Oracle's Legacy: Children of Sun (Book 1)

Oracle's Legacy

Children of Sun

By R. B. Holbrook

Copyright © 2009 R. B. Holbrook

Smashwords Edition

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given

away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase

an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it

was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your

own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

Discover other titles by R. B. Holbrook:

http://www.rbholbrook.com

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any Web addresses

or links contained in this book may have changed

since publication and may no longer be valid.

This is a work of fiction. All characters, names, incidents, organizations,

and dialogue in the novel are either the products of the author's imagination

or are used fictitiously.

This is my first book, so of course I am dedicating it to God on high. Thank you!

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23

Chapter 24

Chapter 25

Epilogue

Glossary

1

Present Day

The Oracle touched the glass of the window as she watched the world from her perch. For too long had her people stifled themselves--far too long. They hid among those less powerful than themselves, and for what? There was a time they understood why they hid, but now…

There were once schools where powerful organizations now sit. Children and adults alike studied and worked toward one goal: to become one with each other. What a wonderful time that was! Days spent enjoying the world, instead of … She clasped her hands in pain.

All seven of those schools were given names--strong names--to represent their specific energies. Though the names were simple and in the language of that time, they reflected the simplicity of enlightenment. Reaching her mind to the past, she could see the schools and their wide-eyed love of the world. The first ones chose the names, and they had understood their meaning.

These schools, which were now called Houses, were pivotal among the Structure, their civilization. And the name and arrangements of each House had changed to reflect the new languages and the modern world. Though these Houses were just as important as they had always been, they now stood for something different: power, ambition, and influence. She wished the schools still stood at the core of their civilization. They should be learning, growing, and working together, she thought.

Taking in a deep breath, pain spread in her chest as her energy slowly healed her again. Her mind raced with images shooting to the forefront, bringing her to the present, and showing her the future. The unrest approached, the persecution prepared, and the unknowing world would learn what had been lost years ago. Her people needed to come to the light, a light lost to them when the world first came to be. In those ancient times, they understood the need to hide. They hid to close the divide between the powerless and the powerful. But now that divide was so narrow that the powerful had become the powerless. They had lost so much power and they did not realize it.

She shook her head in disapproval, watching the world turning, seeing the peace slowly dissolve. Open your eyes, my children. Open your minds, children of the Structure, before the world passes you by. She closed her eyes, letting the tears fall and her chest ache.

For thousands of years, since the beginning of humanity, her people had stood apart from the rest of mankind, for the simple fact that they wanted to better themselves. They wanted the world to be whole and united, and yet those days were gone. They were the enlightened.

But now only a select few understood the old ways, understood the meaning of enlightenment. Now only a few hid in the shadows, waiting for the keys that would open the door to this better world, this united humanity. The rest hid behind their illusion of superiority and bid for power. Power? They knew nothing about power. She laughed.

The room began to shift as a shadow joined her side, showing slightly in the window. A shadow that came and went, yet always welcomed in her presence. A shadow so overwhelming, she found herself succumbing to it many times. But not this time.

You have blinded me. Why? it whispered over her skin.

Have I? She smiled to herself.

You know your tricks will not last long on me. Its smile radiated in the room.

Do I? she answered.

Laughter spilled around her. Shall I guess, or will that be futile?

Could you tell me the story again? she asked, ignoring the inquiry. She wouldn't give in.

Again? It chuckled, echoing around the room. You know I would do anything for you. The shadow stirred, and then said, "In the beginning, when the world was created and life formed, there was a man who saw the world with eyes unclouded. Never before was such a man known. No seer on any level could ever see everything, but this man did. Tesen, they called him. They say he had the Eyes of God, but Tesen knew different. God allowed him to see what he saw. Tesen began to show what he saw to all of mankind, but only a few followed. The few grew in their knowledge, hoping to unite the world that had slowly begun to divide. As the rift in the world grew, these people formed a deep bond of knowledge, family, and energy, as if to show the rest of the world what it should be. However, the rest of the world shunned them.

