Deadly Eyes

The Desert

Ophelia.....

What? Hello?

Ophelia.....

Who are you?

It's Johnathan. I'm coming for you.

I jerk awake. I'm still in the car but everything seems distant and blurry. My body feels like its watching the evens in the car from another dimension. The car walls start to morph and twist into something different. Something.... Brown? Nausea sweeps over me, and I feel like I'm going to throw up. I close my eyes to try to soften the blow of the dizziness taking over me.

Suddenly all of my airflow is cut off. My lungs feel like their filled with... sand? Opening my eyes revels a sight I never thought I would see. Sand. All over. I'm in a desert. The landscape is stretching vastly in front of me. The burning hot sun causes my skin to start to sweat.

I was just in the car!! How did I get here?! More importantly... where is here? I was just in the car with Jonah... Jonah!!

"JONAH?! WHERE ARE YOU??" my lungs are burning from inhaling sand and my throat feels bone dry. My screams are met with silence. Panic builds up inside me. I don't know what to do. Tears are streaming down my face and I start to shake.

"OPHELIA?! WAKE UP!!" a voice reaches out to me.

"J...JONAH?! HELP!!!! I CANT BREATH!!" the screaming causes the burning in my throat to reach an unimaginable level.

"Dad! Loose that car behind us! It's Johnathan!" Jonah sounds panicked.

"Hold on Lia, were going to fix this!" I can feel Jonah but I can't see him. All I can see is the sand and the darkness that's clouding my vision. If this is Johnathan then he must be desperate because the harsh winds and scorching heat intensifies. Jonah's voice is drowned out by the roaring of the wind. An image starts to form 10 feet from me. Its Jonah!

"JONAH!" Eric appears next to him. They're both looking at me. Silent. Their eyes stare into my soul. Something isn't right here.

"It's all your fault Ophelia. You did this to us" Eric's words shake me to the core. What did I do? A deep feeling of guilt washes over me; eventhough, I don't know what I feel guilty for.

A silhouette of a man materializes next to Jonah. Before I can comprehend what is happening, the shadow turns into Johnathan. He pulls out a gun, pushing it against Jonah's temple. Jonah doesn't move an inch as Johnathan pulls the trigger.

Time slows down as his limp body falls to the ground. A pool of blood gathers around the bullet wound in his head. Eric cries out and collapses next the body of his dying son. Tears stream from his eyes, and I suddenly feel as if I'm drowning in them. His eyes shift to me, tearing me apart. He lunges at me.

I fold my arms over my eyes and brace for the impact, yet it never comes.

"Ophelia" a hand touches my arm. I jerk away, pressing my back against the car door. The car. I'm in the car. My eyes search rapidly for an escape. My hands find the handle of the door, desperately pulling for air.

"Lia, calm down. We got you back. You're safe." Jonah grabs my arms and looks into my eyes. I leap into his arms, sobbing. He's alive. He's ok.

"I'm so sorry" my voice comes out in a whisper. The sand burning in my throat disappears; however, the heat stays with me. I'm sweating and breathing heavily.

"Dad do you have a water bottle?" Jonah directs his attention towards his dad, yet he doesn't take his eyes off me. For the first time I take a moment to take in the surroundings. We're still in the car, but we pulled of to the side of road. Eric is watching me with empathy and urgency. He hands Jonah a water bottle. After I finish the whole bottle, they start asking questions.

"What happened?" Eric turns around to look at me.

"I was trapped in the desert. The sand was chocking me and the heat felt like I was on fire. Then you guys appeared and Johnathan....." I trail off. I cant tell them I saw Jonah's death. I don't know why the words wont come out. "Eric lunged at me and I ended up here. What was that?"

"Johnathan. His gift is to make someone see whatever he wants them to see. His second gift is the manipulation of fear. Since he can get in your head he can see your fears." Eric hands me another water bottle.

I lean back against the door, breathing heavily after downing two full water bottles. 

"He was following us?" 

"He was. My dad lost him." Jonah grabs my hand.

The realization of how much power Johnathan has and how desperate he is to reach me for whatever reason scares the hell out of me. 

"Where are we going now?" I feel dull and lifeless. Just when I thought this couldn't get any worse.

Jonah glances at his dad as if he is hesitant to answer. He doesn't have to because Eric speaks up for him.

"I have a friend. She isn't gifted; however, she has a.. fascination with gifted children. I think she will be quite interested in meeting you." Eric turns around and starts up the truck.

"Me? Why?" 

Jonah squeezes my hand tighter and hesitates. 

"Your gift is... different. You see, gifts often repeat each other and two children will be born with the same gift. However, no one has ever had the same gift you have except for your dad. He was the first." he explains. 

"Is it even a gift though? I haven't had another nightmare like that since the night of the little boy." I thought I might be crazy and I was just imagining it.

"Your gift is hiding because you aren't embracing it. You're scared of it. Gifted children are able to suppress their gifts if they choose." he looks like he is about to cry. I don't want to upset him further so I avoid asking the question that is swarming in my head. Did he suppress his? 

"Okay, good. I don't want my gift. I don't need it." the statement feels like a lie coming out of my mouth. I don't want my gift. Right?

My so called "gift" has done nothing but hurt me. I don't know what happened to that young boy and the car. The thought haunts me everyday. I don't want to feel responsible for the death of someone if I can't save them. I don't need to feel the weight of the lives of everyone I let die. 

"Don't say that. You could use your gift to save so many people Ophelia" Jonah looks like he is pleading with me.

"What about the people I can't save? I would go crazy with guilt." I can see the realization in his eyes of what I said. 

"I guess you're right" he looks defeated. He turns to sit upright in his seat and lets go of my hand. I feel sad and empty once his heat leaves. I am left cold and alone to deal with my thoughts. I don't want to be alone, but I guess it is better this way.