The Shadows Trilogy (Box Set: Edge of Shadows, Shadows Deep, Veiled Shadows) (25 page)

Ellie woke up to screaming. At first she believed it was her own, but then she realized that her mouth was closed. She was groggy; the effects of whatever drug Linda had given her were starting to wear off. She was lying on a hard surface, and she was in darkness. She felt it pressing in on her and within seconds she felt like she was starting to hyperventilate.

The screams were close by. She heard metal clanking and she jumped with a yelp.

“Ellie?” She heard David’s voice through the darkness and she sagged with relief.

“David!” she said a bit loudly, because David shooshed her immediately.

“Not too loud, Ellie. You don’t want to draw their attention,” he said.

“Where are you, David? I can’t see anything,” Ellie said. She tried not to panic as she felt the darkness close in on her. She sat up and felt heavy weights on her wrists, and an identical clanking to what she had just heard. She had metal handcuffs on.

“Don’t bother trying to move too far. These things have a pretty short tether,” David sighed. “I can’t see you either.”

“What’s going on, David?” she asked.

“Something bad, that’s about all I can tell you,” he said.

Ellie heard the slight tremor in his voice, and that scared her badly. David was afraid. “When I woke up, you were gone,” Ellie said.

“You were out like a light,” David said. “I knew you were exhausted, so you obviously needed it. A short while after you fell asleep, I could see Jenny starting to twist around. I didn’t know if she was in distress, or coming to. When I got up to check, I heard the back door open. Like I said, you were out. I thought for sure that you’d wake up, but you didn’t, although you were kind of moaning in your sleep.”

“I was having one of those crazy dreams again,” Ellie confirmed. “I don’t know if I would have woken up if you had tried.”

“I had a feeling,” David said. “But I didn’t even have a chance to try waking you up. Suddenly Randall and Linda were just there. I was shocked to see them. I thought at the time that they were just as shocked to see me. I quickly gave them an outline of what was going on with Jenny, and that’s when she started showing obvious signs of distress. I told them to call an ambulance, but Randall said that it might take a while for it to get there since the snow had started coming down really thick. He suggested we move her up to your room so that it would be more comfortable for her there if something was going to happen. It made sense at the time, so he helped me.”

At that point Ellie could hear metal clanking again and realized it was coming from David’s cuffs as he moved around. She wondered if David was running his hands through his hair.

“We got her up to the bedroom, and Jenny just started going into convulsions. Then I saw that her water had broken. Linda had returned by that point, and said that the ambulance was on its way, but they didn’t expect to be able to get here for at least an hour. They asked what they could do, so I told them my plan in case the ambulance didn’t make it in time. I guess after I explained to them what to do, I was no longer useful,” David said ruefully.

“What do you mean?” Ellie said.

“I thought I had Jenny stabilized for the moment, but she was in labor. There was no doubt about that. She was already dilated. I knew that if the ambulance didn’t show up soon, I was going to be delivering a baby. So I rolled up my sleeves, and tried to get all the supplies I could think of that were readily available here to assist her and make her as comfortable as possible. I had just checked her pulse one more time when Randall came back in the room. I asked about you, if you had woken up yet. He said that Linda was looking after you.”

At that statement, Ellie laughed a short, bitter chuckle. “Oh, she looked after me, all right.”

David paused to see if she was going to say anything else. She didn’t, so he continued.

“Jenny still hadn’t regained consciousness and that was the thing that worried me the most. I wasn’t sure if I was going to have to deliver the baby and then worry about Jenny fading away on me or not. I was constantly moving back and forth, monitoring the baby’s progress, and then her vital signs. Randall was watching, but he stayed out of my way. Finally, Jenny’s eyes opened, and I could see that she was able to focus on me.

“I calmed her as best as I could and explained the situation to her. She seemed more satisfied when I told her the ambulance was on its way. She didn’t remember the attack, so I reminded her where she was. I don’t know how much she actually heard, because the contractions came again. Then her eyes rolled back into her head and she passed out. I assume it was from the pain.” David’s voice was pained now.

