Step into the Night chapter 5

Hello! I'm back with a double update.

Things in the next few chapters is a bit confusing. No worries as most of the question will be answered hopefully.

Warning: This work has broken English. Approach with caution and a sense of dignity to correct me if I'm wrong so that I can improve my writing.

Synopsis:Henry Edgewhiteis a normal teenage boy with one disadvantage-he can't dream. Although it seemed an insignificant fact but that weakness is only a piece of the puzzle. There have been an outbreak in Malaysia. A disease called Acute Brain Activity Disorder (ABAD) kills people just by shuting down their brains. Little do the people of Malaysia know, that disease is not your ordinary disease. Rather, it was a tool to set up the stage for an evil plot. And Henry was right in the middle of it.



Chapter 5: Confused

         His body jolted from deep slumber. His eyes snapped open. White. A white ceiling. “A white ceiling?” Henry tried to move his body. He winced from the numbing pain from his back. “Ouch, that dumpster is something.” Henry rubbed his back which is totally exposed. He was definitely wearing a hospital robe which explains the white ceiling. He was in a hospital. There was no surprise though since he is a victim of an assault.

         He was struck by the sudden realization. Michelle! Henry cursed for forgetting his best friend’s condition. How is she? The image of her tortured, crying face flashed in his mind. Her thin figure leaned on the alley wall, tears flowing freely and her eyes were full of fear.  I need to find her! Henry pulled the blankets away when-

         Thump! An invisible hammer struck his head. Argh! Henry gasped from the sharp pain in the head. Thump! The second throb is more intense than the first. Argh!!! Henry clutched his head, trying to stop the painful throbbing. Henry rolled himself into fetal position, bearing the pain. His vision was blurred. Thump! The third throb was an unforgiving one. Argh!!! Henry cried in pain. His vision was red this time. Voices attacked his mind. ‘Change the world’ ‘Keep it for me’ ‘Great adversary’ ‘a power’ His back arched. The pain was immense. “Argh!”

         The fourth throb hit him harder than the last three. His head felt like it was hit by a train. Henry clenched his head so hard that the force of it could crack his head open. Suddenly, the pain left him. Henry gasped for air as his drenched body lay down on the bed, exhausted from the sharp pain in the head. “What was that?” His laboured breath echoes through the room.

         He remembered the event prior to his awakening. That person named Horus. Who is he? What is he? Why is he in my dream?

“Wait...my dream?”

Henry just realized it. Horus appeared while he is sleeping which mean he had a dream? A dream! Henry Edgewhite finally had a dream. He couldn’t help to smile for his first dream. He didn’t know what his problem with dreams is but he actually had a dream although it is quite a dream for his first.

Even so, Henry couldn’t help to think about his first dream. Everything that happened in his dream was so weird. What Horus was talking about, it seems to mean so much to him. Power? Why would he need power? He is just a normal boy. He didn’t need power like all the hero in the anime he watched.

Then again, Henry had a sudden feeling that what Horus is saying is true. Is like he will change everything in Henry’s world. Henry shook his head. “I’m thinking too much.”

         Then, there was a creek. The door opened. “Henry?” Henry stirred from the familiar voice. He sat up and saw the origin of the voice. “Mom?” In a split second, Karen Edgewhite rushed to her son’s side and hugged him. “Henry, thank god you’re okay!” Karen hugged Henry tightly. She exerted such force in her hug that Henry thought his head might just popped out. “M..Mom...You’re suffocating me.” Henry literally gasped. Karen let go of the embrace. “I’m sorry. I’m just so worried and you were out cold for 5 days and...” Karen wiped a lone tear that streamed down her face. She opened her mouth but no words came out. She was just speechless.

         Henry was a little shocked. This is the first time he saw his mother cried. She is a strong lady with sarcasm to boot. For a woman like her to shed a tear, it is downright unbelievable. She must have been really worried. Henry was feeling guilty for making his mother worry.

