| Chapter 49 Brian slowly opened his eyes. It took him a moment to remember where he was, then another moment before the pain registered. He started to moan in protest when he heard voices in the other room. He stifled his cry and tried to listen. It sounded like Hathath and Evi. He quickly closed his eyes when the voices grew louder, and the two entered the room. "I'm doing my best," Evi argued. "Well, maybe that isn't good enough. We need him on his feet before the army marches," Hathath spat. "What do you expect? He's not like you or me. You beat him within an inch of his life and then expect him to be better in a matter of days? It just can't happen," Evi said, angrily. "Listen missy," Hathath said, sticking his finger in her face, "You are still bound to us wether you like it or not. You will do as your told!" Evi looked down at her feet, not wanting to stare into the demons eyes for one more second. Hathath walked over to Brian roughly grabbing him by the back of the head and lifting his head up. "Has he even woke up yet?" he asked, dropping Brian's head back down. "No, not yet," Evi said, walking over to the other side of the bed and placing a hand on Brian's arm. Hathath sighed heavily, "Fine. As soon as he's awake we'll come get him." "But just because he's awake doesn't mean he's better," Evi said. "It doesn't matter. We need him conscious, he doesn't necessarily have to be in tip top shape for what we have planned. In fact, it's better if he's not," Hathath said with a menacing grin. "OK, I'll let you know when wakes up," Evi said, following the demon out of the room. Brian kept his eyes closed until he heard someone walk back into the room. "Brian, are you awake?" Evi asked. He opened his eyes and looked at her, "Thanks." She smiled at him, "It won't work for long. He's dumb but not that dumb," she said. Brian laughed, then cried out in pain. "Oh sorry, I shouldn't have made you laugh," Evi said, placing her hand on top of Brian's. Brian could feel the calming effect her singing had on him. He sighed, as the pain eased. "How long .... was I asleep?" he asked. "It's been two days since you woke up," Evi answered. Brian looked at her in shock, "Two days?" She nodded, "The good thing is that your fever is finally gone." Brian stared at her for a moment, "Do you know ... what they want with ...me?" Evi shook her head, "I'm not sure. I know it has something to do with the army going into battle, but that's all I know." "Evi, why did you ... lie for me?" he asked. She smiled at him, gently running her hand through his hair, "Because, you shouldn't be suffering this. It's not fair, and it's not right. I may be a siren Brian, but I'm still human. I still have a heart, and what they're doing just isn't right." "You aren't bound to them .... anymore," Brian said. Evi sighed, "Well, in their mind we still are." "But Nick broke .... the alliance," Brian countered. Evi's expression changed, and Brian was sure he saw a flash of hatred in her eyes before she brought herself back under control. "You don't like Nick ..... do you?" he asked. "No," she said. "Or Tara?" he asked. She shook her head, "No, they betrayed us Brian. I ... well I just...." "Hate them," Brian finished for her. She nodded, "Yeah, pretty much." "But you see why they did it don't you?" he asked. She looked away, "I dunno. I guess they thought they where helping their side." "They where," Brian said. There was an awkward silence between them. Brian knew he was pushing the conversation, but he really needed to know where her loyalties where. "Evi, do you ... like where you are... now?" he asked. She looked back down at him, "What do you mean?" "Do you like being .... on this side, with .... those like Nick .... Tara.... and me as your .... enemies?" he asked. "Brian, you are not my enemy," she said. "I'm on the same side .... as Nick and Tara. If you're still siding with .... the demons, then I'm your enemy," Brian said. Evi sighed, focusing her attention on watching her thumb move back and forth across the back of Brian's hand. Brian watched her. He could see her struggling with an answer. Finally she looked back at him, "I don't like it here now. Things have changed, and not for the better." "So leave," Brian said. "I can't Brian. As much as I hate where I am, I know I don't belong anywhere else. I'm stuck," she said. Brian lifted his head as much as he could, "No you're not. You can make a new life for yourself. You can leave here, and have a normal life." Evi laughed, "Oh yeah? And just how am I suppose to do that?" "Ask for forgiveness," Brian said. Evi stared at him like he'd grown another head, then burst out laughing. "Oh man, that's a good one Brian. Ask for forgiveness, ha! You expect me to believe that all I have to do is pray to a God that has done nothing for me and ask him to forgive me and things will be just hunkey dorey? What a crock....." Evi laughed. "I never said things would be great," Brian said, "I'm only offering .... you a way out. The right ...way." "And what makes it right Brian? Just because you believe it, it's right?" she asked, sarcastically. Brian shook his head, "No. I know it's right because ... I've seen it. Over and over .... again in my life, I've seen ... what God can do for people. What He's .... done for me .... and my friends. I should've died ... several times over by now, but I haven't .... because God has allowed extraordinary things to happen to ..... keep me alive. I know what I believe ....is true. That's why .... I'm here. I know that.... no matter what they do .... to me, it cannot take that away from me. Even if they .... kill me, I know what will happen once I die. I'll be in a much better place than this .... with all my friends and family. Evi, it is just .... as easy .... as asking for forgiveness. God loves .... us all, and He made sure .... that coming to Him would be just ... that easy." Evi stared at him. Brian spoke with so much passion, that what he said had to be true. She gazed into his eyes, seeing the peace he had. Even in the condition he was in, it was still there. Shining through his crystal blue eyes. She quickly looked down, knowing that if she looked for another second she was going to cave, and she didn't want to. She was afraid to admit that her life up to this point had been a mistake. She was afraid of what would happen to her once the demons found out. She was..... well just afraid period. Evi stood up, "You need something to eat, I'll .... I'll be right back." "Evi wait..." Brian called after her as she ran out of the room. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "Nick? Can you hear me?" Tara asked. Nick looked at her, then at the rest in the room, "Huh?" "You where in the middle of telling us why you want four more units to go back to the city," Jarab reminded him. "Oh, sorry," Nick said, running his hand through his hair. "Nickolas, did you see something?" Michael asked. Nick nodded, "I saw Brian and Evi talking. I could feel her conflict, she almost let go." "Give her time," Michael said. Nick looked at him, "How much time? Brian can't stay there much longer." "I have a feeling it won't be long. Their army is almost assembled," Micah noted. "Yeah, I have a feeling they're leading up to something," Tara said. "So do I," Nick agreed, "The skirmishes are increasing. They want to get this fight over with. As soon as the army's ready, they'll march." "Which leads us back to the original question," Jade said, "What part does Brian play in this?" "Yeah, is he there just to hurt Nick, or are they planning something we can't see, something that will affect us all?" Gideon asked. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ It was a long time before Evi returned with a tray of food in her hands. She sat the tray down, "I didn't know what you like, so I grabbed one of everything." Brian looked at her, "Evi.." "OK, we have some fruit, some soup and crackers ...." she said, ignoring him. Brian sighed, "Fruit." "OK, fruit it is," she said, moving the plate closer to the bed. "I'm not sure I can eat laying like this," Brian said. Evi looked at him, "You're right. Um, do you think if I put some pillows behind you, you could lay on your side?" "We can ...try," Brian said. "OK, be right back," she said, leaving the room. After a minute she returned with a body pillow and several regular pillows in her arms. "OK, let me get these situated," she said, placing the body pillow against Brian's side, then the other pillows behind it. Then she walked back around, "OK, let's do this slow. I don't wanna have to re-stitch anything." Brian nodded, allowing her to help him carefully roll onto his side. He winced as his back touched the pillow, but then settled into it. He was laying half on his side, half on his back against the pillows. "That better?" Evi asked. "Yes, thank you," Brian said, glad to be off his stomach. "OK, now back to the fruit," Evi said, carefully sitting on the edge of the bed and taking the plate off the night stand. She forked an apple slice and held it up to him. Brian opened his mouth and bit into it. The flavor danced across his tongue as he chewed it. He hadn't realized just how hungry he was until he started eating. Before he knew it, he'd finished the fruit, and the soup. "Well this is a good sign," Evi said, as she held a glass of water, Brian sucking the contents through a straw. He smiled, "I do feel a little better." Evi smiled, "I'm glad." Evi sat the glass on the night stand and retrieved a wash cloth and bowl of warm water from the bathroom. She wet the cloth and gently washed Brian's face. She continued with his neck and chest. "How did you get this?" she asked, as she ran the cloth down his scar. "Heart surgery," Brian answered. Evi glanced up at him, "You're to young to have heart problems." Brian laughed, "I was born with it. But it's not a problem now." "So the surgery fixed the problem?" Evi asked. "For a while it did, but .... then it came back. It was beyond surgery when they found it," Brian explained. "But you said things where fine? How did they fix it then?" she asked, looking up at him. "They didn't. God did," Brian said. Evi stared at him, a confused look on her face. Brian smiled at her, and took her hand in his, "I died Evi. My heart was so bad that it just couldn't work anymore, and I died. But I guess God wasn't done with me because He brought me back and healed me. He does that ya know?" "Does what?" she asked. "Heals broken hearts," Brian said, "You see this is the perfect example of His love for us. He takes something ... that we can't fix .... and He heals it. He can do that with you Evi if you let Him." "Brian, I can't ..." Evi started. "You can," Brian insisted, "The things you've tried to fill your life with so far aren't working. Just like my surgery didn't work. Now it seems like nothing can fix the mess you're in .... but you know what? God can. He can take your fears and make them go away. He can fill your life with peace and love. He can heal you Evi, just ... like He did me." Brian watched as tears appeared in Evi's eyes, spilling out and down her cheeks. "I'm scared Brian." He squeezed her hand, "There's nothing to be scared of. He loves you, He doesn't want to hurt you." "But I've done so many things ...." she said. "He doesn't care about that. He will forgive you, all you have ... to do is ask," Brian soothed. He watched as she fought with herself, her emotions and fears finally winning out. "I ... I just can't Brian ...not now," she said, getting up and heading to the door. "Evi, you can't run from this," Brian said. "I'm sorry Brian, I just ...." Evi said, turning and running out of the room. Brian sighed, picking up the wash cloth she left laying on his chest, and dropping it to the floor, God, please help her find her way....... Chapter 50 |