sprang forth.

Charlie, Jeff, and the girls jumped back.

Laura went to the two lamps closest to the door and turned them off as well. She walked out the open door.

Parts of her could still be seen—a brown flicker of her hair, her green and yellow heeled sandal, a sleeve of her white blouse. Colors were wonderful to Jeff now. They were evidence of safety.

Then she walked backwards through the foyer and into the living room.

And he exhaled with relief. “Enough. Turn them back on.”

“Shhhh … listen.”

He could hear something, a hissing, creaking, then thumping.

Laura bumped into him, and he held her.

“What is it?” he whispered. “Did you see it?”

“No.”

“It’s the shadow creature,” Tina said firmly.

“There are no such things,” trembled Charlie.

“Don’t be so sure,” cautioned Jeff.

“You’re a therapist. Aren’t you supposed to help Tina feel safer?”

“If this is a dream, like Laura says, anything can happen. Right?”

“But we can’t get hurt in a dream,” Laura whispered.

“You sure? Tina still has claw marks on her arm.”

Laura didn’t answer. He wanted her to answer. She knew about the dark, more than anyone else. He wanted her to assure him everything was going to be alright, like a little boy would want comforting after watching a scary movie. He didn’t like feeling so vulnerable, but he could do nothing about it. This was out of his scope of understanding.

Something was scuttling just outside the doorway.

A black gob.

Jeff pulled Laura behind him. He didn’t want her to get attacked first, just in case they could be hurt in this world. Besides, he wasn’t convinced this world wasn’t real.

The gob was coming faster.

His thoughts turned to the gun in the closet, but there was no time.

The scraping of talons or razor claws, closer. Creaking of old wood.

Were adults supposed to face monsters? Wasn’t that only for kids? What if monsters really killed adults and just tormented kids? His heart seemed to be pumping through his rib-cage. He was the closest to the doorway. He would be the first to encounter whatever was coming. He would be the first to be thrown into this hospital or just simply shredded into hundreds of tasty morsels.

A sudden scampering and scratching of claws.

Jeff could feel the intensity of its presence.

It shot into the dimly lit foyer, a small clump of furry mess, claws tapping. Jeff was glad for a second it was small, but then became leery as it would also be quick and agile.

He stepped backwards, pressing Laura against the wall. Her body heat radiated into him. Her arms wrapped protectively around him. Really, this wasn’t the worst way to die.

Charlie had herded the girls into a bedroom down the hall and stood guard at the door frame.

The creature snarled-gurgled, slipping on the smooth tile floor, evidently frustrated, tapping and clawing, groaning, making more noise than gaining ground.

Laura’s arms trembled around his chest.

Suddenly, Jeff wished he had held Laura in his arms the other night, cuddling closely, kissing her deeply and fiercely, then making love to her. Now, intimate moments between them would never happen.

The creature reached the landing and leapt off the tile, silently flying through the air a few moments, landing onto the white carpeted living room with a grunt, a blur of white fur and legs, traction immediately improving, accelerating straight at Jeff!

He held his arms in front of him and cried out, anticipating a leap for the throat, a slash at his stomach, a stab into his chest.

Instead, it went straight for his leg, latched onto it, and began gyrating and breathing hard.

What is it doing, by God?

He didn’t want to, but he looked down.

Graisse! The dog. Laura’s furry companion, once again finding Jeff.

He sighed with some relief and shook his leg.

“Graisse?” Laura questioned behind Jeff. She let go of him and pulled the dog off with difficulty. “What are you doing here? How did you find us, sweetie?” She held him, petting his head and sides.

Graisse raised his chin and barked happily.

“Good, Graisse. Just one more.”

He barked once more.

“Ohhhhh.” Jeff sunk into the couch, exhausted. “How did he get out? Didn’t you leave him in your backyard?”

Out of the bedroom, the girls followed Charlie.

“Yeah,” Laura replied. “He’s jumped the fence before though.” She smiled. “He’s got a lot of energy. I need to get a higher fence.” Her smile broadened.

“That dog almost scared me to death.”

“Me too,” said Ashley, her eyes wide and sparkling with interest.