“Randall was right there then, asking if he could do anything else. I told him that there was nothing more to do other than wait, and try to keep Jenny comfortable. I had no idea if there were going to be any additional complications that we had to worry about or not.

“He told me that women have been having babies since the beginning of time so he was sure it’d all work out okay.”

A chill went down Ellie’s spine as David repeated the exact words that she remembered Lillian saying in her dream.

“Then what happened?” she asked.

“That is the last thing I remember. Judging from the knot on the back of my head, he must have clubbed me and then I was out,” he said. “When I woke up, I was in here with these handcuffs on my wrists. I tried standing up, but there is only so much slack on them. Any idea where we are?”

“I think we are in the room across from where you left Jenny,” Ellie said. She quickly explained to David about the black walls and covered windows.

“That would make sense,” he agreed. “Every few minutes I can hear yelling. I had told Randall that it would be dangerous to move Jenny, and no doubt by now she’s close.”

“Close to giving birth or just close to us in general?” Ellie said.

“Both,” David replied. “I just woke up a few minutes ago. I didn’t know that there was anyone else in this room with me.”

“You didn’t hear me breathing?” Ellie asked.

“Given the circumstances I need a little slack here, Ellie,” he replied, and she felt bad. “I actually woke up to Jenny’s screams. I think that has been ringing in my ears ever since. I would say that her contractions are just a few minutes apart now.”

As if confirming David’s hypothesis, they heard Jenny screaming again. “There has to be neighbors close by that can hear this,” Ellie said.

“I hope so, Ellie,” David said. “Do you have any idea why your friends are doing this to us?”

That was the question that Ellie had been dreading ever since she had woken up and realized that she and David were bound, in the darkness, and Jenny was in labor. “I think they want Jenny’s baby,” she said. “And Linda said something to me right before she drugged me that they had been planning something that involved me basically ever since she’s known me.”

“Do you have any idea what this plan is? Why are they holding us prisoner? Do you think they want to hurt us?” David asked anxiously.

“They wouldn’t do that,” Ellie said. For as insane as all of this was, she still couldn’t believe that either Linda or Randall would be capable of murder.

“There’s no way they’d be able to trust that we’d keep their secret if that was the case.” David’s logic was frightening, and Ellie didn’t want to admit that he was right.

“I don’t know, David,” she said.

“You’ve known Linda for what, a few months?” he asked.

“Yes,” Ellie confirmed.

“During this entire time, you never saw anything out of the ordinary? She never gave any indication of any kind of malicious intent?” he asked.

“No,” Ellie answered. “But there is something, different, about her,” she said reluctantly. “Both her and Randall.”

“What?”

Ellie wasn’t sure if it was because she couldn’t actually see David that she was thinking of letting go of her secret, or that she realized that it was time that she just let it all out.

She took a deep breath. “They don’t give off any auras.”

There was a short silence. Ellie was afraid she had lost him.

“Auras?” he finally asked. “I’m not sure I understand what that means.”

“Everyone, all the time, gives off an aura that’s says how they are thinking or feeling at any given moment. It’s really hard to lie or be deceitful when your aura shows the exact opposite emotion,” Ellie said.

“And you can...see these auras?” David said.

“Yes,” Ellie said softly. “I've been able to ever since my parents died. It’s something stupid and silly, but something that makes me just weird enough that most people wouldn’t want to be around me, or I wouldn’t want to be around them. My foster families always acted so nice, but I could see that they hated having me around.”

“This is a lot to process, Ellie,” David said. “But I’m sorry you had a rough childhood. You never said anything about your parents.”

Ellie shrugged as if he could see her. They were entering territory that she had no desire to reminiscence about. That single event had changed her life forever. “It’s the past. No sense dwelling on it.”

