Chapter 21
Tuesday Afternoon, January 11th
Billie opened her eyes and looked around her. She recognized where she sat instantly. It was the porch of their house, where she usually met her mother in her dreams. She looked around for signs of her mother, but only saw Louis sitting next to her on the bench that sat next to the front door. His head was leaning against the back of the bench and his eyes were closed. His slightly open mouth and the steady rise and fall of his chest told Billie that her brother was asleep.
The snow was falling heavily past the front porch and Billie could feel the cold air reach through the jacket she was wearing and send a chill down her spine. She moved over to the side and snuggled against Louis and the warmth that he put off. He stirred as she moved against him and opened his eyes, looking around and then at Billie.
“What’s going on?” Louis asked her as he looked around in confusion. “How can we be sitting on our front porch?”
Billie remembered seeing their house burning down the night before and knew why Louis was confused. Her brother didn’t realize that they were in a dream. Billie knew that it was one of the special dreams because everything seemed so real. And it meant that Louis was really there, and not just because she had dreamt him there.
“We were both sleeping on Mr. McCallister’s couch and when I woke up, we were here,” Louis said as he watched the snow fall. “How can we be here?” he asked as he looked at Billie again.
Billie shivered in the cold, and Louis put his arm around her. He saw a folded blanket sitting on the bench to his right, so he unfolded it and wrapped it around the two of them.
“It’s a dream, Louis,” Billie told him as she snuggled up against him. “…a special kind of dream.”
“But it feels so real,” Louis said as he watched the snow continue to fall through the gray light beyond the porch.
“The special dreams always feel real,” Billie answered quietly.
He had known that it had to be a dream, since their house had been completely destroyed by fire. But he had never experienced a dream that felt so…real. He could see everything so clearly, and even feel the cold air around him. Even the smell of Billie’s hair was so real and exactly how it would have been had he been awake. He wondered if his sister was really there with him in the dream, or if he had brought the thought of her into it with him.
“Are we both having the same dream?” Louis asked.
He felt Billie nod her head in response, and he accepted her affirmation without question since she seemed to be more familiar with what was happening than he was.
“Have you had dreams like this before?” he asked his sister.
“Yes,” she answered quietly. “Usually, mommy’s here with me. But I’m glad that you’re here. I wouldn’t want to be here alone.”
Louis was struck by the sound of fear in his sister’s voice. Nothing about the scene around them seemed like it could be the cause of such fear. And he was surprised by the fact that Billie would dream about their mother. She had been just a baby when their mother had died, and he didn’t think she had many memories of her, if any.
“What do you and mommy do when you have these dreams?” Louis asked. He was curious about the kind of dream that Billie would have with such limited memories of their mother.
“We just talk about things,” Billie answered. “But sometimes, he comes and talks to her. I don’t like him, but mommy doesn’t seem to mind talking to him.”
“Who comes to talk to you, Billie?” Louis asked. He didn’t like the thought of some stranger sharing a dream with his sister for some reason. The sense of realness in the dream made it likely that whoever was here with Billie was actually in the dream and not something she had made up in her mind.
“Him,” Billie answered as she pointed out into the snow.
Louis looked in the direction in which his sister had pointed and saw something moving through the snow. At first, he wasn’t sure what it was, but the amount of falling snow lightened suddenly and he could see that a man was walking through it. He wore a black trench coat, which was buttoned and had its collar turned up. The man walked with his hands in his pockets, but didn’t seem to be otherwise bothered by the cold. Louis couldn’t make out much of his face through the snow, since he was still too far away. But he could see that the man had very pale skin and hair the color of night.
“Who is he?” Louis asked his sister softly. But she only shook her head in response, indicating she didn’t know.
The man stepped onto the porch and pulled the gray scarf from his neck with gloved hands, and then he removed the gloves as he sat on the chair that faced Louis and Billie. Louis could finally see the man completely, and he was struck by how beautiful he was. His eyes were the prettiest violet color, and his teeth were a dazzling shade of white as he smiled at them.
