Viribus

Chapter 16: The Letter

There is a long pause. I'm not sure if I can muster up the courage to tell my mom what's really going on, but even if I could, I wouldn't know where to start.  Mom looks at me with wide eyes as if she's saying "Well, go ahead."
I'm so stressed out right now that I really don't want to put that burden on her. All I want to do is take a break from my life and enjoy a glass of wine with my mom on the patio like old times.
"Mom, there's nothing going on, why do you think that?"
"A mother knows, Viviana, u can try and hide things from me and I may not know exactly what's going on, but I can still tell when something is off with my daughter."
" I'm fine, I'm actually happy. Work is going great. Dimitri has really helped me adjust and has kept me from being so lonely. I'd tell you if something was wrong ," I lied."
Mom gives me a long stare down. I know the look well. It's the look she gives me when she doesn't believe a word I say. Finally, her stare gives way to a slight smile and I relax for a second.
"Well, I trust that you'd tell me if anything was seriously wrong. You know you can come to me for anything and everything right?"
"Yes, I know. I love you mom."
"I love you too!"
She gives me a big hug and for a second, I'm not so worried anymore. It would not last long.
It's getting dark so we head inside and are greeted by the sounds of laughter.  Dimitri and my dad are laughing and talking. They had a lot to talk about since they were both well traveled. My eyes scan the room next for Viribus. I don't see him anywhere and I can feel the panic move in like a dark cloud.
"Have y'all seen Viribus?"
My shrill voice cuts through the air and my dad and Dimitri stop and stare. Finally, Dimitri says, "I thought he was out there with you."
My panic is instantly intensified and soon the whole house is looking for him. 
"Don't worry Viviana, he probably just got outside and got distracted by a squirrel or something.", my dad says as I crumple up in the corner. He doesn't understand that Viribus is not like other dogs, he doesn't get distracted. After looking all over the place my family decided to call it a night and to start back searching first thing in the morning. Hours later, there I lay. I tried to sleep, honestly, I did but I was worried sick. So many things were running through my mind. What if something bad happened to him? Something evil had it out for both of us and I knew that. Suddenly, a sound comes from the door and disrupts my thoughts.
"Pssst!"
I looked over to see Dimitri in the door trying to be as quiet as possible. My parents were old school so they made him sleep in a guest bedroom across the hall.
"Are you okay? I couldn't sleep and I figured you couldn't either. I would have been in here sooner but I was trying to make sure your parents were sleeping first."
I chuckled to myself a little bit.
"It's almost like we're teenagers again huh?"
"Viviana, I really don't want you to worry about this. Nothing on this earth would keep Viribus away from you."
"I know, but I just have a bad feeling." Tears begin to glaze over my eyes. Dimitri comes over to hug me.
It was at that moment there was a loud scratch at the front door. Loud enough to hear it from the back bedroom. Me and Dimitri  jump up all at once to rush to the sound. I open the door as fast as I can and to my complete and utter relief, there is Viribus. My Dog, my best friend, my literally lifeline was back. I couldn't stop crying.  He wastes no time in sloppily licking all of the tears off of my cheeks.
"Where have you been Viribus? I thought something bad happened to you!"
"What's that tucked into his collar?", Dimitri says.
I guess I was so lost in emotion that I did it even notice the white envelope tucked in between his collar and nuzzled neatly in his thick black fur. I quickly bring Viribus back into the house and slip the envelope out. My name was beautifully printed on the front in red velvet lettering. I was intrigued but almost too afraid to open it.
"Where have u been boy?"
Holding the envelope in my hand, I look at Dimitri and he gives me a small nod. Carefully, I slip my fingers underneath the seal and break the letter open. Inside is a note addressed to me and it seems so familiar, no so much the handwriting, which was beautiful by the way, but more of the way it was written, if that made any sense.
"Viviana,
I hope this letter finds you well. There is something important that I need to tell you. Ever since we met that night at rolling hills, I couldn't shake this connection I've had to you. You can go ahead and tell Dimitri to stop shakin' in his boots, Italian leather no doubt. What I feel is a spiritual connection and I couldn't live with myself if something ever happened to you and I didn't tell you about these strong feelings. I've had nightmares, horrible nightmares ever since that night. You are in danger. I've never felt such a powerfully evil entity as I do now and for some reason, it is concentrating on you. You have something that belongs to it I presume. Anyway, I think we should meet up as soon as possible to discuss further what we should do about this. In the meantime, be careful Viviana.
Hope to see you soon.
*Beau*"
I'm so confused reading this letter. There's nothing I didn't already know in this letter, however, how in the world did Viribus get it? Had he ran all the way back home and ran into Beau? Impossible; but then again, we are talking about the same dog that healed from several broken bones over night. He's definitely not average.
"Beau? What is he, some psychic or something?"
I can hear just the slightest bit of jealousy in his voice.
"He's a medium. He can communicate with other side.", I said as I gently fold the letter back up and put it back in the envelope.
"He told you that? You don't really believe him do you?"
"I do. I believe him. Everything he said is true, isn't it? I am in danger. I know I would have been dead a long time ago if it wouldn't have been for you and Viribus. I'm scared, Dimitri.
I'm scared of losing this and I'm scared that we are in over our heads. I think Beau could lend some knowledge about what we should do.",
I say as I hold back tears. The dull, achy feeling of fear on my chest. To my surprise, Dimitri nods in agreement. He looks at me. His blue eyes have turned an intended shade of turquoise. He leans in closer.
"I would do ANYTHING to keep you safe. Now, I may not like Beau, but if you think he can help, I'm okay with that."
Before I can really react, mom comes into the living room and turns the lamp on.
"What's going on? It's 3 AM."
Her eyes take a moment to focus but eventually land on Viribus.
"Oh my goodness! I'm so glad you all found him! Me and your dad were so worried. Where was he?"
"I'm not sure where he was, but he just showed up at the front door."
At this point, I'm just trying to hide that I was on the edge of a panic attack but of-course my mom picked up on it immediately.
"Viviana, are u okay sweetie?"
"Yeah mom, I'm fine. I'm just so happy to see him. I thought he was gone forever."
Mom looks at me, Dimitri and then Viribus. She's silent for a moment and I'm afraid she doesn't believe me or she's going to do that thing where she pressures me into telling the truth.
"You really love that dog huh? I can tell he really loves you too. Let's get the good boy a snack and go to bed." , Mom says as she opens the fridge door and grabs a couple pieces of raw bacon.
Viribus's tail wags in obvious approval of this plan.
My mom really is the best. I know she knows something is up but she isn't pressing the matter. I feel bad because I am going to have to think of a good reason for us to leave early tomorrow. I'm glad I got to see my parents but Beau's letter, as strangely as it appeared, really had me shaken up. I just couldn't have a relaxed weekend after reading that. The forces are so strong that even Beau has been affected and we only had a small encounter.
We all head to bed and I try to relax but am unable to shake the uneasy feeling around me. Dimitri asked me several times if I was going to be okay before splitting off across the hall to his bedroom. I knew I would be fine as long as Viribus was there. We settle in bed but Viribus does not take his usual spot at the foot of the bed but instead he lays beside me and rests his massive head on my chest. I put my hand on his snout and give him a good petting.
Viribus lays next to Viviana and he can feel her pure presence. He can also feel a malevolent presence. Its so strong that sometimes his ears burn when it's near. It's like a thick black suffocating smoke. It covers everything it touches in a dark sooty film that only brings death and destruction. This demonic plague will continue until the light is shed on evil. Viviana is the only hope to uncover the truth of what happened to the Liles family.