Visions

The things that Bartholomew sees do come true.

 The weeks passed and Alexander saw less and less of Bartholomew.  The times Alexander did see him, Bartholomew was less and less like his old self.  His eyes had dark circles beneath them.  It looked as if he hadn’t slept in months.  Majori started to address her concerns to Alexander.  “Alexander, there is something terribly wrong with Bartholomew.  He won’t tell me what it is and he denies that there is even a problem to begin with.  But, I feel deep down there is something wrong.  Please speak with him.  He listens to you!” she pleaded.

 

Alexander agreed but he feared that he wouldn’t be able to find his dear friend.  He walked to the deepest part of the woods.  There in the distance he saw a familiar silhouette.  He slowly walked over to it.  “Bartholomew?” he whispered.  Bartholomew gradually turned to look at him.  His face was heartbreaking; his eyes were swollen and red mixed with dark circles.  His skin looked very pale and tired.

 

Alexander opened his mouth but before he could speak Bartholomew spoke, “I know what you are going to ask my friend.  The answer is this; I still have those horrifying images flashing through my mind.  They mostly appear when I sleep.  So, I haven’t slept.  I stayed away from people that I care about for fear of their safety around me.  Nothing is getting better Alexander.  I can’t…” he takes in a deep breath.  “… I can’t make it better.  I don’t want to see these things.  I don’t want to push you all away.  I’m just, frightened.  I don’t know what’s happening to me!”

 

Bartholomew falls to his knees and buries his faces in his hands.  His cries echo throughout the woods.  Alexander’s heart wrenched for his friend.  He rested his hand on to Bartholomew’s shoulder.  They both knelt there in the woods for hours.  Alexander waited for Bartholomew to calm down.  “Does your mother know where you are?” he asks.  Bartholomew looked to the ground.  “I make sure to see her once a day at least so she doesn’t worry too much about me.  She knows I went for a walk today.” He responded.  Alexander got Bartholomew to agree to stay the night at his place.  As soon as he was in bed Alexander went out to meet Majori.  Once he was there he convinced her to come stay with him for the night as well.  It didn’t take more that an instant for Majori to rush out the door leaving the yells of disapproval from her father behind her.

 

Once they arrived back at his house Majori rushed to his room and sat at Bartholomew’s side.  He was still sleeping and she sat there quietly trying to make sure he was as comfortable as possible.  Alexander walked in the house slowly and he pulled his mother aside.  “How was he?” he whispered.  She glances over to his room.  “He is having a very restless sleep.  He… He is being haunted by something.  He cries out in his sleep.” She replied.  Hearing this made Alexander alarmed.  “What does he cry out?  What exactly did he say?”  She sighs.  “He said, “Why am I seeing this?”, “I don’t want to hurt them.  Don’t do it.  Stop!  Stop it!  What are you doing?” and the last thing he said was “I couldn’t save you.  Why couldn’t I save you?” and then he went silent.”  Alexander went to the large chair and sat down.  His mother went to his side.  “I don’t know what Barty is going through, but I think that he needs both you and Majori with him now.  So, tomorrow you two are to take him home because we know his mother must be going gray with fear over his absence.  I want you to stay for as long as it takes to get him past this.”  Alexander looked up at her. 

 

“But what about father?  What about the girls?  You need help here…” his mother interrupted.  “Alexander, your father is doing fine.  And as far as your sisters they are more help than you know.  I know in my heart that you need to be with Barty now.  For I fear if you aren’t he won’t be around much longer.”  The night was long and Bartholomew cried out on more than one occasion.  Most of the time hearing Majori’s whispers of encouragement was all he needed to relax.  The heaviest moment of the night was when he shot up screaming bloody murder.  Nothing Majori could do would calm him.  She screamed out for Alexander and he ran into the room.  His eyes were open but yet he was not awake.  The only thing he cried out was “No!  NO!”  It took both Majori and Alexander to hold him.  Alexander grabbed Bartholomew’s face and looked straight into his eyes and said forcefully.  “You are safe Bartholomew.  It is just a dream.  Whatever you are seeing is not happening.  You are safe.  Majori and I are not going anywhere.  You are safe.  Do you hear me?  You are safe!” In that instant Bartholomew grew limp and fell back into the pillows.  Majori grabbed a cool cloth and started patting his forehead.  He lied there motionless breathing deeply.

 

Alexander slowly walked out of the room with Majori following him.  “Alexander!” she shouted.  He turned quickly and she ran straight to his arms and cried, “What is wrong with him?”  Alexander stood there and held her in his arms.  He forced back his own tears.  He only managed to utter out “I don’t know.  I really don’t know.”

