Chapter 6-3

Chapter 6-3

 

* * * *

A hooded cloaked figure walked down the corridors near Morgan cell; his head bowed to cover his face as he stepped into the shadows with a careful eye. The guards of the room paced back and forth down the corridors. “Come on let this work.” The hooded figure placing sleeping charges in their path then ducking behind some old barrels in the room around the corner. Placed a mask over his face as he waited for them to go off. Counting the guard's steps 1,2,3,4, turn “poof,” he watched them fall to the ground on top of each other.

The hooded figure leaped out from behind the barrels grabbed the keys off the guards near the door. Making a quick dash to Morgan cell opening the door... “Quickly open this door you fool,” Morgan replies as the figure tried to find the right key shaking putting it in the lock.

“Yes, Master.”

”Finally,” Morgan replied.  The cloaked figure found the right key as it “clicks”… “pop” and the door opens. “It’s about time Mr. Barns,” as he pulled back his hood, “I was getting worried that you lost your way.”

“Lost. No my Lord Morgan.” He said undoing the chains around him.

Morgan felt free at last as the chains fell to the ground. “Did you bring him?” Morgan asked.

“Yes, Master as you requested.”

“Excellent... well where is he?”

“Who?” Mr. Barns feeling agitated as he wrings his hands.

Morgan stares at him with his red glowing eyes “Wells…. you idiot.”

“Sorry Master,” Mr. Barns rushed out the door around the corner, picking up a burlap sack, hoisted him on his back. Barns toting him into his Master cell laying him before his Master feet like a prized turkey.

Without delay Morgan quickly unwrapped Mr. Wells who still lay unconscious, putting the chains on him, covering him with the blanket from his bed. “Mr. Barns you have done well,” Morgan said looking at Mr. Wells on the bed. “Just need to do one more thing then we can go,” Staring straight at him with a crooked smile. As he quickly wrapped his fingers around his throat watching the air leave his body at the very moment of his last breath his neck snaps as his body crumples to the ground.

Morgan sighs staring down into Mr. Barn’s cold dead eyes, “what a waste,” chuckling as he makes a quick doorway leaving back into the shadows. A woman screams seeing the man dead and the guards sprawled out on the floor in the corridor. Shouts are heard all down through the corridors as more guards come running down them on the scene. Alarm's going off everywhere down the corridors as they check Morgan cell finding him not there but someone else.

“Who are these men,” as the Judge points Mr. Barns lying dead on the floor and Mr. Wells lying on Morgan’s cot? “I need answers and soon, until then watch him.” The Judge pointed to Mr. Wells “and find Jaydan, he and the boy must be warned.”

“Right away sir.” The messenger sent out his scouts off quick as possible locations where Jaydan maybe, riding hard through the shadows unseen.

* *  *  *

 

Jaydan turns around seeing the messenger in the shadows as he walked Lizzy back to the house. The messenger follows him as Jaydan tried to push him away. The messenger gets tired of waiting walks up to them, “sorry ma’am to intrude,” the messenger bows as he tipped his hat to one side not taking his eyes off Jaydan, “but this really is important and it will only take a moment of your time.”

“Its all right, I can wait,” as Lizzy tries to puzzle out the strange young man pulling Jaydan away from her. Whispering in his ear the news of Morgan's escape and dead person and the person left behind in his cell.

Jaydan face quickly turned white as he looked in the direction of house EJ staying at. As Jaydan whispers, “find Jeff quickly.”

“As you say, sir,” watching him return and turned back into the shadows.

Jaydan slowly returns to Lizzy deep in thought, “Lizzy my dear,” Jaydan taking her hand. “It seems I have some important business to attend to tonight and I must leave straight away. I hope you will forgive my rudeness,” as he kisses her on the cheek and says goodnight.

Lizzy only nods and sighs, “Of course dear, sorry Jaydan I didn’t mean to eavesdrop is there anything I can do to help?” She asks while she rubs her fingers in his as the slowly intertwine.

