Abeyance

Chapter 18. The Prophecy.

Chapter 18. The Prophecy.

The inside of the cabin didn't look much better than the outside. The peeling walls were littered with newspaper clippings, books were stacked high atop each other in every corner of the room, and the staticky sounds of a television news broadcast blared loudly from across the house. Callie, Laila and Addison eyed the small two bedroom shack wearily as Declan pushed past them.

"I've got some medical supplies in the back for the boy. He needs to lie down. Hopefully he'll start to come to by tomorrow." Callie and Laila followed directly behind him, acting as makeshift bodyguards for Kalen's unconscious body. Addison broke free of Laila's grasp, taking a self guided tour of the rundown shelter.

"Hopefully?" Laila asked quietly, unnerved by the tall man's callous attitude towards the situation. He paid her no mind as they entered a small, bare bedroom, laying Kalen down on the firm twin bed. In his sleep, Kalen's eyes darted chaotically under his closed lids. His breathing was rapid and tumultuous. Callie couldn't bear to listen any longer. She turned to Declan as he dug through piles of junk in his closet, finally pulling out something that mildly resembled a medical kit.

"What do you need us to do?" She gave Declan her full attention, turning completely away from Kalen. She struggled to keep from looking back at him.

Laila clutched the door frame as she watched Kalen from the foot of the bed, concentrating hard on his distraught form. His body thrashed violently in his slumber, beads of sweat forming along his hairline. More determinedly now the blonde girl pictured his restless face in her mind as a single tear fell from her dark lashes, instantly feeling a wave of calm wash over her body.

In an instant the thrashing and the incoherent murmurs came to a halt, and Kalen's body went completely still. His chest began rising and falling steadily as it found a soothing rhythm. Laila's eyes reopened, and she let out a small sigh of relief. She held the wall a little tighter now, suddenly feeling exhausted and weak, a bead of sweat dripping from her brow, but she smiled softly nonetheless.

"Here, take this." He thrust some antiseptic and bandages into Callie's hands before turning to Laila. "For the open wounds. Bandage them up and I'll be right back to give you a hand." Callie blinked, taking a fraction of a second to absorb his words before following his orders and running back to Kalen's side. Declan took Laila by the arm, leading her into the hall.

"It's okay, come with me," he said, his tone more gentle than it had been in any of their previous conversations. She eyed him skeptically as he led her down the hallway, but didn't seem to have the strength to argue.

Declan carefully sat Laila down on the couch, muting the loud and poorly connected television that illuminated the dark room. She arched her head up to meet his worried gaze. His expression quickly shifted into one of hardened indifference.

"How are you feeling?"

"I'm okay... a little tired. What..." she trailed off, finding the courage to ask her next question. She pulled at her sleeves self subconsciously. "What just happened to me, Declan?"

"Well, in short, you're very special, Laila."

Laila, still feeling a bit off kilter, leaned away from Declan in surprise. Her tone was now horrified when she gasped, "How do you know my name?"

"Relax, relax," he urged, not wanting the girl to become worked up again. His ordinarily stoic and rugged features were now kind and gentle. He appeared much younger now than he had when they originally met. The kindness of his expression gave him a much more youthful glow behind his jaded brown eyes and unshaven jawline.

"I know each and every one of you, in a sense. I've been waiting for you all for a very, very long time, you see," Declan continued.

"How long have you been in this place?" Laila's wide blue eyes studied Declan intently. The question was vague, but he understood just what she meant. How long had he been on this earth? Stuck, dangling between life and death; trapped in Abeyance. He was thoughtful for a moment, never diverting his gaze from hers.