 

Just as the sun started to rise Alexander, Majori and Bartholomew made their way out of the house.  Alexander hugged his mother goodbye and walked off.  He let Bartholomew and Majori walk ahead of him.  He kept his distance and looked out for anything that may be lurking in the darkness.  He closely watched each step his friend took.  Bartholomew and Majori’s hands held on to each other as the sun started to break through the treetops.  It was a moment of peace that in recent days Alexander rarely got a glimpse of for his friend.

 

Whispers pass in the breeze all around Alexander.  He becomes sharper and listens intently to what is passing around the small group.  “There are only three of them.  It would be easy…” Alexander’s eyes pass across the landscape hunting for the voice.  “No!  One of them is Darcio’s son.” A voice hissed.  “What does it matter?  We would be doing Darcio a favor.  He hates the boy.”  Alexander growls under his breath and continues to listen for the voices.  “No…  Even if Darcio doesn’t care I don’t want to feel the wrath of Acilia.  Leave them be…” The voices become deep growls and they become mixed together.  So much so Alexander can’t make out what they are saying.  He walks quickly to Bartholomew and whispers.  “Take Majori and run to the clearing.  Do you understand me?”  It only took a second for Bartholomew to look into Alexander’s eyes to know the seriousness of the situation.  He whispers into Majori’s ear and they start to run.  The clearing was not too far ahead.  Alexander walked slowly behind them watching the area intently.  He listened even closer for the voices that seemed to be shouting around him.  He heard one clearly and that was “GO!” and he ran as fast as he could towards his friends.  He could hear the growls and he raced faster and faster to them.  Bartholomew and Majori disappeared into the light of the clearing and Alexander raced quicker towards them.  His life meant nothing if he couldn’t protect the ones he loved.  When he got close to the edge of the clearing he stopped and turned to face whatever was chasing after his friends.

 

As soon as he turned he was met face to face with a wolf.  This wolf was very large and its eyes were blood red.  Something seemed to be odd about it.  He looked down to see it was standing on its hind legs.  He was very much a mix of a man and a wolf.  He had only heard stories of these creatures.  There it was, a werewolf in the flesh and breathing deeply into his face.  He noticed that it was gasping for air and he looked lower and saw the cause of it.  A delicate pale hand was wrapped around its throat.  Alexander looked over to his left and saw Acilia standing there with her fangs showing.  Her eyes were no longer the golden brown but they were jet black.  Her attention still on the werewolf she hissed “Get out of here Alexander.  Go to Bartholomew!”  She growled and pushed the werewolf back into the darkness of the woods and Alexander rushed to his friends.  When he reached them, as loud as thunder, they heard a piercing cry of the wolf.

 

The three of them stood as still as rock.  Alexander broke the silence and urged them to move quickly to the castle.  Once they arrived at the castle Alexander walked ever so slowly.  The image of Acilia with fangs and her beautiful eyes were so cold.  Bartholomew and Majori were all ready deep inside the castle by the time Alexander reached the entrance.  He walked in the dark hallways of the castles.  A chill went up his spine and what light that was left was now disappearing.  He knew exactly who was about to appear before him.  “Why hello there Alexander…” hissed Darcio.  He appeared from the darkness in front of him.  Sternly Alexander replied.  “Hello Darcio.” And he continued to walk ahead.  Darcio laughed and spoke, “What?  No need for a conversation from you?” and Alexander just kept walking.  He finally reached Bartholomew’s room when he heard a familiar voice behind him.  “Alexander, we need to speak.  Now!”  He turned and watched Acilia walk towards the study.

 

He walked slowly into the study and shut the door behind him.  His eyes never left Acilia’s.  She sat in a chair and offered one to Alexander beside her.  He sat in the other chair on the other end of the room.  She moved half way towards Alexander and sat across from him.  Her face was as gentle as Alexander remembered but the image of the creature he saw earlier was still very present in his mind. 

 

“Alexander…  I don’t know where to start.  I suppose you have a lot of questions about what I am.” She said.  Alexander said sternly.  “If I didn’t hear the supposed myths I would say you are a vampire.  Are you not?”  She replied.  “Yes.”  Her eyes showed sorrow.  “Is Bartholomew one as well?” he asked.  She responded quickly and seriously.  “No!  I don’t want him to have any part of this life.”  She looked down and then back to Alexander.  “I gave birth to Bartholomew before Darcio and I transformed.  He and I have different opinions on where Bartholomew’s life should end up.  But I refuse to put my son into this life.  But I fear that after all my years of protecting him it is inevitable that he should be joining his father and I.”  Alexander barked, “What?  What do you mean inevitable?  You have just as much power to prevent this as Darcio!”  She shouted.  “I have seen it happen Alexander!  I can see things before they happen.  I know what the future holds.  No matter how hard I try to change it.  The one path always remains the same.  He joins us in this life.”  She paused and continued.  “Do you remember that vision you saw by the river?  The one of your future beloved?”  Alexander froze.  “Well, I saw that long before you did.  And how you meet her is what I need to discuss with you.  As you know my son will join us but one thing can be changed.  You don’t have to join us.”  The words “Join us,” echoed in his mind. 

