Chapter 11: Chapter 11: The Inbetween

The embers danced in front of Eve’s face. The sharp hot stings hit up her cheeks to her forehead. The ever-changing colors pierced through her eyelids. David sat across from her, he stared into the fire in the center of the tent. The smoke rose through a hole in the roof. The shaman, Kanen looked upon David. Standing behind Eve singing his hymn. The attack on Eve’s senses was leaving her feeling numb. Eve stopped, “Somethings not right, it’s like my spirit wants to join with the other spirits. But something keeps pulling me back.”

David looked at her through the flames, “I told you it wasn’t a good idea for me to be here. My spirit isn’t ready.” David lowered his head, his hair almost touching the fire.

Kanen walked over to David, “I understand that you know what will happen afterward, but you need to accept it and allow yourself to move on. If you are to hope for closure.”

“David, I want you to experience it with me,” Eve said. She felt like she was ready for anything if she was by her side. “David?”

“Fine, let's try again for the fiftieth time,” David said. His mind was not ready to see it all over again, “Well Mr. Shaman, are we doing this or what?” David was going to force himself into the trance, out of fear he would never leave until they did.

Eve felt discontent in her heart, “I’m ready.” She nodded at Kanen as he began his rhythmic chant once more. They had been at this for what seemed like forever. Hours even. Eve felt her body growing numb, her thoughts were now within her palms. An absolute transcendent feeling. The chanting, the fire, the colors, all at once. This time was different, David wasn’t holding back. His amplification surrounded her. His energy tore open the back of her skull and poured into her mind. All at once, she felt his love, his pain, his knowledge, and his ignorance.

Eve watched as her spirit lifted from her body, looking down on herself. It appeared as if she were asleep with her back upright. Her blue spirit took flight, seeing a green one in the distance. David waved at her to follow. She did, Kanen’s crow followed behind them. Eve took David’s hand, trying to speak but no words fell from her tongue. David shook his head at her. Both their bodies took flight. Spinning towards the West, quicker than the speed of light. She looked down to take a view of what she could at the Earth. She couldn’t make out anything of significance. A bright light exploded in the distance; Eve shielded her eyes. The light disappeared, they floated in nothing but darkness. The color of their spirits faded away.

“Where are we?” Eve asked, standing in the void with David and Kanen’s crow.

The crow spoke with Kanen’s voice, “The question on your mind is when. It is important and detrimental that throughout this time, you stay focused. If you panic and your mind cannot focus, then you will fall back into your body. Or worse.”

“Worse?” Eve asked, “What do you mean worse?”

“Our spirits will be lost in the void until someone pulls us out,” David said, “For them to pull us out, they would have to find the exact second of where we are.”

“That’s easy, you never panic. You can come and save me if worse comes to worst,” Eve smiled from cheek to cheek.

“Your spirits tethered together before we took flight,” Kanen said, “If one of you gets lost, then both of you will.”

“That’s awesome,” David said, “This looks like just before the beginning of time.” He looked deep into the darkness. It was disorienting with the feeling of absolute emptiness.

“Eve doesn’t need to know the dawn of time,” The crow spoke, “If she wishes to know she only needs to listen to you or pick up the book.”

“Wait, you mean God is just gonna appear out of thin air any minute now and you won’t even let me see him?” Eve yelled at David.

“That defeats the purpose of everything,” David looked at the crow. Glaring at him to ready for flight again.

“Purpose of what?”

“Faith,” David said before lifting off once more. Eve thought she was going to be sick; everything was happening too quick for her to comprehend. They came to a sudden halt.

“Can you give me a warning next time?” Eve’s mind spun around; her stomach feeling sick. “I think I’m going to throw up.” David couldn’t help but laugh at her.

“How are you going to do that? You’re an astral projection. All that drama is just in your head, you’re not actually dizzy.”

“I’m feeling really dizzy right now,” Eve said. She thought about it, how could she feel that way if she didn’t have any organs to feel nauseated. Feeling relaxed, “Okay, I think I figured it out.” Eve looked around, standing in the middle of a large open green field. The plains folded over each other in small hills. “Where are we?”

“When? Somewhere around five hundred, where? England,” Kanen said flying over to land on Eve’s shoulder.