Jaydan tries to find a way out of this situation or least put on the back burner as he feels that time is running out for EJ and time is precious at the moment. “No Liz, you can’t help me. But I will do my best to explain when I get back and you can ask me as many questions as you like, but right now I must leave before things get out of hand.” With that, he leaves with a kiss that holds her in the moment of time as she watches him go down the road to the stables before going inside.

Jaydan grabs a fresh horse racing down the road as fast the horse can run. Making fast shadow gate as it appears on the other side couple blocks from EJ's house out of the shadows.

Will and Robert are just leaving  Mrs. Trenny house heading for Mr. Johnson place as they both look up in the sky seeing a huge winged shadow crossing the sky screaming with red glowing eyes. They barely turned around before seeing a horse riding hard and fast heading right toward them. Yelling their names, “Will, Robert. Let's go, there's no time. He's in trouble, follow me.” The boys start running towards EJ's house as they watched a horse and its rider run by them.

“Robert that was Mr. Faith,” as the boys picked up more speed racing towards the house, The air was getting cold around them as the shadows beat against the walls of the house. The boys fly up the stairs with Mr. Faith at their side pounding on the door as EJ begins to scream in horror as the wind and storm picks up outside around them.

Linda quickly opened the door seeing the boys as she is nearly in tears, “help me please,” as she points down the hall to the boy’s room. Mr. Faith and the boys quickly ran down the hall seeing EJ being placed into a strange trance as his screaming stops. Yet his eyes were full of terror as he tried to run then stop dead in his tracks. Morgan picks him up in his arms making a doorway as they enter the room. Linda screaming “NO!!” As the door slammed shut in her face and the other window breaks in the room as lightening dance about the room of EJ's and Danny’s bed.

Jaydan quickly makes a doorway, “boy’s let's go,” pushing them through it, “we must find your brother and fast.” One by one they quickly jump through the doorway as it opens on the other side into a strange corridor of no windows or doors. The gate closes with a loud “snap” With Jaydan held fast on his hands and knees. The boys help Jaydan off the floor as Jeff and a messenger runs to meet them in the corridors as he quickly gazes about the room his eyes lock with Jaydan. “Sorry Jeff no choice, he took him before we got there,” Jaydan replied as Jeff nods sending the messenger away. “It looks like it’s up to you now to help find him.”

Jeff gives a deep sigh as he paced around the room, “thanks for the vote of confidence Jaydan.”

“Ok boys, it looks like I have some explaining to do.” Jaydan tries to get the boys attention as it seems they are disoriented in the strange room around them. Watching them try to puzzle things out while gazing about at the empty walls with no doors or windows just long corridors with nothing to give them any idea where they are. Jaydan put his arm around them.

Jaydan explains some of the mystery about himself watching the boys eyes go into shock as he explains his, Jeff’s and Morgan’s role. Jeff opens a private room off to the side so they can be alone undisturbed as Jaydan shows them advents by opening their minds.

“Ok Robert, Will. We must find what is hidden that you can't see with your eyes, but can only be felt with your mind's eye.”  He explains minds perception against logic and how some can see things, but others can’t. Robert and Will slowly start to understand and nod their heads. Jaydan explains what he must do asks for permission.

Robert replies “EJ’s my brother, my friend and I will walk through fire if I must to get him back.”

“I second it” Will replies “Just point me in the direction and will bring him back.”  

Jaydan and Jeff eyes lock on the boys, Jaydan rubs his chin. “I want you to know up front boys it’s not going to be like a simple walk through the park, but at least your eyes will be open. Just remember once they are open we can never close them for the knowledge you have gained cannot be taken away so easily. 

“Yet you must keep it hidden among the two of you until is safe to be told and only told when we tell you. So be absolutely sure. We all have a lot riding on this and some secrets you learn can never be told. These secrets can risk your very life as you know too much already and the risk we take and have taken this far.”

Robert and Will nod their heads in agreement as they each shake hands. “Ok, we will begin your journey but first.” Without warning, Jaydan snaps his fingers as he places them into a deep sleep while instructing them as they closed their eyes then waves his hand in front of their eyes. A strange glow seemed to radiate around the boys as Jaydan whispers “Sargan vilenessars” a simple spell to remove the veil of the all-seeing eye that keeps people from seeing what is hidden around them as they are about to explore different realms of time.