"So this tribe, Uni'ki, based its civilization, its existence, in unifying the world, uplifting it. However, as they grew more powerful, their hearts began to change. Corruption grew among them, spreading along their bonds. Believing themselves superior, they began to impose their beliefs and knowledge on those around the world, forcing unity. Conquering instead of teaching. Soon they became a force many feared and resented. War came, as those outside the tribe fought against the tyranny. Though their power was great, the destruction of the Uni'ki's achievements became inevitable, for the numbers outside their tribe far exceeded those inside. Seeing their error, the remaining members of the group severed the bond and sought to change the ways of their people. With their power, they created within themselves a barrier that guarded their inner power so that it would be used responsibly and only grow when they had achieved certain steps in enlightenment. They also decided it would be better to grow with the surrounding world than to advance separately. Quietly they spread their philosophy of unity blending and living among the powerless, the seal-less. All the while, they remained connected to the tribe. It was believed that one day the world would catch up to them, but until then, they would lie in wait, because the man with the Eyes of God had said, 'When the death march begins, the soulless shall rise up like an army, then the old shall be cleansed until new.'"

Thank you. She smiled, feeling her spirit ease. There was little comfort in the days to come. She would accept any comfort given now.

Now about my--

As much as I'd like to continue this discussion, I'm tired. She yawned.

What is it you don't want me to see? Its presence grew seductive. It would not be long before she gave in.

She touched the skin of her arm and closed her eyes. She stroked her arm and lay down to rest.

I've missed you, too. It breathed and settled. If this must be, then I will remain blind for a time, but not too long. Kissing her skin, the shadow caressed her before leaving. For now.

Feeling the departing whisper, she drifted off as the corners of the world began to fold inward, coming together to prepare for the changes it had long waited for.

()()()

Silver Spring, Maryland

Ollie pressed the buttons feverishly. She had a death grip on the device as both hands systematically pressed the buttons with all her energy. She had no choice. He'd left her no choice. She paid no attention to the pain in her fingers and the stiffness. She paid no attention to the urgent sounds in the background as she continued her onslaught of the buttons. The right sequence--she had to press the right sequence at just the right time, or …

Argh! She stood up, throwing the wireless game controller at the game console. She glared at the chubby teenager who was all teeth, as he sat in the swivel chair at her side.

A woman's voice carried into the room. Ollie, your tone. The baby is asleep.

Want to lose again? O-no taunted.

Oooh. Her sixteen year old brother, Sunny, who was sitting on the floor in front of the couch, began to cackle.

Oh, shut up, Sunny. I don't see you steppin' up to bat. Ollie put her hand on her hip, ready to go toe to toe with every last mother who wanted to talk trash. She would give it back to them threefold.

He cackled again, just like a chimpanzee. The kid's laugh was so funny that it was contagious. She never could be serious with him for long. She began to giggle.

Keep it down. The large, brown eyes of her twenty-eight-year-old twin, Ellis, looked over the pages of his book as his long fingers turned to the next page. The tall length of him was sprawled across the couch, giving no one access to it. Are you going to finally answer your phone? His words were calm.

It's just Geo. After retrieving her game controller, she plopped back down on the floor. Another game, O-no? She grinned at her cutie-pie brother in the swivel chair.

Only if you promise not to throw my controller again. O-no pressed Start to get the game going.

Nooooo promises, she sang. But before she could get started, she was face down on the floor, body bent forward, as a hand reached into her back pocket.

Geo, Ellis said as he let her back up.

She turned to sneer at her twin.

Yeah, hold on. He held out the phone toward her.

The sound wasn't even on. It wasn't bothering you. She tsked, rolling her eyes.

That vibrate thing really doesn't go well with my book. He bent to kiss her on the forehead as he placed the cell in her hand. Then he slumped back onto the couch.

