crimson, chapter fifteen

Days had passed and crimson was now exhausted, the planet had now been returned to its former glory. No more pollution or destruction, just nature the way it should be. He had removed all of the crashed vehicles, all of the buildings and every other sign that a dominant species had been here. He also removed all of the toxins from the land and the air he even fixed the ozone layer. The survivors had been out at sea long enough, it was time to bring them home to the new world so they could re build his food source for his next meal. Crimson had kept his distance from them while he worked but now he moved towards them as they slept and gently pushed the boat on its way back to land. It would take them a few days to get back but he knew he had no rush. * Jack woke to find himself on a beach, the sun was warm against his face and the air was so fresh and clean. The others stood by his side as he began to walk off the beach and onto the soft grass; no sign of civilisation was to be seen. No buildings no roads no trash bins nothing, the blood red fog had gone and in its place a strange figure the same colour moved towards them. It was the shape of a person but was made of the fog and was transparent. Jack felt that he had nothing to fear from this being but still he was cautious as he approached it. He greeted the fog person and waited for a reply but no words came from it. The being raised its arm and reached for jack’s head, not moving jack allowed it to touch his forehead. As soon as it did the fog shape changed and vanished into thin air. At that very moment jack woke up in a cold sweat; he knew that was more than just a dream. He knew that this thing had finished what it had come to do and now it was time for them to see what lay ahead for them. Jack was not the first one up; Lethaniel was already sitting eating breakfast. “Morning” jack said as he entered the kitchen and went to make himself a very strong coffee. “Morning. The fog is back close to the boat again” Lethaniel replied. Jack looked out of the window and saw the red mist creeping around the boat. “Why didn’t you come and tell us” jack asked him. “What good would it have done, it’s not like we can do anything about it right.” He replied with wisdom far beyond his

years. Still a child yet forced into adulthood jack couldn’t help but have some pride in how well he

was coping. Jack took his coffee up on deck but as he was about to go outside Lethaniel spoke. “Are you sure you want to go out there?” he asked. Jack turned and told him. “We have nothing to fear from it, if it was going to hurt us it would have done it by now.” Then jack left and stood watching the mist and thought things through. Kate joined jack on the deck and startled him as he was deep in thought and didn’t hear her. “Lethaniel said you have been out here for an hour.” She said. “Yeah just thinking” he replied “what about?” She asked. “Trying to put it all together” he told her. Kate looked over the front of the boat and saw that they were moving. “How are we moving without the engine on” she enquired. “Its him, he is taking us somewhere” jack said. “Him? Him who?” was the next obvious question. “Didn’t you have the dream” “what dream” Kate asked puzzled. “The one last night on the beach and the strange being made of the mist” he could see by the blank look on her face she hadn’t had that dream. “Are the others up yet” he asked. She nodded her head and jack turned away from her and began walking back inside with Kate following. Jack asked for everyone to sit as he needed to talk to them. Once they were all seated jack began by asking if anyone had had the dream last night. It turned out he was the only one, much to every one’s surprise as so far they had all been having the same dreams. He sat and told them what had happened in his dream and how he had felt since waking. It was as if he had some new knowledge but wasn’t sure what it was. Martin was the first to ask a question or rather imply his opinions. “So it’s an alien, I knew it was a conspiracy”. The others looked confused but were also thinking the same thing. “No he is not an alien or I don’t think so.” Jack told them. “So what is he then” asked Pamela. Jack thought for a moment then gave his thoughts a voice. “He is from earth; he was here before we were, even before the dinosaurs. I think he was created when the earth was”. They talked for another half an hour then the younger children had woken up and needed seeing to. All they could do now was wait for what was to come. Over the next two nights they all had the same dream as jack had even the children. They took turns keeping a watch from the deck it was now Clive’s turn and the others were below. Kate was changing one of the babies nappies and the other one was crying in the cot. Jack had heard the crying and gone to help out. “Can I do anything to help” he asked as he stood in the door way leaning against the open door. “Yeah you can pick him up he needs some attention” she told him. Jack walked over to the cot and reached down to pick up the baby. Kate finished dressing and picked up the other baby, she turned to see jack cradling the now quiet baby. “Wow you’re a natural” she said in a soft voice as not to disturb either of the two babies who were now dozing off to sleep. Kate watched Jack and felt a warm glow inside as he gently cradled Makenzie to sleep. Walking back to the living area leaving the sleeping children jack and Kate didn’t speak, she was thinking how she liked seeing him in the father roll even if they were not their kids. She supposed now they were their kids they were all they had in the world. They heard Clive shouting from up top and joined the others. He was calling out that he could see land. They all gathered on the front of the boat to watch the land getting closer and closer to them. When they stopped they were a short distance from the shore, it was too shallow for the boat to go further. Jack took out the life raft and threw it into the water and it expanded ready to take them ashore. “I don’t think we should all go” jack told them they all agreed and only jack, Clive and Kate went. The others stood and watched as the raft reached the sandy shore. The fog was starting to pull back further and further from them. As the mist drifted away from the land and dissipated the sight revealed was beautiful and peaceful. Lush green land as far as the eye could see, the sky was pale blue and calming. The air was pure and resh.