The Overlord Trilogy: The Darkness

11 • Point Of No Return

Sixteen Years Ago

Thomas: I frown at the empty bottle in front of me, the last of it still on my lips as I look around the rest of the kitchen. I kick an empty box out of my way as I walk to the fridge, food spraying everywhere as the box hits the wall. I curse under my breath as I pull out another beer and walk back to the kitchen table, Kali now standing in the kitchen doorway. Her eyes are wide as she stands there, clutching her teddy bear as she watches me carefully - watching me as if I'm some kind of monster. Damn five year old, scared of everything. I slam the beer bottle down after taking one last swig, standing up and walking towards her. Kali flinches as I reach out to her, my hand curling into a fist. 

"Get in the car, we're going over to the Nightlock's house." Kali nods and quickly runs into her room. "It's a sleepover!" I half-shout after her, the sound of drawers opening echoing from her room. I put a hand to my head as my ears begin to ring, stumbling as I take a step forward. I curse under my breath as I hit a picture off the counter, it shattering to the ground. Kali comes out of her room with her backpack on, her teddy bear still in her hands as she walks over to me, picking up the picture from the shards of glass and holding it out to me. "Keep it." Kali nods and holds it to her chest as if it may disappear forever. 

I start up the car, one of my last prized possessions. It slowly ascends into the air, moving towards the destination entered into the GPS. The fly is silent, Kali looking down at the picture the whole time. She continued to look from her mother to me in the photo, seeming to completely ignore herself as a little baby being held by Isabella. I wipe tears from my eyes quickly as we begin to descend, the cherry blossoms lining the pathway blowing in the slight gust of wind as we land. 

~~~

Katherine: "Come on James! Dinner time!" I call from the kitchen, setting down our two plates before filling cups up with water. I sigh as I put the cups down, my hands curling into fists. "Come on James! Get down here!" I force a smile as I hear him come barreling down the stairs, James running into the kitchen. "How's the birthday boy doing?" I force my hands to uncurl, turning my back on him as I begin to take the food off the stove. 

"It's not my birthday yet." I hear him pull his chair out and sit down, his shirt ripping slightly as he sits. I'll need to make sure to find him something to hide those under... All his t-shirts are ripping. 

"I know but it is still close enough." I force the best smile I can as I sit down, putting the plate of chicken in the middle of the table. I catch Jake's chair in the corner of my eye, hundreds of memories flooding into my mind. 

"Mom?" I snap out of my trance and look at James, smiling again. My cheeks began to hurt from all the smiling I had been doing lately. 

"Yes dear?" 

"Why are you crying?" I quickly take my napkin and wipe my eyes of tears, smiling wide at James. 

"N-Nothing dear I was just amazed by how handsome you are." James blushes slightly and looks down at his food, stabbing it. "How was school today?" James shrugged and continued to play with his food. I opened my mouth to speak when a notice popped up on the COM system throughout the house. 

"Someone has landed outside the perimeter and is approaching the door Mrs. Nightlock." I slowly wipe my mouth with my napkin and stand up, walking over to the COM system and turning off the notification. I glance at James, nodding to him. He nods back and puts his napkin on the table, ready to sprint up the stairs if the situation becomes dicey. A knock came from the front door as I walking into the living room, the front door connected to it. 

"Who is it?" I slowly hover my hand over the button on the wall, my other hand on the Crimson on the back of my belt. 

"It's me." Whoever was on the other side of the door was obviously very drunk, their voice heavy with alcohol. I press the button on the wall quickly, the door becoming one-way glass. I let out a breathe of relief when I see Thomas standing in front of the door, Kali next to him looking down at a picture in her hands. Kali looked up from the picture and knocked quietly.