Embers & Ice

Chapter Two

Joshua stood between the two steel tables, gazing down at the pale, frozen bodies that lay upon them, and knew without a doubt that this would not work. It was impossible. Science wouldn’t allow it. The revival of complete long-term memory, personality and identity had not yet been proven in cryonics. Only cell structure and muscle tissue have healed within the body.

Joshua checked the temperature gauges, loosening his collar and taking deep breaths. Even though he did not sweat, he suddenly felt very claustrophobic in the freezer behind his laboratory.

I’m only a geologist, he couldn’t help but think. The only thing I’m good at is finding rare stones and researching the shit out of things. Can I actually perform one of the most complicated procedures known to man, when I have absolutely no experience at all, or am I basically just wasting time, money and energy on already dead bodies?

He leant over Jennifer Smart, watching with intense fascination the way her skin throbbed and froze. He wasn’t sure how long he stared at her sweeping eyelashes, at the freckles on her forehead and the small scar on the corner of her jaw. It must have been quite a while, for when he straightened to check her vitals, his neck had cramped up.

When Joshua initially decided to preserve Jennifer Smart’s body, he was in a panic state. It was just after the high school fire, and Jennifer knew too much about Hunter’s identity for her to safely walk away. Now that he looked back on it, killing her would have been possibly the stupidest thing he’d ever attempted. Jennifer would never have acted on what she knew. She was a teacher; a scientist at heart, but an innocent teacher nonetheless. Putting her into a coma and freezing her at sub-zero temperatures was completely irrational, even for him. He really had no idea what he was doing, but something told him it was right. A voice.

And then he had to go and do the same to Eli as well. Joshua tried not to beat himself up over his choices, because he was possessed. At least that’s what he told himself as he stared down at the boy. To kill him would break Hunter’s world apart. But then, she believed him to be dead anyway.

Joshua pinched the bridge of his nose and felt heavy sobs rise in his throat. God I’ve made such a mess of everything. Hunter is gone, drowning in grief that I caused because I was stupid and I let the Iceman control me and screw us both over. Now I’m responsible for two innocent lives that I might never get back.

In his frustration, Joshua stalked over to the wall and threw his fist against the steel. Blissful pain shot through his wrist like fifty daggers. He cradled his throbbing arm, grateful for the distraction. But the bodies were still there, a constant reminder of the terrible mistake he’d made.

But what can I do? What risks am I willing to take to get them back?

You want them back for answers, said a chilling voice and Joshua stopped and glanced up. The Iceman – an illusion of his schizophrenic mind – had appeared, sly and comfortable as he leant on the storage unit near the doorway. You need Jenny to help you understand Hunter’s ability to overpower you. And you need Eli because you’re guilty. Bring them back.

“How?” he moaned, gripping fistfuls of his greasy black hair. “How do I do that? I’ve spent the last month and a half researching this and nothing has woken them up. Nothing! I’m not a doctor, I’m a geologist.”

You’re a scientist, the Iceman said shrewdly. You’ve done well so far to find the answers. How else did you discover the physics behind your power and Hunters? How did you make that contraption to keep the fire inside Hunter? Because you adapt, you have the motivation, and it’s in your blood.

“Things like that don’t just happen overnight. It takes years of study to learn this craft. It’s impossible.”

The Iceman seemed to chuckle at his stupidity. Impossible? You’re standing here talking to a figment of your imagination, a voice inside your head, the voice of your ability to wield and control ice, and you’re telling me that it’s impossible to wake two people up from a frozen sleep?

“I have to give up,” he sighed. “Nothing has worked.”

The Iceman rolled his eyes and said, Nothing of this world.

Joshua halted in his tracks and spun, his heart racing. He faced the giant glass tank and a light bulb brightened in his mind. “Nothing of this world? That’s it.”

Finally, the Iceman groaned.

Joshua ran to the tank and raised the sealed compressor lid. Liquid nitrogen fog oozed over the tip and spilled out around him. Joshua reached in and pulled out one of the sample rocks. It was freezing, but it would soon heat if he kept it away from the cold. He brought ice to his palms and tried to cool it.

In a last minute attempt to right his wrong, Joshua placed the rock under the bright florescent light of his microscope and stared down at it. The stone that began it all. It started as a wonderful mystery, turned into a killer and had now become the greatest scientific discovery Joshua had ever and would ever make in his entire existence.

Now, this supernatural stone was going to help him bring them back. Their memories, their personalities and their identities included.

Most importantly of all, Joshua prayed for the safe awakening of their souls as he sat down to open the stone.