“Why England?” She looked into the distance, a man and a woman lied together in the open grass. Staring into each other’s eyes. Eve looked at David, it felt familiar to her. Not the scene in particular, but the feeling in the strange woman’s eyes. She could feel that.

“Arthur and Guinevere,” David said watching from afar.

“It’s beautiful but why show me this?” Eve asked in confusion, “I thought I was supposed to learn about my past?”

“This is your past,” The crow said abruptly, “The same power that ran through her veins now resides within you.”

Eve frown trying to think on it, “What of Arthur? Who shares his power?”

“No one,” David said.

“So, you’re telling me, that I’m special because I’m reincarnated from this woman?” Eve chuckled, “I’m sorry but that doesn’t make sense. Arthur was a hero, but he reincarnated into what?”

The crow looked at David and then back to Eve, “That is not important.” Kanen said frustrated, “What is important is that you are a descendant from her. Not a reincarnation. She held immense power.”

“What happened to her?” Eve asked.

“She died,” David said. Time rolled forward, “Arthur cheated on her, betraying her. Manipulated by a love potion.”

“That wasn’t his fault then, right?” Eve wondered, watching as Arthur lied in bed with a different woman. “I don’t want to watch this.”

Time moved forward again, “Instead of attempting to rekindle his relationship with Guinevere, King Arthur in all his wisdom gave birth to the beginning of the Order during the quest for the Holy Grail.”

“Well, he formed the Order, so that’s a good thing, right?” Eve asked. She watched as the knights rode their horses down a forest path.

“We gained the Order, but we lost Guinevere,” David said. “She held immeasurable power, a power that could’ve brought an end to the creatures of sin forever.”

“How did she die?” Eve asked, looking at a scene of Guinevere. Writing a letter, swallowing a strange-looking drink. She climbed into a bed where she would never leave. David closed his eyes refusing to watch. Eve kept her eyes wide, watching her body turn into nothing but ash.

“What happened after that?” Eve asked, a single tear rolling down her face.

“She failed,” Kanen spoke, “The same power residing within you was nothing more than the doom of the women who bore it. Until the power faded. For two thousand years, sin reigned supreme. The Order, The Tribe, and the Brotherhood. Fighting on every front at every corner.”

“The brotherhood?” Eve asked.

“Just because their views are different than ours doesn’t make them any less of a target of sin,” David said, “They just embrace the darkness rather than deny it.”

“I see,” Eve said. She felt the weight of responsibility rest above herself. They had waited for two thousand years, for what? For her? Eve barely knew how to properly tie her shoes. How was she supposed to succeed where so many have failed before her?

“Now the day the Earth stopped,” Kanen fast-forwarded time. David and Eve watched from the sidelines but can hear everything being said. Eve’s eyes opened; they were in the Sanctuary.

Eve looked around herself, “When was this?” Eve asked.

“December third, ninety-seven,” Kanen informed her. Eve was ever more confused.

“Kinda weird, are we here to watch David’s birth?” Eve laughed. David remained silent. “Hey what’s gotten into you?” David kept his face into the sky, only then. He didn’t have to witness anything. David had disconnected himself, only listening. Nothing else came from him. “That’s Gabriella, right?” Eve asked taking a view of the woman. A large pregnant stomach. “Oh, I feel sorry for her, she had to carry you around.” Eve smiled, “She’s so beautiful.” Her hair was short, to the bottom of her neck. Her skin was tanned from the California sun. Gabriella sat alone near the elevator.

Eve thought about it, she had sat in the same place on her first day with the sanctuary. It was the only spot that had felt safe, warm. Another woman walked up, her skin pale, her eyes held a deep blue sea, her hair was as gold as the sun. Eve’s skin trembled. Hearing her speak once, Eve’s heart shattered. Like a baseball through the glass. Eve couldn’t hold her composure any longer.

“Davi-“ She couldn’t finish saying his name. “No way- “

“Gaby, what’s the plan tonight?” She asked.

“Hoping to take more time to relax,” Gabriella said, “James has been getting on my nerves lately about the baby.”

“Trust me, I feel you there,” She laughed.

“David, what’s her name?” Eve began to shake. David kept quiet, “Kanen?”

“I know nothing of names,” Kanen said, “Take this moment to enjoy what once was.”

Gabriella looked around, “Got a name for her yet?” She asked.

