Evermore

Chapter 2

Elone opened her heavy sleep filled eyes to find herself no longer in the warm safety of her bedroom, no longer tucked away in the sheets of her bed. A chilling breeze caused her to shudder in spite of herself. She peered around expectedly, a wave of calm washing over her, she didn’t feel scared, merely, intrigued. The white robes she bore hung off her billowing in the soothing breeze, as she stood alone, a strange aura and a soothing ambient pulse engulfing her presence.

She looked about smiling, fragments of light sailed and glimmered about her, a towering circular stone room encased her, a beautiful starlit sky soared over head, and stars shimmered vividly against the velvet black. Inscriptions masked the grey stone walls. Latin phrases merged and faded, Greek, hieroglyphs, and Celtic runes all shimmered and faded upon the wall,. ‘Ad astra’, ‘Est deus in nobi’ and other such scribings. There were no windows, no openings of any sort other than the skylight above her.

Glowing silver light radiated down upon her, resonating eerily. Elone peered around the room quickly trying to gain some sort of grasp of reality, in the shadows before her now stood a figure clocked and hooded within white robes that bore no symbols, no insignia, no markings whatsoever. The figure grasped at a long golden staff that shone like a beacon before her.

“Elone,” Spoke her soft ethereal voice, “Watch.” She whispered as she swept the staff about in a single arc- like motion.

Golden light radiated forth a soft shimmer at first, before slowly brightening. Slowly the tower faded to darkness. Merely the symbols remained shining through the dark. The carnage slowly faded into view merging through the shimmering symbols, the symbols hanging only a moment longer in the air lingering as smoke would..

A broken road lies in ruins strewn with burnt out empty shells lying in shatters. The world is engrossed in an eerie silence, fires still rage as smoke and smolders rise from the desolation. All is dancing against the colourless haze of a hanging backwash, the wind catching up the plumes of smoke in a majestic ballet of sorts, the smoke dancing and curling before winging away on the chilling breeze. She held herself against the cold, not so much physically as mentally, the sheer feel of the world freezing the bone.

Monoliths crumble in the haze that descends upon the buildings, skyscrapers cling to the sky, burnt out and wasting away, all wasting away. Screams suddenly break the silence, echoing through the streets, through every crack and crevice, another soul lost to damnation.

“Watch, see, feel”

Elone stared around through the haze as she entered the west of the city staring at the fires that raged and the bodies that laid crumpled about her, stacks of lives undone. The air smelt old, stale, a hanging sense of memories washed away, a lingering sense of death.

She walked many streets, feeling the hate, the pain, the death cling to her. She turned around staring into a shop window the reflection staring back at her through the haze. Herself, her world, before the fighting, before the death, before the war.

“Elone” whispered the voice as the images faded to darkness, leaving her screaming at the top of her lungs.

Elone awoke with a start sweat pouring off her brow in waves, her breathing was hard her chest pounding with every beat of her heart. Light shone in through the window burning her face, she covered her face with her hand wiping her face with the nearest garment.

She sat up feeling her body calm, the throbbing in her arm remained from the cuts she bore, other than that she found herself calmed. The vivid images in her mind she had encountered already losing shape and substance. Dreams can’t hurt you, she was just hallucinating, and she knew how fragile her mental state was. Not that she cared. Not that anyone cared. Why would they? And alas she found herself looping down in to her sadness, an empty spiral in to which she lost herself.

She made her way over to the window staring out at the distant city and the suburbs around her, looking out over the distant roads, the images although losing form remained vivid, the crumbling buildings, the smoke, the fire, the death. And in that very moment she swore she could still smell the smoke, taste the death.

She dressed in whatever was nearest and made her way down to the kitchen eating a few stale crisps from a bowl and washing down the crumbs with a large measure of vodka, trying to wash away the memories. She stood for a moment staring down at the paper that lay unread on the table amidst the rubbish she had accumulated. It was an old paper, clearly a month or two old, the headline reading. Retaliation Land Troops – Answer or Catalyst? She stared at the title the words hanging in her mind, the accompanying picture of a mass movement of troops through a desolate Middle Eastern town. She seemed to recall this, a memory, of sorts. It wasn’t the picture or the exact words but something seemed familiar.

The knock at the door startled her as she shrugged off the coincidence and placed the bottle down on the side. Making her way toward the door she stared at the mirror that stood adjacent. The pale complexion, drawn out features, black holes out of which once sparkling eyes shone, now only mirrored the desolation she had dreamed of and the ghosts that haunted her footprints.

