A Whisper

Chapter 15

I woke up the next morning wondering if last night was only a wistful dream or simply a wonderful reality. Heat flashes surge through my body. Like strobe lights, my vision flashed on and off as images of my little brother pop up. He would come into my room every night, and I'd read to him. He would be sitting on my bed and be gone in a moment. I started to sob uncontrollably. The image of him that taunted me began to frown as I cried. The warm of his embrace made me close my eyes as the heat once again surged through my body. I gasped as I woke up and let out a scream. Mason's hand squeezed mine and I started sobbing again. I sat up and hugged Mason. He didn't say anything, and he didn't need to. He has always been there for me when I had an attack. "Mason, what happened?" I asked in between my sobs. "Sweetie, you're okay now and that's all that's matters." I let go slowly and look around the room. Mom is in the hallway with Ann. I see someone move behind Ann and realize that it's Alonso. "Mason, may I talk to Alonso for a second?" He smiles and allows Alonso to enter as he exits my room. "Hey Serenity." He speaks quietly and concerned. "Alonso, what happened?" I asked. "I came to visit and found Mason sitting downstairs waiting to check on you, just as I was. We heard screams and I ran to get my aunt as Mason ran to you. When I came back with Ann, we saw you on the bed sweating and terror in your body movements. You calmed down as Mason held your hand and to experiment Ann held out on giving you the medicine and then you woke up. You stopped the attack by yourself." I put my head down. "What did you see when you were having the attack? What could have been that terrifying?" He asked. "Oliver." That's all I had to say, because Alonso was there when my baby brother died. Near the end, Oliver was very thin and pale. I try to think of the good times before it got worse. Memories are very deceiving, and they haunt my thoughts even though it has been so many years. "I had no idea this disease was getting so bad for you." He said. "Believe it or not, that what you just saw was actually it taking it easy on me. I think for some reason, Mason brings back some memories of Oliver." We sat there in silence. "Looks like you added a lot to your library." Alonso said as he looked at the millions of book in the room across from my bed. I got up, feeling weak, and walked quickly to my paradise. "Well, when you can't let the sunlight in, because your body attacks you, you learn to love reading. Living isn't really living when all it feels like I'm dying. Reading allows me to live so many lives in so many different perspectives." I said in awe as I spun around looking at all of the countless books on all sides of the room. "I remember when Oliver was little, when I first started coming over here with my aunt, and he really adored you." I teared up, and attempted to cover it up. "He was a good little brother. I still don't understand why terrible things happen to wonderful people. He was so small and innocent." I loved him with my whole heart, and he is still in my heart always. Alonso was never one to add words to a situation, but sometimes what I really needed was someone to listen. "Have you heard from Sabrina?" I asked him. "No. Ann told me you needed someone." I certainly have everyone I need to continue fighting. Alonso to listen, Sabrina to relate with shared experiences and memories, and Mason to talk and love me. "What's this?" He asked. He held my poetry journal. "Oh! Nothing. Allonz-y Alonso, what's Mason doing? We should totally see what Sabrina's doing today!" I said that so fast I had catch my breath before I ran out of the room. I went downstairs to Mason and stood next to him and grabbed his hand. "Hey Mason, I'm going to see what Sabrina's doing, but you are welcome to join." He smiled, "Ed and I have work to do, but have fun. I'll check on you tonight." He kissed me on the cheek and left. I went over to the land-line and called Sabrina. She wasn't busy, and was thrilled to hang out with me and Alonso. It was raining, so that meant I could do anything I wanted outside. Alonso drove me to go pick up Sabrina. She got in the car. "I promised Quincy he and I would do something today. Would you guys mind if he tagged along?" Sabrina, being the bubbly person she is, replied loudly, "The more the merrier!" We proceeded to pick up Quincy. I was nervous about Quincy, because I don't like new people. I don't know why, but when he got in the car I immediately smiled. His facial expressions were utterly woah. He was quite friendly and joked around as we drove through the dark and gloomy streets. He was hilarious. I could get used to laughing this much. "Quincy, would you mind if we just called you Q?" Sabrina asked. "Nah, that'd be cool." He responded. Tonight was care free and we drove around looking for adventure. "I heard of this place that only has been sighted in rain. It's not far from here. It's a cave sort of thing." Q suggested. "That sounds awesome!" I said. We followed Q's directions and ended up near this cave. The rain was so hard that the cave had half way flooded. No wonder why people only see it in heavy rain, because it's half way underground, and the water that overflowed around it was the only way for it to be visible. "They call it Amber's grave, because legend says Amber was only ten when she died. Legend tells about this cave in which still remained as the Cold War started, and the Atomic Wars that are told to never happened or so you think, and during World War Two, in which the city almost were defeated by Nazi invaders who had already eyed up their Manchester HQ base. This cave is often called "The Tube", because of the canal looks. Amber died in the cave hiding from destruction, and haunts it to this day." Q told this in a serious, scary voice with his eyes widened. Sabrina screamed and with that I also started screaming. I felt a cold chilling sensation work its way up from my spine. I look around for Mason, and realize my prince isn't there to protect me. Q and Alonso laugh at us getting freaked out by the unbelievable story. "Let's go guys!" Q says as he leads the way. The water didn't bother us, because we were already drenched by the rain. The canal like cave was like a maze. We turn undetermined paths. We end up at a dead end and head back where the cave started. Nothing unusual happened, like Amber coming and eating our souls.