The Deep Dark Stone Path

Chapter 34 *James*

Chapter 34 *James*

I wake up the next morning and get dressed. I hear a knock at the door and say, “Come in.” David, I mean my dad, comes in. “Good morning. I don’t have to work today so I am gonna hang out with all you crazies. Breakfast is ready when you are.” With that he leaves.

I smile and leave my room heading down the stairs. I see a shadow on the wall and turn to see who it is, but before I can I get shoved and topple down the stairs. I just lay there for a few minutes. Oh my gosh that hurt. I take a few deep breaths and get up. “Ah!” I try to walk, but I think I twisted my ankle on the way down. I sigh and look up the stairs.

No one is there. I limp to the kitchen and see everyone sitting at the table. If everyone is here, who shoved me down the stairs? Maybe I just tripped. I smell the bacon and my mouth instantly waters. I down my food before half the others have even got food on their plates. Austin giggles and points at me. That’s when I notice that I have egg hanging out of my mouth.

We all finish eating and watch a movie together. Right around eleven dad says, “You know what guys, we are going swimming!” The twins scream in delight and I cover my ears. They rush upstairs to change with Damian following. My dad pats my back before heading up himself. Its just me and Dalilah now. She is putting the dishes in the sink. I go upstairs, and my foot doesn’t hurt much anymore.

After thirty or so minutes, we all are walking to the lake not far from the house. When we get there the little one’s cannonball off the dock. The sun reflects off the water and it is perfect weather for swimming. “Jump in, James!”, Audrey shouts. I run down the dock and jump. I stay under a long time, just enjoying the coolness of the water.

 I see a foot and decide to scare one of my siblings. I slowly swim over and yank their foot. Damian goes under in a burst of bubbles. I swim up and get a big breath of air. Damian doesn’t come up. Audrey and Austin laugh and splash one another. Dalilah and dad are on the dock with their feet in the water. I look around, but I don’t even see bubbles.

I take a huge breath and go under. He is about two feet under, with his eyes closed. I hurry to him and when I grab him arm, his eyes open. His eyes roll to the back of his head and I hear him say something muffled. I make a confused face and start to pull him up. He pulls away and when I look back he doesn’t look like himself. “Tomorrow, they’ll be mine!”, he shouts. His eyes close and I hurry to pull him up.

We burst to the top and dad is standing at the end of the dock, looking worried. The twins stare at me in confusion and swim as fast as I can to the dock. I hand Damian up to dad and climb up. Dad does chest compressions and after about a few minutes Damian spits up water. His lips are blue, and his face is pale. We sit him up and he coughs up the rest of the water. “Come on kids, we are going home.” The twins whine.

 “James and I can watch the twins. You can take Damian home.” I look over at Dalilah and she just looks at our dad. “Fine, but be home in an hour and please no one else drown.” We nod, and they leave. I walk to the end of the dock and put my feet in. Dalilah walks down and sits next to me. “What’s wrong?”, she questions. I watch as the twins race to the other end of the lake.

“When I went under to get Damian. He wasn’t himself. His eyes were in the back of his head and he said, ‘Tomorrow they’ll be mine.’” Dalilah stares at some little fish right under our feet. “We need to go back to the house today. Maybe we can get more answers.” “Hopefully.” I mumble under my breath. This is all very overwhelming and freak