She opened the door slowly not bothering to hide herself, or the way she looked, as far as she was concerned she didn’t give a damn. The postman stared at her blankly, briefly taken back by the phantom he saw before him, the pause hung for a silent moment.

“Yes?” spoke Elone in a frightfully hostile manner, not bothering with pleasantries. She knew he would think the worst of her, judging her on mere looks, then again looks weren’t exactly deceiving, it didn’t matter of the conditions, or history, she was a mess. No better than the drug addicts that tore themselves apart. Well at least she had her morals, however frail they maybe.

The silence hung a moment longer before the postman could find the right words.

“I have a package for an, Elone?” He dare not look into her eyes as he talked for fear of what he might find, he looked down at a small rectangular pad upon which he had noted many names and codes, “Elone Summers?”

“Yes that’s me.” She sighed trailing off, staring out at the bright autumn light the world beheld seeing cars drive by, people walking dogs, and a couple of people look her way.

“Sign here please” He asked as he handed her the pad and package, Elone signed without so much as a word, barely even looking at him

“Thanks” she sighed half heartedly, almost as if it were merely a breath.

“Have a n…” The post man trailed off nodding and walking off hurriedly.

Elone slammed the door behind her without care carrying the package into the lounge, staring down at the large brown box. Carefully she scrabbled at the box, ripping at the outer cardboard casting it aside without so much as a glance.

The leather bound book was mahogany brown lined with the most beautiful gold leaf, that although worn, glimmered in the little light that made it into the room. The book was large and heavy feeling as old as the pages were within. She had forgotten all about this book, her mother had managed to get it sent to her from an old colleague. Her mother. She shook the thought off before it could bring the overwhelming sadness to her thought. Her fingers brushed over the cover.

It was filled with priceless knowledge, information that many thought legend, rituals, prayers, spells all taken from ancient mythology. She had originally tried to get hold of it for a lecture she was taking, a presentation on ‘Mythological Origins And Basis in Truth’ , she had never got to give the lecture.

She flicked through the pages careful as not to damage the old book. It covered everything as she skimmed through the titles, Messages, Prayers, Dreams, Rituals, Underworld the list went on. She felt for the first time since the tragedy, inspired by the past. She set herself down to read, but stopped suddenly feeling weak and in need of food and air.

She put the book aside, it would have to wait. She brought herself to her feet, she needed to go to the shop, she needed to leave the house, and the memories were already seeping through her defenses as she pulled on her long black boots.

She stared at the outside world from the archway in which she now stood. She wore flared fraying jeans and a black strap top, with black hooded coat covering her arms against the brisk autumn weather. She hugged herself close against the cold, the wind against her face, somehow foreign. She watched as people passed, watched as cars drove by, watched as people stared. She stood taking in the colours and feel of the world around her.

She shivered, the chilling feel of isolation running through her, sorrow prowled in her wake, fear and loneliness grasped to her shadow. She breathed in slowly before locking the door and walking out into the golden autumn embrace.

She moved elegantly like a ghost, like a phantom, and as such she was regarded people stared at her for brief moments the look of disgust, and fear mirrored in there eyes, many crossed the road as to not cross her path, many didn’t even look into her eyes, everyone kept away. She knew why. You keep as much space as you can between yourself and death.

She turned left on West Street; passing a row of flat-block faceless houses, remnants of a time when the world that was that much different. Just like them she had to leave it all behind and rebuild her life, well she had to leave it all behind first, great a building is better than me she thought as she paced on without so much as a second glance. Paranoia prowled after her as she walked. She knew they looked, she knew they stared, she knew they judged, she knew. She stopped for a moment, a wave of dizziness and weakness running through her, grasping at the brick wall to steady herself she breathed in deeply. She was fine. Fine.

She shrugged off the feeling of unbelonging and walked into the small local shop. All was silent in the shop bar the small radio that sat aside the counter attendant, who merely shifted gaze to her and away once more. She took a moment to stare at the parallel aisles that stretched the length of the shop. Reaching down for a basket and making sure the basket was in check she began walking down the aisles. She peered down at items feeling disgusted at the mere slogans and packages that stared back at her, the smooth surface of glass cabinets mirroring her shadow, for only a ghost could behold such emptiness.

