Youth's Dew

Chapter 30

Joven

Having finished my morning meetings, I start putting things away to head home; looking forward to this day being over, and enjoying my first Christmas with my wife.

Suddenly my door explodes open and in runs Jean, with Susan fast on her heels.

"Joven, Mr. Ainsworth, come now!" She's yelling and frantically pulling at my arm, "come.... NOW!"

"Jean what's wrong?" I ask and I look at Susan who shakes her head in confusion.

"No time." She's screaming and pulling me, "they said it would be fun, they said it was trick of the eyes, HURRY!"

"Who said what Jean, what's going on?"

And then a lightning bolt hits me, or what feels like white heat that punctures my heart and I collapse to the floor, and I see her...Pann! My vision bursts forth with sudden clarity and I see her! She's in the forbidden cave, they've got her!

I jump up, shake free from Jean and run the fastest of my entire life, RUN... RUN... RUN...!

Pann is screaming my name, over and over... I've got to get there!

I arrive at the front of the tunnel and see Pann. She's frantically clawing at the ground to move forward but she can't move, her mouth open in silent terror, but no sound comes.

My vision again hits me with white heat and I open my mouth, but it's not my voice that comes out, but one of Ancient tongues.

"Thou shalt not have her or her essence, release her, return hither from whence you came NOW!" and suddenly Pann is up and running into my arms!

Not wasting any time, I scoop her up and exit the tunnel. This can't be happening, but I know now what my vision had been trying to tell me. As I look down at my beloved wife shivering in my arms, resting her left hand on my chest, and her finger is adorned with our Ancient wedding ring.

Where to go?

What to do?

Looking around I see my parents, Susan, Heif, Michael and Hannah all running towards me.

"Come, Son, we don't have time. Already the waters have shifted and the Mist is receding." He runs towards the Reflection Room and I'm helpless to do anything but follow him, carrying Pann in my arms.

Joshua greets us and throws open the doors. We enter and I follow the group as they all move as one, as if they know where they are going, and I don't have a clue.

"I received your text, Mr. Ainsworth, the room is prepared," Joshua tells my dad and stands before a door in the back of the Reflection Room, hidden by twisting passages.

"Son, my vision is not as strong as yours, but I do know this is the correct path," Dad says and then turns to the group. "Thank you all for coming the minute I summoned you, please hurry inside, we must protect Pann."

My wife, Pann? From whom does she need protecting? What am I missing? Everyone files in, and Joshua secures the door behind us, closing us off from everyone in Dewstone.

"Joven, son, how did the ring get into the Forbidden Tunnel?" Dad looks straight at me like I have answers, which I do not. "I had Charles show you the forgotten ancient tablet, did you not heed the warning?"

Placing Pann on a small bed at the back of the room, only noticing now she has fainted. Hannah and my mom rush forward to care for her, pushing me out of the way. Trying to battle back to my wife, my dad strong arms me and pulls me into an antechamber.