Escape From Antherion Tower

CHAPTER SEVEN: THE CHASE

Kelvin woke up. It felt pretty normal.

He stared at the ceiling for a second trying to remember why he had been sleeping so lightly.

Then everything came back to him.

The room had been shaking and he had heard whispers. He had found a pendant with a strange message on it.

His mother had been standing outside his bedroom door.

Kelvin sat up in bed. Waited to see if he would feel dizzy but he did not.

His head felt clear. His body felt light like he had slept for a long time.

He rubbed his face. And looked around the room.

Everything was just like he had left it.

His books were still over the floor, his drawer was slightly open and the curtains were half closed.

For a moment Kelvin wondered if he had just imagined everything that had happened.

Then he saw the pendant on his bedside table.

Kelvin picked it up. It felt completely ordinary, just a cold piece of metal.

He stared at it for a while before putting it in his pocket.

He needed to know what was going on. There was only one person who could tell him. His mother.

Kelvin went downstairs to the kitchen and his mother, Sarah, was already there.

The kitchen smelled like eggs and toast.

She turned around when she heard him and said "You're awake."

Kelvin said "Yeah."

Sarah looked at him carefully "You look better."

Kelvin replied "I feel better."

Sarah Said "That's good."

Kelvin pulled out a chair. Sat down at the table.

Sarah put a plate of food in front of him gesture him to eat

Kelvin was not hungry "I'm not here to eat" he said

Sarah stopped what she was doing.

Kelvin looked directly at her and said "We need to talk."

Sarah slowly sat down across from him,"I know."

"Then tell me what's happening."

Sarah did not answer.

Kelvin waited for her to say something. She just sat there.

Kelvin said "Mom."

"I don't know what you want me to say."

"The truth would be a start" Kelvin replied

Sarah looked down at her hands,"You're going to understand soon."

"Understand what?"

"I can't explain everything now."

Kelvin asked "Why?"

"Because you're not ready."

"Not ready?"

"Kelvin—"

But Kelvin cut her off and said "No seriously what does that even mean?"

His voice was getting louder. Sarah's expression tightened.

She said "I am trying to protect you."

Kelvin asked "From what?"

Sarah did not answer.

Kelvin said "From what Mom?"

"Kelvin, please.”

"No!" and pushed his chair back.

He said "You keep saying you're protecting me. You're not telling me anything!"

Sarah stood up and Said "I have done everything I could to keep you safe."

"By lying to me?

"I didn't lie."

Kelvin said "You kept quiet!"

Sarah's eyes filled with frustration. She said "Because I had to!"

Kelvin asked "Why?"

Sarah said "Because I was afraid!"

The kitchen was silent for a moment then Kelvin said "That's not protecting me."

"I know."

"Then what is it?"

Sarah looked at him “I'm scared”

Kelvin's expression. He said "Exactly."

Sarah looked away. Kelvin said "You've been scared this whole time. You're scared of whatever's happening to me so instead of doing something you keep pretending it isn't happening."

Sarah said "That's not fair."

Kelvin said "Neither is this!" and pointed to himself.

He said "I'm the one this is happening to!"

Sarah's said "I know!"

They did not talk for a moment then Sarah wiped her eyes, "I know, Kelvin."

Her voice was quieter now. She said "And that's why I'm scared."

Kelvin's anger did not go away. He felt a little bad for his mother.

He said " help me."

Sarah said "I can't."

Kelvin asked "Why?"

Sarah said "Because if I tell you everything now you may do something you can't undo."

Kelvin stared at her. Said "What does that mean?"

Sarah shook her head. Said "You'll understand."

Kelvin grabbed his school bag. Said "Fine."

Sarah said "Kelvin—"

But Kelvin said "I'm going to school."

Sarah said "You shouldn't go today."

Kelvin. Turned around saying "Why?"

Sarah. Said "I just think you should stay home."

Kelvin gave her a look and said "Now you care whether I leave the house?"

Sarah said "That's not what I meant."

Kelvin said "I'll see you later" and walked out of the house.

The morning air was cold. Kelvin walked quickly, his school bag hanging from one shoulder.

He was still angry not at his mother but at everything that was happening.

The whispers, the pendant, the people watching him. It was all so confusing.

He kicked a stone off the pavement and muttered "Not ready."

He hated those words. Did not know what they meant.

Who decided when he was ready?

He reached into his pocket. Touched the pendant, which was still cold and normal.

Maybe the night had just been some kind of breakdown, maybe he had been exhausted and stressed out.

He wanted to believe that he almost did.

Then a black car slowed down beside him.

Kelvin looked at it and saw that the windows were dark he could not see the driver.

He sped up. The car sped up too.

Kelvin. The car stopped ahead of him.

His stomach. The rear door opened.

A man got out. Kelvin immediately backed away.

The man was wearing a jacket and another person got out from the passenger side then another.

Kelvin looked around the street was not empty. There were not many people around.

The first man looked directly at him. Said "Kelvin Katz?"

Kelvin did not. The man said, "Come with us."

Kelvin took another step back. Said "Who are you?"

The man said, "You need to come with us."

Kelvin asked "Why?". The man just moved toward him.

Kelvin turned and ran and he heard footsteps behind him. Someone shouting "Stop!"

He sprinted down the street, his bag bouncing against his back.

He did not look behind him, he just kept running.

He heard someone shouting his name, "Kelvin!". He ran faster.

His lungs started burning. He cut through a narrow side street nearly slipping as he turned.

Footsteps followed they were gaining on him.

Kelvin looked over his shoulder. Saw two men chasing him the others had separated and were surrounding him.

His heart. He did not know where to go.

He turned left. It was a dead end.

He spun around. The men were already entering the street.

One of them raised his hand. Said "Don't make this difficult."

Kelvin backed away and his breathing got heavier. Something strange happened.

The pendant in his pocket grew warm. Kelvin froze.

The warmth spread through his chest and the man approaching him stopped.

For a moment neither of them moved then the streetlight above them flickered.

Once twice and the man looked up.

Kelvin felt something inside him shift.

The man took another step. Kelvin clenched his fists saying "Stay away from me."

The man ignored him. Said "Kelvin we're not here to hurt you."

Kelvin said "Then why are you chasing me?"

The man did not. Kelvin backed into the wall.

The pendant got hotter. The streetlight flickered again, this time every light pole on the street shook.

Darkness swallowed the road and the men stopped.

Kelvin heard one of them curse. Say "What happened?"

Another man said "I don't know, get the equipment."

Kelvin stared at his hands, they were shaking.

A faint vibration passed through the ground beneath his shoes. The men began moving toward him again.

Kelvin's became scare. He turned and ran.