Reapers - Master of Souls (Reapers Chronicles Book III)

19 - Wakeup

  Don't care where I'm headed when the world is ending.

'Cause you are my heaven; never found a love like you.  

Sleep, dream, you, repeat. Live, die next to me.

Sleep, dream, you, repeat. Sleep, dream.  

The Cab, Numbers

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Alex was waiting for us by the entrance of Luci's lab by the time we arrived. Instead of the usual hectic chaos, a depressing quiet filled the first floor as we walked in. Every Haljan stopped whatever they were doing, the look on their faces unwelcoming.

It didn't look like Luci and Alex were eager to explain what sort of undertaking waited for me as we headed upstairs. We passed by Max's room to the training room. There, Archie opened the door for us.

"The equipment is ready as required," he announced.

I was petrified when I saw what was in store for me. The room was turned into Hector-heaven. By that, I mean huge monitors, consoles, wraiths in tanks—the whole chemistry set. And one tank was empty, reserved just for me. As a bonus, Hector was there too, tweaking the controls and smiling like a lunatic.

Nothing big. Just another evil super-genius' lair.

Alexis gave me an encouraging nudge. It took an effort to step into the room while fighting the urge to sob.

"Hector is here just to show us how his machine works," said he, his twitchy eyes focusing on me.

As if to prove that, Hector backed away from the console with hands both raised.

"Luci will supervise the whole process," Alex added.

"That's... what I was afraid of," I answered, glancing at Luci.

The girl rolled her eyes and motioned me to the empty tank. Wide-eyed, I clutched Alex's arm, every breath scraping against my throat.

"I'm scared," I murmured.

Without breaking eye contact, Alex took both my hands and enclosed it in his. Gently, towed me toward the tank.

"Deep breaths, Aramis. All is going to be well," he said slowly, calmly.

The impossible happened: he actually got me inside the tank without me screaming my lungs out. Or crying.

"Is it... going to hurt?" I asked, not wanting to let go of his hands.

He nodded, more honest than needed. "But I'll make it as less painful as I can."

"Okay," I sobbed, my eyes getting blurry with tears. "W-what am I supposed to do?"

With a faint reassuring smile, Alex freed my hands. "Just stand right..."—the tank's door slid shut—"there. It's time to give Alessandra a wakeup call."

Only when Alexis had left to man the controls did panic set in. I pressed my hands on the glass walls, begging for them to stop. Through the tears, I saw Hector looking at me. I doubled back, hitting the rear wall as I did. As my body began to float, I heard Alex and Luci's casual discussions about whether or not to sedate me. I was screaming Vincent's name by the time the familiar red lights bathed me.

Thousands of needles pierced through me. It was that kind of pain you would never get used to no matter how many times you had gone through it.

Before my eyeballs rolled up into the back of my head, I saw thick, amber-colored liquid creep on the floor. Quickly, it filled the tank until I was completely submerged. I kicked to stay afloat, gasping for air to no avail. Again, I was drowning.

For the first time since we arrived in Halja, I let myself fall asleep.

If there was one thing worse than drowning, it was to be in a nightmare you couldn't wake up from. That one when you were stuck in a tank full of creatures that clawed on you and feasted on your guts while you were still alive. All you could do was shout the name of the last person in your head but he wouldn't come running to save you.

Even though you knew he couldn't hear you, even though you knew it wasn't real, it still terrified you to the core, to the point of hoping to die. Until you heard that little whimper from a corner, a voice so familiar you had accepted it as your own.

"H-hello?" I rasped, blood sputtering from my mouth. "A-alessandra? Is... that you?"

"Y-yes," she moaned. "It is me."

It was pitch-black but I widened my eyes. "Help... help me."

"I cannot," she hissed. I heard her shuffle to a corner and hit the wall. "I have grown... weak."

Pressing a hand over my stomach, I crawled toward her with a hand groping in front of me. When finally, I caught her leg, she thrashed and shook me off.

"We have to get out of here," I pleaded. "Before they come back."

"Who?"

Right on cue, a low growl bounced off the walls. I pressed a hand over my mouth to keep the sobs muffled. But then, sharp claws clasped on my leg. A cry escaped my throat as I was dragged back.

But then, a hand caught my wrists.

"Hold on," said Alessandra through her teeth.

With a grunt, she began kicking blindly. She landed a hit. The claw around my leg loosened a bit and I was able to squirm away from the monster's grip.

I felt her slinging my arm over her shoulder. Her breaths were ragged as she helped me to my feet. As quickly as we could, we staggered our way to the door.

"It's locked from the outside," I told her.

She began kicking it, but it wouldn't budge.

A glimmer of light shone from the outside the tank. On the glass walls, I could see the shadows of the creatures approaching us from behind.

"It's no use," I whispered. "There's no way out."

"When I look in the mirror and I dislike what I see, what do you suppose I would do?" Alessandra muttered, sucking in a deep breath. "I break it."

She tightened her grip on me. Together, we hurtled against the glass wall.

Next thing I knew was my face pressed against the bulky ground. Broken glass grazed my palms as I got up squinting. As soon as my eyes had adjusted to the flickering light from the spitfire in front of me, I spun on my heels to see if the creatures had caught up with us. But, there was no creature. Or a tank.

We were in a cave. Alessandra's cave.

I doubled over, coughing up blood. Pain shot from the hole in my belly. Blood gushed from in between my fingers when I pressed my hands over it.

"It is futile," muttered Alessandra emerging from the shadows, the light casting a sallow glow on her gaunt face. Tiny black veins crept from the side of her green left eye, a reminder of her—our tainted soul. "You cannot cheat Death. I had tried. In the end, my deeds only brought great tragedy upon my sister and upon you."

She reached for my face as though from concern.

"Not yet," I croaked, shaking my head. "I... still have to do something."

"But it will only bring you pain."

I looked into her mismatched eyes. "E-even so..."

Maybe it was the shadows playing on her face, but I thought I saw her smile.

"When I look in the mirror and I like what I see, what do you suppose I would do?" Gently, Alessandra placed her hands over my wound. "I accept it."

She looped a hand over my nape and embraced me so tight, I thought I was going to suffocate. But then, her body became translucent and the more she tightened her embrace, she began to slowly disappear. As if forcing herself into me.

Soon, she was gone with only her voice as a reminder of her existence.

"Wake up," said she. "Wake up and open our eyes."