I awoke to find myself inside the guess bedroom. Someone must have brought me in here last night, but I don't know who. As I got up from the bed, my head started to pound as I started to hear that haunting word, "Nevermore." It must have infected my mind somehow. I needed to lay back down and try to get this word out from my head.
"Good luck with that Jackson, I'm in here forevermore."
"What was that?" I said out loud. "Who are you?"
"Never will I speak thy name. Forever I will stay."
Was I going mad? Or going insane? I quickly asked the voice again, "What do you want with me?"
"It's not you I want more of; I want more of her. Until she's nevermore."
"What business do you have with her?"
"My business is with the girl, not with you. You're just standing in my way."
"I'm not going to let you hurt her. I'm her protector."
"A forever protector of my prey. You'll become dead, and forever shall you stay."
"That's not going to happen," as I shouted back towards the voice.
"We'll see about that Jackson. You're forever with that girl, will never happen. Nevermore!!"
The voice seemed to disappear for now, as long as I live; I'm not going to let anything come near Amber. As I said that, there was a knock outside of the bedroom door. "Hey Jackson, are you okay in there?" asked Amber. I got up from the bed and opened the door. What my eyes saw was a thing of beauty, she looked like her normal self once again.
"Yes Amber, I'm okay."
"Okay, because while I was downstairs, I started to hear you having a conversation with yourself and you seemed pretty mad about it. Is there anything you would like to tell me Jackson?" said Amber.
I couldn't tell her about the creepy voice that decided to plant its seed inside my head or mention about what happen to her last night. I quickly came up with a response, "Nope, everything is fine," as I kissed her forehead.
"Okay then. Well, I made breakfast for us, and you better hurry before Travis eats it all."
I nodded my head and watched Amber going down the stairs. There was a quick slap, and a loud scream.
"Ow! Damnit Krystal!" shouted Travis.
"Don't be such a greedy asshole Travis," said Krystal. "Save some for Jackson."
"Alright, shit."
Then, I heard Amber's voice chimed in.
"That's what you get for being an asshole Travis," said Amber.
"Yeah, whatever," mumbled Travis.
Then, another slap echoed through the house. Followed by, another whine from Travis.
"Son of a bitch Krystal, that hurt," as he writhed in pain once again. "What was that for?"
"For sassing at your sister," said Krystal. "Now say that your sorry, or my hand strikes you somewhere else."
"Alright, sorry Amber, that I was being such an asshole."
"You're forgiven. Now, finish eating and hurry onto school or you'll be late."
"Okay."
As the conversation quieted down, I walked towards the stairs and started to feel dizzy once again. I quickly grabbed the railing and held on tight. "Nevermore you'll be! She'll be mine forevermore!" said the creepy voice, as I started to lose my footing on the steps.
My mind went dark, as I felt my body tumble down the stairs, towards the end of them. I lied there motionless, as I heard her screaming my name from above me, "Jackson, Jackson are you okay? Speak to me Jackson." I couldn't process words to say, it felt like my voice was gone. I could hear Amber talking on the phone with the police to send an ambulance to the house, that her boyfriend fell down the stairs and is hurt bad.
My mind was swimming, as I kept on hearing that sentence being played back, repeatedly, "Nevermore you'll be! She'll be mine forevermore!" I couldn't do anything; this creepy voice has me held against my will. It felt like I was locked inside of my own punishment room, being tortured forever. Until I was, nevermore.
I finally awoken inside of a hospital bed; seeing all sort of wires and monitors all around me. Checking my heart, and blood pressure. I quickly scanned the room and spotted Amber sitting in a chair next to my bed, holding onto my hand.
"Hey there sleepy head. I was getting worried," she said.
"What happen?" I asked her.
"You took a wicked tumble down the stairs. Luckily, the doctor said that you didn't severely break anything major. Just a few bumps, bruises, gashes and a possible sprain to both of your ankles."
I didn't know what to say from the outcome, I just thank god that I was alive. I looked at her, she started to cry as tears raced down her cheeks. I reached for her cheek, as she leans closer towards my hand.
"I was afraid that I was going to lose you," said Amber.
"I'm not going anywhere," I said to her.
"Keep saying that to yourself Jackson, you'll become nevermore, and I'll have my forevermore with the girl."
"No, stay away from her," I shouted out loud.
"Jackson, what's wrong? Please tell me."