“That’s a surprise,” She smiled rubbing her stomach. “What about your boy?”

Gabriella smiled, “Daniel, something tells me how loyal he’s going to be.” She laughed, “He hasn’t even kicked me once.”

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Kanen jumped ahead in time. “Wait! Go back!” Eve begged.

“We are short on time as soon as you realize and accept who you are, you can revisit the past whenever you want,” Kanen commanded. He landed back on Eve’s shoulder; the crow whispered within her ear. “The longer we are here. The more David begins to panic.”

Eve had forgotten about David, he stood looking away. How hard it must have been for him to see his mother. And having no way of speaking with her. She had just realized the truth of her mother; thoughts ran in a rampage in her mind. How could they have kept this a secret from her? How could David have lied to her after all this time?

Eve smiled, looking at the positive of knowing that the parent she had thought were hers, were nothing more than a lie. She didn’t have to share that pathetic blood in her veins. She had the blood of watcher’s running through her veins. Her mind halted, she demanded answers. What happened to them?

“Where are my parents?” Eve said sternly. Her fist-shaking at her waist. Fueled only by her desire for more knowledge. Kanen’s crow shook his head forward. Eve turned around taking in view of something she wasn’t expecting to see.

She was in the Sanctuary’s medical wing. The two women on opposite sides of the room, a young James ran frantically to his wife. Passing right through Eve’s projection. She smiled at James, it was like seeing an older David. What the hell happened to him? Eve smiled wider. Looking to her left, Eve saw who she thought to be her parents.

Both of the women were screaming. Master Eleazar was pushed out of the room by one of the nurses, it was absolute chaos. “Maria, hold on baby girl.”

“Screw you!” She screamed. Maria, that was her name. Eve’s eyes began to well. She remembered that name, it felt nostalgic.

“Well, that’s not nice,” The man replied laughing.

“Not Nice?” Maria paused in her pain, “You’re the one who did this to me, Isaiah, you’re not nice!” Maria reached over to choke him. However, he broke her grip quickly.

“The baby! You’re going to stress out the baby!” One nurse yelled rushing over to them. Eve just laughed, long and deeply, until her laughs turned to tears. Streaming down her face, her hands to her mouth. They seemed so cool. Why was she robbed of this? They probably could’ve taught her how to be the best warrior possible from childhood.

Time passed; Eve enjoyed the entire interaction. David sat down next to her on the floor. “You enjoying watching two women give birth?” David asked.

“It’s more of me just getting to learn them, these were my parents, right?” Eve asked.

“Let’s see for yourself,” David stood up as the two women finished giving birth. They held their babies in their arms. Covered in blood, not caring about it. Them being held by their mothers first was more important than a little blood. No one could be a Watcher if they hadn’t seen a bit of blood in their lifetime.

“What’s her name?” The nurse asked Maria. “The Order has requested her to be named Mary.”

“The Order can go screw itself,” Maria replied, “Her name is Evelyn.” Eve felt her heart fall to her stomach. Looking down on herself as a baby was weird, but the moment was beautiful. She felt her skin craving the touch of her mother. This must have been what David felt. Eve didn’t envy him for a moment.

“Don’t you want to see your mother holding you?” Eve whispered to him.

“I’ve seen this plenty of times,” David held his hand on her shoulder.

“Why didn’t you ever tell me?” Eve asked softly.

“I couldn’t,” David said.

“Why?” Eve asked.

“It was easier this way,” David told her. Eve shrugged off David’s hand.

“Who killed them?” Eve asked. David remained even more silent than before.

“Fine, show me more,” Eve commanded Kanen. The crow just nodded. Time jumped again.

They were in the courtyard; David’s heart began to race. Eve watched as she found herself, she couldn’t be more than three years old. Gabriella stood off to the side with another baby in her arms. That had to be Gabriel, Eve wondered what the little jerk looked like as a baby. Probably adorable. At Gabriella’s hip, a little David stood. She smiled. The young Evelyn ran around in circles, wondering what could’ve been going through her little blonde head. The young David ran over from his mother to the young Evelyn. Eve wanted to listen to her conversation.

“Hi, David!” She screamed.

“Oh, hello,” David said shyly, “I was wondering if you wanted to play.”

