The fear in me

Jason

I've succeeded in fighting against the darkness around us, and finally it's light again. We're in another room. Rafael has actually managed to beam my brother, my father, Nay, and me into another room. He must have abnormal powers. What most disturbs me about his powers is the abnormality more than anything else. But where the devil is he?

"He's strong!" Sam says, and he sounds worried.

"He's going to attack us at any moment," my father says tranquilly. I can't believe he's here. I'd so much like to hear his side of the story, but there's no more time for that. Rafael wants to see my father dead ... for that matter, he wants to see all of us dead.

A few months ago nothing would've been liberating than death. But now, now there's a reason to live and I'm very reluctant to give up. I can fight against Rafael ... I'm a taker ... I could take away all of his abilities, and he'd be as grey-haired as he was earlier. Once it was possible and I'll find a way again.

Not if I completely suck you out, I hear Rafael saying in my head. Shit, he can read my thoughts.

I'm more powerful than you can imagine. And I don't need anybody now. I can get rid of all of you without blinking an eyelid. See what I'll do to your father and brother ...

My heart is beating right up to my throat when I see Sam and my father suddenly standing motionless as though they've been put into some sort of trance.

Like my foster mother, I think in fright.

But these people here are angels. How could they be hypnotised so easily? An insane laughter follows, then Rafael is standing in front of me. He looks like a teenager, young and healthy, but with a cruel, cold look.

"Oh my God!" Nay whispers fearfully, and presses herself closer to me.

"That's truly a suitable name for me, little healer. What do you think, Jason: am I a god?"

Words fail me, so I shake my head and Rafael shrugs, then he grins and finally says: "Do you know that angels in this type of trance understand everything that's happening? But they can't do anything. They're completely helpless. And they have to persist in that state until I free them or die. And that will never happen. These two will for the next 5,000 years see before their inner sight what I'm going to do to you now. You see, I'm going to make them linger like this. I'd say that atones for all the injustice that's been done to me, wouldn't you?"

"You're a monster!" Nay whispers and is trembling with her whole body.

"God or monster, healer, what am I now?" asks Rafael with an icy laugh. "Do you love your Jason? Did you want to spend your life with him?"

He looks mockingly at Nay. "Have a good look at how his life ends, you see, I don't tolerate betrayal ..."