She stared down at the cans, feeling oddly drained, reaching for the nearest tin of soup. In that very instant a wave of weakness and dizziness ran through her riding up and down through her, her strength failing. She gripped at the shelf but it was no good. She was so weak she couldn’t, couldn’t. And with the items around her she fell to the floor in a sprawling heap, collapsing without a sound.

She stared around from where she lay feeling the last of her energy drain away eyes fluttering one last time in a futile attempt to stay conscious. Everything went black.

A broken road lies in ruins strewn with burnt out empty shells lying in shatters. The world is engrossed in an eerie silence, fires still rage as smoke and smoldering ash rises from the desolation. All is dancing against the colourless haze of a hanging backwash, the wind catching up the plumes of smoke in a majestic ballet of sorts, the smoke dancing and curling before winging away on the chilling breeze. She holds herself against the cold, not so much physically as mentally the sheer feel of the land freezes the bone.

Monoliths crumble in the haze that descends upon the buildings, skyscrapers cling to the sky, burnt out and wasting away, all wasting away. Screams suddenly break the silence, echoing through the streets, through every crack and crevice, another soul lost to damnation.

She stands a statue a light against the velvet black, although inside her fire burns no more. She knew this was coming, she had been the last hope, yet she had been too blind, too selfish, and too short sighted to believe. She stares as dark feral creature’s prowl the streets, feeding on the remains of life, what was once the realm of the living; now reduced in comparison to the lands of Hades. Their wide yellow eyes, dark tiger like fur coat and arched muscular bodies move smoothly. Their large claws scraping against the concrete floor and littered debris. They are moving with intent gathering up bodies in piles, to later devour not only their flesh, but their very souls

Gunfire roars through the city yet is quickly silenced along with the wielder, for the few left who fight always die the quickest. There had once been a great war, a fight she had fought in, a resistance and a stand. Back when the world was whole, but all had been lost in the wake of the fight, she had succumbed; she had allowed the fight to escalate. The only reason she was still alive was to endure her own punishment, to witness her own creation.

She descends into the city, walking at one with the dead. The beasts ignore her, wary of her, they know what will become of them if they cross her path. The windows of shops are blown out, fires rage all about a thick fog of smoke and putrid death lingers. Debris lie all about, shells of vehicles crumpled and torn apart, rubble and twisted metal lie upon the shards of glass strewn through out the wasteland. Yet all moves in her presence, anything that doesn’t she reduces to ash, she doesn’t fight anything, she doesn’t fend off the beasts, mere scavengers, she fights nothing for it is too late, she has nothing left. She kills for mere satisfaction, or in mercy, as mercy is all she has, she created their hell, she might as well bring what little salvation she can. She walks among this; all is calling out to her, she knows they all speak of her, whisper of what she has become ‘Persephone, queen of the underworld’

She wheels around in a single elegant movement and watches as a man approaches her, covered in blood, eyes gouged from their sockets, limbs torn apart he screams at her scrabbling as he falls to the floor, driven mad with the need to be free , she stares at him a moment longer before meeting what would have been his gaze and casts fire straight into his heart, his body slumping lifeless yet somewhat at peace, blood pooling on the floor about the crumpled lifeless corpse.
She was still merciful if nothing else.

The bleak world drab grey and dying still hung about her as she closed her eyes against the world that had become. The hell that was her own making. The hell that was her punishment. That hell of which she was queen, free, yet prisoner, she might as well be dead. And how she longed to be so.

“Elone,” Spoke the ethereal voice, “Watch”

Elone tried to beg, plead, scream for freedom from the cycle of images.

“Save me!” She screamed in a shrill desperate howl

“Save them” Returned the voice

“Who!”

“Everyone” And her voice faded as quickly as it had come drifting away as if carried on in the wake of an astral wind.

She watched from afar as the explosion ripped through the modern day city, she watched the fire, listened to the screams, smelt the blood, and stared into the eyes. Then once more everything spiralled away into a dark void.

John sat by Elone in her house, watching her body twist, turn and arc, watching the sweat pour off her brow. He had found her several hours earlier, luckily he had just pulled up outside the shop as she had collapsed and managed to act. He had brought her home, bandaged up her wounds and had been watching her ever since, she clearly had concussion and had collapsed from exhaustion, and the abuse she had bestowed upon herself. He watched in despair listening to her inconsistent breathing and watching as her body revolted against the voyage her mind held sway upon, unaware of the darkness she was embracing.