“Hello, Billie,” the man said as he looked at Louis’ sister.
The man reminded Louis of Uncle Harper, though he didn’t exactly look like him. It was something about the way he carried himself and something in his voice, though Louis couldn’t say exactly what it was.
“Hello,” Billie answered shyly. She seemed intimidated by the man, though Louis couldn’t understand why. There didn’t seem to be anything intimidating about him.
“Mommy’s not here,” Billie added as she reached her right arm around her brother’s waist.
“I didn’t come to speak with your mother, Billie,” the man answered. “I came to speak with you and your brother. But forgive me for being rude,” he said as he held his hand out to Louis. “My name is DeForester.”
Louis wasn’t sure if he should take the man’s hand, but he didn’t want to be rude. He reached out and grasped the man’s hand, who returned the shake gently. His hand was surprisingly warm, considering the snowstorm that he had just been walking through.
“I’m Louis,” Louis answered as he looked into the man’s eyes.
DeForester held his hand for a moment before releasing it. His smile faded somewhat, but remained on his face as he stared at Louis for a moment in silence. Just when Louis was starting to feel uncomfortable, DeForester spoke again.
“I’ve been waiting a very long time to meet you, Louis,” DeForester said as his smile widened. “Yes, a very long time.”
Louis didn’t understand what he meant, but he didn’t say anything in response. Billie was silent and so still beside him that for a moment he thought she had fallen asleep. But when he looked down and to his left, he could see her eyelashes flutter as she blinked.
“You see, you’re a very important person, Louis,” DeForester said, as if reading Louis’ mind. “And I believe it’s important for you to understand why.” He crossed his legs as he leaned back in the chair and folded his hands on his knees. He looked like he was sitting in someone’s living room, rather than outside in a snowstorm. Some of the snow drifted onto the porch, but none of it seemed to fall on him.
“Do you know what the Solas is?” DeForester asked Loius without preamble.
Louis was surprised by the directness of the question, but he nodded as he answered, “Yes, my uncle told me about it.”
“And did your uncle tell you that you are the Solas?” DeForester asked as he stared at Louis.
Louis shook his head and said, “No, he didn’t tell me that. Uncle Harper didn’t know which one of us is the Solas.” He really didn’t know who this man was, and something inside of him warned him not to volunteer too much information.
DeForester continued to stare at Louis with the same smile on his face, but didn’t say anything for several seconds, as if he was considering something.
“I see,” he finally said. “Well, did he at least tell you what the Solas must do?” His smile faded as he watched Louis for any kind of reaction.
“No, he didn’t say anything,” Louis lied. He didn’t like that this man seemed to know so much about the things that
were happening to his family. It made Louis not want to trust him, even though his appearance and demeanor made him think otherwise. And Louis didn’t know which pieces of the information his uncle had given him should be kept secret, so he made the assumption that everything should be. And he was pretty sure that Uncle Harper would have agreed with his choice.
DeForester was quiet for what seemed to be an eternity as he watched Louis intently. Louis could tell that the man didn’t believe what he was saying, but the stubborn side of Louis took over and he didn’t care. He stared back at the man, refusing to say or do anything.
“Well, that’s unfortunate,” DeForester finally said.
Louis wasn’t sure if he meant that it was unfortunate that Louis hadn’t heard, or if it was unfortunate that Louis had lied. Either way, he continued to stare at the man in silence.
DeForester leaned forward, placing both feet on the ground as he said, “Then I will provide you with the details that your uncle failed to.”
Louis tensed his right fist in response, but said nothing. He didn’t like this man saying that Uncle Harper had failed at anything. He felt Billie stiffen, as well and knew that she felt the same way.