“Duh!” Eve said as they began to play tag it seemed like. Eve began to realize there were no other kids, were they the first of the next generation of Watchers? Everyone else had to be far too young to be playing with them. Liam and Kaitlyn hadn’t been brought into the Order yet. She watched as Eve and David climbed up the tree in the center of the courtyard.

James walked up to Gabriella, she handed off Gabriel. “Everything will be alright, look at him he’s so cute!” James loved his sons, even from the start.

“I’m just stressed out. We’re bringing all these kids into a world filled with nothing but hate. If what they told us is true, these three kids are going to spend their entire lives fighting. What’s the point?”

“The point is that in between each battle, in between each struggle. There will be love and smiles.” James told his wife. She accepted his positivity, but she thought it was much of a stretch. She prayed she would see each one of them happy with each other. Eve smiled. She did have those smiles and love in between each struggle. She wished there was some way she could tell Gabriella that. Some way to tell her that her sons have become heroes.

“Ow!” The little Eve screamed having fallen from the tree.

“Eve!” David jumped out of the tree, falling down hurting himself in the process. David rushed over to the little girl. The older Eve looked at the tree, noticing a dark cloud dissipate into thin air. Who pushed her out of the tree? It couldn’t be David, he looked like he didn’t have an aggressive bone in his body. What was it?

“David!” James yelled, running over. Looking at the young David, his leg had been broken trying to help the younger Eve. Blood was pouring from the little girl’s stomach. She wasn’t pushed, she had been stabbed or bitten!

Eve turned to look at David who stared at her, tears pouring down his face. Eve didn’t understand, she couldn’t. She was speechless. Everyone in the sanctuary panicked running to her aid. The younger Eve began to scream, the ground below her shook.

“James, take David and Gabe and run!” Gabriella yelled at him. He hesitated. “What’s important is for you to keep them safe. We need to calm her down before…”

James kissed his wife; little did he know this was the last time. David’s broken leg bounced around in entire pain. Screaming his heart out, feeling Eve’s pain as well. It was imperative that James got them away from there. Eleazar was the only person not there. The rest of the Watcher’s attempted to pour a healing well on top of the little girl. They succeeded.

Though Eve’s crying didn’t stop. The influx of energy only worsened her attitude. The vibrations on the floor grew stronger. Maria picked up her daughter, “Shhhh, it's okay. It’s okay…” Eve continued to cry. The older Eve began to charge into the group. David grabbed onto her, pulling her in to hug her. Eve began screaming.

“No, no, no, please. David, I have to save them,” Eve screamed out. David kept quiet holding her tight. He let himself face what was going to happen, so Eve didn’t have to. Being too strong for her, she hugged him back tightly.

“It’s okay,” Maria continued, “It's... I love you.”

The young Eve released one final scream, with it came to a wave of energy so powerful. Instantly disintegrating everything it touched. Everyone within the Sanctuary walls was caught in the blast. David had been unaffected by it, having held onto his father and brother allowed for their survival. Maria was the first to go, knowing what was coming. They all did, however, they thought they knew how to stop it.

Gabriella, Maria, Isaiah, Daniel, Natalie, Kole, and William. All Watchers, Guardians, and Knights of the Order. After plenty of battles and sacrifices, their watch had ended. No bodies were buried that day. Only tombstones with empty caskets. The halls of the Sanctuary were left hollow, nothing remained but a memory of those who died. James and Eleazar were left with three kids. Eve had barely met her parents and learned who they were, and she will never have the chance to feel them again. It all had been a lie, for what seemed like forever. All the pain she endured growing up from people who weren’t even her blood. Nothing made sense.

Eve fell to her knees in David’s arms. Screaming into his chest. David tried to hold it together. This had been the first time he had witnessed his mother’s death firsthand. Eve was back in her body, gasping for oxygen as if she was just dragged from under the sea. Felt like water had filled her lungs. She looked up panting, David had just been staring at her. His face was covered in tears. “David, I am so sorry.”

David looked away, constantly wanting to blame her but had always remembered what he had seen, “It wasn’t your fault.” He muttered. “I’m the one who kept this a secret.” He could barely speak, “I need a minute.” David stood up and walked out of the tent. Leaving Eve behind. It was becoming too much for him. He needed relief.

“Why did you show me that?!” Eve yelled at Kanen who stood leaning on his staff.