David plunged ahead. “Okay, so Linda and Randall don’t give off these auras. What does that mean?”

Ellie was relieved that even if he didn’t believe her, he was still playing along. “Well, it would have made it really easy for them to get close to me. I wouldn’t have had any idea of their true intentions.”

“Have you ever met anyone else before that didn’t have these auras?”

Ellie chewed on her lip. “No, and I guess I should probably have spent a little bit more time thinking about that. Maybe all of this could have been avoided.”

“It’s not your fault, Ellie. These two are up to no good. But we have to figure out what they are planning. Why do you think that they are after Jenny’s baby?”

Ellie realized that David was unaware of her latest dream, or memory, or whatever she wanted to call it. She quickly recounted it to him.

He whistled softly. “Damn, Ellie. That gets crazier by the minute. So not only do you see auras, but now you are seeing ghosts too?”

David's words clicked two puzzle pieces together in her head, and Ellie felt like she had been punched in the stomach. The memory was so vivid and she wondered why she hadn’t questioned it before. “It wasn’t me that saw ghosts.” Her voice quivered. “It was Jake. My dreams got really vivid after Jake died and earlier tonight I actually saw Emma
while I was awake
. That last day, when I saw him I don’t know why but I hugged him before he left and I felt like this, shock wave, pass between us. What if Jake passed something to me so that I could see ghosts too? What do you think that could mean?”

David was quiet for a long time. “I’m a calm, rational person. This kind of thing belongs in movies, books, or fairy tales. But I’m going to take a leap of faith because I don’t' think you are crazy. You said that the dreams were coming more frequently and becoming more vivid. You say that Linda and Randall are different and that they seem to be focused on you for some reason. You say that Jake had some kind of insight into all of this and that is why he died. I don’t know what it means, Ellie, but we’ll figure it out together.”

Ellie sighed in relief. “Thank you, David. It means a lot that you don’t think I’m a total loon.”

“I don’t think I could ever think that,” he replied.

Ellie wanted to be close to him; to touch him. It would make her feel like maybe there was a chance that this nightmare would end and everything would go back to normal.

“David?” she asked. “How far away are you?”

Her hands reached out and explored the darkness. She heard David’s voice again and started to crawl slowly toward it.

“I don’t know, but it can’t be more than a few feet. Follow my voice,” he said.

Ellie heard the clank of the chains and knew that he was reaching for her too. She shuffled forward a few more inches and then didn’t have any further slack on her end. Her fingers reached out blindly, and then suddenly she felt fingers reaching back to her.

“David,” she said in relief.

“Are you close, Ellie?” he said. His voice was still several feet away from her.

At that moment, Ellie realized the hands grasping at her weren’t David’s and she opened her mouth to scream.

David tried to jump to his feet as he heard Ellie’s sharp intake of breath but the chain caught him up short and he slammed back to the floor, shaking.

“Ellie, what is it? Are you okay?” he yelled. He was greeted with silence.

At that moment, a door opened and light streamed into the dark closet. Linda stood in the doorway. She smiled brightly.

“David! We are so happy that you are here,” she purred.

Now that David could see, he frantically peered around him. He was in a long closet. Ellie’s guess had been correct, and he wondered how she knew. He had to admit that the idea that she was something akin to psychic was a bit unsettling to him. But he didn’t see Ellie anywhere.

“Where’s Ellie?” he demanded. “She was just here. What have you done with her?”

Linda frowned as she looked past David and saw the empty chains lying on the floor. “Ellie isn’t the priority right now,” Linda said after a short pause. “But you, Doctor dear, need to come with me.”

“I want to know where Ellie is,” he said. “I’m not going anywhere with you until you tell me.”

Linda threw back her head and laughed. Then her face stilled and her gaze drove a dart of fear into David’s soul. Her face had changed, and it was much more menacing.

“You are just precious that you think you have any choice in the matter, Doctor, but we don’t have time for this. You are coming with me,” Linda said.

