Searching For Time (book 2) ✔

Remembering Pt.3

The name cast a wave of darkness over him and his body began to ache, pain stretching across him.

"I'll make your death a thousand times more painful!" a hysteric voice cackled from the doorway, his eyes covered and limbs bound.

"Audrey, stop this before it's too late. We can help y-"

"Help?! You can help me?! You and Mal and all of the VK's have ruined my life! I will make them pay!"

"Audrey-"

"Enough!" Audrey screamed and bright green light blinded him...

Carlos began to twitch and groan on the floor, a sudden change from his previous statue-like state. His eyes scrunched up as he gasped as though in terrible pain and the gang all realised he was remembering. His fists clenched and he grit his teeth to not let any sound out. In his mind, Carlos was reliving every painful hit or cut or whip or break he had experienced from Audrey's dark powers and he felt nothing but pain. It seemed to last a lifetime until the darkness consumed him and he felt the life leave his body, never to return.

"Carlos?" Harry questioned as he saw his love's skin turn incredibly pale and body fall stiff.

"Carlos?" Evie spoke in a whisper, moving to touch the boy's cheek. "He's ice cold!" she gasped.

"Carlos!"

Soon everyone was calling out to the boy for him to wake up and only when Uma checked his pulse did their shouts stop.

"I can't feel anything." she said, not looking up from Carlos' wrist.

"Let me try. I studied a little doctor stuff." Ben said and took Uma's place.

Everyone held their breaths as they waited for Ben's declaration. Harry's face was blank and cold, Jay seemed like he was growing more angry every second, Evie had tears running down her face, and Mal looked at Ben with despair.

"It's faint." he spoke after a moment of silence. "But it's there."

"Oh thank the seven seas." Harry said and fell back from his kneeling position.

"I thought we lost him again." Evie said through sobs of relief.

"Carlos is strong so I think he will be okay." Gill offered with a smile; everyone gave him appreciative looks before turning back to Carlos.

"Ahahahaha!" a maniacal laugh echoed through the dungeon, setting everyone's hairs on edge.

"What was that?" Uma asked.

"It sounded like-"

"Audrey." Harry finished for Mal, his icy eyes looking terrifying in the dull light.

"But she's dead." Jay said. "We made sure of that."

"I think it's the remaining traces of her magic. Look!" Mal said and looked at Carlos.

Carlos seemed to animate once more as he gasped in air, his eyes still remaining closed. As the cackling continued he curled up slightly and whimpered at the spooky echoes.

"Carlos? Can ya hear me, pup?" Harry asked as he took one of Carlos' hands into his own.

"Make it stop, please..." Carlos managed to break out in a fearful whisper.

"What do we do? Magic's your thing." Harry asked looking at Mal and Uma.

"We'll search the place, one group each side." Mal said.

"Me and Gil; you, Ben and Jay." Uma added; with a nod the duos left the dungeon and disappeared into the shadows.

"Carlos, please be okay." Evie said as she brushed back her closest friend's hair from his frowning face.

"I think he's still remembering things. With the magic traces I think it's making things worse, ay?"

"Yeah. I just hate seeing him suffer. I've seen him suffer all of his life and he has never deserved any of it. Never."

"Aye, he's been through a lot."

"I'm glad he has you, we all are. He depends on you, Harry. And although you won't admit it I know you depend on him too."

"I'll say it in front of everyone: I love him. The pup's the best thing to ever happen to me and if ya think any different you're crazy."

Evie smiled and laughed lightly at Harry's words before placing her hand on Harry's that was on top of Carlos'.

"Take care of him, he's like a brother to me."

"I promise."