Jeff initiates the boys as watchers and guardians of time. Jeff and Jaydan watched the light slowly dissipate as the boy's eyes slowly open. Jeff and Jaydan nod to each other as they acknowledge them as they each place their name in the book for all time. The boys watched the book slowly float away as it enters the room of many books and floats to the Timekeeper as he acknowledges the rights and privileges of the boys. Jeff placed in their hands a set of keys for each of them.

The keys felt strange in the boy's hands as they clanged together. Jeff and Jaydan walked with them down the corridors, as the boy’s watched doors open and strange people enter or come out of the doors then watch the doors vanish again. It was no longer a plain corridor as the boys once saw before. 

Jaydan and Jeff explain that this is basically a way station like a train station. Except these doors lead to different worlds, or realms of time (past present and future) and that there are rules, that they must be followed for each one to coexist. Some have very nasty traps if you don’t follow them and consequences for the traveler or the observer if these rules are not followed. Jeff explains the rules how to the void traps, “since you will be only observers of time nothing more and mustn't be disturbed what has already been written unless it has not been written correctly.” Jeff replied.

“It can get very messy and involves a lot of cleans up so don't do it. Jeff will be your link so when you're ready he can pull you out and I will be your link to this side and your world so search carefully boys.” Jaydan placed a hand on each of their shoulders.

The boys come across the first doorway as Robert felt the key and looked at the odd color door, tarnished gray and cold to the touch. He put the key in as it turns slowly and opens, they walked through it, the door closed behind them which seemed to fade into the background of the trees in some dense forest near a river bed.

It is winter here; it was cold as the wind blew around them. In a small clearing, they could see a small boy among those trees, huddle near a small fire. Will and Robert walked over to him slowly introducing themselves as they sit by the fire to get warm.

They recognize the face, it was EJ’s face he is younger no more than 7 years old as they sit with him by the fire they noticed he was not wearing a coat. Which was strange as Will tries to get warm by the fire hugging himself to get closer, not just to get warm, but in hopes of giving the small boy EJ some comfort. He could clearly see EJ’s torn clothes and his bare feet; as he tries not to notice, but the more he tried not to notice the more he saw, the small cuts on his face and little bruises here and there.

“What are you doing clear out here?” Robert asked. EJ shrugged his shoulders looking back towards his home not saying a word. They sat silently looking at each other warming their hands by the fire. Until figure of a woman in a warm gray coat which hung past her knees and black comfortable boots comes by and drags him home by the arm as she looked at the Will and Robert in disgust.

“I told you, you do not talk to stranger's or anyone you little brat.” His mother replied.

“I wasn't, Mamma I wasn’t.” the little boy cried as he was being dragged by his arm into the house. “Liar. I saw you,” as she pulls out the wooden spoon from the drawer. Beating him to the very inch of his life then sends him to his room. Yelling “stay there until your father comes home, you little brat and be quiet or you will wake your sister and the baby if know what’s good for you or do you need a reminder,” as she slaps the wooden spoon against the palm of her hand. Then slam’s the bedroom door shut.

Will and Robert could barely watch anymore as his father walked in the door. Pulling EJ across him with his belt, hearing the screams of EJ and the other children in the house as Will and Robert held onto each other tight with tears in their eyes. Knowing there was nothing they could do for EJ nor little Danny listening to the belt hitting its mark as the children scream. As they try to walk their way back to the small campfire shaking, looking over their shoulders at the house remembering what EJ told them that sometimes he was left out in the cold because they felt like it with no coat sometimes and less depending on their mood. And the sever punishments he and Danny went through for just being alive.

But hearing about him being treated this way was different than actually seeing for themselves. All it did was make them want to find him even more and more desperately as the tears flowed down their cheeks how much they already miss him, feeling their hearts break with the forever scream that could not be silenced.  Robert calls out for Jeff in the shadows of the night as they huddled together in the cold watching the fire dim. Jeff appears before them and nods to them opening the doorway back to the corridors of time. As he leads them down hallway stopping at the next door as they pause at another stainless steel door.