She moved forward into the closet and grabbed the metal between the cuffs that held him. Instinct told him to take a step back, but he wasn’t going to give her the satisfaction of seeing that she had scared him at all. David knew a thing or two about intimidation. At her touch, the cuffs fell away. David was dumbfounded.

He rubbed his wrists from where the cuffs had bit into his skin. “Who are you?” he said.

Linda did not respond. Instead, she took hold of his wrist, and the grip felt like a vise of steel. “We can do this the easy way or the hard way. Which do you prefer?” she asked. The sweetness had returned to her tone, but David knew it was nothing but velvet covering ice.

“I just want to know where Ellie is,” he pleaded. “I don’t want any trouble.”

“You’ll see Ellie again in due time. You have other matters to attend to right now,” she replied. She pulled on his wrist and he was jerked forward.

“I’m coming,” he said.

“Good. That’s good,” Linda said.

David needed time to gather his thoughts and try to figure out what had happened to Ellie, but for the moment he knew he had to play their game. He nodded and followed Linda across the hall. As he entered the room, he saw why he had been summoned.

Jenny was writhing in pain on the bed. Randall stood to the side with a syringe, getting ready to inject something into her arm.

“What are you doing?” David demanded.

He strode to the bed and gently examined Jenny. His heart dropped into his stomach. “The baby is in the breech position. We need to get her to a hospital.”

The hair rose on the back of David’s neck as he felt cold hands on the back of his shirt.

“There isn’t going to be an ambulance, a hospital, or anything of that kind,” Linda whispered in his ear, her words sending chills up David’s spine. “You are going to deliver this baby for us and you’d better make sure it lives if you ever want to see Ellie again.”

Ellie understood now that she and Emma were somehow connected. She remembered the pawing cold hands from the darkness which had brought back vivid memories of Jake’s premonition of her death. It was a relief of sorts to hear Emma’s comforting murmurs in her ear. At least, until the lights seemed to come on announcing that she had arrived at her destination.

As her vision returned, she saw that a few feet in front of her, Emma was strapped to a long stone table that reminded Ellie of an altar. The woman was able to draw her head up just enough to look at the heavy cloth bounds that were drawn through metal eye hooks at each corner of the table securing her arms and legs. The room was thick with shadows and the air felt chill. Ellie looked around. She thought they were in a basement. They were alone.

Ellie could see Emma’s anxiety level rise dramatically as the woman looked over to her right to the other side of the table. Ellie heard cooing, and moved so that she could see around Emma. Henry Jr. sat in a bassinet on the floor in the middle of a symbol that Ellie could only assume was demonic.

“Hey,” Emma hissed.

Ellie turned to the woman on the table. Emma was looking directly at her.

“I’ve seen you before. Was that you, helping me earlier?”

Ellie nodded. This whole situation was surreal. “You brought me here,” Ellie said.

“Me?” Emma laughed wildly and Ellie could tell that the girl had reached her sanity threshold. “In case you can’t see, I’m tied to this thing right now. I didn’t bring you here.”

“But you did,” Ellie insisted. “Or at least your spirit...” And she stopped. Emma’s eyes had widened in shock as she processed what Ellie was telling her.

Emma started pulling on the bonds holding her arms fiercely. “I’m not dying here. I’m going to get the hell out of here with my baby. Well, HELP ME!” she yelled at Ellie.

Ellie automatically went to her side and tried to grab the buckle of the bond holding her left arm, but cried out in frustration when she saw her hand go right through it. “I can’t,” she said.

“Please,” Emma whimpered. “I can’t let anything happen to my baby.”

Ellie quickly crossed to the farthest wall of the basement hoping to find something hidden in the darkness that could help her. She felt a rush of chilly air fly up the back of her legs and she whirled around. The Bradfords had entered the room, and they weren’t alone.  Not knowing if they would be able to see her, Ellie tried to fade as far back into the shadows as she could.