"Say another word, and I'll end you right where you lay."
"I'm not going to let you take her," I shouted louder.
"Jackson, you're freaking me out," as she backed away from me. "Why aren't you telling me what's causing you this pain!"
"Because if I do, then it will kill me."
"Who is going to kill you?"
"Say one more word and I'll take your life."
I couldn't take it anymore; I didn't want this thing taking her away from me. Not after all the hard effort I did to set her free from that room. I needed to let her know. It's my life or hers. "It's… the…"
"Yes Jackson, please tell me."
"I'm warning you; do it and I'll end you."
"It's… the…"
Amber screams, "Jackson, tell me right now!!"
"Say it or else you die."
"It's… the…NEVERMORE!!!!" I shouted towards her.
"That's it, your life is no more!"
Suddenly I felt my heart being squeezed by an unstoppable force, I started to panic. The monitors inside the room started to go crazy, as a group of nurses and doctors rushed inside the room. My eyes kept looking at her, as she cried out my name. One of the doctors ordered for her to be removed from the room, two nurses brought her outside; while I can still hear, her crying my name, "Jackson please don't leave me! I love you!" My breathing started to increase, as my blood pressure went off the charts.
"We're losing him," said one of the doctors. "Stabilizing him, now!"
"Jackson, stay with us," said another doctor.
"He's blood and heart pressure is going critical," shouted the nurse.
"I'm not letting this boy die, not today."
I felt like my heart was about to pop a blood vessel, from all the added pressure. This was it, as I felt a single teardrop fell from my eyes. My mind went dark.
Flat line…
"We lost him. Call it in at 4:25pm, Jackson Cooper passed away."
"What do we tell his friends doctor?"
"Tell them that we did all we can do and didn't save him in time."
As the doctors begin to make their way towards the entrance of the doorway; a fate sound comes over the machine. They both quickly turned around and saw that he wasn't dead, but barely much alive.
"Hurry, we're not losing him a second time," said the doctor.
While all the commotion was happening inside of Jackson Cooper's room; Amber and her friend Sam were sitting outside in the lobby; waiting to hear any sort of news about him. All sudden, there was loud noises that started to develop down the hall towards the main entrance of the hospital. Amber walked out towards the hallway and spotted a woman near the counter; demanding to see her brother right this very minute, but the nurse refused to let her pass without any sort of I.D. The woman slammed her fist onto the counter; splitting it in two. The nurse screamed and called for security. Three men rushed towards the women and asked her to leave at once or the cops will be called. She refused to listen to the guard's demand as she pushed all three men across the floor.
Amber slowly ran towards the doorway entrance of the lobby and closed the door behind her. She then told Sam to get down onto the floor and don't make a sound until the matter in the hallway is solved. More guards rushed down the hallway towards the women to stop her from approaching any further. Once again, she refused to listen to the guards demands and ran passed them all, and send them flying across the hospital main floor. Amber peeked thru the window out towards the main hallway to see what was going on, but before she can lower her head down towards the ground; the women spotted her as she reached towards the lobby door. Amber crawled back towards where Sam was as they screamed on top of their lungs as the women busted through the doorway with incredible force.
She looked directly at them and walked slowly towards them. "Which one of you two humans is Amber Banks?" asked the women.
Amber raised her head up as she locked eye to eye with the women that stands right in front of her. "What do you want with me?" asked Amber.
"What is happening to my brother?" said the women.
"Who is your brother?" asked Sam.
"Jackson Cooper, I'm his sister Amy. Now, what is going on with my brother?" demanded Amy.
"He started to develop a weird case of a fever, he started to blackout a lot and didn't know who is was or where he was at, and he kept on shouting Nevermore towards me; which got me a little freaked out. After that happened, we brought him here and we been waiting to hear what's going on with him." said Amber.
"Ah I see, so you don't know what is going on with my brother and why he started to develop this weird sickness on what you humans called a fever?" asked Amy.
"Yes, and why are you calling us humans? You're a human as well."
"I'm actually a… yes I'm a human; just like you."
Amber didn't know what to make from the sudden arrival of Jackson's sister and what sort of secrets she was keeping. She was going to get to the bottom of this mystery and the only way to do it was to pull Amy aside.
"I'm going to grab something to eat in the lunchroom. Do you girls want anything before I go?" asked Sam.
"I'm good Sam, thank you."