Ollie had just been on a little field trip, and she wasn't in a mood for their eldest brother's bull. She just wanted to settle down and unwind for a couple of days. Putting the receiver to her ear, she would have to make short work of this call. I'm in the middle of something, so go.

I have a job for you.

Does it involve killing someone? She began her onslaught on the controller.

No.

Not interested. She hung up the phone and began her descent into failure again. Awww, no way, O. I was distracted. She gritted her teeth.

Piss-poor excuse, if you ask me. O-no gleamed. Not like you'd have lost any differently.

The cackles came back, as did the vibrating next to her. Then there was a chime on the computer next to O-no as a message came up on his instant messenger.

Uh oh. O-no's cheerfulness faded. The Grand Exalted One is pissed and says if you don't answer your phone, he's coming to visit.

The room grew still as the two younger boys looked at Ollie.

Pain in the ass. She stood up, flipping open the vibrating phone and putting it to her ear. You sure as hell know how to ruin a day.

Listen, your uncle called. He has a quick task for you. I suggest you get it done soon. I mean tomorrow. I sent O-no the info. Geo hung up without waiting for her banter, which meant he was livid. Good.

I'm going to pick up Bones. Anyone wanna ride with? She smiled, putting Geo out of her head. Ellis put down his book and left the room. There was no doubt he was coming with her.

O-no already had the information downloaded and sent to her phone. Ollie, will you pick me up some CD-RWs? He swiveled back around to her.

Again. O, I just bought you a gazillion-pack last week. Are you selling music again? After receiving just a grin, she shook her head. Fine, but you are footing the bill this time.

Ollie, you can afford it.

Can, but won't. She put out her hand, waiting for the eighteen-year-old to fork over the cash.

He groaned as he went into a container on top of his computer station. He pulled out a one-hundred-dollar bill. Use it all, he told her.

Hey, Ellis, we got dinner money. She ran out of O-no's room to the stairs.

Ollie, I meant spend it all on the CDs! he yelled.

Ollie ran down the steps, around the railing, through the doorway, and down the hall. She stopped short at the hall closet in front of Ellis, who was putting on his leather jacket.

I wish you would stop pushing Geo's buttons. He turned to her with solemn eyes. There wasn't much that bothered her twin. That was where Ollie picked up the slack.

I'm not scared of him.

But the rest of them are. He wanted for her to agree to stop annoying Geo.

Ain't gonna happen. Ha! Man, you worried about them? You know I can handle it.

But you shouldn't have to.

Ellis. She got serious. They need to learn to deal, just like you and I had to. Right?

He nodded. But they are young--

So were we. She walked past him, taking her jean jacket from his grasp. Now shake your groove thing. I want to spend some time with the boys before I'm off on assignment again. She grinned back at him.

She raced her twin down the steps of the eight-story apartment building, trying to beat him to her truck. Ellis thought Ollie drove too fast and recklessly, so he was always trying to beat her to the driver's seat. Unfortunately, not only was he taller than she was, he was faster. In a fair fight, he beat her every damn time. Only in a fair fight.

At six-eight, Ellis was the tallest man in their large family, just as she was the tallest woman, standing at six feet even. He looked like he could play basketball, but he never did. Being the nerdy type, he'd never cared much for sports. By the look of him in his jeans and leather jacket, no one could ever tell how nerdy he was until he opened his mouth to speak. Sometimes she had to remind him that real people had a limited vocabulary.

With large, brown eyes, thick, pouty lips, long lashes, and smooth, very light-brown skin, Ellis could have been a player. But instead he preferred to be oblivious. Everyone knew they were brother and sister, because she looked just like him, except for the hair. Ollie's black hair was wilder--far more curly, long, and unruly. Ellis's was shorter and tamer. Their hair seemed to describe their different personalities perfectly.