Joseph and Lillian moved to stand at the edge of the symbol staring down at the baby in front of them. And standing across from them, so that the three of them made a perfect triangle, was a figure dressed in a dark black robe.

It looked as if they were worshiping the baby, but the sharp knife in Lillian’s hand made Ellie doubt that. She sensed that the black robed figure in the room was far worse than the Bradfords. She needed to think clearly. She needed to help Emma find a way out.

Although she was still strapped to the table, Emma had not cried out when the three had appeared; she was, in fact, still struggling against her bonds. Ellie was in awe of Emma’s inner resolve. The woman wasn’t about to give up without a fight, even in her current state.

There was a rustling noise far off in the darkness. Emma called out, “Who’s there? What’s going on? Let me go!”

Then heavy footsteps brought another figure into Ellie’s line of vision and it crossed to the table. Ellie’s mind spun. It was Emma’s husband, Henry.

“Henry?” Emma cried. “Henry! Is that you?” Ellie could hear the relief in Emma’s voice.

The man stared down at Emma, his expression blank. He reached over and gently touched Emma’s hand.

“Henry,” Emma pleaded, “talk to me. What happened to you? I thought you were dead.”

“I love you.” Henry’s voice was devoid of emotion.

Emma began to cry, and Ellie could see that strong resolve draining away.

“Henry, I love you too,” Emma said. “What’s wrong with you? Let me up. Help me get free,” she said.

She bounced the hand underneath his to show him that she couldn’t move.

He looked at her hand, and there was a moment of surprise as if he was seeing it for the first time. “Of course,” he said.

Slowly he went around the table and undid the clasps that held her. As she sat up, she swung her legs to the side and slid into Henry’s arms. She clasped her arms around his neck and buried her head into his chest.

Ellie turned her head to watch the three in the circle. They hadn’t moved although all of them appeared to be watching what should have been a joyful reunion. Lillian had a small smile on her face, but Ellie didn't think it was a smile of happiness. There was something wrong with this picture.

“I’m so glad you’re here,” Emma was saying. “You have to help me, Henry. Our baby is here.” She looked up at him, but he wasn’t looking at her. He was staring over her shoulder at the three people on the other side.

Emma turned and followed his gaze. He was staring at Lillian, whose sly smile had grown into a wide grin.

“How are you feeling, dear Emma?” she said. “Isn’t this lovely? A family reunited.” She stepped forward like an animal on the prowl.

“Leave us alone,” Emma spit out, pushing her back against Henry. “Just give us our baby and leave us alone. I don’t know what you’ve gotten involved in but we don’t want any part of it. You are sick, Lillian. Sick. We’re leaving.”

“No, I’m afraid you’re not, Emma,” Lillian said. She continued stepping in Emma’s direction, and then casually went around the stone table, drawing her finger along the top. “I’m afraid you have a lot more to give that we need. That IT wants. We’ve barely gotten started.”

“What are you talking about?” Emma hissed.

“Henry?” Lillian didn’t answer her, instead looking at Henry.

Ellie watched Henry’s arms encircle Emma, and then he was lifting her back up on the table. She struggled against him. Ellie was helpless and she whimpered in frustration.

“What are you doing? Why, Henry, why?” Emma pleaded. There was no answer.

Lillian helped Henry hold down each arm and leg and soon Emma was bound again. She wept softly. The struggle had weakened her, and Ellie could see Emma was bleeding again.

Lillian leaned over her. “It will all be over soon, dear one,” she crooned “You and Henry were part of the bargain. We give a little, the two of you in this case, and we will get so much more. I almost wish you could be here to see it." Lillian threw her head back and laughed. “In the meantime, though, we need to get rid of unwelcome guests.”

Lillian turned her head and met Ellie’s eyes. Ellie let out a small scream as Linda plunged toward her. Lillian punched Ellie in the face, and then Ellie was returned to the darkness.