Free Darkness by Joann I. Martin Sowles Page A

heavenly. He was brushing my hair away from my face and I was staring up into his beautiful dark blue eyes. I was torn between bliss and sorrow. Another memory flicked into its place and I felt my body cringe in pain. His body was on mine and he was biting me, feeding from my neck and then he entered my body. I gasped and a new memory flicked into view. I was falling to the ground as a fist collided with my face. I felt myself scream as Oscar stood over me angry and ready to strike again. My hands covered my face as I huddled on the floor waiting for impact. Another memory flashed. A baby crying. It passed by too quickly for me to see it. Then suddenly I was running with Oliver. Through an apartment. He climbed out a high window and I followed after him. He was holding my hand, the one with the triangle ring on it. We were on a second story and we slid down a roof to the fence line to climb to the ground. He held me in his arms as I stared back and saw Oscar on that rooftop watching us go. I felt a mixture of relief and fear. Then the memories turned all fuzzy and…worbly, for lack of a better description. I reminded myself what Oliver had said about the fake memories and was thankful I did. It was a vision of Oliver smiling over me fangs out and a smile on his face. He was naked. I pushed with my mind at hers and the memory turned into the real thing with a baby crying in the background and Oliver, tears in his gorgeous emerald eyes, just before he leaned over and bit me. I mean Julz. Another worbled memory tried to surface but her focus slipped and I caught a glimpse of a memory that I don’t think she meant for me to see. A ring being placed on her finger. The same ring that was on her finger now. I saw Oscar place that ring on her finger and heard the words “I do,” slip from between his smiling lips. Then the connection broke.
     
    Holy crap! They’re married! My vision started to de-fuzz but my body felt super weak. I tried to lean against the back of the chaise but I collapsed instead and my body just kind of slid off the chaise and onto the floor. But only part way. My legs and feet were still on the seat but my cheek was kissing the tile.
     
    “What did you do to her?” I heard Oscar roar. No wait! Oliver. It was Oliver that was here. I’m Laney, not Julz. My head was still a bit fuzzy and I was still having a hard time separating myself from her.
     
    Someone touched me on my arm that was flopped onto the floor over my head. It was the dog’s nose nudging me and Isaac trying to lift me back onto the seat. My vision fully retuned then as I was seated upright and propped against the back of the chaise. Oliver had Julz pinned against the wall of the entryway with one hand around her throat, her feet dangling only inches from the floor. She was just as limp as I was. Only her eyes were darting from one face to another. Hayden was beside him pleading for him to let her mom go.
     
    I yelled, “Oliver, stop!” At least that’s what it should’ve sounded like. What came out was more like “Olivestaw.” But he seemed to understand and set her on her feet where she immediately crumbled to the floor. Isaac and Hayden lifted her under her arms and took her to the couch where they laid her out not too far from me.
     
    Oliver was on the chaise with me. He was trying to get my body parts to respond and trying to hold me at the same time. I told him my parts were starting to come back, and he brushed my hair from my face and then left to get me some water. I had gained back all my abilities by the time he returned with two glasses of ice water. He handed one to Isaac for Julz, who was now sitting up on her own, and gave the other to me. He hovered closely in case I dropped it.
     
    After I swallowed I looked right at Julz and said, “I’m sorry.” And I was. She loved Oscar with everything she was. Every ounce of her being loved him and she was in pain from being separated from him.
     
    Her response was, “I