Malevolent

Chapter 48

2 weeks later

"Should we stop for food?" Alexie looked at Amra sitting beside him, rather at her stomach. It seemed that after finding out she was pregnant her belly had decided to appear and Amra had developed an appetite.

     "I'm okay, I have plenty of snacks. Let's keep going." Amra glanced at Lily laying asleep in the backseat. It was better if they kept going, they still had a long drive to their mom's.

Once Amra had told Sandy about the pregnancy, Sandy had insisted she come stay with her. She had already set an appointment with a great doctor in their hometown. Amra was excited about that. It would be her first ultrasound and she wanted to see her baby. She wanted to know how far along she was.

     "You should get some rest." Alexie suggested.

     "Wake me if you get tired." Amra closed her eyes.

It wasn't long before sleep overtook her. She'd been much more tired than usual, but she would rather be sleepy than nauseous.

Her dreams had been more vivid lately and today's was no exception. She was standing in the middle of a dark sea, a vast night sky above her. She walked in no particular direction. Heading only where she felt she should. She smiled at how beautiful the stars reflected off the water, but then she noticed something different in the waters.

A red hue, like blood. She followed it as it moved in the ripples until she realized it was reflecting off something in the sky. When Amra looked up, a barreling white light came at her, like a freight truck it honked as it drove over her. Amra clutched herself in fear, but nothing had happened.

When she opened her eyes next, the dark sea was gone, and all around her, colors swirled. Not this again, she groaned, feeling sickness hit her belly.

She closed her eyes to it. She knew where she was after all. It was the same place she kept being brought to. Please stop!She yelled, but everything continued to spin, "Stop!" The sound of a car made Amra open her eyes and she realized where she was standing.

Angel—

Amra turned around at the sound of that voice. There, in the dusty parking lot, was a massive wolf with ebony fur and blood red eyes. Amra stepped back as it bared its canines at her in a snarl. Its massive paw clawed the ground and it pounced for her throat.

     "Amra!"

     "Get off!"

     "Hey, it's okay."

Alexie's familiar voice awoke her. She opened her eyes realizing she was still in the car. Night had set.

     "Nightmare?" Alexie sighed, his eyes looked tired, much like she felt.

Amra nodded slowly, taking deep breaths to calm her pounding heart.

     "What were you dreaming about?"

     "I...I don't really remember. Something or someone with red eyes. A forest. A hotel. Being chased, I think."

     "Hmm." Alexie's gaze turned contemplative,  his silence piquing Amra's interest. It was just a nightmare, nothing to think about, but she felt there was more to it.

     "Why?" She pressed.

Alexie shifted uncomfortably, his jaw tightening, "Lily and I..." he started hesitantly,  "We've been having similar dreams lately. A forest, red eyes, green eyes, giant birds and bats. Sound familiar?"

     Amra's eyes widened. "Why the hell haven't you guys told me!?"

     "You've had enough on your plate already, Ames." He responded in a gentle tone.

Amra sighed, looking down at her belly. "Don't keep things from me, please."

     "Do you guys also get the feeling that there's something else?" Lily's voice emerged from the backseat like a ghostly whisper.

Amra jolted in her seat, turning her attention towards her sister who was now sitting upright, wide awake. 

     "Jesus Lil, you scared me."

     "Sorry, it's just that, well, now that you know, I want to talk about it, but Alexie won't—"

     "Because they're just dreams," he grumbled.

     "Dreams or not, Lil is right, we should talk about it."

     "There's nothing to talk about." Alexie remained resolute.  "Listen, if we give whatever this is power, then it becomes reality. It's best we go on ignoring it."

     "Alexie, I know you're scared. I'm scared too, but we can't ignore something that might put us in danger, don't you think?" Amra implored.

Alexie shook his head, "Amra, you don't understand."

"And you do?" She exclaimed, slightly annoyed.

Alexie sighed, before looking at Lily through the rearview mirror.

 "Tell her about your dream then, Lily."

Amra turned her attention to Lily, who sat in her seat fiddling with her fingers nervously, refusing to meet Amra's eyes.  

     "Tell me, it's okay." Amra gave her a reassuring nod.

     Lily swallowed thickly, finally nodding her head in response. "I saw you. In my dreams. And...you were..." she bit her lip, eyes beginning to water. "You were in this horrible place, filled with monsters. I – I think they were demons."

Amra leaned back into her seat. She couldn't help but picture the horrific dream Lily had had about her.

     "Maybe Alexie is right, Amra. Maybe we should ignore this," Lily began, "but I feel like—"

     "Like we're supposed to figure it out." Amra finished for her, knowing exactly what Lily was feeling.

     "Yes." Lily whispered.

     "Look," Amra said more confidently,  "I know things have been crazy lately, and everything seems uncertain and scary... but, I know it, I feel it in my gut that this baby, and everything that is happening is connected."

     "I'm not going to put us in danger," Alexie reiterated.

     "I know. I'm not asking you to, Alex, but I think we are all getting these dreams for a reason. They have to mean something. I say we look into it and if things do get dangerous, then we pull away. We won't ever mention it or go looking for anything."

     "Where would we even start?" Lily huffed.

     Alexie let out a humorless chuckle, nodding towards something in the distance. "How about there?" 

Both Amra and Lily followed his gaze, their eyes falling upon a sign on the road.

     "Misty Shores Inn," Amra read the sign out loud with recognition. It was the same red sign that had appeared in her dream. "Alexie, where are we right now?" She asked.

     "We just reached the small town of Misthaven."

     "Misthaven! I heard that somewhere in one of my dreams!" Lily shifted as close to the front as she could. 

For a moment, they were all silent. 

     "Alexie?" Amra and Lily turned their attention expectantly towards him, knowing that without him, they wouldn't proceed.  

     Alexie sighed, hanging his head for a moment before briefly turning his attention to his sisters. "The second we sense any danger, we leave." He said sternly.

They all nodded in agreement as Alexie exited the highway and headed towards the Inn.