Dream for the Dead (Completed/Editing)

12

Once Elias had left the room, I began to flick through a few of the paintings. Though they were all very dark and depressing in nature, it was true that Elias' mother had been an extremely talented artist. As I was thumbing through, I remembered something Doctor Carver had mentioned that didn't make sense. The Doctor said that any resident of the house who died in the town would be trapped here forever, but Elias hadn't been able to find his mother anywhere, and he hadn't seen her for all of the years he had been dead. As I pondered this, I noticed a smaller, brighter piece of paper amongst the paintings. With a careful hand, I lifted the piece to inspect it, to find it was a child's drawing of a happy family. Along the bottom, it read: 'I luV my mumy and Daddie. By Elias, 5'.
I picked it up, smiling at its adorable charm, and thought I might as well take this downstairs, try to find Elias to discuss Carver's nonsensical explanation, and show him the drawing whilst I was there. However, as I was about to leave the room, my vision blurred, and I felt a sense of disconnection from my surroundings. Starbursts of rainbow light penetrated my vision and I stumbled, disoriented.
"What's going on?!" I rubbed my eyes frantically, but my vision became blurrier still. After a few seconds, everything around me suddenly turned completely black.
"What? What happened?" I asked into the air once my vision returned and I took in my new surroundings. I was stood at the entrance to the mansion, just inside. The door was closed.
"Mum?" I shouted.
That was when I noticed that the small tables with vases of roses atop that Mum had placed either side of the double doors were gone, as well as the photo of me and Mum that had been mounted close by.
"What's going on?" I whispered to myself.
"Elias, sweetheart, we're leaving now! It's a three hour drive to Wales, so hurry up," sounded a voice I had never heard before. Wales? But Elias couldn't leave the... oh. I quickly realised what had happened, even if it didn't make any sense. I stood completely still, unsure of what to do, trying my best not to start panicking too soon.
"I'm coming, Mum!" Elias sounded really happy, his voice laced with excitement and anticipation, and all of a sudden he appeared at the top of the stairs, and sprinted down them. I was worried that Elias would see me, since he didn't know me until he had been dead for eighteen years, and there was nowhere to hide. Elias looked straight at me for a second, but didn't appear afraid or even slightly surprised to see me. Instead, he came and stood next to me, leaning against the door.
"Hurry up, Mum!" He shouted.
"Elias?" I clicked my fingers in front of his eyes.
He can't see me, I thought, this must be an illusion... what the Hell is going on here?
"I'm coming!"
His mother walked out of the room Elias had been in when he'd told me to 'carry on reading'. She had the sandy hair of Elias and those familiar treacle eyes, but she was far more worn and solemn than Elias. Her skin dull and sullen, cheeks sunken; she didn't look to be in a great state.
"And you were telling me to hurry up," Elias mocked.
"I was trying to find the car keys. Go get in the car," Elias' mother smiled weakly at him, which stretched her skin further over her features and made her look like a skeleton posing as the living. She choked, "I love you, sweetie."
"I love you too, Mum. But this is a random time to tell me, isn't it?" Elias chuckled unknowingly.
His face was still so bright and cheery, I felt my stomach sink as I looked at him, then to the doors, as I anticipated what was about to happen. With fervent glee, Elias shoved open the double doors - which travelled straight through me - and jogged towards the car outside.
"I'm so sorry, Elias," his mother whispered, to only herself and now to me, and bit her lip to contain any remorseful sobs that might escape, "but... but, you'd only leave me, too."
Even though I knew it was pointless, I screamed at her, "stop!"
When she didn't respond, I tried to grab her. Then, as she made her way out of the doors, I tried to punch her and shrieked, "Don't you dare! Elias-" I turned and ran outside, continuing to scream with tears burning my eyes," Elias, get out of that car! She wants to kill you both! Elias!"
My vision blurred once more. Once again, I was propelled into darkness.

*

Suddenly, I was back in Elias' mother's bedroom.
I allowed a single tear to roll down my cheek, and was startled when Elias started to speak behind me.
"Where the Hell have you been? Where'd you come from?"
I turned to face him, not hesitating to run at him and throw my arms around his neck.
"I'm so sorry, Elias. You looked so happy," I whispered into the comfort of his shoulder. Elias smelled of musk and sea salt.
"What are you talking about?" he pushed me away from him and held my shoulders, speaking more softly than ever, "are you feeling okay?"
I briskly shoved the drawing to his chest, and ordered fearfully, "take this off me. Right now."
"What?"
He took it, looking at it for a few moments, before muttering, "I remember drawing this. I was so proud of it at the time. I didn't know she kept it," he glanced at me, "where did you find it?"
"It was under some of the paintings. I picked it up, and I was going to find you to show it to you, but everything turned blurry, and then black. Then I was on the ground floor, but it was when you lived here."
Elias looked at me with a mixture of shock and horror in his expression, "seriously?"
"Yeah. Don't ask why, or how, but it happened. It was when you were leaving the house... the day you, you know..."
"Died?" Elias asked.
I nodded. Gloom consumed the room, and I could've sworn the stale air chilled. I shook away goosebumps and stared into Elias' treacle eyes, but quickly averted my gaze as I saw his mother in his place.
"Don't tell anyone else this happened. No matter what they say, do, or ask," he looked down at the painting, shaking his head and mumbling, "I don't know how this is possible."
"I'm confused."
He sighed, "alright. I'll explain."
He seated himself on his mum's bed, motioning for me to do the same. I sat beside him, and watched him closely, ready to listen attentively. He cast his eyes down at the drawing, and played around with its edges as he spoke, "we - the dead residents - all have one precious item that we need in order to identify and use the Saviour. These items are all kept in the meeting house to keep them safe, all except for this. This drawing... I didn't even know it was here. Whenever the Saviour touches one of these items, they get a sort of viewing of the past. So, it looks like you really are the Saviour. But you can't, Tabbi, you absolutely cannot tell anyone, especially Will. Okay?"
"Why, though? What's so bad about being the Saviour if it means I can help you all?" I was becoming frustrated with my confusion.
"I'm not telling you. That's all you're getting from me for now," he smiled playfully at me, "but one reason is that..."
He laughed nervously, and set the drawing down before continuing, "I wouldn't be here anymore, I'd be someplace else, so I wouldn't get to see you anymore."
Elias melted into my space, and he kissed me.