Chapter 17: A Flicker of Fear
The next morning brought with it the sound of birds chirping and a soft breeze flowing through the trees. Sunlight streamed through the RV's windows, casting a warm glow on the faces of its passengers. Inside, the group enjoyed a moment of peace, laughter filling the space as they chatted and joked.
Damion sat at the small table, dealing out a deck of cards for a game he had just taught Emma and Taylor. "Alright, ladies, prepare to be amazed," he teased, flashing a grin. Emma rolled her eyes but smiled as she took her cards, while Taylor concentrated, determined to beat Damion at his own game.
Daniel leaned back in his seat, quietly scrolling through his phone, occasionally tossing in a sarcastic comment or two about the game. Despite everything that had happened, it was nice to relax, to feel normal again, even if only for a few hours.
And there, in the back of the RV, Jason lay sprawled on top of Sarah, fast asleep. His head rested on her shoulder, his arms loosely draped over her as if even in his sleep he couldn't bear to let her go. Sarah smiled softly as she read a book, her hand absentmindedly running through Jason's hair.
The group had spent the morning laughing, playing games, and forgetting, just for a little while, the weight of the world outside. It was easy to fall into this rhythm, to pretend that the demons, the monsters, the nightmares were far away. But for Jason, even in his sleep, peace was hard to find.
After a while, the RV's engine rumbled to life, and the group packed up their things, getting ready to hit the road again. Damion took the wheel, as usual, while Daniel navigated from the passenger seat. Emma and Taylor moved to the back, their game forgotten for now, while Jason remained on top of Sarah, still deep in his slumber.
As the RV rolled down the highway, the hum of the road and the gentle rocking of the vehicle lulled everyone into a quiet, relaxed state. But for Jason, something darker stirred beneath the surface. His peaceful sleep turned restless, his body shifting slightly as his dreams took a turn.
Inside his mind, Jason found himself standing in a place he didn't recognize. The sky was dark, swirling with ominous clouds, and the ground beneath him felt unstable, as though it could crumble away at any moment. He looked around, searching for something familiar, but all he could see were shadows, looming and twisting like living things.
And then, in the distance, he saw it.
A figure stood before him—tall, menacing, its body obscured by the darkness around it. Red eyes gleamed from the shadows, and Jason's heart clenched in fear. He tried to move, to step back, but his body wouldn't obey. The figure took a step forward, its eyes burning into his soul, and Jason felt a wave of dread wash over him.
"Jason…"
The voice echoed in his mind, low and chilling, as if it came from everywhere and nowhere at once. The figure stepped closer, and Jason's chest tightened with the weight of the air. He tried to speak, to shout, but his voice was trapped, caught in his throat. The figure's red eyes bore into him, and for the first time in a long while, Jason felt truly afraid.
"Jason…" the voice whispered again, closer now, almost at his ear. "You cannot escape. You will burn."
Suddenly, the ground beneath him cracked, fire erupting from the earth in jagged lines, creeping toward him with impossible speed. Jason tried to run, to escape the flames, but they were faster. The fire engulfed him, swallowing him whole, burning through his skin, his soul.
And then he woke up.
Jason shot up from his place on top of Sarah, gasping for air. His body trembled, his heart pounding in his chest. But that wasn't the only thing he felt. His skin was hot—too hot. Before he could even register what was happening, flames burst from his body, engulfing him in a fiery glow.
The others barely had time to react.
"Jason!" Sarah shouted, startled as she quickly scrambled to get off the couch, her eyes wide with concern.
Jason's hands flew to his chest, his breath coming in sharp, rapid gasps. He could feel the heat radiating from him, the flames licking at his skin. But they weren't burning him—they were part of him, an extension of his power, of the fire that lived inside him. Still, the intensity of it was overwhelming, and it took every ounce of focus he had to calm himself down.
"Jason, breathe," Sarah urged, her voice calm but urgent. She reached for him, her hand gently touching his arm, the coolness of her skin a stark contrast to the heat emanating from him.
Jason closed his eyes, forcing himself to focus, to take deep breaths. Slowly, painfully, the flames began to recede, shrinking back into his body until they flickered out completely. The heat dissipated, leaving Jason feeling drained, but the fire was gone.
For a long moment, there was silence in the RV, the only sound Jason's ragged breathing as he tried to calm his racing heart.
"Are you okay?" Sarah asked, her hand still resting on his arm, her eyes filled with concern.
Jason nodded, though he still felt shaken. "Yeah… I'm okay. I just…" He paused, swallowing hard. "That nightmare. It was like nothing I've ever felt before."
The others had gathered around, their eyes fixed on Jason. Damion had pulled the RV over to the side of the road, and now he stood with his arms crossed, watching Jason with a worried frown.
"What happened, man?" Daniel asked, his brow furrowed.
Jason rubbed his temples, trying to make sense of it all. "I don't know. It was… dark. There was this figure, and it kept calling my name. And then there was fire, and… it felt real. Too real."
"And that's what triggered your flames?" Emma asked, her voice cautious.
Jason nodded. "I guess so. I've never lost control like that before. It's like… the fire was responding to something inside me. Like I wasn't in control."
"But you are now, right?" Damion asked, his voice steady.
Jason looked down at his hands, flexing his fingers as if testing them. He could still feel the heat, the power simmering just beneath the surface, but it wasn't wild, not like before. "Yeah," he said quietly. "I've got it under control. For now."
Sarah's hand tightened on his arm. "We'll figure this out," she said softly. "Whatever that dream was, it's not going to break you."
Jason looked at her, his heart calming at the sound of her voice, the way her presence grounded him. "I hope so," he muttered, though the doubt lingered in his mind.
The group fell silent again, each of them lost in their thoughts, trying to make sense of what had just happened. Jason's powers had always been strong, but this was something different. Something darker, more dangerous. And as much as they all tried to downplay it, they knew this was only the beginning.
After a few moments, Damion clapped his hands together, breaking the tension. "Alright, folks, we're not going to solve this by standing around here. Let's get back on the road, and we can talk more about it once we've had some time to think."
With that, the group slowly dispersed, each of them returning to their places in the RV. Jason and Sarah sat together on the couch again, though this time Jason was more alert, more aware of the power simmering beneath his skin.
As the RV rolled back onto the highway, Jason leaned back against the cushions, his mind still racing. The nightmare, the fire, the figure with the red eyes—it was all too real. And though he had calmed the flames for now, he couldn't shake the feeling that something inside him had changed.
Something was waking up. And it wasn't going to be easy to put it back to sleep.