“The Solas will need to make a journey,” DeForester said as he continued to lean forward in his chair and stare at Louis. “At the end of the journey, the Solas will need to make a choice – to stand up and face the darkness alone, or run away and forever be hunted until the end of its days.”
“Is that all?” Louis asked sarcastically. “Doesn’t sound like much of a choice, if you ask me.”
DeForester chuckled lightly as he answered, “No, I suppose it doesn’t. But there are many such choices in life, Louis. And in most cases, we must make a choice for one or the other. We simply have no choice but to make a choice.”
It seemed like the man spoke in riddles, like his uncle sometimes did, and he wondered if that was the reason that the man reminded him of Uncle Harper.
“What if the Solas doesn’t go?” Louis asked. “If the Solas doesn’t make this journey, they won’t have to make the choice you’re talking about, right?”
DeForester grew serious as he looked at Louis and answered, “If the Solas doesn’t make this journey, there will be great suffering in the world. Countless millions of people will face death and…things worse than death.”
Louis was silent for a moment as he digested what the man had told him. He had no reason to trust what he was being told, but something told him that what DeForester was saying was true. And if it was, there was no way that he or any of the Ambrose children would allow such a thing to happen by simply avoiding having to make such a choice.
“All the Solas has to do is stand up to the darkness?” Louis asked softly. It didn’t sound so bad – sort of like standing up to a bully at school. He was pretty sure he could do that.
“Not exactly,” DeForester answered with a neutral expression. “The Solas must stand up to the darkness and defeat it.”
“You mean that man…Tim,” Louis said.
“Tim Matheson is a servant of the darkness,” DeForester corrected with a tilt of his head. “The Solas must face the darkness itself, not merely its servant.”
Louis didn’t like the sound of that. “What if I…I mean what if the Solas loses?”
DeForester’s expression grew sad again as he answered, “If the Solas loses, that…” He seemed to think for a moment before finishing, “…that will be worse for this world than if the Solas never made the journey I spoke of.”
“Louis can’t go and fight any darkness!” Billie yelled as she leaned forward. “He’s just a little kid, like me. And you can’t make him do anything. I won’t let you!”
“Shh,” Louis said as he held his sister back. “It’s okay, Billie. We’re not going anywhere until we talk to Dad and Uncle Harper.”
“I am sorry, Louis,” DeForester said, ignoring Billie’s outburst. He stood up and walked over to where Louis and Billie sat, and then kneeled down so that he was looking Louis in the eye.
“I truly am sorry that someone so young must face such a choice,” DeForester said. “You and I both know that you are the one who must face this choice. And if it were up to me, you would have more time to prepare for it.” He smiled sadly as he added, “But it’s not up to me.”
He looked past Louis for a moment and seemed to be seeing something far away. “It’s never been up to me,” he added so softly that Louis almost didn’t hear him.
DeForester’s eyes focused on Louis again as he said, “Each of us have a destiny in some way, Louis. We make choices throughout our lives that may delay our destiny, but eventually it has a way of catching up to us. And for some of us, we must face that destiny very early in life.”
“Why are you telling me this?” Louis asked quietly. He didn’t like being so close to the man, though he felt a strange attraction to him. He could see every line and contour of the man’s beautiful face and it was perfect. Again, Louis was reminded of his Uncle Harper, whose features had the same kind of perfection. But this man was cold and aloof, in spite of his expressive features, making Uncle Harper seem cheery by comparison.
“Your family and friends will lay down their lives for you, Louis,” DeForester said as he looked into Louis’ eyes.
“What does that have to do with anything?” Louis asked stubbornly.
“They will throw their lives away, Louis,” DeForester answered. “They cannot stop what must happen any more than you can. But they will try, as long as you allow them to.” He continued to look into Louis’ eyes as he added, “As long as you are with them, they will be in danger. I’m telling you these things to spare their lives…to convince you to spare their lives and make this journey without them.”
“Don’t listen to him, Louis,” Billie whispered. “He’s lying.”