"Okay I'll be right back," said Sam.
As Sam walked out towards the main hallway, towards the lunchroom. Amber closed the door behind her and locked it. "Look Amy; if that's your real name. I know what you and your brother are. What is the real reason why you are here now to see him?" asked Amber.
"You are indeed a smart one Amber Banks; you saw right through my lies. My true name is Niko; I been watching you very closely as my brother Mikel was protecting and saving you from that room. My father doesn't know that I'm down here and if he did; he would be pissed at me for disobeying him. I want to bring my brother back to cure him myself without these humans treating him with their unknown medicine and science. I can help him." said Niko.
"Well, idk if they will allow you to take him out from here, I mean you see what they tried to do with you, and you answered back with your incredible force. They now see you as a threat and a harm to this hospital," said Amber.
"You only seen half of my true power Ms. Banks, but you haven't seen all of it. If these people think I'm a threat now, they don't know who they are dealing with."
"I'm telling you that there is no way that you're getting your brother out of here; with of those guards looking for you. Let them help your brother, and afterwards you can do whatever you want to do with him."
Niko got close to Amber and grab her by the collar of her shirt, "I'm not taking no orders from a weak human like yourself. I'm getting my brother out of here one way or another."
"Please, Niko let me go. I'm not your enemy," pleaded Amber.
"Then stop acting like one Ms. Banks and let me do what I need to do to protect my family and save my brother."
While the girls were having it out in the lobby; the doctors were still in Jackson's room.
"He's heart rate is still normal, but no signs of life. What's the next step doctor?"
"We have to keep trying, he will wake up."
Sam was making her way back towards the lobby and spots the doctors inside of Jackson's room. She looked through the window and saw one of Jackson's eyes open. She freaked out with excitement and quickly ran towards the lobby to tell the others. Sam arrived at the lobby door and noticed that it's locked. She peeked through the window and saw that Amy had Amber pinned against the wall. Sam started to bang on the window; to get their attention. Suddenly Amy turned around and spotted her, "What is it?" asked Amy.
"It's Jackson, he's awake," shouted Sam through another side of the window.
Both girls quickly ran towards the doorway and hurried down towards Jackson's room. All three girls arrived and spotted both doctors were being pinned to the wall. Sam didn't know what was happening; while the other girls knew. Amy walked inside and approached her brother.
"Amber, take your human friend away from here now; her eyes aren't ready to see the truth," shouted Amy.
Amber grabbed Sam by the arm, hurried towards the main entrance of the hospital. Sam released her grip from Amber and stopped her, "What did she mean by that my eyes aren't ready to see the truth? Amber what secret are you keeping from me? We're supposed to be friends here; we tell each other what's on our minds. Tell me Amber, what aren't you telling me?" asked Sam.
"It's isn't the time; I promise I'll tell you everything. Right now, we got to get far away from here before we get caught in it," said Amber.
"Get caught in what? Stop speaking in riddles Amber. Just tell me, or this is where our friendship ends," demanded Sam.
"Okay I'll tell you; I have a…"
Just before Amber was about to spill the biggest secret to her friend Sam, a huge wave of energy from the hospital knocked both over towards the ground. She got up slowly; while Sam laid on the ground out cold. She slowly approached the entrance and saw two people walking down the hallway towards the entrance, "Jackson, is that you?" she said towards the shadowy figure. As they got closer, Amber walked closer. The two figures appeared from out from the smoke and their walked Jackson and Amy. Amber quickly ran towards him and gave Jackson the biggest hug of all time.
"Jackson, I'm glad you're okay," cried Amber.
"I'm okay, my sister came and woke me up from my blackout before I physical hurt those two doctors," said Jackson.
"Well that's good to hear, I missed you."
Amy looked at both and was disguised, "I will never truly understand these people love triangle ritual."
"In due time sister, you will understand soon enough," said Jackson.
"Yea whatever."
As they all collected themselves from what transpired at the hospital, what was going on inside of one Jackson Coopers head will be the biggest surprise to hit everyone in where they lease expect it.
Jackson awoke in what seemed to be a dark chamber room with a chained doorway and windows. Whoever was keeping him locked inside of this room, must have a good reason behind it. From behind the door, he started to hear music and a women's voice singing towards it. Jackson reached for the chained door and tried to open it. Luckily enough, the door swag open to a hallway with a light at the end of it. Jackson slowly walked down the hallway as the music and singing got louder. Suddenly, the voice spoke, "Jackson is that you? I was wondering when you would wake up. Hurry up now, dinner is getting cold."
