Flashback Entry 140: Truth -Will-

"I could get in trouble for letting you in here, so don't do anything stupid." Paying the cop off didn't exactly get what I'd wanted. I wanted to be in here alone.

"I wouldn't worry, I'm just here to look. It's not everyday that twenty people are murdered by one man. What's his name?", I ducked under the police tape and stepped in to the room.

"Smith. It was horrible, not only did he kill his family, but he fed his friend with their remains."

"Tasty." We traveled down the blood spattered halls slowly. I wanted to take in everything. Beneath our feet glass crunched in a rhythm. I found myself concentrating on it to forget the smell that assaulted us.

"That's not just it. While his friend was chewing, this Smith guy skewered him. It was some of the most gruesome things I'd ever seen. Here's his room, the family killer."

I turned to a small bedroom, and the first thing I noticed was how clean it was. No blood. A single bed with a small nightstand sat in the corner, on top of which sat a bible. The room was almost completely bare, besides a small picture sitting on the bed.

"I don't think he did it."

"What killed these people? He was found with the murder weapon. He wrote a confession."

"He could have killed his family and friend, but I'm positive that he didn't kill the rest of the twenty people. First, the bed is semi-made; like someone had been sleeping but quickly got up. Also, there are no slippers or shoes."

"So?"

"Do you walk around late at night with shoes on? I certainly don't. He must have woken up and felt the need to wear his shoes."

I walked over the to the door and looked at the outside and then the inside. "There is blood all over the outside of this door, but only one on the inside. On top of that, the spatter was made when it was open, because it stretches across the door and on the ceiling."

"Meaning that something was going on when this door was opened.", the cop seemed genuinely surprised, "I was the first cop on the scene, that door was open when I got here."

"Do you see a broken window? Or other glass objects?" I knelt down and carefully lift a piece of glass with a small yellow sticker.

"Let me see.", he took the piece from me and stared at the sticker, "I know where this is from. I seen it- OW!" He dropped the glass and stuck his finger in his mouth, "Damn it."

I stared at him for a few moments, and when he didn't finish I turned back to the floor. "Something went on here and I don't think the police have all the facts."

I heard a very distinct clicking and turned to see the cop aiming his gun at me and smiling.

"Hey, whoa! Let's not get carried away."

"The sticker came from a company not far from here. OCS Industries, I think it's called."

"In what way does that make it reasonable for you to point your gun at me?"

"Guns don't kill people. People kill people."

"Shit!" I dived in to the bedroom as he fired. I slammed the door shut behind me and glanced around the room, looking for some kind of weapon.

What had I gotten myself into?

139: Punchline -Nick-

Okay, so maybe Carl doesn't die. You have to admit, I had you totally fooled. The rest of the trip was pretty dull and mundane. Crystal got us all on the ground safely, and immediately the plane was swarmed with emergency vehicles, S.W.A.T., and news vans.

We had a difficult time explaining where the terrorist was, but somehow Ben got it across to them. We tried to deny our involvement but since many people on the plane knew what we did, it was difficult to keep a lid on it.

We were interviewed hundreds of times and met with city officials who commended us on our bravery. We were hailed as heroes, though I didn't feel much like one. I had taken that man’s life with out working a way to remove the malevolent presence. What I did was right, I know that. He would have kept fighting until one of us died, and we didn't have the supplies needed to be any help to him.

We'd just gotten back to our rooms that had been completely paid for by the city and Ben immediately began to rip in to me.

"What the hell was that?!", Ben sounded angry. Carl and Crystal ducked away to another room to open their bags.

"What do you mean what the hell was that?" Somehow I knew what he was talking about, maybe the decision weighed down on my conciseness.

"You killed someone up there, and your lucky I didn't just have you turned in."

"What was I supposed to do? He was going to kill one of us; all of us. You wanted me to just sit there and let him do that? It was us or him." I stared him in the eyes and honestly, Carl and Crystal avoid my gaze, but Ben has always looked fearlessly straight in to it. It was kind of frightening, and while I didn't understand the reaction of the others, I had expected the same from Ben.

"You don't have the right to deci-"

That's when several things happened at once. A loud crashing sound was heard coming from Carl's room. The closet door swung open spilling out a young man, and a small bear burst in the bedroom door, running as fast as he could.

"You rotten little bear! I'm gonna kill you!", Carl's voice could be heard through the walls. In moments he ran in to the room his entire upper torso soaked with black ink.

The man on the floor stood up fast and held out his hand toward Ben, eyeing the animated bear as it dodged Carl's attempts at capture.

