The Summoning

XI - Say That You Will

All of the questions I wanted to ask ran through my head seemingly all at once and I couldn't think for a moment as they waited patiently, staring resolutely at the floor. II was lazily waving a drumstick back and forth, tapping Vessel's knee when it swayed his way. Eventually, Vessel snatched the stick from II, only to tap the head of the drumstick onto II's foot in the same lazy fashion II had.

"So," I started, clearing my throat before landing on what I thought was the most important thing. "Am I being held hostage?"

The drumstick in Vessel's hand froze. IV shook his head as he looked up at me.

"No." II and III adamantly denied in unison before III added, "Absolutely not."

"Okay..." I started, the slight fear slipping away. "You said I summoned you. What does that mean? And I'm not even going to mention the voice I swear I heard talking to me in that..."

The memory of the dank, dark basement came back and I shuddered before I could even think to finish the sentence.

"You were calling for help." III muttered, tapping his feet while laying his chin between his knees as he held his legs close.

I scoffed, shaking my head. "I guess I'm asking the wrong question. How the hell did you do that?" I punctuated the words with a hint of frustration.

"What you heard was real." II looked up, giving me a hard look, brows furrowed under the dirty blond tresses. "We are vessels to the God of Sleep. Sleep heard your call and sent us to fulfill the deal made between you two. Sleep is who grants us the abilities we have. Sleep is who spoke to you when we arrived."

"Wait, what deal?" There was a lot to unpack with that sentence and it was hard to choose what to address first.

IV opened his mouth to speak before Vessel abruptly stood, silencing us all. He took a couple steps closer to me and he put his hands as if reaching for me. I leaned away as he began to tower over me.

"Chill, Darling, he won't bite." III spoke between a snicker and I could see four nudging his arm in warning before III stifled himself.

I couldn't be sure, but I thought I saw the flash of a smirk touch Vessel's lips before he turned it to III. When his focus was back on me, his eyes were wary of my reaction as he lay his hands gently on each side of my head. My eyes fluttered closed when he slowly touched his thumbs to my eyes.

It was like a dream. Flashes of lights and figures before a scene came into focus behind my eyelids.

Whispers of a prayer while an injured girl crawled back over a paved floor.

Please, if there's anyone out there!

It was my voice - my thoughts. I was watching everything that had happened that night from somewhere above.

I don't wanna die in this basement where no one will find me...

The girl cut her hand, sobbing as she clutched the broken bottle in a bleeding hand, cornered now.

I'll give anything!

I jolted away from Vessel's hands. Toppling to the floor as I found myself gasping for air.

Vessel watched as I crawled away, his hands still outstretched as he watched me come back to myself. Three got onto his hands and knees and crawled closer.

"It's alright. Breathe." III instructed as I slowly lowered my arms from in front of me. My eyes flew around the room, making sure I really was back in the church and not back...

Vess dropped to a crouch in front of me so quickly I nearly crawled into III's arms.

"Slow, Vessel." III sounded as if he was valiantly trying to hold in another laugh.

The others had stood and gathered behind Vessel as he slowly slid his arms around my back and under my knees, clenching his jaw as he looked briefly into my eyes, before lifting me.

"Where are you taking me?" I felt my frame lock up with anxiety as he took a few steps toward the door, the other three following close behind.

"There's a couch in Three's room that would be more comfortable." II answered from somewhere behind Vessel. "No one's going to hurt you."

Surprisingly, when I thought about it, I didn't really think any of them would hurt me. Vessel was warm against me and when the ache of falling to the floor washed over me, I leaned closer to his chest, nearly laying against his collarbone.

III jogged in front of Vessel down the hallway and swung open a door nearly toward the other side of it.

It was certainly a bigger room than I thought and was larger than the one I was staying in. There indeed was a gray couch on one side of the room while his bed was on the other. The red blanket and black sheets were tossed carelessly onto the bed from when he had last slept. A TV with a couple consoles sat under a bass hung on the wall and the entire room was adorned with various band posters and sketches of vague characters wielding their own unique weapons.

Vessel leaned down and set me onto the couch at the far end where I curled into the corner by the armrest, he then stepped away and sat on the bed with the rest of them curled up and leaning against one another. Seeing that I had the whole couch to myself, I dared to stretch out the leg pulsing with pain and it lessened with the angle and proper blood flow.

I swallowed, eyeing each one of them before speaking. "Alright, then what does... This Sleep God.. want with me?"

I waited for a reply, but the silence stretched on for a few beats as II and III looked to Vessel as if he were the only one allowed to answer. IV was running his hands through the back of Vessel's hair and Vessel leaned minutely into him as he fiddled his fingers into the frayed holes of III's pants while gnawing on his bottom lip.

Something dawned on me as I sat in the silence.

"He doesn't speak." I murmured in realization and my heart palpitated when Vessel shot a glare up to me.

He was singing last night. Does he pick and choose when to use his voice? I hadn't heard him speak, not even to the others.

II spoke up as Vessel curled into himself, scowling at me for a moment as he brought his hands closer to his chest. "Vessel and Sleep may be the only ones that know."

I scoffed, throwing my hands in the air. "Great. I just made a deal with a God and the only ones who know what I owe is the God and a man that doesn't talk."

III snorted sarcastically, leisurely falling against Vessel when the other sat up. He seemed to be the only one stopping Vessel from jumping up from the bed and coming after me for my outburst.

"I - I'm sorry." I stuttered, feeling regretful as I sighed and sat up. "This has been a lot for me. I am grateful for everything you have done." I felt myself flush as I spoke, watching as Vessel settled back against IV.

IV spread his feet apart and wrapped his arms around Vessel's chest to pull him down so he was lying on IV's stomach as IV leaned back against the wall. II was leaning against the wall next to him with his legs pulled up against himself and III was leaning against II's legs like he were a chair.

I took another moment to think before speaking again, narrowing my eyes. "How did you all come to... worship this God?"

"That's a... long story." II ran his hand over his face as if tired, resting his palms onto III's shoulders and squeezing a couple of times. III smirked and tilted his head back, nearly knocking the back of his head against II's face. II grabbed his chin, tipping III's face to the side, glaring at III before slowly leaning forward.

III clenched his teeth, tipping his head up to look into II's eyes with a flutter of his own eyelids in expectation. For a moment, I thought they might kiss and felt I was watching something I shouldn't.

"There was an offering." IV spoke up and I noticed Vessel's clenched fists shaking against IV's thigh. IV ran his hand through Vessel's hair as he trained his eyes on me. Vessel, however, was staring resolutely at the wall. "An offering much like yours."

"Then, tell me." I demanded, leaning forward. "What did the God offer you?"

"Everything." III breathed, eyes haunted with a past of pain.