Graisse looked at Ashley, lowered his head and pawed in her direction, whimpering.

Laura put him down, and the girls sat next to him, petting him. He wagged his tail vigorously, fancying the girls’ attention and scents on him. He seemed to like them as much as they liked him. Animals could be therapeutic, and Graisse was doing a much better job than Jeff could to extinguish the girls’ anxiety.

The dog looked at Jeff and groaned.

“Stay,” Jeff ordered.

As Ashley pet and kissed Graisse on the head, he licked her face, and she smiled strongly for the second time since Jeff had met her. Hers was so brilliant and tender, it drove itself into his heart, assuaging, brightening the dark places. She looked at Jeff, eyes scintillating. “Graisse is wonderful.”

“Yeah, I guess,” he muttered, trying not to show any enthusiasm.

“I’ll bet he scared away the shadow creature.”

Tina agreed, sharing Ashley’s spirit. “He’s brave.”

Jeff grumbled.

“I wonder,” Laura pondered. “They say dogs have a great sense of smell. He must’ve traveled here from Elmwood, across the park, and onto Jefferson.”

“The little, white snot.” Jeff looked away and at the doorway. Darkness still lingered there, waiting, threatening. “But who knocked on the door?” Fear kindled inside him.

Laura was silent for a moment. “Maybe Graisse jumped against it.”

He remembered the raucous the dog made at her house. It made sense Graisse could have been the cause of alarm here. Jeff got off the couch, walked to the foyer, turned on the lights, and with some hesitation, closed the front door. He locked it. “Or maybe the dog did scare something away.” He looked at his watch: 12:12 a.m. Still a long ways until sunrise.

“Maybe we should keep the door open,” she suggested.

“Why? We’ve had enough for tonight. Let’s meet again tomorrow night with a better plan. It’ll be good to have some time to think about everything for a day. Maybe gain some objectivity.”

Charlie placed a bowl of water on the floor for the dog, but Graisse was enjoying the girls’ attention too much to notice. “I agree with Jeff. Let’s not rush this. We don’t know what we’re getting into.”

“We could learn a little more tonight,” Laura persisted.

“Or we could die. You remember what the bum said?”

She walked to a window, parted the curtain, and peered out.

What was she doing? Why wouldn’t she drop this? The darkness had done nothing but harm them.

Jeff sat on a chair, holding the armrests as though he were on a roller coaster. “Let’s make some coffee and just ride out the night, wide awake.”

Charlie waddled to the kitchen. “Good idea.” Pots and pans clattered from behind the counter.

Still on the floor, Ashley held out her hand and said, “Shake.”

Graisse immediately placed his paw into her hand and looked into her eyes, causing laughter to erupt from both girls.

“Let me try,” Tina said eagerly, sticking out her hand. “Shake.”

Graisse looked at her and licked her hand.

“Awwwh. He’s so loving.”

Jeff grumbled again.

Ashley said, “Stand.”

Graisse stood on his hind legs, with his paws curled in front of him.

“He’s so cute,” Tina giggled.

“I know. I love him.” And Ashley hugged him while he stood.

“He’s a good dog.” Laura said absentmindedly, still staring into the night. She drew open the curtains all the way.

“What’re you doing?” Jeff cried, standing up from the chair.

“I’m feeling claustrophobic. I just need a little … openness.”

“Do you know what will happen if we let the dark in?”

“Do you?”

He didn’t understand her. They had all been through stressful experiences and needed to recuperate and think things through. “Look, I know you believe answers are in the unknown, and I’m beginning to as well. But let’s give it a rest.” He went to the curtains and closed them.

She glared at him.

Just whose side is Laura on? he wondered. Is she really looking out for our best interests?

She walked over to the girls and pet Graisse with them.

“How old is he?” Ashley asked, beaming.

“I’m not sure,” Laura said, lost in thought. She leaned in close to the dog’s ears, whispering something. Could she be communicating with a dog? Why didn’t she know Graisse’s age? She was the owner, wasn’t she? Dusty paranoia seemed to be settling into Jeff’s mind. He didn’t like it.