         Henry smiled. “It’s okay mom. I’m fine now.” Karen sniffed and rubbed her eyes. “Yeah, I know.” She smiled. The nurse went up to Henry’s side. “Your mom is really worried about you. Thank god you woke up.” Henry nodded. The nurse is really friendly. That explains the homey aura around her. “Now can I have a look at your condition for a while?” Henry nodded.

         The nurse took his temperature, checked his charts and asked a series of question. Usually, Henry would groaned and sulk throughout the process but he tolerate with the nurse this time because she was nice and he didn’t want to anger his mother now. The nurse scribbled something on his chart and gave a reassuring smile. “You are perfectly fine. Your temperature is normal. Blood pressure is normal. Pupil size is normal. It is like you are not meant to be in a hospital. Then again, it might be exhaustion.” The nurse stared dumbfounded at the chart. “It is a wonder why you didn’t wake up for 5 days.” The nurse turned around and gave another smile to Karen. “Don’t worry madam. He is perfectly fine. I’ll talk to the doctor regarding his discharged.” With that the nurse left the mother and child in the room.

         “Did I really go out cold for 5 days?” Henry asked. “Yes, you were unconscious for 5 days. I was worried sick. I came here every day to see you. I even asked for a sick leave from the darned editor to look after you.” Henry chuckled at the ‘darned editor’ statement. His mother is still the same as always. But still, 5 days? That is too long. Henry just got hit into a wall, thrown across the alley and choked which is still not too bad to result in a 5 days coma. Even the nurse couldn’t identify his problem. Exhaustion? That is just not possible. Does that mean that the events in the circle of torches lasted for 5 days? This is ridiculous.

         “Oh yeah, where is dad?” Henry asked. Karen’s face faulted. “Your dad? He just had a call from the Ministry. They need his expertise in Neurology for the ABAD cases. Considering the seriousness of the case, he won’t be coming back home for a while. He called and said he will just sleep in the research lab.” “Oh, I see.” Henry was a little sad he still could not see his father. A busy man as always.

         “But don’t worry about him. I’m sure he misses you too. Maybe he would take us to dinner after all of this commotion is settled.”

         “Yeah, that would be great. It’s been a while since we last went to dinner together. The last time is when the day Michelle got sick and-“

         Sudden realization hit him. How could he forget her again? She of all the people, and he forgot about her twice. Henry cursed himself again for his short term memory

         “Mom, where is Michelle?” he asked his mother. “Oh, Michelle. I think she is in the other ward. I met her mother at the cafeteria the other day.”

         “Is she okay?” Henry asked eagerly. Karen’s face faulted slightly. “I am not sure. Her mother said she just had a few bruises but she is now kinda...different.”

         “Different?” Not a good. Totally not a good sign. The image of her emotionless face flashed in his head. She is a little different on that day. She seems quite and down, unlike her usual bubbly side. Henry is started to feel really worried about Michelle. After all, she is his best friend.

         “Can I go and see her?” Henry asked. Karen frowned. “No, you can’t. You just woke up from your sleep and-”

“But I’m really worried about her condition.” Henry cut off his mother. “And she is my friend.”

Karen looked at Henry with sympathy and sighed. “Okay, fine. You can go and see her. Make sure you don’t go anywhere else.”

Karen stood up. “Can you stand up properly?” she offered her hand.

Henry accepts his mother’s hand and tries to stand up. A sharp pain jolted through his back. He winced to the pain but he overcame it. Henry took his first step after 5 days on bed and it stings, badly. “Are you okay?” his mother asked worriedly. “I’m okay. It just stings.”

Henry practically limped out of the room and into the corridors with his mother. Michelle’s ward was just a few rooms away, a blessing for Henry as he won’t walk so much. His legs are stinging, like hundreds of needles poking his legs like an angry swarm of bees. The short walk towards Michelle’s ward has filled with silence. Henry was cursing with every step while Karen is busy poking her new I-phone, looking very irritated.

Once they arrived in front of Michelle’s room, Karen sighed and looked at her phone. “The darned editor requested the manuscript today. So, I need to go back home for a while to fetch my stuff.” Karen pocketed her phone.

