章節 17: Into the Darkness

Through the haze I could hear voices shouting, though I don't know what they were saying. I just seen the darkness and could feel the cold pain. My shoulder was soaking wet with my own blood and then the pressure that was put onto it made me cry out in pain. My eyes cleared enough to see shapes above me and I looked around unsure who these people were. I gritted my teeth and focused on the pain to try and stay awake.

"Mom…." I whimpered.

"Parker it's okay the medical teams here. Hold on for Mommy." Mom said with a shaky voice.

I turned towards her voice but couldn't see her face clearly. Though I could hear the fear in her voice and could tell that she was crying based on the shake in her voice. I lifted my head but the shooting pain made me collapse back down and then I heard shots being fired again. The pressure on my body intensified as I felt someone's body pressed against mine in a protective cover. I coughed and it felt wet.

" Return fire and protect the Boss!" Shouted a male voice relatively close.

The guns firing close to us echoed in my mind before I started to lose my vision again. I gripped the closest thing to me. I don't know who it was or anything but I was scared. I couldn't see and everything I heard was gunshots. There were screams farther away and then silence.

"Get him up! We got to move or else their back up will arrive and we will be overwhelmed. Doc is on standby at the mansion. Let's Move!" Shouted another.

I felt multiple hands lifting my body and doors opening. The movement made me grunt in pain and I started grinding my teeth to not shout in pain. I could feel myself breaking out in a cold sweat and the more they tried to be gentle I could feel it going straight through me. I heard ragged breaths coming from the person next to my head. I'm certain it was Mom, but I couldn't focus on the people or the movements. Door slammed shut and then tires squealing as we sped away.

"You need to hurry Parker's pulse is getting weaker." Mom shouted.

"We are going to have to go to the safe house instead of the Mansion it's closer and there's a doctor next door. He's old but he wouldn't turn away anyone." said a calm voice.

"John?" I whispered.

The car went silent and then I heard other cars honking and the car kept swerving through the traffic. It had to be John since he didn't reply, though my breathing slowed down quite a bit. I can't keep my focus and with a shaky breath I closed my eyes. All the sounds were starting to fade and I couldn't keep holding onto the hand I originally had gripped. I slipped into the darkness, and started to dream.

* * * * *

There was woods and a soft and gentle voice calling my name. Deeper and deeper into the woods I ran searching for the voice. I turned and seen the hem of a skirt disappearing behind a tree followed by laughter that sounded like a bubbling brook. I went towards the laughter, and seen a woman in a white gown sitting on a boulder near a stream. She tilted her head back and let out another bout of laughing.

"Where are we?" I asked.

"We are in between life and death. You are struggling to live but your body wants to give up. Whether or not you move forward or back is up to you." The woman answered calmly.

She looked down softly with a small smile. I looked around me and sat down next to her. I gripped the hem of my shirt and looked at the woman next to me. Her features were soft and very similar to Mom's. I took in a deep breath and gathered up my courage before turning towards her.

"Who are you? Why are you here waiting for me?" I asked cautiously.

" I am your grandmother, from you father's side. Though I know you don't like your father, he wasn't always like the way he is now. He had to grow up without me around and didn't get to stay sweet and innocent for long. Try not to hold it against him." She softly whispered.

I felt a pull and looked in that direction. I wasn't sure what was happening but that pull was getting stronger.

"Don't fight it Parker, just follow it. It's time for you to go back." She said with a smile.

Her image disappeared in a haze of smoke, and then a calm night settled upon me. I could feel the bed I lay on and the rise and fall of my chest. I drifted into sleep with an entire body aching and soft subtle noises in the background.