Graisse snapped his attention from their loving touches to Jeff, as though having received instructions from Laura. He whined a bit as she massaged his sides.

Jeff felt uncomfortably watched. He was becoming suspicious, unnerved by a dog. Why? And why was he beginning to distrust Laura?

It was this darkness. It was freaking him out. His world used to follow logic, cause and effect, orderliness. Now things were breaking down, and he was spooked to say the least.

Laura could be trusted. She was beautiful, kind, and honest. She had done nothing to hurt anyone before. Why would she start now?

Graisse whined again, his ears rising and funneling in Jeff’s direction.

When she stopped massaging him, he leaped through the girls’ arms, straight at Jeff.

He moved behind the chair before the dog could reach him, feeling embarrassed at the tenacity of the dog’s lust for him. “Enough, Graisse.”

But the dog’s eyes would not waver.

“Laura, call off your animal.”

“He likes you,” Ashley informed.

“Like heck he does. He wants …”

“Yes?” Laura teased.

The dog faked left, then right, then went left. It was smart.

“He needs to be fixed,” Jeff said, hopping to the right to keep the chair between him and the animal.

“He’s fine the way he is. It’s natural.”

“It’s not natural. I’m not a dog!” He ran past the chair to the couch to get a larger obstacle between him and Graisse.

For such a small dog, it was amazing how fast Graisse leaped onto the couch, then to the top of the backrest and into Jeff’s stomach as he backed out trying to escape. Jeff stumbled, and Graisse latched onto his left leg and began primal, instinctual thrusts.

Without any conviction, Laura said, “Oh, Graisse, leave him alone.” She headed for the front door and, to his astonishment, opened it all the way and turned off the foyer light and three of the living room lights closest to the entrance.

With the dog still affixed to Jeff’s leg, he moved as quickly as he could towards the open door without harming Graisse.

Charlie turned from the steaming pot of water on the stove and said, “Not again.”

“We need to face this. Tonight.” Laura put her hand on Jeff’s shoulder to stop him, sending pleasant tingles through him.

He questioned, “Why?”

She sighed, and then tilted her head. “It feels right. Like the right time.” She leaned down and plucked Graisse off Jeff’s leg, bringing the dog to her chest, petting him, Graisse’s tongue hanging happily to one side, eyes still focused on Jeff.

The darkness had already clustered around the doorway, seeming to move like a thick, black fog.

“How do you know?”

“I just do.”

“Our lives might be in danger. Are your instincts that good?”

“I think so.” She put the dog down, and he trotted back to the girls, where he was bathed in pets and kisses.

“Mine tells me that we should wait.”

Laura said, “Look, I can’t explain it all. You just have to trust me.”

“I’m having a hard time with trust right now.”

“I understand.”

“Do you?”

“Yes.”

“I can’t lose anyone else.”

“I’m sorry for your daughter.”

How did she know about Bianca? He hadn’t told her about that very personal information yet. “I don’t want to be responsible for losing these girls.”

“Then trust me.”

He sighed. This was hard. They needed answers. They had to be safe, too. But what if their safety depended on answers tonight?

Charlie had abandoned three steaming coffee mugs on the kitchen counter to sit on the floor with the girls and Graisse.

“But the shadow creatures are real,” worried Tina.

Laura said, “I think sometimes the biggest monsters are inside us.”

“I don’t understand.”

“I can’t explain it all now, sweetie.”

“What do you know that you’re not telling?” demanded Charlie.

Instead of answering, she turned to the front door.

Jeff looked outside. Something was forming out of the night—a large form. A hand reached inside and knocked on the open door.

“Well, well, well.” The figure stepped into the foyer and then partially into the living room light.

It was the vagrant.

Jeff was almost positive, because he recognized the stringy brown hair and the tan overcoat. The bum stepped closer, making his identity indisputable. “What have you been telling them, Laura?”

“You know him?” Jeff asked, befuddled.

She looked disappointed. She didn’t answer.

“Lies, no doubt,” the bum said, gracefully stepping into the living room. He fell into the large chair, propping his legs onto the ottoman.