As she sat in the passenger's seat, Ollie closed her eyes for a moment to ease some of her jet lag. She had been traveling with Ellis for the past few weeks, doing jobs for her top clients back to back. The money was good, but damn if it wasn't starting to drain her. The various assignments helped to take her mind off of what was coming. Time for a vacation.

They arrived at the school, and Ollie hopped out of the truck. The final bell rang, signaling that school was out. Her genius little brother Bones went to a public high school for normal kids. Hell, the eight-year-old was anything but normal. He had a grasp of science and math like nothing she had ever seen. It wasn't unusual for members of Sun to exhibit higher-level thinking, but Bones exceeded even that. Ellis tried to encourage him to go to a private school for the gifted, but Bones wanted to stay close to his mother.

Bones spotted them the moment he exited the building. That didn't surprise Ollie one bit, considering he had a 360-degree field of mental vision up to several yards. The kid was extremely boney and lanky, with ashy dark brown skin, as if he had not used lotion all day. He had a large head, and that winning smile made his cheeks look like the only fleshy part of his body. Dressed like a nerd in an oxford shirt, creased slacks, and loafers, it was a wonder he wasn't picked on in school.

Running up to her, he jumped into Ollie's open arms. As she wrapped her arms around him, hugging him, he flinched. Ollie pulled back immediately. What the …? He rubbed his arm, looking at her with big puppy-dog eyes. What the hell is wrong with your arm? Ollie ground her teeth, wanting to kill the bastards that hurt him.

Don't worry about it, Bones waved his hand, trying to brush it off like it was nothing. How was your trip? he asked, trying to change the subject.

Was he kidding? Worry? What the fu--?

She felt Ellis's hand come down on her shoulder as her mind began to clear and calm. Damn him and his power.

This isn't the time for this. Ellis, the voice of moronic reason, wanted her to behave, so for now, she would. Climbing into her truck, the two brains began chatting about solar photo … something.

As they rode and the two brothers spoke Geek, Ollie mulled over whom she needed to hurt to keep them from hurting her brother. They're just high-schoolers, Ollie. Ellis finally said to her as they pulled into a parking spot before heading into the super store.

High-schoolers? What did that have to do with anything? It was best they learned early not to mess with her family. Ollie looked down at Bones, who walked between the two towering over him. His skin was too pale to suit her. Bones, when's the last time you ate? she asked.

An hour and a half, approximately, he answered.

She looked up at Ellis, who nodded. Let's traverse the grocery section and pick up some things, buddy, Ellis said. He scooped the boy up and put him on his back, running into the store, as Bones laughed.

()()()

Taking another drag from the cigarette, the old woman leaned back in her oak rocker, facing the oven. The smell had not yet penetrated the glass front of the stainless-steel oven, so it still had a ways to go. She exhaled, letting the smoke pass through her nostrils. She closed her eyes and let her mind reach out around her to each wall in the condominium. Where there should have been walls, there were books. Ollie had had each wall crafted into shelf space for her brothers' books. Not an empty wall remained in the house. Even though O-no wasn't a reader, his walls were filled with music and DVDs. Ollie spoiled them something terrible.

Her mind traveling, she could feel O-no in his room on the computer--one hand on his keyboard, the other in a cookie bag. Sunny, who was sitting in his room at his desk, was on the phone. Scott was now awake and doing his best to rip apart the stuffed animal in the playpen.

It was quiet. So quiet. Too quiet.

Ahh. The front door was opening.

Mama. Ollie's voice came before she could see her, which was normally the case. The silence was gone. And a good thing, too. Silence only made the bonds drift apart. And just like that, the walls all came together as O-no pried his butt from the chair he had been in all day, and Sunny came into the hallway from his room, handing Ollie the phone.

Ollie squealed into the phone. The sound was music to the old woman's ears.

Taking another drag from her cigarette, she leaned forward and took a potholder from the marble countertop. Making sure her legs wouldn't give out under her, she secured her hand on the counter next to her. Ever so carefully, she rose up before shuffling over to the oven to open it. The delicious aroma filled the kitchen immediately. She pulled the large roast smothered in carrots, onions, and potatoes out of the oven and set it on top of the stove. Yep, it looked like enough for seven.