Jackson didn't know what to say, so he continued to walk ahead and arrived at where the light was shining and where the music was playing. There stood right before him was a kitchen; with food already prepared on the table. As he walked closer to the table and putted out the chair to begin to eat. Footsteps approached the kitchen area and walked in towards the light.
"Ah there you are Jackson; I was getting worried that you would never wake up from your nap?" said the voice.
Jackson looked up towards the voice and couldn't believe his eyes in what he saw, he got up from the chair and backed towards the wall, "Sarah? No, it can't be… you're supposed to be dead. I was there when we took you out. You can't be here," shouted Jackson.
Suddenly, the room went silenced as the temperature become cold. From the shadows of the hallway, a shadowy figure came forth towards Jackson and it was the Nevermore.
"The life of one Jackson Cooper is controlled forever more, by the hands of me and nothing more," said the Nevermore.
'Why are you doing this to me? Bringing forth a forgotten memory of my ex-girlfriend and having her be a part of your twisted game. Tell me, why are you doing this to me?" asked Jackson.
"These questions you ask will be answered and then more, but you must be patience and suffer forever more. As you are kept locked away ever more and see the light nevermore," said the Nevermore.
"Stop with all the riddles and tell me who you are and what you want with me and Amber!" demanded Jackson.
"If you want to know thy name, then I shall tell you thy name. My name is Moore of Nevermore, and you Jackson Cooper are my slave forever more."
"Okay Moore of Nevermore, now tell me what you want with me and Amber?" asked Jackson.
"I didn't want the girl; she was just a steppingstone to the real prize that awaited on the other side. The real prize was you Jackson Cooper; you were the prize that I wanted on my side. I want the power that's locked inside of you, and the only way to get it is by controlling you," said the Moore.
"The power that I have inside of me, will never be yours."
"Oh, I knew you would say that. While you are here trapped in my game forever more. Your sister and you will guild me to the true power of your ever more. Now I'm going to leave you to your torture with your lost memories, as I search for your true power remedies," said the Moore.
"You'll end up losing this game, because my friends will set me free," shouted Jackson.
"We'll see about that Jackson, just don't forget that I'm still in control of your body and mind, and poor little Amber will never know that her Jackson is trapped inside his own twisted mind," said Moore.
"I know Amber, she'll she through your tricks."
*laughs* "We'll see about that," said Moore, as he leaves Jackson's dream world.
Amber walked up the stairs towards the bedroom in where Jackson was resting, while Amy and Sam were sitting downstairs in the living room.
Amy gave Sam a weird look that made her feel unconformable that she had to look the other way, so she doesn't make direct eye contact with her.
"What's wrong with you?" replied Amy. "You seemed so distance from when I first arrived at the hospital to check on my brother."
Sam looked back towards Amy, "There's nothing wrong, I don't know why you think that there is something wrong between you and I"
"Hmm, you humans are indeed mysterious," said Amy.
Just when Sam was about to say something about Amy's remark. She got up from her side of the living room and sat right next to her. "I sense something completely different in the way that your emotions change so quickly from happiness to jealousies. What are you hiding Samantha?" asked Amy.
"It's nothing, I'm completely fine. I am," said Sam nervously.
"Well you don't seem fine, because you're starting to sweat a little on your forehead. Something is indeed troubling you and you better say what's on your mind or I'll force it out of you." Said Amy.
"Please, really I'm fine. Just don't worry about it."
Amy looked deeper into Sam's eyes as she can see the truth. "You have feelings for one of your friends, it's more than just feelings. It feels like you emotionally like them. Do you also have feelings for my brother?" asked Amy.
"No, it's not that."
Amber heard yelling downstairs from Amy and Sam, she hurried down the hallway towards the staircase.
"Tell me or I'll force it out from you."
Amber hurried down the stairs.
"Alright… I'm in love with Amber Banks!!!!"
Amber froze with surprise, "Sam?"
Sam quickly looked at the stairs and spots Amber standing right there, she got up slowly, "Amber, I can explain."
Amber; with tears in her eyes, opened the front door and ran. Sam dropped to the floor and began to cry, while Amy sat their; disbelieved.
"Well, I knew one way or another I was going to get the answer out eventually"