“Because you asked me too,” Kanen answered, “You need to understand just how responsible and careful you must be with how much power you host.” Eve turned her head away, he was right.

“Why do I have this power?” Eve couldn’t believe it, her head was pounding.

“You are the key to eliminating all the sin of the planet, and restore balance in the world,” Kanen said.

“I’m just a girl, an eighteen-year-old girl. I have no business or reason to be trying to save the world,” Eve said, “Why didn’t David die in that blast?”

“No one knows, but with every woman who bore that power was a knight or warrior to defend her. But every knight had failed.”

“So you’re saying David will fail?” Eve asked sweat dripped down her face.

“I pray not,” Kanen said, “You should get some rest. Tomorrow, you will begin your training.”

Eve looked down at the floor, clinching some dirt in a fist, “No,” Eve said. “I have learned to control it, I promised I will never use it.”

“You will be denying your destiny. Continuing the cycle. That is if the cycle even continues.”

“I refuse to hurt anyone else again,” Eve said, “If that is all from you. I will be leaving.”

“You are making a horrible choice,” Kanen countered.

“At least I have a choice. David was sure to remind me of that,” Eve told him, “Thank you for teaching me that time travel stuff. I’ll be sure to use it later on to learn more.” Eve bowed to him. Sliding her shoes back on before leaving the tent. Praying she would never have to return.

Eve ran out into the night, looking for David. He had to be back at the Van. She found herself quickly lost, until stumbling upon a trail of destroyed trees. Chunks of wood are torn from the sides. Reluctantly following the path. Until she found David. Sitting on his knees, staring into the night sky. “David?” She could see the lines of corruption running up his face like an infection. “Are you okay?” Of course, he wasn’t, his body looked like Liam’s the night of Christmas eve. Her heart pounded in her chest.

“I wanted to kill you,” David said, “they told me to, it wasn’t your fault. There was a sin that stabbed you on top of that tree. I remember his soulless black eyes. Looking into them was like looking into the end of the universe.” David laughed. “When I first saw you. I remembered that demonic face. That’s why I didn’t kill you because I knew it wasn’t your fault.”

“David?” Eve touched his shoulder, “I’m sorry I dragged you in there. I know how you feel and I understand, I would feel that way too.”

“I don’t hate you,” David’s corruption lines began to recede. “Eve, I’m sorry I lied to you. I didn’t think you were ready for that. You needed to find out who you were first. I needed you to know that you’re loved, I needed you to love yourself.”

“Is this why Gabriel hates me?” Eve asked, “Because it makes sense. All this time I thought he was just being an ass.” Eve’s eyes released the floods. “It’s because I’m the reason he grew up without knowing his mother.” David stayed quiet, still on his knees. Which only confirmed her suspicions. “How do I fix this?”

“You can’t. The only thing you can do is continue to control it,” David told. “Now that you know how to manipulate the spirits, I think it’s time to teach you manipulation of the energy in the mind.”

“I don’t even want to think about training right now,” Eve wiped her tears from her eyes. “Is it too much to ask of you for something?”

“What’s that?” David asked, his voice hoarse from how much he had been crying.

Eve grabbed David’s hands, lifting him from the dirt. Walking towards the van. David opened up the side door. They both climbed inside. Shutting the door behind them. Eve took off her shoes, David did as well. Once Eve was comfortable, she put her hands in her hair, taking in a deep breath. Still emotional. All the thoughts spiraling in her head, trying to put together the pieces. David didn’t know what to think. He had always refused to see what happened, but this time he accepted it. Almost like closure, but to him it was the most traumatic thing he had to witness.

Eve pushed David onto the bed. “Eve,” David said trying to stop her.

“I’m not doing what you think I’m trying to do,” Eve told him. Climbing next to him and lying down on her side.

“You just wanted to lie next to me?” David asked awkwardly.

“I thought it would be nice,” Eve said. Grabbing straws hoping for any way to make him happier than he needed to be in that moment. She was still trying to make sense of it all. David had already made sense of it all because his mind wasn’t screwed with. Now he was just learning how to live with it. She felt his arm wrap around her stomach. Pulling her in closer.

If there was one thing to smile this day, was this moment right now. Eve just hoped Gabriella and Maria were looking down on them now, knowing that they were able to find love and happiness between the pain and battles.