INFERNO: The Fiery Inception

CHAPTER 8

I am no longer falling, I could tell that much...am I dead? Why is everything so dark? Where is the light?

I tried to open my eyes, but my eyes forced itself to close, 'too bright' I thought. Then I tried to slowly open my eyes and for a moment I could only see bright light until my eyes adjusted to the brightness and I see white blank ceiling. 'Wait...my room's ceiling isn't blank white.' I thought. Then I tried to turn my head. But it hurt too much so gave up. What happened? I thought, Then I remembered, everything just came rushing back to me like a tide making it hard for me to breath... I was falling down towards a light and now I am alive? Then I noticed the oxygen mask on me the mask fogging as I breath out. I could hear the beeping sounds of the EKG... 'Hospital' I thought 'I'm in a hospital' I turned my head trying to ignore the pain but a tear fell from my eye because of the pain that was caused by my efforts, it was like all my muscles were pulling against me...August? He was asleep... he was sitting next to me, sleeping with his head resting on my bed...even though it hurt, I smiled. That was actually cute 'A brother is all a sister need' I thought. And all the quotes that once read about brother-sister relationship came back to me. 'Brother and sister relationships are like tom and Jerry. They tease and irritate each other, knock each other down, but can't leave without each other.' It seemed like a lie back then but now I need my brother. It feels like pain has reduced a lot just by looking at him sleep. He looked so peaceful. But I couldn't help but notice how pale he had gotten, it reminded me of the guy, did he hurt August? He stirred in his sleep and slowly opened his eyes. There were Dark circles forming under his eyes. He looked blankly at me looking at him. Then he stood up and rushed over to me to hug me. 'Too tight' I thought but did not have the energy to say it. Then he let go like he remembered it would hurt me.

"I'm sorry" he said, now crying. I wanted to tell him not to cry and that I'm fine, but couldn't for two reasons. One, I couldn't talk. Two, I'm not fine, my whole body hurts...I can't even talk.

He kissed me on the forehead and said "I'm sorry Charlie... I should've come earlier... it's my fault... I'm not a good brother aren't I? And you've been out for a week" a week? I was out for a week? I wanted to say there couldn't be a better brother than him. I hate this, why am I not able to talk? But then, I wanted to ask him how did he know I was there? Did Alex tell him? All of the questions started circling my mind when I thought 'where's the thing...? Where's the thing that I took from the fire?' and the face of the rotting man came to my mind, I closed my eyes trying to push that away, I think August saw the fear in my eyes because he kept a hand on my forehead and said in soothing voice "it's okay, you'll be fine.."

"Are you okay?" I asked him, my voice came out raspy, my throat too dry making me cough. August rushed poured me a glass of water.

"Am i okay?" He asked me in confusion once I had finished drinking.

"Yeah.." I said hesitantly.

"I'm fine, its you, who you should worry about. Why did you ask me though?" He asked.

"No reason." I said brushing it off and closing my eyes to rest a little more, so that he wouldn't question furthur.

I wanted to believe him when he said that it'll all be okay, but it doesn't feel right. Deep inside I knew thigs were going to get more complicated. But I was too tired so I drifted off to sleep. Next time I wake up mom and dad are here, moms crying, and dad looks like he will too. By next two weeks August and I become less of enemies and more like friends. Still I haven't told him about the man or the thing that I took nor asked who told him that I was there. I just felt like it isn't the right time.

Eleanor would come to see me almost every day, Jacob, Julian and Benjamin came a lot to. The cover story was that I was met with an accident including a car not some creepy supernatural stuff while I was walking to school. The only person that didn't come to visit me was Alex. I didn't ask August about her, I am scared... what if she is dead? Now that she's not here yet I'm starting to doubt if she is really dead. I tried not to but I cried. August was cutting apples for me, actually mostly for him. He isn't very sincere when it comes to feeding me fruits. He saw me crying and hurried next to and asked what was wrong. I said it was nothing but he would listen then when I couldn't help it anymore I asked "where's Alex? Is she..."I asked.

"She's okay, she's just...she thought you died and..." then he stopped and looked at me then said

"Enough of it for now we'll talk about it later" he said. Relief filled me when he said Alex was okay, but when he refused to talk about it anymore I felt like she's not completely fine, if she's not then that'll be my mistake.

One more week and I was going back home. Uncle Dylan, my mom's younger brother was there waiting for me. I broke one leg an arm and there were tons of stitches here and there. How did that happen you ask? They refused to talk to me about it until getting home.

As much as I wanted to go home, the man into my mind. Not the hodded one, it felt as if my own home was a foreign land. It felt as the shadowy figures will follow me wherever I go. They had stopped near Aunt Marie's house, why? Did they want me to take the thing too? Did I do the wrong thing by taking it? And where was it? All these questions where left unanswered in my mind.

August was helping me get inside the house his eyes full of concern as he concentrated on not hurting me by mistake. Uncle Dylan came running towards me, I was afraid he would fall upon me. But he stopped right in front of me and looked at me and said "I'm sorry Charlie, I'm late" uncle Dylan was five years younger than mom and looked younger than he was.

"It's okay! You came that's fairly good for me" I said giving him a grateful smile.

"Oh my... it's been so long since I saw you both. You've grown up" he said and looked at me and August then added "now that I think of it the last time I saw you both you were 5 and August 7. If I remember it correctly August had ruined your drawing and moments later you were dragging him by his feet." He laughed, we laughed too. It was bizarre; he ruined my drawing because according to him it wasn't the right way to draw so I got angry and pulled his feet, he fell down and I started dragging his feet and was walking to his room but Uncle Dylan caught me. Even mom couldn't scold me properly. I admit I was a bit violent when I was younger. But we grew up August became too strong for me to fight with him.

Then we sat on the sofa, uncle Dylan was talking about his time abroad. I wanted to ask mom what happened, how I got injured and stuff but didn't feel right to ask mom in front of Uncle Dylan. Then he got a call, he said it was from a very important client and he have to attend it so he went out to talk. I found this a perfect timing so I asked mom

"What happened? How did I get injured?"

"We'll talk about that later Charlie."

"You said we'll talk about it once we're home" I snapped. I wasn't able to stop myself from snapping at her. I just wanted to know what happened and I knew all of them knew what had happened then why not tell me? Mom was about to say something when Uncle Dylan came back a smile etched on his face.

"Look who came to visit" he said and moved away...I gasped and relief flooded me. There stood ALEX...alive, healthy and not even a scratch on her. And she gave me an awkward little wave before running to me and hugging me tightly.