"Hello, my name is William Melahn. I'm a reporter from IWTG News." He looked at Ben's confused face with a look of mischief.

"You were in my closet." Ben didn't shake his hand.

"When you got off that plane claiming to have dispatched the terrorist, I was skeptical. Just the fact that there was no body made me wonder what your real motive was. So I hid in your closet, waiting for any kind of information."

"And?"

"And I think that the News tomorrow is going to be very interesting."

There was a smile on Will's face as though he'd just won a game.

138: I Return -Saba- (written by Crystal Ferguson)

(I liked Crystal's last post so much that I had her write another. AND here it is!)

Taking a quick glance, I realized we were in Merlin’s shop. It was far better than being stuck in that Soulscape. I sat up and looked up at Merlin.

Politely I feigned a smile, “Well, it’s good to see I have made it back, yes?”

The look on his face told me otherwise. In fact, he looked more angry than relieved to see me. What did I do wrong?

“What made you think you were even capable of going there to begin with young lady?!”, he pointed at me, “I thought I had made it very clear that you were not to go alone!”

I stood up, annoyed with him. “What’s your point?”

“Your ignorance is most surprising, Saba. Do you not realize the danger you even placed yourself in?! Most people who cross over to the Soulscape don’t stand a chance of coming back when they release their ties from this world. You were downright foolish to do it on your own.”

He held a stern look to his face to let me know he meant every word. With a small huff, he turned to a shelf; a shaky hand reaching for it, his other gently scratching at the wrinkled skin of his face. A sense of rage filled me.

A small glass object flew up, hitting Merlin in the back of the head. His hand grabbed at the unexpected pain as he caught his footing. He turned to face me, a look of pure shock now on his aged face. “What do you think you’re-” Another similar piece soared toward him, this time hitting him in the face. He made a cry of pain as the shards pierced his flesh. He closed his eyes, his hand now covering his freshly made wounds.

I stepped toward him, the air about me filling with pens, paperclips and other small items. “YOU THINK YOU HAD THE RIGHT TO GIVE UP ON ME? HA! I’LL SHOW YOU WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU LEAVE ME BEHIND!”

I was going to make sure he paid for leaving me in that void; for giving up on me.

A smile crept across my features as I let the objects attack him with no mercy. Pointed objects flew at him like bullets, glass exploded against his ancient body; blunt objects hit him with a mighty force. He made cries of pain and heightened anxiety, blood flowing out from each new wound formed.

He collapsed to the floor, arms up in a defensive position. “Stop at once!”

I laughed at the old man, throwing my head back. I knelt down, now face-to-face with him. For a moment, I let the flying of objects cease. “Why don’t you fight back, old man?”

Despite how beat up he was, he looked me straight in the eye. A serious look took over his features.

“I…I have no power. I had given that up to one who is far more worthy. I have been powerless for ages now.”

A small chuckle escaped my lips, “Pathetic; truly pathetic.”

I got back on my feet, “That makes for a bit less fun. Guess I’ll have to draw it out even longer.”

“You‘ll regret this, Saba Zahid!”, he pointed an ancient finger at me, “I promise you young lady, that you’ll regret this; for fate will make sure of it.”

I ignored him, the objects lifting in to the air for another round. They relentlessly attacked him, landing near vital organs as they pierced his body. He backed up toward the shelves. I watched on, satisfied with my work so far. Just as I was just really getting started, the distraught Merlin backed in to his shelves. There was a loud thudding noise as the shelves slowly began to descend down upon him. He screamed while his eyes widened as the shelves buried him alive. Muffled weeping sounds met my ears as it all settled.

I walked over, stepping on to the shelves. I peered downward, catching a glimpse of his worn out face. With a sigh, I jumped up and stomped as I landed. A moan was heard, along with the cracking of bones. His breathing was now raspy. I stomped down again.

“Still breathing? How annoying.”

One more for good measure; with more force behind it.

SNAP!

This time the obnoxious sound had come to a halt. A small gust of wind and a flash of light passed by; a window breaking nearby. I shrugged it off. Perhaps it was his soul running away.

I successfully ended him. Made him pay the best way I knew how, but rage still lingered in me; the need to kill remained.

I hopped off from his new grave, walking out of the shop and on to the sidewalk. The rage washed away with the smell of the outside world. I blinked, glancing back and forth; sighing. I felt lost and confused. If anything, I wished Ben was here with me.

I then looked down at my clothes. Blood spatters made a design across my shirt. A hand to my cheek told me blood even painted my face.

I began to panic, looking back to the shop to see the shelves down and no old man.

