Falling Through Portals

Why is Everyone Possessed?

Chapter 56

Despite Mr. Westfield's offer of bringing them back in the morning, they all slept in the hospital room with Keeli. Maybe the gods were looking down on them with favor when the whole day went by and the other half of the shared hospital suite was still empty. Percy let the twins share the hospital bed on the other side of the room. He had set himself up on a few chairs to sleep. It seemed to be comfortable at first. But a night of terror rising dreams and an aching neck, Percy decided it was not comfortable.

"Percy?"

It was the third time he had tried to get to sleep that he was awakened by this voice.

"Percy?"

The voice was weak, familiar and very . . .

His eyes flew open and sat up. Keeli was looking at him. He grasped for her hand.

"Keeli! We have been so worried about you!" Percy said. She didn't even react, her face was so still, what had the accident done to her?

"Percy, they are coming, we have to get out of here," she said this logically, not at all the emotionally charged girl that seemed to possess her every waking moment.

"Who are?"

"The fledglings, they are coming, head north," she said, "Go to the Silberman and find it."

"Keeli, you sound like a mad woman," Percy said trying to have an air of sarcasm that it didn't take. Keeli stared at him with a fierce seriousness. 

"Go Percy," she said.

*****************

Percy sat up quickly. It was just a dream. Keeli still lay there unmoving, eyes closed. And the twins were still in their places on the other bed. The sky was still dark through the window.

He knew that no dream that he had ever seemed to not be true. But then again, his mind might be playing tricks on him.

Percy groaned as he stood and walked to the door that led into the hall. It was not silent, but much quieter than it had been a mere couple of hours ago. There were a few nurses about, checking different things on screens and doing whatever else nurses did. Will Solace would know exactly what they were doing, Percy thought. But he didn't want to think of home, it only made his mouth taste sour.

No one stopped him as he rounded the halls and looked out windows. He was just a lone guy in the hospital, nothing special. Percy tried to count the days. He had woken up on the couch in Keeli's house, then they stayed at Kyle's house, that was one day. Then they hid at the abandoned house which was night two. Following that they went to the Westfield's house that was the third night, and now it was the fourth night.

The fifth day is tomorrow, he thought, unless I find the other stone tomorrow, I will be gone tomorrow night.

He didn't know if the thought pleased him or not. He hated what he had done to his friend's lives. This was his life, he wasn't supposed to screw up a bunch of other people's lives at the same time.

He turned a corner and stopped dead in his tracks.

There were the two police men. They had been the ones that followed them and Percy had mercilessly not killed. Even though he wanted to regret not killing them, he couldn't. They were leaning over the desk at the reception on that floor of the hospital. Percy would have ten seconds before him or his buddy spotted him. He had to get them out of there.

Without thinking, Percy made the water jug on top of the counter explode. Then he ran.

He knew that the quick and heavy steps that followed him down the hall belonged to the pair of assassin police that hated his existence for no good reason. All he could think about was getting them all out of there. Percy put on a burst of speed and darted through the door into the stair well on his left side. He slammed himself against the wall beside the doors, hopping to be out of sight. Soon after the door had closed on him it opened with a bang and the two cops ran up the stairs, not even glancing to the sides to see where he had gone.