 

“You see me becoming one of you?” he gasped.  She nodded.  “Yes, but you have the choice to go down a different path Alexander.  The decision is up to you.  One path leads you to a life of mortality.  Which, I am sorry to say should you chose, the end of that life would appear very soon.  The other path leads to us, the immortal life, the path to meeting your future ladylove.”  He sighed, “What do you mean end very soon?  Why would my mortal life end?”  Acilia looked away to hide her tears.  He shouts, “Look at me!  Why would it end?”  She looked into his eyes.  “The werewolves know you can hear them.  They view you as a threat and you would be walking home in the woods alone.  Without the needed strength they would all attack you in an instant.  They don’t like to be known to mortals.  There would be nothing I could do.”

 

Alexander’s mind raced faster and faster.  He sat there in fear and he thought about his family.  “Does Bartholomew know about you and Darcio and of his fate?”  He asked.  Acilia shook her head.  “What’s going to happen to Majori?” he asked.  Acilia took a deep breath in and replied.  “She joins us as well.  Bartholomew won’t leave his wife alone.”  Confused, Alexander asked, “Wife?”  She smiled.  “They will marry before they transform.”  “What will happen to me after I transform?  What will I be doing with my life?”  She smiles.  “The very same thing that you do now.  You’ll be a watcher.  You have watched over your family and my son.  The gift of this so-called cursed life is that you have the power to watch over all that you love and keep them safe.  You have the power to watch over your own bloodline and make sure it continues.” 

 

The two of them sat in silence.  Alexander spoke, “Will I get to say goodbye to my family?  Am I even allowed to tell them what’s happened to me?”  Acilia sighed.  “I could get you to your home and back if you decided that you will join us on this path.  We aren’t really allowed to tell mortals of our existence.  But, with your connection to your family it would only make the process easier to tell them.”  “How long do I have to decide which path I choose?” he asked.  Her face became sullen.  “I am sorry but you don’t have much time to decide Alexander.”  “If I were to say yes, how long do I have to tell them before I start the transformation?” he said, as he looked low.  Acilia moved closer to him.  She gently lifted his head and looked deeply into his eyes.  “If you answer is yes, I see you leaving to tell your family after we have got Bartholomew past this nightmare of his and after his wedding.  That will be within the next few weeks.”  His eyes swelled up from tears.  “During this time I will have no contact with my family?”  She smiled and said “You still have letters which I can deliver to them daily.”

 

His mind was racing faster and faster. It was such a choice to be made and so soon.  There wasn’t enough air for him to take in as he started gasping for air.  He stumbled out of the chair and raced down the dark halls passing a confused Bartholomew.  He never stopped running until he crashed through the vast doors at the entrance.  He reached the courtyard and straight to the garden.  There he stood hunched over with his hands resting on his knees.  He breathes in the sweet intoxicating smell of the flora in the garden.  He is calm and he has reached a place in his mind where he is at peace.  He closed his eyes and he drifted off to another time.

 

There she was, his beloved, smiling and laughing.  Her Jade eyes shown so bright and it felt as if he was truly there with her.  Her scent was so intoxicating.  Suddenly her face changes to fear and she reaches for him as he gets sucked back.  Faster and faster he is pulled back and he falls on his back in the middle of a familiar dark woods.  All he sees are glowing blood red eyes.  They surround him and one by one they strike.  A bite of his flesh here and a break of his bones there.  His screams blast throughout the woods but no one comes.  One of the werewolves darts down promptly just aching for his turn.  He suddenly freezes and is struggling to pull back.  Alexander bends down its head and he lunges forward and bites.  The blood drips down from his lips and he pushes the lifeless corpse off of him.  He stands tall and walks forward.  Each werewolf that charges at him he takes down in one swoop of his arm. 

 

He sees her again but this time she is surrounded by werewolves.  He races for her and pulls each of them away from her.  As they circle he shows his fangs and hisses.  He takes them down one by one.  He falls to the ground and she grabs him.  He stares deeply into her eyes.  They get brighter and brighter until he realizes that everything he had just seen was not real.  He was lying in the grass in the garden.  He hears his name being called in the distance and he knows which path he will take.