“Your sister knows this is true,” DeForester answered as he looked briefly at Billie. “Tim Matheson knows you are the Solas, Louis. He saw what you were able to do to those demons last night. Even now, he is regaining his strength, and calling more of the creatures to him. And once he has, even the protections around James McCallister’s house will not be able to stop him. It is only a matter of hours before he will be back.”
The stranger seemed to know everything that Louis had overheard his uncle and the others discussing that morning. It lent an air of truth to everything he was saying. And whether or not Louis liked it, it made him trust what DeForester was saying.
“How can I make the journey by myself?” Louis asked before Billie could say anything to refute what the man had said. His voice broke slightly as he spoke, and his hands were shaking slightly, as he thought of what the man had said. He was terrified, and didn’t want to accept anything that was being said, much less consider making a journey to face an unknown enemy alone. And then he thought of his father, his siblings and his uncle, and the friends that had already risked so much for him and his family. If he stayed with them, they would all be killed. He knew that with the stubborn certainty of a child that doesn’t see the subtle choices in life that adults do.
“Billie’s right,” Louis said as he started to consider what he was being told. “I’m just a kid. I don’t even know where to go or how to get there.”
DeForester nodded as he answered, “Yes, the journey would be impossible to make alone. But I can send you a guide who will help you.”
“Why should I trust you?” Louis asked.
“You shouldn’t!” Billie shouted. “He’s lying, Louis! You’re not going anywhere with him!”
“Shh, Billie,” Louis said soothingly as he pulled his sister closer.
“The question is a valid one,” DeForester said to Louis. “But even if you don’t trust my motives, you know that what I’m telling you is true. As long as your family and friends are near you, their lives will be in danger. You’re a good child, Louis. I can see that in you. You don’t wan
t anyone to be hurt trying to protect you.”
He stood up and looked down at Louis as he said, “You must decide, I’m afraid. I can send someone to help you on your journey, but you must leave the others behind.”
Louis looked up at him, refusing to look away, in spite of how tall and imposing he now seemed to be. His violet eyes seemed to capture the lights from the porch and reflect them back in such a way that they almost appeared to be glowing. Every inch of his mind screamed for Louis not to trust this man, that he was far better off under the protection of his family and their friends. But he had little doubt that he was the Solas. He had seen the amazing things his older siblings were able to do, but none of it compared to the raging fire storm that he had created and used to wipe out the demons the night before. And he knew from what his uncle had told him that the Solas was the object of the demons’ search, which meant that whoever was with the Solas would be in danger. The thought of journeying through the mountains alone and facing whatever enemy was waiting for him terrified him. But the thought of any of the people he loved dying for him caused an even more powerful fear within him.
Louis looked up at the man and nodded once. “I’ll do it,” he said.
“Louis, no!” Billie whispered fiercely. She clung to his arm, moving her body closer to his, as if she could stop him by simply refusing to let him go.
“You’ve made a brave choice, Louis,” DeForester said as he looked down. His eyes looked sad to Louis, but his face was otherwise expressionless as he held out his hand. “Take my hand and you will awaken. You must leave immediately.”
Louis hesitated as he looked up at the man. He felt something wet against his cheek and realized that Billie was crying.
“Louis, please don’t go,” Billie whispered.
“You’ll be alright, Billie,” Louis said soothingly as he kissed his sister’s forehead.
“I’m not worried about me, you bonehead,” Billie said angrily as she wiped away a tear with her free hand while continuing to cling to him with the other. “Please, Louis.”
“I’m afraid it’s now or never, Louis,” DeForester said as he continued to hold out his hand. He looked behind him and into the blowing snow for a moment before returning his gaze to Louis.
“I must leave now,” DeForester said with a tone of urgency in his voice. He looked back again and whispered, “She’s coming.”
Louis reached out his hand, but before he touched DeForester’s outstretched hand, he looked at his sister once. “I’m sorry,” he said as a single tear fell down his cheek.