Ashley whispered to Tina, “It’s the guy from my hospital room.”

Graisse growled.

Still looking at Laura, the bum waved his index finger and scolded, “You’ve been a naughty girl.”

“Stay away.” Anger scratched her voice. She passed him and went to the edge of the foyer, staring into the night as though expecting something else to emerge.

“I wonder what’s going to happen to you.”

“How come you didn’t tell me you knew him?” asked Jeff.

She answered, “I don’t really.”

“Really?” questioned the bum. “Tell me more. Do I have cancer perhaps?” He chuckled.

Jeff’s head was spinning now. Why hadn’t she been telling him the truth all along? They had been running from this vagrant, and she hadn’t mentioned anything about him. Jeff took a step away from her.

“Jeff ...” Hurt shown in her eyes.

“What else haven’t you been telling me? How did you know I had a daughter?”

“Yes, Laura,” the vagrant taunted, “what else haven’t you been telling him?”

“Jeff, are you going to believe anything this guy says? He tried to kill us yesterday.”

“I think I deserve the truth from you,” Jeff answered. “You’ve been talking about the dark so mysteriously, how it holds answers, and I think you should come clean.”

“Tell us,” the bum echoed, and then he belched.

She was silent.

“Who is this vagrant?” Jeff asked. He looked at the stranger. “Who are you?”

“Donald. I’m the same as you.”

“What does that mean?” He felt his face burn, as annoyance filled him from the continual enigmatic answers to his questions.

Laura nodded.

“Why are you nodding? What does that nod mean?”

“We’re trapped in a world that’s not our own.” Donald looked at Laura. “According to her, anyways.” He chortled. “It’s a dream world that hides the truth. We’ve been here for the last three weeks.”

“What truth? What’s that black stuff you threw at us?”

Donald pulled out a gob of it from his overcoat. “This?”

“Why did you throw it at us?”

“I didn’t know who you were. I thought you were with her, until I overheard you guys talking just now.”

“Why throw it at her?”

“He thinks I’m trying to kill people,” she interrupted. “He’s a bit paranoid.”

“And why not?” Donald said, annoyed. “If I believe you, it’s a natural reaction to the events you claim to have put us through. Who wouldn’t be paranoid, if everything they knew was a lie?” He turned to Jeff. “She’s delusional and dangerous.”

 Jeff looked at her. “What’s he talking about?”

“Yes, please tell,” the bum encouraged.

She didn’t answer.

The darkness swelled and whirled in his hands.

“Could you put that away?” Jeff asked.

He stalled for a moment, as a reprimanded child might, and then placed the dark mass back into his overcoat.

“We’re wasting valuable time,” she urged. “We need to move.”

“Move where?” Charlie asked, squeezing Tina against him.

Ashley held Graisse tightly, her blue-gray eyes big. She kissed him on the head, and he licked her chin.

Jeff felt for the girl. She had no one else in this room but the dog. She had no family who cared, she had endured unspeakable abuse, she had been tormented by shadows, yet her passion for animals continued to blaze. And now Laura was proposing a move into the unknown, and all the security Ashley held was with a newfound canine, Graisse.

The dog licked her chin again and whined.

Laura answered Charlie, “The hospital.”

“Do we really want to go to this hospital?” Charlie questioned.

“It’s our only chance. Com’on, we’re all together.”

“How can we trust you?” Jeff doubted. “You’ve lied. And according to this bum, you’re delusional and dangerous.”

She looked at her watch. “It’s already 12:28 a.m. There’s no time to explain. Let’s all walk into the dark together.”

Donald said, “I think they—and I—need an explanation. One that makes sense.”

She looked around at everyone, perhaps evaluating expressions on each of their faces and recognizing their need for knowledge. “All right, I was initially with them.”

“Who?” asked Jeff.

“I was sent here eight days ago to monitor the mental state of all of you and report back to the team leader.”

“Team leader?”

“Yes, Malik Pareek, the team leader of a project that was supposed to design a cure for cancer. That was what he led me to believe anyways. I began to lose faith once I saw how they were achieving these goals and what they were putting you guys through.”

“We’re lab rats?”

“