Powerless

22. Mystery Snake-Man? (Roman)

I could hear Cassidy screaming out to me. His voice seemingly miles away. The world around me as black as tar and just as consuming. It was as if every word I said fell prey to the black that surrounded me unable to reach him. I ran through the emptiness calling out to him just as he was to me but with every step, his voice began to melt in the nothingness this word promised to provide. His screams for help, dying out into a silence that spoke volumes in itself. I failed. And now...

Caz is gone.

"CASSIDY!" My own voice echoed in my ears as I sat up unable to breathe. I gripped my chest as the air refused to fill my lungs. Waves of nausea hit me with an unending force as I struggled just to keep my eyes open. Somethings wrong. I could tell. I tried desperately to blink the fog from my eyes but every time I did I would only catch this spark. No not spark... orb. Energy...

My eyes widened when I realized what I was feeling. That intense pressure... that awe-inspiring yet fear-inducing mass of energy that I had felt a few times before had returned while I was asleep. I gripped the bedpost as I struggled to my feet praying the force didn't pull me under. I had to get to the bottom of this. 

Another blink... Another orb... Until finally... It didn't vanish. I narrowed my eyes as this small soft green ball just floating in the air. It looked... tainted, for lack of a better word right now. There were patches of black covering it as if threatening to pull it in and out of view. As if... As if it wanted it's true colors to remain hidden.

It just hovered in the air in front of me. I reached out to it and watched it ripple at my touch, vanishing from view only to reappear by the door. I hesitantly started to follow as it moved along. It reminded me a bit like those will of the whisps from Brave. 

As I followed the orb through the hall I would spot more. One here or there all different colors... That was until I opened the front doors. The moment I did the room exploded with all these soft green orbs, all pushing me forward. All begging for me to follow... to help.

To be honest, I had no idea why I was following them. I mean I was entirely surrounded by these green balls of dim lights. Many tainted by the back... some hazy and fading. The further I followed the denser they got. I followed them through the woods and off the path until I hit these bushes. The pressure was so immense. It was like back at the mall. 

"DAMN IT!" I tensed up hearing this voice tear through the bushes causing the orbs to flicker violently as if responding their frustration. I took a deep breath and slowly moved the leaves around until I could see this man just standing there, his back to me as he... well, did whatever it was he was doing. I couldn't see it so... "I can't do this..."

"Do what?" I asked as I pushed my way through the bushes. I saw them stiffen as if their body turned to stone and I frowned. They were completely surrounded in those orbs. So much so, and so dense, that it looked as if he was standing in the center of this gigantic transparent green dome.

"W-What... what are y-you doing out here... s-so late?" His voice shook with obvious anxiety and I frowned. "It's late... y-you must be..."

"Of course, I'm tired. It's just... I don't think I'm going to be able to sleep for a while." His head tilted slightly towards me. Not enough to see his face, but enough to know he was listening. "Nightmares.... They sure suck."

"Tell me about it." It was hardly a whisper but I caught it none the less. I inched my way closer and saw him start to shake.

"You don't have to worry. I won't bite." I laughed a little but seeing how scared he was, I just could follow through. I glanced over his shoulder and he quickly looked away so I couldn't see his face still. He didn't want me to see it. So I took in what I could and backed away to give him some space. "What's with the leaves?"