Embraced By Darkness ~ Chapter 5

Who is the dark figure haunting Emily's dreams?

CHAPTER 5


Emily awoke in the hospital. John, Cathy, Josh, and Jen were all standing around her.

“Where Am I?” She asked weakly.

“Oh honey,” Cathy said. Her eyes were bloodshot. “ You’re in the hospital. Don’t you remember what happened?”

Emily tried to remember. She recalled the club, the backroom, Justin and….. “The Man!….But he wasn’t a man. He was a…..”

“I know sweetie.” Cathy soothed. “He was a monster. He put something in your drink, and tried to take advantage of you but luckily he passed out before he could…..” She burst into tears before she could finish, burying her face in John’s chest.

“It’s all my fault.” Jen cried. I never should have left you alone on your birthday. What was I thinking?”

“No Jen, It was my fault.” Josh said, “I’m her brother. It’s my job to protect her.”

“Enough!” Emily scolded. “It’s no one’s fault but my own. I never should have been so stupid. What happened to Justin anyway?”

“That poor excuse for a human being that they found you with?” John said, his face red with anger. “He must have been high on something because he passed out, and when they woke him, he was screaming about some dead guy trying to kill him. Thank God that whatever he put in your drink wasn’t what he was on.”

Emily shuddered as she recalled the terrifying figure, so full of hatred and rage. And the look on Justin’s face when he saw it… and that scream! What had that monster done to him and where did it come from?”

“Don’t worry sweetheart,” John continued. “He’s been arrested. He will pay for what he did to you. I‘ll make sure of it!”

Emily closed her eyes. She still felt tired and weak.

“Get some rest,” Cathy said, taking her hand. We will be here to take you home when you wake up.”

Emily smiled and allowed herself to drift off.


* * * * *


Later on that evening, Emily sat in her kitchen nibbling on a freshly baked double chocolate chip cookie. While she was resting, Cathy had spent the day baking cookies and preparing her favorite food, Clam Chowder for dinner.

Josh and Jen had stayed for dinner as well. Josh was eating his third cookie and even Jen couldn’t resist eating one despite her fear of gaining ten pounds from just looking at one.

John and Cathy walked into the room exchanging conspiratorial looks.

“What’s going on?” Emily asked with a smile. “You two look like you’re hiding something.”

“What do you think hon?” John asked, winking at Cathy. “Should we give it to her?”

“Give me what?” Emily asked.

Cathy walked over to the table and handed her an envelope. “You’ve been through a lot lately and we thought maybe you could use a break.”

Emily opened the envelope and her mouth almost hit the floor. In it was a check for one thousand dollars.

“What’s this for?” she asked, her eyes wide.

“We thought you, Josh and Jen, might want to go away next weekend and relax,” John said with a smile.

“Where?” she asked, her excitement growing.

“Wherever that money can take you,” John laughed.

Emily squealed and jumped up to hug her parents. “Thank you so much!”

Josh and Jen thanked John and Cathy and ran with Emily up to her room to plan for the trip.

They decided to take the family RV and just drive, stopping wherever they felt like it along the way.

The following Friday, they packed up the RV, and headed out on the road. They decided to head towards the mountains first.

Josh drove and Emily and Jen sat at the table in the back watching the beautiful scenery out the window.

After a few hours of driving, Emily‘s stomach rumbled. “I’m hungry.” she called out to Josh. “Let’s stop at the next restaurant we come to.”

“Yes Ma’am!” Josh called back.

They stopped at a truck stop and ordered burgers and fries.

It was beginning to get dark when they got back on the road. After driving for over an hour, Jen called out to Josh, “Maybe we should find an RV park. You aren’t used to driving at night on the highway.”

“Relax, Jen. I know what I’m doing.” Josh replied.

Emily looked out the window nervously. They were heading into the mountains and the road was narrowing. On the right side, all she could see was evergreen trees and on her left, was a steep drop.

She walked up to the front of the RV and sat down in the seat next to Josh. “We really need to stop. I don’t like this.”

“Where do you suggest we stop Em?” Josh snapped. “I’m doing the best I can! As soon as we come to an RV park, I will pull over!”

It got darker and a deep fog began to develop. Visibility was only a couple of feet. Emily dug her fingers into the arm rests nervously, afraid that if she made a sound, she would distract Josh.

She could see that Josh was clutching the steering wheel as tightly as she was the armrests.

Suddenly, she saw what looked like lights in the distance, but she could barely make them out. They grew brighter , heading straight for them on the right side of the road. In a panic, Josh swerved to the left, trying to avoid a head on collision, but the road was too narrow and the RV plummeted over the edge of the mountain into the icy river below.


* * * * *


Emily opened her eyes. Her head was throbbing, and freezing water was gushing in all around her. She looked over at Josh. He was unconscious. “Josh!" She cried, shaking him. He moaned.

She quickly removed her seatbelt and looked behind her. Jen was lying face down on the flooded floor. “Jen!” Emily screamed. She ran towards her through the ankle deep water and lifted her with all her strength, turning her over and administering CPR. Jen coughed, spitting water out of her mouth. “Thank God!” Emily cried . She lifted Jen onto the couch and headed back to the front .

Josh was rubbing the front of his forehead, where it had hit the steering wheel. He was still in a daze. “Josh!” Emily cried. Snap out of it or we’re all going to die!” That did the job. Suddenly his eyes cleared and he jumped into action.

“Stay here!” he commanded her. He ran back and grabbed Jen in his arms. “What’s happening?” she asked weakly. “It’s okay babe, I’ve got you.” He soothed, kissing her on the forhead. “Em!” I’m going to push Jen up through the skylight. Then I’ll pull myself up and reach down to pull you up ok?”

The water was raising higher. It was now up to Emily’s knees. It felt like a thousand knives stabbing her.
“Hurry!” She screamed as Josh pulled himself through the opening. He reached down through the hole and Emily stood on the counter so he could grab her under her arms and pull her up.

Emily breathed a sigh of relief when she sprawled out on the top of the RV, until she saw the raging river beneath them. Rocks and trees were flying by them on either side. They were moving so fast.

“We have to jump!” Josh yelled.

“What!” Emily cried. “Why? We’re safer up here! We’ll drown or freeze to death if we jump!”

“No!” Josh continued. “Can’t you see how we’re speeding up? We’re heading towards a waterfall! If we stay here, we’ll die for sure! We both took swimming lessons. Jump and swim as hard as you can towards those rocks over there. They are only about 10 feet. If you jump far enough, you won’t have far to swim. Jen’s still too weak to swim on her own. I’ll have to swim with her.”

“No!” she cried “It’s too dangerous! I’m scared!”

“You can do it.” Josh said, grabbing her shoulders and looking into her eyes. “I believe in you. You are tough remember? I still have the bruises to prove it.”

Emily smiled weakly and wrapped her arms around her brother. “I love you Josh.”

“I love you too Em.” He replied, holding her tight, tears beginning to well up in his deep blue eyes.

She turned to look at the water. Sure enough, they were moving faster by the minute. They had to hurry. She closed her eyes, took a deep breath and dove towards the shore. The water hit her like a thousand knives all over her body. She gasped, sucking water instead of air into her lungs. She was going under! She struggled to the surface but she was moving too fast. She saw a tree branch a few feet away. She struggled towards it, reaching out.

Almost there.

Suddenly she felt a sharp pain in her head and all went dark.