Ellis came into the kitchen, kissed her on the forehead, and went to the cabinets. He pulled down the paper plates that she hated. O-no came in and went straight to the counter drawer for the plastic ware that she hated. Ollie came in with the phone in her hand and a bag of plastic cups hanging from her bent elbow.

These kids were too lazy to wash dishes. She just shook her head.

Sunny came into the kitchen to take the bag away from Ollie as he prepared to help the others set the table. Bones came in with a bag that looked bigger than him. He set it on the counter and pulled out a jug of old-fashioned apple cider. Now, that would have been nice warmed, she thought as the kid brought it out to the dining room table.

The old woman shuffled into the dining area as they finished setting the table. Ellis placed the roast in the center, and Ollie ended her call.

The old woman slowly stooped down into her chair at the head of the table as everyone joined her. She waited as they all looked at her, wondering. Ric is parking. Give him a moment, She said.

They all seemed to curse without saying the words.

Ollie started, I should have known we were waiting for that--

Kiss-ass, O-no finished.

You two. The old woman's face was stone. She didn't like that kind of talk coming from them about their siblings. Even if it was true. You will not demean each other, understand?

Yes, Mama, they sighed.

But Mama, you have to agree. He is. Sunny giggled, and they all joined him. Such a ray of sunshine.

It was not long before a tall middle-aged man walked into the dining room with a cake in one hand and a wave of the other. They all looked at the cake and began to giggle again.

You all can kiss my butt, except you, Mama. He went over to kiss the woman on the forehead. He set down the cake on the table and went to wash his hands at the kitchen sink. Then he came and sat down beside Ollie, who began to pucker her lips at him, mocking. He frowned, but then he pecked his lips against hers, shocking her. Everyone laughed as they all took hands and said grace.

Yep, a little noise was nice.

After dinner, Ollie and Ric sat in reclining chairs on the balcony of the condo overlooking the downtown landscape. All the buildings were lit now, even though darkness was still minutes away. Ollie could see the fatigue in her brother's face as they talked.

Ric was the second of nineteen children. He had a kind heart, but he was such a peacemaker that he backed down from fights, trying to win everyone over and never making waves. He did his best to please everyone and succeeded in annoying everyone. But he didn't care, he said. It comes in handy to help calm family disputes.

Though he was not the first to go to college, he was the first to pursue a respectable career, becoming a psychologist. He never had said why he went to college to study psychology, but his reason was now sitting beside him.

Eight months after he and his wife, Jen, bore their first child, Scott, she was diagnosed with breast cancer. Though all the cancerous tumors had been removed, the chemo had taken a lot out of her--and him. He tried to stay strong, and it helped that they were all there for support, but he needed some time to regroup.

Now Ollie worked her special brand of persuasion to get him to stay the night. She always did have a way with her brothers. But she was right in doing so; he needed to rest. And he had been away for too long. She didn't want him to drift away, as her eldest brother had.

I've arranged for Star to take care of Jen for a couple of days, the old woman yelled out to the balcony, helping Ollie with negotiations.

Ric turned to her with a smile, not really sure if he liked his mother eavesdropping on their conversation. But old habits die hard.

()()()

Thanks, Mama. Ollie giggled, loving her victory. Ollie turned back to Ric, who sighed, knowing there was no winning. Especially not against Mama.

So, what are you going to do about Geo? Ric asked her, knowing Ollie wasn't happy with the oldest. He always pulled his alpha crap with her when the kids were around because she tried to be more civilized around them.

He can kiss my natural ass. That punk keeps trying to bug me by scaring the kids. Not a good deal. I'm going to crawl all up and through his ass when I see him next time.

He laughed. Only you've got the balls to do it.