“So, don’t do anything weird or funny or flirt with the nurses but please do call them if you need any help.”

“Flirt the wa?”

“A random thought. Anyways, I really have to go.” Karen patted Henry’s head. “Be a good boy. Bye” With that, Karen walked through the corridors, leaving Henry behind. He could not help to smile at his mother immediate change of behaviour to her original self. She is a great woman.

“Well, now I’m here.” Henry looked at the door in front of him. Henry brought his hand up to knock the door and he paused. Will she really be alright? Henry took a deep breath and knocked the door. There was a short paused before a plain “Come in” phrase greeted him. He twisted the door knob and opens the door.

There was Michelle on the bed. An IV tube was attached to the back of her right hand. Her long hair flows freely below her shoulder and down her back, not tied into a ponytail like she always did. Her face bears scratches bruises from the incident a few days back. It infuriates him to see his friend’s face scratched and bruised by an unknown madman.

Henry walked towards her bed slowly as his legs are still stinging and sat on the chair besides her bed. For some reason, he was feeling really awkward around her. Michelle was not even looking at him. Her eyes were fixed at the blankets like it is the world’s most interesting object.

“Um...Hey Michelle.” Henry said with an awkward smile. “So how are you today? Henry could smell a big fail from his performance.

Michelle affixed her gaze at Henry. “Well, I’m okay. I guess.” She replied with a plain tone. She then stares at the blanket again.

“Oh, that’s great. I guess.”

“...”

Silence filled the room. Henry was dying from all this awkwardness. It just doesn’t feel right. He never felt this awkward around Michelle before. Speaking of Michelle, something is definitely off about her since before the incident. Her bubbly self seems to vanished and has been replaced by a gloomy, emotionless Michelle.

Henry looked at her face. Bruises and scratches were not the only thing new on her face. Lifeless black orbs of her eyes. That is something Michelle never had. Her eyes were usually filled with happiness and hope but why it has turned into such a lifeless pair of orbs? The way she stares the white plain blanket covering her, she looks like a sad and hurt young lady. It hurts him to see her like this.

Another thing that bugs him that why would Michelle go to the alley in the first place? Despite her daring attitude, she is a girl who really prioritizes her own safety and won’t go through an alley just for the heck of it.

“Um...Michelle?” Henry asked.

Michelle looked back at him. “Yes?” the replied was as plain as the one before.

“Um...whydidyougotothealleyonthatday?” Henry blurted the question out so fast, that it will make the champion of tongue twisters into shame.

Michelle raised her eyebrow? “What?”

“God, why am I so nervous and awkward?” Henry cleared his throat.

“Why did you go to the alley on that day?” Henry asked as calmly as he could.

“...”

“I..I..I mean you are such a safety-minded person...” Henry stammered. “Safety-minded? Way to genius. ” “You are not involved in any funny business right?”

“...” Michelle kept quite. Her eyes were still affixes at the blanket.

Henry sighed inwardly. He kinda hated all this silence. He really misses the old times of fun and excitement.“Why is Michelle acting like this? It is like we are not best friends anymore.”

“A voice” Michelle finally spoke.

“Huh?”

“A voice...in my dreams...telling me...to answer my true calling.” Michelle said. “Find your destiny...answer the call...grasp the chance. And then, there was light.”

“Light?” Henry asked.

“Yes, a bright light and there was a person. It was a girl...a small girl.” Michelle clutches her blanket. “And images of people started flashing in front of me. I hear screams and cries for help. I wanted to help them but I couldn’t move. I was angry at myself for not able to help them. And then-” Michelle paused. A glint of sadness appears in my emotionless eyes.

“And then?”

“The voice spoke again. Come to me and I shall grant power to save.”

“The power?” Henry was surprise. “I shall grant you power.” That voice of the mysterious red-haired person echoes in his mind. Events at the circle of torches came flooding into his mind. Horus...Power...Protect... “Don’t take his hand!” “A great adversary will fall upon you in the near future.” What does that mean?

