He saw them for the first time after they had died. Everyone he had known in his short life at the city. The miners, the patients at the clinic, Chuck and the gang – his friends; everyone who he had ever known. They were all running away from him as he killed them one by one. They begged for mercy and yet he didn't think twice before killing them all. He didn't feel any guilt, no shame. He mowed through them, killing them with a machete in his hand.
He felt a strange pain in his heart. Heartbroken. The pain would not go away. It felt as if he was killing to get rid of the pain. But it didn't go away.
Michael jerked awake and sat upright. His chest was pounding heavily in sync with his heavy breathing. Despite the cool air conditioning, sweat clung to the back of his shirt. It was dark and Michael could see moonlight shining in through the window. He looked at the time on the clock in the room. It was 6pm. He had slept for three hours.
He couldn't remember the nightmares he had but for some reason the images of the people he had seen in his dreams was frozen in his mind.
They had all been killed by a respawner. He was a respawner.
Michael started crying there and then. Nothing made sense. Part of him wished that he could just run away to some faraway place and start a new life. There was no way he alone could bust out Elena from the prison. Even if he did, he would have a whole army after him. It was too much. It was impossible. He couldn't do it.
And yet he knew he couldn't run away. He owed Elena his life. She had saved him when no one else had. But how was he to save her?
Michael had no idea how long he had wept for before he finally rubbed the tears off his eyes and went to sleep again.
He could not see properly. There was a lot of fuzziness around him, like the static on a TV, and yet somehow, he felt as if this was real. There was someone screaming but he could not make out the name because the voice was distorted. As Michael moved forward, he saw a figure on their knees while their arms were out wide and chained to the sides. The screams sounded womanly and were coming from the figure. Michael knew vaguely who it was and yet he could not name her. The recognition was on the tip of his tongue but he could not name her.
Michael woke up again. He could not remember the dream he had just had. He just remembered a fuzzy distortion in his mind and it made him feel dizzy. The time on the clock told him it was night. He freshened himself in the washroom and looked out the window.
The window overlooked the back of the homestead where there was a huge garden hosting a variety of flowers and plants. The spectrum of colors looked mesmerizing in the soft, orange lights of the hanging lanterns that gave the whole place a magical feel about it. Michael had the urge to go down there and explore it. Mrs. Wilson had talked about how the garden was her pride and that she would love to show it to him. Sure enough, she was delighted to allow him to enter it.
The moment Michael entered the garden, the first thing he noticed was the smells. The combined fragrance of the place overwhelmed him and eased his tension. As he walked through the garden, he felt that he could easily overtake the problems he faced.
He entered a patch of violet flowers which he found particularly beautiful. He turned a corner when his heart suddenly stopped. Wilson's daughter was sitting in front of a row of violets with her back towards him. There was something in her hand but Michael could not figure out what it was.
Michael was about to turn around and leave when she noticed his presence. There was a pleased smile on her face as if she had been expecting him to be there. Michael noticed now that there was a book in her hand.
"I can't tell you how long I've waited for you," she said closing the book. "A hero like you is someone I've always waited for."
Michael did not know how to answer to that. Waiting for me?
"You're the only one who can kill him. The enemy. The immortal enemy," she continued oblivious to Michael's confusion. "You are the only one who can save the people from destruction. To save my father and me from eternal doom."
The immortal enemy? Does she mean the respawner? Why the hell is she talking like that? Why me? Then a frightening thought hit him. Does she know what I am?
"I don't know what you're talking about," Michael answered.
Rose walked closer to him stopping when she was only a few inches away from him. Michael felt slightly awkward and yet found himself unable to move. He could not stop looking into her eyes that looked so deeply into his now. There was great desperation in them. He sensed great unease in them.
"Tell me," she said as she looked up to him. Her voice reduced to a quivering whisper. "Would you protect us from danger? Protect me?"
Michael did not hesitate in his answer. "Yes, of course" How could he? These people had offered him a home here and of course, how could he say no to her? He felt like he was in a trance when he looked at her, ready to her bidding. His heart was beating and he could feel the blood rush into his face. She's so fucking beautiful.
She handed him the book and Michael took it without asking any questions. She raised herself on her tiptoes and gently kissed him on the cheek. Michael felt himself blush and stood frozen there as she walked away.
Michael stood there for a long time trying to digest what had happened. He could still feel the kiss on his cheek which made his legs tremble. There were all sorts of feelings buzzing around in his head. He also felt an intoxicating buzzing in his heart that seemed to heighten in the beautiful surroundings he was in.
He was trying to deny it but he knew. He had fallen in love.