Balls or not, that nasty, arrogant prick may be the oldest, but he needs to learn to respect our wishes. And I wish you would grow some balls of your own and stand up to him sometime.

Whoa, Ollie. Calm down. It isn't that easy. He laughed nervously, but she was right. No one except Ollie got into Geo's face. Ellis did, when Ollie was not around, but that was rare. Geo was very intimidating, and he could definitely back up his intimidation. The only reason Ollie and Ellis went toe to toe with him was because they had the tag team thing going for them. And because she rarely cared.

You're far too old to fear him. Plus you need to set an example. She leaned forward, placing her arms on the railing of the balcony. She stared off beyond the skyline of the city. She was worried about Geo. He was getting farther and farther away from the family. He was the eyes and ears of their family and of the House of Sun, so it made sense that he would have to spend time away from home. But even brothers and sisters that lived farther from him, some outside the country, made phone calls to see how they were doing. The most arrogant of them called to see how Mama was. Geo only called about business. Always business.

Finishing his cider, Ric stood up. It's been three years since Miko came to us. Is it confirmed that she's the last one? He looked over at her, and she just shrugged, unsure. Ollie wasn't surprised when he chuckled. Their father was a pain in the ass. Of all the fathers to have in the world, the nineteen of them had gotten stuck with the worse. If there was a deadbeat dad list, Jacob Mason, Jamali, would be number one. The only person that remembered his face was Geo. The only one who loved him was Mama. And since he was still alive and kicking, there was a chance the man was still fathering bastards like the nineteen of them.

Ollie followed Ric into the penthouse, where he kissed Mama goodnight before he went to take one of the guest rooms. Once he was gone, the shaman's eyes opened, paling in color, and looked up at Ollie with warning. Geo is coming tomorrow to speak with you.

Early? Ollie smiled. The woman nodded, confirming it. Then I better get some sleep. She walked past the woman, placing her hand on her shoulder before heading upstairs. Ollie looked in on O-no, who was already tucked into bed. Farther down the hall, she looked in on Sunny, who had a book over his face as he slumbered in his beanbag chair. She took the book and helped him up to the bed before putting the book on one of the many stacks on the floor. The children had no more room on the shelves in the house to store their books, so they were now stacking them on the floor. She definitely would have to deal with that soon--before they had no room to walk.

Passing Bones's room, she saw Ellis asleep beside him with his back against the headboard, head down, and his second book of the day lying on his leg. Bones was curled into Ellis under the covers. She clicked off the light and walked up the stairs to the loft. She crossed the space and sprawled across the king-size bed. Lying there, she let her body breathe as she turned her head to look over at the flat-panel TV mounted on the wall. Gradually she pulled herself up, reached for the remote on the nightstand, and clicked on the eleven o'clock news. She let the sounds of an oblivious world put her to sleep. Hopefully they would block out the nightmares.

()()()

St. Louis, Missouri

Laura mentally swept the motel room, but she gained no insight into what had caused the dead man in the corner of the room to claw out his own eyes and throat. She had never seen anything like it. Nothing about this made sense. House of River had sent agents out to look for the man, who had gone missing after finding out valuable information about the Oracle. There was talk about an assassin being after him, but no one in River would have sent out such a request. They needed him alive. And this man was House of River, so who else would have wanted him dead? Possibly another House that wanted the information he had.

The dead man was a keeper of records for River, the House of spirituality. He was one of the younger ones that could see into the past, like herself. Historians, as they were called. Because he was on a higher enlightenment level than she, he was privileged with access to many of the vaults of information that most other members of the House were not. So when it was discovered that he had breakthrough information, the Heads of River immediately had requested his presence. That was three weeks ago, and now he lay dead from self-mutilation.

Since his disappearance, rumors had begun to spread, suggesting that the Oracle's power was waning. If that was the case, then the Structure was about to suffer a huge setback. Looking at the man in the corner, Laura shuddered. How can you claw out your own throat?

Did you find anything?

