Flux

remembered.
    He was still speechless.
    “Sorry for deceiving you. There was no other way I’m afraid.”
    Iain shut his eyes tightly once more and reopened them, perhaps thinking that he’d find himself again in the clean hospital room, awakened from his nightmare. He was still in the dungeon. “You’re not real!” he blurted.
    “Just different,” she replied, still smiling.
    “No, you’re in my head.”
    “I’m everywhere.” She said cryptically.
    “You could have stopped all of this,” Iain said, breaking down into a sobbing fit as the adrenaline started to leave his system.
    Eve gathered his head into her arms and held him tightly. “I’m so sorry,” she murmured into his ear. They stayed in their embrace until he was ready and able to talk.
    “So, who are you?” he enquired, studying her features and form; she was the most beautiful thing he’d ever seen.
    “That’s not important.”
    Iain wanted to get angry, shout and demand she tell him but found himself unable to show any resentment towards her. All he felt was love. Could you have stopped all this happening to me?” he asked instead.
    “No.” One word: spoken with sadness and maybe tinged with guilt.
    “Is it over now?” Hopeful.
    Again, the answer was a simple “no.”
    Iain felt his shoulders sag as his head sank back to her bosom. She gently stroked his weary brow. “Do you know why this is happening to me?” he asked.
    This time she answered with a yes, “It’s a test.”
    “Why am I being tested?” It did not occur to him to ask who by.
    “That’s an answer you have to find out for yourself.”
    “Have I passed?”
    “Not yet, but it’s almost over.”
    A deep sigh escaped his lips; he didn’t know whether he had the energy left for any more terror. “So are the dreams, the demons and the ghosts all part of this ‘test’? I really don’t know what’s real and what’s not anymore”
    “I know. If it could have been any other way, believe me…” She smiled again, “the ghosts are real. Let’s call them curious souls who wanted to see how you got along.”
    “This really isn’t fair.”
    “I know.” She appeared genuinely sympathetic towards his pain.
    “The baby. The baby has something to do with all this hasn’t it?” suddenly remembering.
    “Yes.” Her features changed for a brief moment to reveal a whirlpool of emotion seething just below the surface of her calm exterior. Serenity was restored before Iain could figure out what he’d seen.
    “Can you tell me about the baby?” He didn’t really expect answers, just more cryptic gobbledegook.
    She looked him directly in the eye. “You have to save him.”
    Something in her look told Iain that the child had some personal connection to Eve; even her child maybe? “Who is it?” he asked.
    “Somebody very important,” came her response.
    “Who?” pressing a bit harder for answers now.
    “All I can tell you is that he must be saved. Everything rests upon it. He is the future.”
    Iain’s fear had given way to intrigue. “Like what? What do you mean everything ?”
    “I’ve already said too much.” She stood up and backed away.
    “Don’t go. Please don’t leave me now.” Iain pleaded, fear once again coming to the fore.
    “My part is played now. You must go, leave this place and fulfil your destiny. And go quickly; I have frightened the lizard away, but I fear he’ll be back.”
    “But how?” His question went unanswered as Eve looked down upon him and spread her hands, becoming enveloped in soft white light, surrounding her, intensifying and thickening until she could no longer be seen. Then, the light faded and Iain was again left on his own in the cell. He sat quietly on the bed of straw and wondered what to do next.

Chapter Forty-One
    Saviour

    With Eve’s warning of Bert’s imminent return resonating strongly, Iain didn’t hang about for too long pondering his plan of action. Clutching the crude map, he made his way to the door which Bert had left slightly ajar upon his exit, and peered down the corridor. Nothing moved and the only sounds were the usual ones of screams and groans, to which he’d become quite accustomed.
    He made his way tentatively, not wanting to draw any attention to himself, although he presumed at some point along his journey that would be unavoidable. Upon reaching the first cell, Iain looked in to see the pile of bones caged within, still alive and twitching in the dirt. Taking the heavy iron