And then he and DeForester were gone.
Billie stared in shock at where her brother had been, but he had vanished, along with the man with the violet eyes. She cried out her brother’s name several times, but there was no answer. Only the warmth that he had left behind under the blanket confirmed that he had been there at all. Billie looked out into the snow and cried, convinced that she would never see Louis again.
But as she watched the falling snow, it seemed to lighten suddenly and after a few seconds stopped altogether. Tears blurred her vision, but as she looked out across the snow-covered vista, a figure appeared in the distance. At first, she thought it was Louis returning to her. But as the figure moved closer, she could see that it was a woman walking through the snow, though she couldn’t see her face clearly. Finally, the woman moved close enough for Billie to see who it was.
“Mommy!” Billie screamed as she threw the blanket from her and ran down the porch steps. The snow was deep as she ran toward her mother, but her feet seemed to only skim the top of it and sunk no more than an inch into the powdery stuff.
Arianna kneeled down as her daughter neared and a smile graced her beautiful features as she held out her arms. Billie leaped into her mother’s arms and hugged her fiercely. She couldn’t remember ever being so happy to see anyone as she was to see her mother at that moment.
“Hi honey,” Arianna said as she held her daughter. She kissed her on the cheek and then looked into her eyes, which were the twin of her own. “I’m sorry I didn’t get here sooner.”
“Where were you?” Billie asked. “That man was here again, the one that I don’t like. And Louis went with him.”
Arianna looked very concerned suddenly as she heard what Billie said. “Where did Louis go with the man, Billie?”
Billie shrugged her shoulders as she answered, “I don’t know. The man said something about a journey, and then he and Louis disappeared. I tried to find Louis, but he was gone.” Fresh tears started falling as Billie thought of her brother and she choked back a sob as she added, “I tried to stop him, mommy. But he wouldn’t listen to me.”
“It’s okay, honey,” Arianna said soothingly. “I know where they’re going, and we’ll make sure Louis isn’t alone, okay?”
Billie nodded as she sniffed and wiped away her tears. “Mommy, why weren’t you here when we got here?” she asked as she looked into her mother’s eyes.
Arianna looked chagrined as she answered, “I’m sorry, honey. I tried to get here sooner, but someone was keeping me from reaching you. I think it was the man who kept me from here, though I’ve never seen such a thing done before.” She looked off into the woods that surrounded the dream-house and said quietly, “I think I’ve underestimated his reach, and I wish I knew what was driving him.”
“Who is he, mommy?” Billie asked as she snuggled her face against her mother’s dress. Billie realized for the first time that her mother was wearing only a knee-length dress and light shoes as she kneeled in the snow. But she didn’t seem to notice the cold and her body felt warm against Billie, and it made her feel safe.
“I don’t know, honey,” Arianna answered as she stroked Billie’s hair. “I just know that he’s always been there, in my dreams. I don’t know what he wants, which troubles me.”
“Where is he taking Louis?” Billie asked. She was worried about her brother going anywhere alone.
“He’s taking Louis to a special place in the mountains,” Arianna answered as she continued to stroke her daughter’s hair. “But we won’t let him go alone.”
“But the man said he had to go alone,” Billie said as she leaned back and looked into her mother’s eyes again. “Who’s going to go with him?”
Arianna smiled at her daughter and said, “You’re going to go with him, honey.”
“Me?” Billie asked, confused. “What can I do to help him? I’m an even littler kid than he is!”
“You can help him, honey,” Arianna answered as her smile widened. “There is a special kind of strength in you that none of your siblings have, and that Louis will need. And you must go to the special place to find that strength.”
Billie was quiet for a moment as she thought of what her mother was saying to her. “Okay, I’ll go,” she answered. If what her mother was saying was true, and that she was the only one who could help Louis, she would do it.
“What do I need to do when I get to the special place?” Billie asked as she curled a strand of her mother’s hair around her finger.