There was no ignoring it. I had killed Merlin.

137: Heroes and Villians And Those Inbetween -Saba-

"A long time ago you told me that sometimes I can't choose. You said that I might find myself on the wrong side for the right reasons! Is this what you meant?! The only way to save so many people is by doing this?! You're insane!", my teenage voice sounded distressed and angry.

"Right now it's out there Saba, building power to overthrow the balance that has been forever. We need to have the strength to face the mistakes of our parents, and if that means that we need to do things unmentionable; then we do it. We do it for people who won't have a chance. We do it for people who haven't lived their lives. We make this thing fear for its life and then we kill it with out mercy." Patrick almost sounded like he cared for people.

"I can't! I just can't. I see them looking up to me with their pleas, those scared eyes and I can't. My hands start shaking and the air grows cold. I know it's out there, but my hands won't listen to me. I know it's the right thi-"

"No!" Patrick’s voice became louder as everything around me came in to focus.

Patrick stood in front of my teenage self holding her shoulders. They stand in front of those double doors again, a knife laying on the floor at their feet.

"It's never the right thing. What we're doing is horrible, but we do it because it's the only way. The last resort."

"I CAN'T!"

A silence fell over the hallway and as he stared into the younger-me's face, I swore his face blinked away again, revealing the horribly twisted visage beneath.

"I can help you kill our parents." Patrick spoke calmly and silent. A tear rolled down his cheek and splashed on the floor. "If you want to do the right thing, I can help you."

"Please help me."

I felt a burning sensation in the pit of my stomach as the scene in front of me faded away, leaving me and my younger self looking at each other.

"You came. I knew you'd come." Younger me smiled.

“Yes, it's good to see you again." A voice behind me spoke.

The child version of myself, the one that had brutally murdered my parents stood behind me. Her clothing drenched in blood.

"Patrick knew I couldn't do it, so he brought out the side of me that could. I went to sleep . . . "

". . . while I did the dirty deeds." Darker-me continued.

"But why? How?" I cried.

"We aren't sure. The door remains locked and hidden in your Soulscape. It's something horribly bad. Something involving Ben, John, Crystal, and all of the others. They can survive, but they need you."

"But I've just met them and you're saying that we're all connected. How does that make sense?"

“We're not saying it.", the evil me smiled and stepped up to the nicer me. She reached out and grasped her hand, "You are."

I felt my body get torn apart as everything went dark.

"Wake up, you fool girl! Wake up!"

It was Merlin. I was back. I wish Ben was here.

136: 'Birth' -Saba-

The world swirled away as flashes of past and present flooded together, becoming an amalgam of indecipherable images. Covering my eyes, I turned away from the lights and colorful flashes.

When I opened my eyes I was standing on a beach.

"Did he ask you out yet?" Another recognizable voice that I couldn't seem to place.

I turned to see a young red-head sitting next to a teenage me.

"No, he's not the guy I want anyway." Teen me tossed a rock out in the sea.

"What? Are you crazy? He's popular, gorgeous and has money falling out of his pockets.", the red-head gushed as she spoke, "Also, I happen to know that he has a crazy crush on you."

Teen-Saba looked at the sky, "I had a dream of a guy. He seemed important and was really cute. I'm going to go out and find him one day."

"You mean that Ben guy you keep going on about? Girl, he's a dream. He isn't real."

"You're a dream."

"You aren't real."

The voices started to come from everywhere, flooding my ears with a drone of constant words. The red-head pulled a knife from behind her and swung it around, stabbing it in to teenage me's belly. That younger version just smiled as the blood spread from the wound, turning her blouse a dark red.

"You are just wasted parts, things that need to be discarded. Unfit to live and made to die. Your own body wants you gone. Everything you are will be lost forever when they reassert their authority."

"SHUT UP!" Everything disappeared as I yelled.

I found myself standing on a dark street. Ahead of me, the street ran zigzagged as far as I could see. Houses lined the streets but the numbers were replaced by words. 'First grade', 'Middle school', 'First Kiss'; they went on and on. A sign in front of me had the words, 'This way to The Void' and had a smiley face drawn on it with purple crayon.

I began my journey down the road, glancing at the windows of the houses, catching glimpses of my pasts. Child me here, teenage me there; almost all happy.

I stopped when I came to a black house labeled 'Birth'. I wanted to know more about myself, and the darkness that I would be allowing back in. Now was not the time for that though. I had something to do that was more important. I couldn't just stop and look at parts of my past.

So I opened the door and stepped through.