Laura turned to face one of the three Heads of River. Mary Alexander was the most influential of the leaders of the biggest House in the Structure--and the sourest, after this incident. She was a stout woman with a double chin and short black hair that was flipped up. The frightening woman looked like a politician in her dark-gray suit. Her light-brown skin came from her Dominican father, and her narrow, brown eyes looked at everything like it was beneath her, although she was the shortest one in the room.

Laura clasped her hands to keep them from shaking before answering, Nothing, but I have only swept the surface.

Armed with firsthand knowledge, this was a woman possessed. Fueled by ambition and dreams of power, Laura saw Mary's past in great detail, especially her business practices. Not because she wanted to, but because Mary Alexander had no regrets about the things she had done for power, and so she never had suppressed any of her past. She was a daddy's girl, and her father had taught her everything that had made him successful. She was known for her brutal yet effective headstrong tactics, and not many people dared to cross this woman. She was vying for more power with her seat at the head of River, and she did not keep it a secret. Anyone who believed himself or herself to be an obstacle became fair game.

Nothing.

Pissed was the only explanation Laura could give for that expression. I'm trying to dig deeper, but this was a higher-level incident. This will require more time, Laura said.

Higher-level? How high? Mary's expression grew softer immediately. Her dark-brown eyes unfocused as she began to wonder the very thing Laura was wondering. Who else wanted at this man, and why? The woman rubbed her chubby hands together and then placed them on Laura's forehead. Mary was using her abilities to enhance Laura's powers. A surge of energy went through Laura's body, amplifying her visions. The images in the room from the past went from blank to vivid instantly.

Laura stood before a huge, black figure, an evil image of a being. Blacker than the night sky. A void. Fear clamped onto her, holding her in place. Her vision focused on the eyes. The eyes were death, chaining her, dragging her into its presence, welcoming her into its cold embrace. Her soul burned, and pain seeped from every pore, oozing like her own blood, which was soon to spill--but not just yet. There was still more time. Plenty of time. The being wanted to make sure she felt the pain over and over before her blood spilled. It did not smile, but she felt its wicked pleasure. A thousand needles penetrated the very depths of her. Her voice became raw before she realized she was screaming.

The figure was gone, and the room was back as she remembered. But the images were still there, so fresh. Playing over and over …

What went on here? Mary asked, breathless. She looked scared but not as scared as Laura. Not nearly scared enough. Whatever that had been, it was coming for her next. It knew her, saw into her soul, and was prepared to take her. It enjoyed her taste and was going to take more. Laura backed up into a wall and went down on her knees, praying. She chanted words she had not chanted since she was a child. She had seen evil in its purest form.

Talk to me. What did you see? Mary insisted.

It wants me. It's coming for me. Laura shook uncontrollably. She looked up into Mary's face. You killed me! She cried hot tears.

"You're fine. It was just past events. Remember, you can only see past events. Laura, Mary said, and smacked her. Get hold of yourself."

Laura tried to focus, tried to think, but nothing made sense. That figure was so real. It was right in the room with her. She looked around to the man. He had done that to himself. Fear had driven him to kill himself in such a manner. A few seconds longer with that … being … and she might have done the same. Would have done the same.

"What I saw was not human. What he saw was not human. It possessed him, drove him to that."

Did he say anything?

Rambling, nothing but ramblings, Laura could barely remember hearing anything. There was something. Demon … something.

Demon's Wrath? Mary's eyes popped wide open.

I don't know … maybe. I … What is Demon's Wrath? By the silence coming from the woman, it was clear it wasn't good. From the images, it had to be worse.

Mary called in the cleanup crew. Clean it up. Everything. We won't find anything out. She looked at Laura with apologetic eyes. I'm sorry, Laura, but you may be right. I think I just got you killed.

Somehow Laura had already known that the moment the void had looked back at her.

()()()

2

Silver Spring, Maryland

Ollie woke up abruptly, as if from