The Darker Shade

The Darker Shade: Chapter 13

Chapter 13...

There's light again, my eyes opening and I'm back there, back in my old room. I spring from my bed in utter confusion. She opens the door and I look directly in her eyes. "Jacky boy" she looks at me. "What are you doing here Jacky?" I glance around "I don't know" she walks to the curtains, my eyes follow. She turns to face me. "You have your own boy now." She says as she sits on the bed beside me. "I do. How do you..." She smiles and tilt her head. "I know everything about you my precious boy. He looks just like you." I grin, flashes of Jaxon's smile come to mind."He needs you." She looks at me. "She does to." My brows furrowed I sit in confusion of where I was and how if at all this was real. "I was never there for

you" I lower my head "I did well for myself." She nods "You did, Jacky. You did." She smiles down at me, running her fingers through my hair. I feel her warmth, her love. It was odd, yet I could feel her. "Where am I?" She shakes her head and grins. "You're in between." "So I'm dead?" She shakes her head once more. "No son, you aren't dead. You are asleep." I look around the room, my fingers splayed in my hair. "Asleep?" my mind races "I can't be here, I need to get back. I need to be..." She places her finger over my lips. "Shh... Jacky. Come with me." I nod and sit up. Following her out of my room I walk down to the kitchen and it's all displayed as it was 30 years ago. "This is our moment we never had Jacky. This is my promise fulfilled. No interruptions." I look back for a sound, a slam, a shout but there's no sign of him. "He's not here?" She shakes her head "No Jacky. Just us, but we only have a short time." She leaves the kitchen and walks outside I follow behind her. She stands and holds a blue rose. I look from the rose to her. "Mom, this... What is all of this? This life that's been recreated?" she looks up to me. "It's our moment we never had, it's our peace. It's my apology to you for hurting you, taking from you." I near her as she hands me the rose "This rose represents mystery and beauty. You deserved so much better than me, than what your father and I gave you." "Mom, we all make mistakes. It's how we rise above it." She looks up at me "You're absolutely right, Jacky. It's your time to rise above. Jaxon needs you. Be good to him. Love him every single day. Give him what you didn't have. Promise me, Jacky." A tear pricks my eyes and I look at her "I will mom. I promise" She smiles and wipes my tears "I love you." I close my eyes to her words, her touch and when I reopen she's no longer there, I'm no longer outside.

There's a machine going off, my eyes shift around. There are several nurses and a doctor talking in a far corner. I blink several times, trying to gain better vision. I move my finger, only my eyes wandering, the respirator is lodged down my throat and I begin to gag. I flinch my fingers on both hands hoping someone see's. "He's awake!" Its Elizabeth's voice and I smile instantly thinking, good girl, get them to focus. They come towards me, one of them asking Elizabeth to leave the room. "I'm not leaving!" she shouts. The nurses lift my head "Mr. Hyde we need you to remain calm. We need you still so we can pull the respirator out. Understand." I nod, "Good." The doctor places his latex gloves on and hovers over me. He begins to count, one, two, and three... I gasp. The tube is released from my throat and I breathe. The doctor pulls out one of those little flashlights and begins to check my pupils. I squint, blinking several times before he stops. "Mr. Hyde how many fingers do I have up?" He holds up his index finger and I grin "One." He smiles "Excellent." "Do you remember what day it is?" I shake my head "I gotta say doc, I barely knew the answer to that question before I got shot, let alone now." He laughs "Ok, I guess that's fair enough." "Can I see my family now?" He nods "Claire let them in." she does as he asks. "Mrs. Morgan, his vitals are stable. We'll give you a moment." They walk out and she nears me, "Jack..." her voice trails off and I run my fingers in her hair smiling. She kisses me softly, our lips remaining still. She begins to cry. "Hey, shhh.... No tears baby." She kisses me once more. I look up at her, our hands entwined. "This is our new beginning, new memories." She nods and whispers "I love you." I take a breath and kiss her fingers. Looking down to them as she stands above me, I murmur "Marry me." She pulls back "What did you just say?" I look up "I said, marry me." She remains in utter silence and I begin to convulse, my body tightening, my toes and fingers tense. I hear her scream for the doctors and they rush in "He's having a seizure!" one shouts. They sound the alarm "CODE BLUE, CODE BLUE!" her fingers slip from mine as they all rush over me. Tears run from my eyes as my tongue moves to the back of my throat. I look for her and once I see her she's covering her mouth crying. Fear grazing her eyes, her hand

shaking. Everything begins to darken, the machines press against my chest and I feel the pump of my body, my breath shortens. I feel myself begin to drift as my eyes slowly close and there's another pump. Suddenly there are blue eyes looking back at me and a bellow of air shoots from my lungs making me wake instantly. I shout... JAXON!