Page 7 of Darkness Falls

Chapter 3

Kyler

"Wanderer?" I call out, but she doesn't hear me. The strange lights are back, and I don't know what's going on. There are sounds all around me, but none of them make any sense. It’s jumbled and blurred. So much is going on even though I'm alone now. I look up, and the lights above me are moving faster. I try to reach up, but they moved further away, and I can't reach them anymore.

"He's crashing."

Who said that? Everything's getting cold. My vision starts to tunnel. I need to find a way to warm up. Why am I so cold? I was warm a few minutes ago when I was next to my wanderer. I need to find her. She will keep me warm.

"Kyler, fucking fight!"

"Give me the paddles."

"Callie needs you."

I hear her name mentioned, and part of me warms again. Something hits my body, and it hurts.

"Again." I hear a voice, but it still sounds so far away. The pain spreads throughout my body again. It feels like tingles, and I can’t stop it. I can see her face now. She’s stunning. I reach out to pull hertoward me, but she laughs and runs away. I follow after her because there’s no way I’m letting her get away from me again.

A voice fills my thoughts. "Fight for our girl. She will need you when we get her back."

I swear it sounds like Barrett, but that doesn’t make sense because he’s not here. So many voices swirl through my head. I reach up to grab my ears, wanting to make whatever is happening stop.

"He's lost without you."

The only thing that seems to drown out the noises are thoughts of Callie. I need to find her again. Just as I think of her, she appears in front of me. I chase her through a mysterious door, and the world lights up around me. I’m in the middle of the woods with trees surrounding me. I have to put my hand up to block the sunlight from my eyes because it’s so bright. I hear her giggles and run toward her.

"Wanderer?"

"Come find me, Ky! I need your help!" I hear her call out.

I can’t figure out which direction the sound is coming from. I spin around to try and catch a glimpse of her, but I don't see anything. There is smoke in the distance, and I decide to head toward it.

Birds fly around me, chirping loudly. A raven is perched on a branch high up in one of the trees. When I spot it, it takes flight, landing on another tree further ahead. It’s almost as though it is leading me. I continue following as it flies a little further with every step I take.

"KYLER!" I hear her yell for me. It sounds like she’s crying now.

"Callie? Where are you?" I croak out.

"KYLER!"

My pulse quickens as the frantic need to find her overtakes me. There is a chill in the air, and the sky above me darkens. The raven takes off again, and I run after it, but it doesn’t land on a tree branch this time. I’m worried I’ll lose sight of it, but there is a break in the trees ahead. It caws at me, fueling my need to find her. Is it trying to tell me something?

When I get to the opening, I see a house with smoke coming from the chimney. She has to be in there. The raven is perched on top of the chimney, and it sounds like Callie yells for me again. Slowly, I make my way toward the front door when I hear things banging inside.

"Please," she cries out.

Another loud crash comes from inside. When I push open the door, I see her on her knees on the floor in front of me, crying. Her head is slumped over in defeat. She looks battered and broken. A blurred figure stands in front of her, reaching down to grab her by the hair and pull her up.

I sprint toward her to stop it. Nobody puts their hands on my fucking girl like that, but when I get close, my body slips right through them. I can't help her if I can’t touch her. I'm forced to watch as the figure drags her into the other room and throws her on a couch.

"You're not going anywhere. When are you going to get that through your head? I am your future. The sooner you accept that, the better things will be for you."

"Just tell me if he’s okay, that's all. I just need to know if he’s alive or dead,” she pleads.

"I don’t take kindly to my future wife asking me about another man."

"If you just tell me, I’ll comply and marry you," she tries, seemingly defeated.

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