The Split

Chapter 13

Cuba, 1898

I turned around and saw that Roosevelt's horse heading my direction. My blood ran cold when I finally saw his face. This wasn't right. His uniform and mount were normal, but as I raised my eyes to see his face I saw nothing. There was no bushy moustache, small circular glasses, and brash smile like I had seen as a child. His face had no features at all, just smooth skin starting from his neck and ending at his forehead. I had just heard him talking, how was this possible? My brain cried out in shock, desperately trying to make sense of what I was seeing.

Jensen saw my panic and turned to me concerned.

"That's Roosevelt? it can't be!" I asked desperately.

"That," Jensen narrowed his eyes in confusion, "Is Colonel Roosevelt yes."

"Look at him, does he have... A face?" I motioned with my hand over my own face in an unnecessary demonstration.

He looked at me, confusion in his eyes before bursting with laughter, "Of course he does funny man!" the soldier shook his head and walked away still laughing.

I continued to stare at the Colonel, unable to tear my eyes away from something so strange and terrible. He was riding towards me. I quickly took a few paces back, intending to keep my distance. It was too late, Roosevelt lifted his fist into the air, barking orders to the whole area, "Volunteers on me! Mount up! We're going to take this damn hill if it's the last thing we do!"

"Hoo-ah!" came from every corner of the camp as men converged on Roosevelt. He was getting closer and I had begun to hear a strange ringing as he neared. Backpedaling once again, I smacked into a man behind me and fell forward. Men were all around me now, waiting to hear from Roosevelt. In desperation I scanned the crowd looking for a way to make my way out of the throng. He was just a few paces away, the ringing had deafened all other sounds and a stabbing pain started just above my forehead. Soon Teddy slowed his horse to stop and the ringing ceased. I dropped to the ground and felt my thoughts overwritten by an unknown force.

Much like the strange Presence in the Green Hallway before, images flashed through my minds at impossible speeds. Though these weren't my memories or thoughts and they weren't Charles'. Most made no sense, moving shapes and strange life I had never seen before littered my subconscious. Eventually the thread stopped on a picture of Teddy himself, face intact. I felt relief before I saw his eyes and mouth shut and then reopen, pouring out tears of blood.

I screamed.

The darkness subsided and my eyes opened on a clump of grass. Above me I could see men staring down with looks of concern and disgust. There were no voices, and the space was silent aside from the sounds of distant battle.

"How much had they seen?" I thought, "Had I screamed?"

The faceless figure of Roosevelt dismounted his horse near me and extended his hand. The ringing from before had subsided but the ripping pain from my head continued to throb. I winced despite my best attempts, holding my head and groaning in my discomfort. The Colonel withdrew his hand, "Is the boy alright?" he called out to his men, "Get him on the wagons and take him back to camp, we can't have the fever breaking out here!"

"He is fine sir!" a familiar voice called out as I saw Jensen push through the crowd to stand by my side, "He is groggy from the cannon's blast, but he fights like lion and we will need him on top of that hill."

Roosevelt nodded and allowed my Jensen to help me up and get me out of the crowd. We walked to the edge of the men and sat down on a fallen tree log. In the background I could still hear the Colonel barking out orders and leading his troops in a rousing speech. It was nice to be away from the mass of men I had just fallen down in front of. Deep from within the side my mind where Charles was, I could feel humiliation at what had just unfolded. I had lost a lot of face, and could in no way explain to the worried onlookers what I was going through in fear of sounding insane.