“And also-” Michelle’s voice interrupted Henry’s train of thought.

“Just before I woke up, the voice came back. This time, with another person.” Michelle looked at Henry. “They offered me with power.”

Henry was shocked at the last sentence. “I shall grant you power.”

“Th..They offered you with power? Wh...What else did they say?”

“A great adversary will be upon you is the near future...Tragedy is unfolding and disaster is imminent...A great battle will take place, its magnitude transcends through dimensions...Lives will be lost...Sacrifice will be made...Tears shall be shed...Blood shall be spilled...The people with suffer...the warriors will collapse...Life will be shrouded with fear...  Lies and felony will be truth...The truth will be lies and felony...Reality will be hell...” Michelle recalled such disturbing event with such accuracy and emotion. It is like she is the one who said it in the first place. Her eyes were now opened wide, filled with fear and despair. She is like going to be insane. And then, she took a deep breath and exhaled slowly.

“And they offered me the power to change it all...” she muttered.

Henry was a bit shocked by Michelle’s sudden surge of emotions when she recalled the event and the he was baffled by the ridiculousness of her story. It was really strange. Strange and cryptic just like Lady Gaga’s video. It just doesn’t make any sense. Why is the message from Michelle’s and his dream were identical? Why did they been offer power in their dreams. If it is to be a coincidence, this is too accurate and weird to be one. Just what is the meaning of this?

Henry rubbed his forehead, absolutely baffled by this information. “But this is just doesn’t make any sense. I had a dream too. A dream, yes finally! In my dreams, there is some weird person that offers me power too. He also talked about a great adversary in the future and some weird stuff about Ava-something.” Henry looked at Michelle. “Why we had been offered with power in our dream? We never asked for some powers right?”

Michelle stared at Henry’s black orbs. She looks sympathetic at him like he was the true victim here. Why would she look at him like that?

“I...I’m not sure.” She replied bluntly.

Henry looked down at the floor. He didn’t know how to respond to that answer. So many things are still unclear and it is really weird. Henry wondered why he is thinking all of this weird information so much. It is irrelevant to his life but why he thinks it is a big deal?

“Argh!” Henry ruffled his hair out of frustration. He took a deep breath and exhaled. “I really need to calm down. I’ve been thinking too much.” He sighed.

“Haaaa...”

Henry looked at Michelle. She is clutching her head with one hand while the other hand clutches the bed sheets hard. Her eyes were wide in pain. She gritted her teeth with such force that it could just shattered into pieces any second.

“Michelle! Are you okay?” Henry stood up  and went by her side.

“Argh!” Her body lurched forward. Both hands are clutching her head now. Henry was shocked. It is the extreme pain he felt before. Michelle is experiencing the same thing.

“Guh!” Michelle gritted her teeth hard, trying to resist the pain. Henry panicked. This is bad. He fumbled around the bed for the ‘Call nurse’ button. Another cry of pain made his body to search for the button faster.

Then he felt it, the little button of hope. He gave it a push. One agonizing scream later, nurses came rushing into the room. They quickly gathered around Michelle’s bed.

“She is experiencing a mild seizure! Get the dose quick!”

“Argh!”

“Calm down...try to hold it a bit more.”

Henry looked worriedly as another piercing scream of pain attacked his ear and his heart. She is in a lot of pain and he is powerless.

“Sir...” Henry felt a tap on his shoulder. Henry turned around to see an Indian nurse.

“Can you please leave the room for a moment? We need to treat the patient and it is better for you to not see her like this.”

Henry smiled sadly. “Okay, I’ll do just that.”

As he walked to the door, a throbbing pain hit him hard in the hard. Henry stumbled but he managed to stabilize himself by grabbing the doorknob.

“ARGH!”

         Henry opened the door and closed it back as soon as he got out. He leaned on the door as the throbbing pain disappeared. “What is the meaning of this?”

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Double update! Well the plot advances more in this chapter. The story till this chapter might seemed irrelevant to the synopsis but just tune in to the next chapters. Things will do make sense later. Don't forget, read and review!