Will slowly finds the key gazing into his brother's eyes as the door clicks open into a dark hallway with many metal doors on each side.  The room echoed its coldness it surrounds them like a tomb. Same as before, the doorway closed as they stepped through it, Will and Robert hide in the shadows of the hallway. Trying to make as little sound as possible as they peeped through the little glass windows in the doors.

Robert being the lookout as they glide through the long dark hallways, the lights flickering down the north wing as a child screams. Nurses running down the hallway with gurney with straps on the side, Robert and Will ducked behind some desks as they pass by. “Where are we, Robert?” Will asked as he whispers hoping his voice doesn’t carry beyond the desks.

“Shhh,” Robert said pointing to the guard in the corner and sign above him which said State Hospital Children's Ward.

“Do think EJ here?” Will asks as Robert nods his head. “But why?”

Robert shrugged his shoulders, “I think that's why we're here Will,” pointing over to the charts. “Now do you think you can distract the guard long enough for me to grab his chart,” Robert asked.

“I guess so,” Will replied while they both look down the halls.

“Alright, when I count to three. 1, 2, 3 go,” Robert watches Will run down the hall toward the empty room.

“Hey, kid!” As the guard went after him, chasing him down the hallway. Robert hurries fumbling down the names of the charts “: EJ, where is it? Come on,” Robert looking down the hallway as Will running back towards him with the guard after him then back the other way. “Here it is,” stuffing it under his shirt. “Now to go help Will,” the guard sees Robert running in the next hallway in another empty room. Will ran towards Robert going inside ducking into the shadows as the guard enters the room looking for them. Robert closes the door on the guard locking him in the room.

“Shew that was close,” Will replied as they sit by the door in the shadows keeping a good lookout down the hall. “Did you get it?”

Robert pulls out the chart from under his shirt as they both sit and read it. “It says his mother put him in here due to a nervous breakdown and due to because the State could not find foster care at this time for him. Due too the following reason,” (Unmanageable, Distressed, Night terrors).

“Give me a break,” as Will shakes his head looking down the hall making sure the coast is still clear, “the only ones that should be locked up is his parents if they want to talk about “Unmanageable” and heck they caused the other two themselves.”

Robert taking out the page folding into his pocket, Robert slips the chart back into its place. “Will, before we go lest we can do, is check on the little fella.” They both looked down the hall for his room, being very careful not to be seen, sliding in out of the shadows. EJ room was the last one on the right down the West Wing. He was curled up into a ball staring out the window. EJ turned around to face them at the door as they slide back into the darkness.

Will and Robert daring not to breathe as they slowly gazed into his eyes. All they could see was deep long sadness as the tears streamed down his cheeks gazing out the cold iron-barred window. “Robert I’ve seen enough, let's go,” Will replied as he calls for Jeff in the shadows, watching doorway open as Jeff waited for them leaving this EJ behind they look back as the door closes. “Jeff we need to find him not the past EJ’s,” as they headed for the next door head.

Jeff only nods bowing his head, “this is the only way boys, you see you must understand him to find him or he is lost and Morgan knows this for he has helped placed EJ in these circumstances to gain his trust.” Jeff replied with sorrow in his voice.

“Trust?” Robert replied as if it was a foreign word. “How can EJ trust him if he helped put him these circumstances,” Robert asked.

Jeff slowly puts his arm around the boys “by manipulating him using the word trust to work in his favor. Showing EJ if he doesn’t follow him this will always be his life, expecting one hardship after another. He lies to him, making it sound like the truth as he experiences these nightmares until he finally turns to him as to follow in Morgan’s footsteps, but know this boy this is the future we are trying to change and Morgan knows it for it is this future Morgan has still control of.” 

Robert and Will’s eyes locked than put their arms around each other. “Then let's do it. For he is our brother and brothers stick together, and must not let Morgan win?”