He was still elusive to what had happened, although he could pretty much guess it was lack of energy, she was still too weak, for Christ’s sake she hadn’t eaten a damn thing in at least a month, well not properly merely enough to sustain herself, and only just enough at that.

He sighed, feeling weary himself, feeling so helpless in his futile attempts to help her. All he could do was try, what else was there he could do? He turned his attention to the window and grasped her hand, for what might be her only lifeline to the real world.


It had been three months since this girl before him had lost everything. It was still summer the heat reaching well into the hundreds in the downtown area. The tar shimmered as the heat rose off of the flat black rivers that wound through the city. The world was alive with people mingling, working, driving, everything was alive under the midday sun. Elone and her family were visiting the city on this rare occasion for Elone’s birthday the plan was to have a nice shop then go for a fancy evening meal. “Would be nice to be a snob for a change, even if it was an eccentric one” her father had said winking at her.

They had parked in one of several long stay multi-storey car parks in the centre of the city, her sister was to remember where the car was as the rest of them were pretty oblivious. Paying a quick fee they walked out into the summer sunlight, the heat beating down on them. Already feeling the harshness of the air, her father was a tall lean man with long brown hair that waved down his back, and although clean and smart was obviously a rebellious sort longing for the freedom of his younger years. Her mother was shorter, extremely tiny but with looks to kill and eyes that were the most startling blue although in her fifties she could still turn heads with little or no trouble. Once again she wore a brightly coloured dress and sported an array of strange jewellery. Both had a very bizarre history and rarely spoke much of it, there was too much to tell in all honesty. Her sister was three years younger and amazingly pretty and very intelligent, she was a dangerous combination of curves and ability with long blonde hair and deep sea blue eyes.

They walked for a while stopping in a few department stores to sift through the junk as her mother always said, “you never knew what you might find”, her dad would always finish by saying, “usually more junk”

They escaped out of the harsh sunlight after a time, diving into the nearest coffee shop.

“I think that we should buy a boat” Spoke her father suddenly

“George” spoke her mother sighing

“Ha, I can just see it Admiral George” Snorted her sister, “Wanted for piracy”

“He couldn’t do pirating,” Elone offered smiling ruefully, “He’d have to actually work to do that.”

“Oh very funny!”

“I think the girls make a very valid point”

“Yes Admiral and your fleeting crew of hamsters!”

Elone laughed half choking on a mouthful of orange juice, “Sorry just the idea of a hamster being fired out of a cannon, a classic image!”

They all chuckled softly taking huge gulps at there drinks to chase away the heat that crept in through the café.

“This reminds me of that time when we were in Switzerland, doesn’t it Shell,” spoke her father staring gleefully at her mother, the love between them clearly not lost, “You remember on our
honeymoon”

“Course I remember,” She spoke waving her hand about smiling at the thought.

“Well what happened or is this a ‘private’ joke?” Elone looked over at her sister smirking and winked

“Well we were sitting outside this café out the outskirts of Geneva enjoying the midday sun and tucking into our lovely Swiss meal.”

“You ordered chips!” her mother interrupted

“Chips, with Swiss cheese!” he chuckled to himself

And thus the conversation continued in the manner of interruptions and banter.

Soon after finishing their drinks and light snacks they made their way back out into the summer heat. Buildings stretched away in all directions all away to the horizon, great monoliths that threatened the sky itself. Elone wondered silently to herself, what it would be like to see a world in which technology was not the power people sought.

They wandered for a time looking in windows, and mainly winding up her father in the usual manner and laughing off the effects.

“Right we’ll just go in here, and head over to le grand diner or whatever it’s called!” her father told them as they made their way to the last department store.

“I’m not feeling too good I’m gonna wait out here” spoke Elone softly her stomach lurching at the thought of going in another hot humid building. Giving them a quick hug and reassuring wave she watched them enter the building, smiling in spite of herself.

That was when her world changed forever.

She stared at the world feeling strangely enlightened and at peace, murmuring songs to herself and watching as all manner of vehicles and people pass her by. She talked to a couple of people, talking about random things, the weather, the time, and usually the rush everyone was in.