135: Well-Oiled Teamwork -Ben-

The man stared at Carl with a murderous look, "You still remember that after all this time? Quite the soldier."

Nick pulled himself to his feet and slowly walked toward the man’s back, a look of concentration on his face. I signaled him to wait and he stopped moving closer.

"Melissa, you are just one man and we are a team." Carl glared at the man intently.

"Carl, you're on the wrong side. I'm doing what's right and you are standing in my way." The man lifted his hand and swung it down. Carl lifted from the ground and flew backwards in to the cockpit. The plane tilted forward as a loud thump was heard.

"Carl! What are you doing? Bring it somewhere else!" The plane slowly leveled out as the man went toward the cockpit.

Despite the fact that I had no idea what was going on, I couldn't let more people get added to my body count. I signaled to Nick who ran toward the man’s back.

The man spun quickly, pushing forward with his palms toward Nick; who was thrown backwards in to the passenger cabin again. The man smiled as he stared at Nick.

"The warlock wants to tussle, huh?"

I yelled to Crystal, "Tell the passengers to go as far back in the plane as they can! This is getting ugly!"

"Is that all yo-", the man fell forward to his knees by Carl's swing to the back of his head. Carl's foot connected with the seat of his pants, sending him sprawling forward in to the emptying passenger cabin. Nick went to run up.

"Nick! Distance! Let Carl do the close work."

Nick stopped as Melissa pulled himself to his feet, "You guys are just so cute! I'd really hate to make your bodies go all splitty-splatty."

Nick swung his fingers toward Melissa, and he lifted off the ground. Melissa's body was jerked in to the wall, and then in to Carl's foot as he swung it in to Melissa’s side. The sound of cracking ribs could be heard as he fell to the ground. Carl stepped back and nodded at Nick.

"Warlocks are cheating.", Melissa pulled himself to his feet, "Humans aren't supposed to be so powerful. You should be drooling in caves."

"Still in control?", I yelled back to Crystal.

"I got this.", she sounded confident.

Nick’s fingers moved but he was too slow.

"No Cheating!" With a sweep of Melissa's hand, Nick went stiff and fell to the ground. Then Melissa turned to Carl who was making a move, sweeping his hand up and to the left. Carl flew to the left and slammed in to the door to the plane. Melissa wasn't done yet.

Melissa slammed him in to the door again, "You can't stop me, Carl. As long as my real body doesn't hear, my name has no effect. So I can just keep smacking you in to this door until one of two things happen. The door can open, or you can die."

"Crystal, go right!", I felt the plane turn as I yelled. The sharp tilt of the plane caused Melissa to lose his balance; and his control. Nick jumped up and grasped the man by the arm.

He swung his hand toward Melissa's back, connecting with a thump. Melissa looked up at him and laughed, "Is that it? Your leader-person was right, you should have kept a distance."

Nick smiled at him with a surprisingly friendly smile, "This was fun."

Flames erupted from the man’s chest as Nick released his magic. I watched as the man’s body burned away from the inside.

"Carl, don't come after me! If you do, I'll kill all your little friends!" He yelled as his flaming body fell away to ash.

134: Sweet Love -Saba-

I felt my back hit the ground as the darkness faded away around me; replaced by warm sunlight. Images of what I'd just seen seemed frozen in place just behind my eyes, but a good shake of my head caused them to fade as well.

"Brother?", it was younger me again.

"Yes, Saba?" Panic filled my chest as I heard Patrick's voice.

I turned around to see them, despite my mind screaming at me to curl up and pretend they weren't there. The smaller me sat on the ground in front of Patrick looking curiously at the dirt. Patrick looked much younger and wore a small baseball cap.

"We all become dirt eventually."

I watched with a stunned look as Patrick's face became sad, "Yes, you do."

"I don't like that. One day, I'm going to stop that. I don't want all my friends to die. I don't want Mommy and Daddy to die."

I watched as Patrick's face fill with even more sorrow. I could have sworn I saw his eyes water up as he crouched down to look at my younger self.

"Saba, you can't always get what you want. Sometimes the things you want most are taken away from you. Sometimes you're meant for something completely different from what you want, and you find yourself on the wrong side for the right reasons."

I got the feeling that he wasn't talking about the younger me. He seemed to be talking about himself.

"I don't care. You can't tell me what to do. Mommy can't tell me what to do and neither can Daddy. No one is my master and if I want to fight on the right side, then I will."

A happy smile came to his face as he shook his head, "Saba, how is it that you came to be my sister?"

"Your only sister.", little me corrected

"My favorite sister."

This time, there was no evil laughter.