“You’ll know what to do when you get there,” Arianna answered as she looked into Billie’s eyes. She was quiet for a moment as tears filled her eyes. Finally, she smiled again and said, “I’m very proud of you for being so brave, honey.”
Billie leaned in and placed her head on her mother’s chest as she continued to play with Arianna’s hair. Arianna leaned her cheek against the top of her daughter’s head as they both watched the snow start to fall again in silence. It fell lightly around them, but none of it touched them as they quietly held each other.
After a few more moments, Arianna broke the silence. “It’s time for you to leave, honey,” she said quietly. “You have to catch up with your brother.”
Billie leaned back and looked at her mother as she answered, “I hate leaving you mommy.”
“Oh, honey,” Arianna said as she hugged her daughter. “Don’
t you know that I’m always with you? You may not be able to see me, but I am always there.” She leaned back and looked into Billie’s eyes as she said, “I love you, Billie.” And then she kissed her daughter’s forehead.
Billie hugged her mother one last time and told her, “I love you too, mommy.” And then everything around them faded, and Billie could feel her mother’s presence no more.
When Billie opened her eyes again, she was staring at what looked like the ceiling of a room. She looked around in confusion, looking for signs of her mother. But then she remembered that the only time she saw her mother was in her dreams, and she was now awake. The sound of voices drifted in from another room and she remembered that she was at Mr. McCallister’s house. She had fallen asleep on the couch where they had laid Louis down. She sat up on the couch and looked around for her brother, but there was no sign of him. He had already left on his journey and she needed to catch up to him.
Billie stood up and made her way as quietly as she could to the foyer of the house. She quickly put on her winter gear and noticed that Loius’ gear was missing. When she had finished putting her jacket on, she reached for the front door handle. Something brushed against her leg and she jumped slightly as she looked down to see what it was.
A pair of brown eyes looked up at her. Aidan stood next to her, looking as if she was waiting for her to do something.
“Shoo,” Billie whispered as she reached down and tried to push her away. But Aidan refused to move. “I have to leave, Aidan.”
Billie pushed her a little harder, but the dog moved right next to her again and refused to move. Billie thought of the journey through the snow to find Louis and suddenly thought that a little companionship might not be so bad. And she also knew that if she didn’t hurry, someone might hear her or catch her trying to leave. She had to leave now.
“Alright, you can come with me,” Billie whispered as she reached down and stroked the fur between the dog’s ears. “Silly dog,” she added as she kissed Aidan’s head.
As quietly as she could, Billie opened the front door and stepped out on to the porch. The snow was still falling, though it looked like it had lightened somewhat. The cold air hit the exposed parts of her skin immediately, so she pulled her scarf over her nose to block as much of it as possible.
“Where do we go?” she asked herself as she looked out at the winter vista. She had no idea where Louis had gone, or even where to start looking.
Aidan suddenly ran from the porch and jumped into the snow, sniffing at the ground. She stopped at a point near the steps leading to the porch and looked up at Billie. She woofed softly once and continued to stare, but didn’t move from her spot. Billie walked down the steps and over to where the dog stood, wondering if Aidan had found something. As soon as she got close to the dog, she knew that Aidan had. Billie could see footprints that hadn’t yet been covered by the snow. They moved in the direction of the woods near Mr. McCallister’s house, in the direction from which the family had fled the night before. The footprints were only slightly larger than Billie’s own, and she was sure that they were her brother’s.
“Good job, girl,” Billie said as she pet Aidan’s head. “Alright, let’s go find my bonehead brother,” she told Aidan as she started following the tracks.
The two of them moved through the deep snow as quickly as they could, but Billie worried that her brother had already gone too far. The thought of him alone in the snow caused a funny feeling in the pit of her stomach that she was too young to realize was worry. She still wasn’t sure what she would be able to do to help Louis, but nothing was going to stop her from trying.