Chapter 11

Outside the house the darkness almost seemed complete, the only sound being the wind, coming in sudden gusts sweeping leafs around and the light rain hitting the windowpanes. The night had come, and with it a whispered threat of something unknown. The bars and cinemas were strangely empty, with those few working acting strangely restless, wishing to be home. Not even the streetwalkers seemed to be out this night. But Rachel and Andrew were. They had finally run away, and now they were lost.

It had happened so fast too. By the time they finally had decided to leave the unnatural darkness already had sunk its fangs over the little town. And as they walked they found their once so well known streets slowly change character, becoming more and more twisted with their surroundings more and more strange.

"Do you know where we are sis?" Asked Andrew quietly, in vain searching for any recognizable landmarks.

"I don't know." Answered Rachel, wishing she did.

She had taken what money she and Andrew had succeeded in hiding away from their dad as well as some changes of clothes, and their sleeping bags of course. Andrew carried the little tent their mother once had bought for them, the kind that you could set up inside a room, not a real one. Their father would never have allowed to them to get that far out of his reach. 'But it's better than nothing' she thought as they kept on walking, hand in hand, two small dark shapes growing smaller, slowly disappearing into the night.

After lying there caressing each other for a while Adam started to feel a strange restlessness building up inside him. It was as if someone or something was calling for him, and with it came this intolerable feeling of abandonment. Turning around, trying to fall asleep he at last gave up finding that he had to get up. Laila had fallen asleep, a lazy satisfied smile on her lips as she dreamt and as he silently dressed, this time in his new clothes, she turned around in her sleep mumbling.

"Amanda"

He quietly went over to her, touching her cheek. "Sleep baby, I'll be back soon."

As she sighed contentedly he finished his dressing. Suddenly there was someone knocking on the window. Adam almost jumped out of his trousers as he heard it, collecting his courage he hesitantly went over to the window to open it. There was a big tree outside, one of its branches quite near the window. 'Okay, so no monsters then.' He decided as he looked out into the impenetrable darkness, noticing that the streetlights were out too? Never the less he knew that there was something happening, something that needed him.

They had been walking for hour's now, in the beginning there had been streetlights lightening their way, but as the light had waned so had the streetlights, becoming fewer and further apart.

"Maybe we should put up the tent?" suggested Andrew, trying to sound brave, but with his legs being so tired.

Rachel looked around. The street they were on now was lined with big houses all dark and silent, dark windows staring at her. As she looked she got the impression that the darkness was a little weaker ahead though. And she thought she could see a weak light too.

"Not here, Andrew, I don't like this place." She hugged his hand in hers.

"Can you see the light over there?" she asked, pointing ahead.

"I think that's a better place, can you walk a little bit more, sweetie?"

Andrew looked at his big sister, hearing her reassuring voice he resolutely nodded before remembering that she couldn't see it. "Yes Rachel, I can." Stumbling, but not giving up. Andrew was so tired now that he was crying, silently, without a sound as he tried his best to keep up with his sister's longer steps. He had stumbled several times but his sister refused to stop, she just kept hurrying them on. Because Rachel was scared now and the light she had seen didn't seem to come any closer either, no matter how much they walked, but in the end it had became something of her refuge.

"You can give me the tent Andrew." She told him as he bent down to give him a hug. "I think you're very brave."

Andrew looked up at her and tried to smile, not knowing that he was crying.

"You too Rachel." he said. "Is it far?"

"No sweetie, just a little longer. Will you manage if I carry the tent?"

As she asked she touched his cheek lightly, and feeling its wetness she gave him a hug.

"Yes, but I'm not tired. I can carry it." He offered.

"No, let me do it Andrew." She told him as she put his haversack over her shoulder.

She too was tired, and desolate too. But as her father had told her about his idea of her and her mother she finally had understood that she needed to get away. If he did, it would leave both her and her mother little more than animated husks, not that she thought in those terms. She just knew that to stay would kill her, and Andrew too. So they had left. Taking his hand again the started to walk. As she looked down on him stumbling at her side, refusing to give in to his tiredness she felt a strong pride in him.

He was the bravest, most unselfish boy she knew, always going out his way to make her and her mothers life easier, seldom thinking of himself. She thought about how her mother used to sing for them when they were small, and remembering she started to hum. Hearing her Andrew too started to sing, first in a low voice but as they walked, stronger and stronger.

"We're of to see the wizard, the wonderful wizard of Oz"

As Adam stood there staring into the darkness, hearing the wind take hold of the branches he suddenly thought that he could hear someone singing, 'it sounds like kids'. He had this uneasy feeling as if there was something he needed to do growing, and those weak voices singing, passing in from the darkness, dipping in strength and almost disappearing at times, made his need even stronger. Suddenly making up his mind he went over to the old bureau standing in the corner, taking the flashlight lying upon it.

As Adam came down he found them all together in the kitchen, Katrine with her arms around Sarah, looking very nice in her new grey dress, discreetly embroidered with a flowery pattern. As they heard him they stopped talking to look at him, him with his makeup awry streaked by tears but with a very concentrated serious expression on his face, carrying Anna's flashlight.

"I'm going out." He said. "There's something I need to do."

As Anna saw him she knew that there was nothing they could do to stop him.

"I'm going with you." She said, while silently begging her mother with her eyes. Katrine looked out the kitchen window. The unremitting darkness outside gave her a funny feeling, nervous and ill at ease she was thinking of refusing them both, but seeing the way Adam looked she realized that she wouldn't be able to stop him.