She turned to look in through the glass seeing her family walking very slowly toward her staring at other things throughout the shopping centre, usually the signs saying ‘Sale now on, 20% off!’
Suddenly the first explosion roared behind her sending shards of glass, bodies and fire launching across the street near to where she stood, she covered her face instinctively fear running through her freezing her where she stood, she thought to run to her family, but she couldn’t move. Screams arose through the ear splitting roar, as bodies lay in pools of blood, debris littering the surroundings. Fire and smoke curled on the breeze creeping up the walls. People lay dead or dying, cradled in the arms of those more fortunate. Elone screamed wheeled about to stare through the glass, trying to call to her family who were standing frozen in place terror and fear mirrored in their eyes.

For a moment everything stopped, an eerie silence hung in the air, bar the sound of sorrow slowly arising from all around. Shattered remains and crumpled bodies now lay all around, those who were dying; now lay dead among the others, rivers of blood now flowed all about.

Without warning another explosion broke the silence far closer, the roar causing Elone to fling herself away from the building and cover her face. She stared through the glass as the explosion ripped through the department store, as fire ran along the corridors and aisles. She stared at them, at her family the terror and crying pleas, there final screams, their eyes locked with hers. They disappeared in a ball of flame that caused the glass to shatter and explode before her sending shards of glass and fire careering into the people who remained. She covered her face feeling glass hit her, shock and ultimate sadness running through her veins, pain shot through her body; she could smell the burning flesh of her arm before her. Abruptly it all when silent, then everything went black.

She spent two weeks in intensive care and a total month in hospital following the disaster, she did not speak to anyone, she did not smile, she was a cold statue within the white walls. She had suffered major lacerations, burns, and deep cuts that should have killed her instantly, the doctors concluded that she must be one of the luckiest people alive. She had not agreed, she would rather have died with them than live without.

She had finally been discharged a month after the incident, her body healed, yet her mind was a mess and her heart forever broken. She wouldn’t talk to anyone, barely looked at them, she left the hospital, went straight home and began knocking back pills in an effort to silence the voices and kill the images that furiously attacked her mind. All she could see was them, their faces, disappear behind a wall of flame; she could hear their shrieks as she stared deep into their eyes locked in their terror-filled gaze.

John had found her then, unconscious, empty bottles of liquor and packets of pills lay empty around her. He had taken her to hospital that very instant, and stayed with her giving his word that he would look after her, giving her his word that he would be there for her forever, and finally giving his word that he would protect her. Someone she could rely on forever. He had made the promise and he would never turn back on it.



Three months had passed, and after several suicide attempts Elone had been reduced to a hollow shell, she had barely left the house, pretty much stopped eating, didn’t work, and just sat there drinking and tearing herself her part. Her nerves were shot, her emotions broken, and her mind fragile. He was her only lifeline and he was powerless to help her. Powerless to do anything other than merely sustain her.

He left the room for a time strolling down to the lounge to phone April, tell her where he was, she would shout at him about it anyway, she didn’t seem to understand anything about him, sometimes he thought he was only with her for the sake of Lou, maybe he was. He shook off the feeling; they were just going through a rough time that was all. The dialling tone initiated and there was a brief pause before she answered.

“Hello” She spoke in a stressed, drawn out manner,

“It’s only me; I’m not going to be back till quite late tonight.” He replied softly, but with enough urgency and worry to get the point across

“What do you mean, you’re with Elone again,” She paused replying in a harsh tone, “She can look after herself she’s a grown woman, we’re your family not that wreck, I don’t know why you waste your time on her, and she doesn’t want your help!”

John bit his tongue, he didn’t want an argument, he never did.

“She collapsed earlier, I need to look after her,” He paused a moment trying as hard as he might he couldn’t contain all his anger that even his wife would speak ill of her, “And you’d be a wreck to if you lost all your family, I’m all she’s got in the world, She needs someone, I gave her my word”

“Yeah, she needs the men in white coats to come and take her away!” She snapped in return.

“Look this is what I’m doing and I don’t care if you don’t like it!”

He hung up throwing the phone to the ground, she didn’t understand she never did, all she thought about was herself and her own life, she didn’t care beyond the four walls she occupied. He slumped into a chair still feeling his body shake with anger and disgust.

His thoughts drifted then to the person who had phoned the other day, he hadn’t thought much about it until now and didn’t know why he did now, it was as if something about it was familiar yet he couldn’t put his finger on it. Maybe he should tell Elone, maybe she would know what he meant, maybe it was a code or something. He didn’t know but for some reason he was beginning to expect it meant something important, and without a shed of doubt he knew it meant more than what it seemed.