A Dark Gift

Chapter 4

That night my dream was a bit more strange than usual, because I dreamed what the boys were doing with Michael. As I was wrapped up in my blankets, the scene played behind my eyes.

Five bikes pulled up to the railroad tracks. Michael was quiet but feeling lively, his eyes bright, as he followed the others. "Perfect timing," David said, walking towards the side of the tracks that disappeared over a large ravine.

"What's going on?" Michael asked.

"Michael wants to know what's going on," David teased. "Marko? What's going on?"

"I don't know, Paul, what's going on?" Marko asked.

"Who wants to know?" Paul asked.

"Michael wants to know," Dwayne replied.

David put an arm around Michael's shoulders, much as he'd done to me earlier that evening. "I think we should let Michael know what's going on," he said. He turned them so that they were facing the other boys. "Marko?" David questioned.

Marko grinned and stepped back, jumping down with a quiet, "Bombs away!"

Michael's eyes widened and the others laughed. Paul went next. "Bottom's up, man!" he said, jumping.

The ever-quiet Dwayne just snapped his fingers and dropped off the side of the tracks.

David stepped up to the edge, looking into Michael's eyes. "Come with us, Michael." he said, and then stepped over the edge. I watched, as a worried Michael peered over the edge of the tracks and saw the boys hanging onto bars of the railing. Marko and Paul were kicking at each other as the boys whooped. "Michael Emerson, come on down," David called up to him.

Michael climbed down carefully, gripping tightly to the bar he held. "Welcome aboard, Michael!" Paul called out.

"Fun, huh?" David asked. The sudden sound of a barreling train on the tracks caused Michael to look up, just as it began violently shaking the bars the boys were holding onto. "Hold on!" David shouted over the sound of the train's horn.

Michael was horrified when Paul suddenly fell from the bars. "Don't be scared, Michael!" Marko shouted before letting go and yelling as he fell. Dwayne dropped next. "Michael, you're one of us. Let go," David shouted.

"And do what?" Michael shouted back.

"You are one of us, Michael," David repeated, his eyes like ice chips once more. He let go of the bar, dropping into the fog below as Michael screamed his name. As I watched, my brother began to lose his grip on the bar he was on. He started to hear voices below him, calling for him. But how was that possible, he thought. Finally he couldn't hold on anymore and he too dropped into the fog, yelling as he fell. But as he fell, his descent suddenly slowed and then stopped, catching him off guard. I watched as he looked around in surprise before falling once more into oblivion.

I woke the next day around eleven in the morning, and dressed in a soft pair of faded jeans and a royal blue tank top as the morning was quite warm. Lucy was sitting at the table, eating an early lunch/late breakfast before she left for work. "Morning, Mom," I said, smiling and kissing the top of her head.

"Hi, honey. Did you have a good time last night?" she asked.

"I did. Michael and I met some new people. They seem pretty cool." I said, buttering a slice of toast she handed me.

"Oh, that's wonderful!" she exclaimed, her smile brighter.

"Hey Mom? I was wondering if I could go with you to town? I was thinking of maybe taking my violin and performing on the boardwalk for cash?"