"Why Adam, what's so important outside? I don't like it."

"There's someone out there, needing my help Katrine, I can't refuse it." He told her, not understanding himself but knowing that it was the truth. As Sarah listened, he too noticed Adams unflinching resolve and Katrine's nervousness. Looking at Adam again he made a sudden decision.

"No you won't Anna. I'll go with him." he said, surprising himself. "Do you have any more flashlights Katrine?"

As Katrine looked at him she wondered what it was that was so important that it couldn't wait until daybreak. But better that he and Leonard went than the girls if so. She didn't like this darkness that had came over the town, it was very strange. It could be the predecessor to a storm she guessed, and a bad one at that. She went up to look, finding another flashlight she gave it to Sarah and then they all followed them out. Standing at the front door she gave Adam and Sarah a hug.

"Be careful, there seems to be something wrong with the streetlights. And don't go too far, I don't want you to disappear from us again."

Adam and Sarah smiled, hearing her. As Anna and Therese got a hug from Adam he looked at them encouragingly. "Don't worry. I have to do this, why don't you go up and keep Therese company instead. She's going to be worried when she finds herself alone. We'll be back soon."

Leonard studied Adam thoughtfully wondering what was wrong with him. But heck, it would give them some time to talk at least, and he sure looked serious about it. As they left they could see the girls standing, the open door letting out its golden pool of light, penetrating the darkness and giving them both a strange feeling of belonging to those watching, like seeing a ship in night slowly shrinking with the distance.

"I wish I had memorized the streets better." muttered Adam as they walked the pavement. Turning to Leonard he said.

"Sarah, stay close to me please, don't you go wandering off by yourself. This night is not normal, it's dangerous."

Leonard stared at him again. 'spooky' he thought.

"Why?"

"If the streets change I may feel it, you won't." Adam answered, once more knowing himself right, but unable to explain. "And if we get lost, we may never find our way back."

"Okay Amanda." He answered, feeling a slight incongruity comparing the name to Adams appearance.

"Adam actually, and you?"

"Leonard."

As they kept on walking the darkness and silence grew around them, leaving their house as the only light to be seen, but weaker by each step. 'Adam is right' thought Leonard, he couldn't understand it, but it seemed as they, by each single step, were traversing an immense distance, soon leaving the house to look like some weak star fading in the background. He didn't like it at all, and one small part of him wished that they just could turn around to normality again and walk back.

"Are you sure about this? Shouldn't we go back?" He asked as he turned the flashlight around lightening up the sides.

Adam was occupied with his own listening now.

"Listen, can you hear it?" he asked.

As they listened Leonard suddenly heard it too. It was very weak, haphazardly borne upon the wind gusts, but Adam was right, there was someone out there, or several, singing somewhere in the darkness. And as they listened the song slowly became stronger.

"We better hurry." Said Leonard, realizing that it was his children singing, lost somewhere in the empty darkness.

Rachel was starting to give up, the shadows impenetrable. She wished she had remembered to get them a flashlight, but there had been no time. Her father had closed himself in inside his study, after telling her to get ready for the night. And when she had gone to talk with her Mom she had found her sleeping as if drugged, not answering even when she shook her.

As she started to think that Andrew was right about them putting up the tent he suddenly stopped singing.

"Look, flashlights." He said pointing.

As she looked she saw them too. Two flashlights, quite far away, but steadily growing. She didn't know what to do, leaving the pavement for the wilderness surrounding them felt strangely repulsive to her, as if loosing all contact with reality. She stopped singing, looking inquiringly at Andrew.

"Do you think we should hide?" she asked.

He shook his head. "I don't like leaving the street Rachel." He said in a low voice. "There's something bad out there."

Rachel nodded in the darkness. She had this uneasy feeling too, of something unerringly merciless keeping pace with them. Something, just waiting for them to make that smallest of missteps. And she was pretty sure they had been going away from their home the whole time.

"We'll keep on then." She said, giving her brother an encouraging nudge.

"Hallo." Called Andrew. "Can you see us."

"They can't see you silly" answered Rachel.

Andrew looked at her imploringly. "Maybe if we both called?"

Rachel thought it over for a moment before nodding.

"Haloo, can you hear us?"

As Leonard and Adam heard them calling they hastened their steps, soon falling into an easy jog, Leonard thanking his lucky star that Anna had found him some decent flats instead of high heels.

"We're coming, don't worry." Called Adam. "Whatever you do, stay on the pavement."

As they ran they suddenly heard a scream.

"Andrew, stop" and then there was only silence.

As they at last came up to the two figures they found a young girl kneeling at a little unmoving child. She looked up at them dazed, still shocked.

"He wanted to run when we heard you, why did he run?" She looked at them, imploring them to help with her eyes,

"Something jumped at him, a dog or something. Please do something. I tried to hit it with my bag." Staring out in the darkness as if she wanted to cry, but had forgot how.

Adam looked at Leonard as he bent down to tenderly lift up the little kid. He almost seemed as if he was sleeping, if one didn't look to close that was. But if you did, the first thing you would notice was a white stillness of his face, and then the fresh wound at his side, filling up with a black wetness dripping to the ground. As Adam put the light on it he saw that it was blood, freshly red under his flashlight and bubbling with every breath.

"Sarah, I need your slip." He told her. "We need to close that wound now, and fast."

As Adam created a bandage of it, using the smaller flashlight to put pressure on the bandage, Leonard keeping his flashlight moving, trying to catch what it had been assaulting the boy.

"We need to get away from here." He said. "Now Adam."